Thank you to all the wonderful women and their families who have allowed me to share in their birthing journey!

Women choose homebirth for a variety of reasons. Often the choice stems from a philosophy that pregnancy and birth is a natural life process, not a sickness. The women trust this process and their bodies to birth well. They may wish to avoid unnecessary interventions and allow their babies a gentle entry into the world. They may also want to labour or give birth in water, an option not available in all Victorian hospitals.

Women choosing homebirth benefit from care that is individualised to their needs. They become familiar with one midwife and the philosophies guiding her practice, for the entire pregnancy, birth and postnatal period. In addition to well-being checks, antenatal visits are a chance for the midwife to form a trusting relationship with the woman and her family; to learn of their desires and plans without the long clinic waiting times and constraints of ten minute appointments.

In common with other mammals, women birth well when they feel safe. By choosing to give birth at home, women are in a familiar and comfortable environment. They are ensured privacy and control over who is in their birthing space. They are not sharing their most intimate act of giving birth with complete strangers. Women can choose to be surrounded by their loved ones and other children, or to birth with just their partner and known midwife present. There are no staff changes or decisions to be made about when to leave home for the painful car journey to the hospital in labour. After the birth, the whole family are able to snuggle up together in their own comfortable bed.

Research supports homebirth as a safe choice, and midwives as the most appropriate caregivers, for healthy pregnant women (1). However midwives are trained and carry equipment to deal with emergencies should they arise. A second midwife is also usually called for the birth. A back up booking is made with a hospital in case a transfer to medical care is required and ambulance subscription is also recommended.

Australian midwives are currently unable to secure professional indemnity insurance for private practice. This appears to be the result of developments in the insurance industry in many countries and affects independent midwives worldwide. The loss of insurance is in no way a reflection of the safety of midwifery care. Women planning homebirth in Victoria have excellent outcomes (2). Midwives in Australia and their professional organisations are continuing to actively seek suitable arrangements for insurance coverage.

(1) Olsen O, Jewell MD. Home versus hospital birth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1998, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000352. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000352

A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth, Chapter 3 http://www.childbirthconnection.org/pdf.asp?PDFDownload=gecpc3ch03

(2) Bilcliff, A. (2007) Report on Planned Homebirths in Victoria, 2005. Birth Matters Journal. Vol 11.1, p 6

See link to Birth Matters Journal at: www.maternitycoalition.org.au

For more information please email andrea@homebirths.com.au or phone (03) 9704 2386

I now work in a midwifery group practice Eastside Midwives This enables women to have a known second midwife and back-up in the unlikely event that I am at another birth.