Where can you give birth? How do you decide where is the best place? When do you need to decide? This video will provide you with information about your options so that you can make an informed choice.
We want to give you the choice of where you have your baby. However, if your pregnancy has been classified as high risk, your obstetrician will advise you to have your baby in hospital.
You will be classified as high risk if you or your baby has a medical condition, if you have had complications in previous pregnancies, or if you are having your baby at less than 37 weeks of pregnancy.
However, for most women it is safe to have your baby away from hospital, and indeed there are some real benefits to doing so. Also, you can make your decision at any time during your pregnancy, even when you go into labour. So what choices do you have?
Having your baby at home
Many women choose to have their baby at home because they want to feel safe, secure, and in control; they want privacy; and they want to make the birth of their child as natural as possible.
Once you go into labour, you need to call the maternity unit for advice. If your pregnancy has been normal, without complications, you will be offered a home assessment to check how your labour is progressing. Providing that all is well, you will be able to choose to stay at home.
The midwife will stay with you, and as the birth gets closer, a second midwife will arrive to provide extra support. Wherever possible, all the care you receive will be provided in your home. Occasionally giving birth to your baby can cause the area between the vagina and the anus, called the perineum, to tear.
Most midwives are able to suture tears at home. But, if the tear is more complex you will need to go to hospital for stitching. This doesn’t take long and you can go home shortly afterwards in your own car. If you think you may want to have your baby at home, speak to your midwife for more details.
Having your baby in hospital
You may choose to have your baby in a maternity unit in a hospital, and for women with a high risk pregnancy, this will be the most suitable option. If your labour needs to be artificially started, which is called ‘being induced’, then the hospital will be where you need to have your baby.
If you choose to have your baby in hospital, you should call the maternity unit once you have gone into labour. The midwife will be able to advise when you should come into hospital. You may be offered a home assessment first to avoid coming into the hospital too early. You will be cared for by a midwife throughout your labour, and there will be doctors on hand if required.
What else should I consider when making my decision?
There are number of things that most women think about when reaching a decision:
How natural do I want the birth to feel? For many women, giving birth at home feels very natural and is important to them.
How much support is available to me? Obviously, there are more medical staff and there is more equipment at hospital than you will have at home, but if you have a low-risk pregnancy you may not need a doctor or specialised equipment.
What pain relief do I want? For all births in the community and the hospital, gas and air or “Entonox”, is available, as well as an injection of pain relieving medication, but epidurals are only available in the hospital.
Do I want to use a birthing pool? Torbay and Whitelake midwife led unit each have one birthing pool, but it may not be available when you are in labour if it is already in use. It is possible to hire a birthing pool for your home.
What happens if there are complications? Midwives are trained to recognise when complications arise. They would arrange for you to be transferred to the maternity unit by ambulance and would accompany you there to continue your care. In an emergency situation it will take longer to get full obstetric care for you and you baby.
Who should I speak to to get more information? Please speak to your midwife or your obstetrician about your options and which one would suit you best; they will be pleased to answer any questions that you may have and provide any guidance that you need.
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