Contents
Home birth in practice
The epidural, the episiotomy, the forceps… they don’t want them! Moms who choose home births want above all to flee the hospital world that they find over-medicalized.
At home, pregnant women feel like they are managing childbirth, not to suffer it. “We do not impose anything on the mother-to-be. She can eat, take a bath, two baths, go for a walk in the garden etc. Being at home allows her to experience the birth of her child fully and as she sees fit. We’re just here to make sure everything goes smoothly. But it is she who chooses her position or who decides when she begins to push, for example, ”explains Virginie Lecaille, liberal midwife. The freedom and control that a home birth offers requires a lot of preparation. “Not every woman can give birth at home. You have to have a certain maturity and be aware of what such an adventure represents ”
In the Netherlands, home births are very common: almost 30% of babies are born at home!
Home birth, enhanced surveillance
Giving birth at home is only reserved for future mothers in perfect health. High-risk pregnancies are of course excluded. What’s more, about 4% of home births end in hospital ! A future mother who wants to give birth to her child at home must wait until the eighth month of pregnancy to get the green light from the midwife. Do not consider a home birth if you are pregnant with twins or triplets, you will be refused! It will be the same if your baby presents in breech, if the birth is expected to be premature, if, on the contrary, the gestation exceeds 42 weeks or if you suffer from hypertension, gestational diabetes, etc.
Better to prevent maternity upstream
“Obviously, we take no risk during a home birth: if the baby’s heart slows down, if the mother loses too much blood or simply if the couple asks for it, we go to the hospital immediately. », Explains V. Lecaille. A transfer that must be planned! Parents and the midwife who accompanies them in this adventure must know which maternity unit to go to in the event of a problem. Even if the hospital cannot refuse a woman in labor, it is better to consider enrolling in a maternity hospital during her pregnancy and informing the establishment that you are considering a home birth. A prenatal visit with a midwife at the hospital and making an appointment with the anesthesiologist in the eighth month allows you to have a medical file ready. Enough to facilitate the task of doctors in the event of an emergency transfer.
Giving birth at home: a real team effort
Most of the time, only a midwife assists the mother who gives birth at home. She establishes a very intimate relationship with the future parents. There are about fifty of them in France who give birth at home. Midwives alone provide comprehensive support. “If all goes well, the mother-to-be may not see a doctor for nine months!” Midwives ensure pregnancy follow-up: they examine the mother-to-be, monitor the baby’s heart, etc. Some are even authorized to do ultrasounds. Corn, “most of our work is to prepare for the birth at home with the parents. For that, we discuss, a lot. We take the time to listen to them, to reassure them. The goal is to give them all the keys so that they feel competent to bring their child into the world. Sometimes, the discussion goes beyond: some want to talk about their relationship problems, sexuality … things that we never talk about during a prenatal consultation at the hospital, ”explains V. Lecaille.
On D-Day, the role of the midwife is to guide the birth and ensure that everything goes well. No need to hope for any intervention: epidurals, infusions, use of forceps or suction cups are not part of his skills!
When you choose to give birth at home, it necessarily involves the dad! Men generally feel more of an actor than a spectator: “I am happy and proud to have experienced this birth at home, it seems to me that I was more active, more reassured and relaxed than if we had been in the maternity ward” , tells Samuel, Emilie’s companion and Louis’s daddy.