There are numerous reasons why women choose homebirth.

 Home means privacy, familiar surroundings, greater relaxation and comfort than in a hospital, and the convenience of not needing to leave home during labor or travel shortly after giving birth. For larger families, especially, in-home care and homebirth may eliminate the stress of having to make arrangements for childcare outside the home during appointments or labor. 

When a woman births at home, she is in charge of who will attend her, and may determine the number of helpers and support people as she sees fit. Everyone in her environment will be someone she knows and feels comfortable with. Likewise, if she wishes to have her other children, doula, birth photographer, or extended family present, her wishes will be honored. 

In a home setting, a woman in labor will  have her birth preferences respected, as well as her special physical, emotional, spiritual or cultural needs.  Her caregivers already know her and her background, and are willing to accommodate her as an individual. 

At home, women labor naturally, with minimal intervention. When a birthing woman is undisturbed, the birth process generally works most efficiently and smoothly. Complications are certainly possible at home, and midwives are trained to recognize them and intervene appropriately, but we know the value of sitting on our hands when things are happening as they should. Homebirth is customized to the individual mother, baby, and family, not driven by facility policy or an arbitrary time limit. We also don’t do shift changes. 

Homebirth allows for optimal mother-baby bonding after birth, setting the stage for the best possible start to breastfeeding. At a typical homebirth, the baby is never separated from his mother, and is exposed only to familiar household germs, which allows for optimal colonization of the skin and gut with good bacteria. Those two factors equal the best possible start in life in terms of immune system health. 

Many women find that a homebirth is their best, or sometimes only, option for water birth or VBAC. Survivors of sexual or other trauma may find midwifery care and homebirth feel safer and more empowering than conventional medical care and a hospital setting, as may others with special cultural, religious, or other needs or circumstances. 

If you are considering homebirth and have questions, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. I am happy to answer some questions that way, or arrange for a no-cost, no-obligation consult in person. 

Serving

Fredericksburg

King George

Culpeper

Stafford

Orange

Louisa

Spotsylvania

Warrenton

Rappahannock County