5 Ways to Increase Home Birth Safety
There are a lot of women who prefer home birth to hospital birth these days. There are a lot of reasons for them doing so. To begin with, there are practical concerns like living in a remote place and not having easy access to a hospital, money concerns or just that some women like the comfort of home and having loved ones around and close while giving birth. Although there are so many benefits of giving birth at home, one should also ensure that everything is safe for the delivery as well as for the baby when it arrives. Here are some tips that will help you increase the safety factor for a home birth and endure that both mother and baby are safe and healthy.
1. You will need to find a good midwife
You have to make sure that you find a certified nurse-midwife (CNM), a certified direct-entry midwife (CPM or CM), or a physician who has plenty of experience delivering babies at home. Before you decide on a midwife or a physician you need to find out about her qualifications, if she is licensed to practice in your state and her years of experience with home births.
2. Make sure that whoever is in charge of the birth carries the necessary equipment
Make a list of the essential things that your midwife or physician must carry and carries the necessary equipment and supplies to start emergency treatment if needed. They include infant resuscitation equipment and oxygen, IVs, and medication to stem postpartum bleeding. It also would be good if they can make necessary arrangement quickly in case a backup is needed.
3. You need a backup plan that is solid and dependable
As much as we can hope and make arrangements, there is always a chance something might go wrong. You need to have a strong backup plan, like getting transported to a hospital immediately in case things do not go the way they should.
