Your say

Home Birth Debate

Apr 13 11:59am

The UK government has recently announced plans to encourage more women to have home births, saying that expectant mothers should have greater choices over where they give birth. The proposal has been welcomed by midwives, but met with concern by some groups who say there are safety issues involved. In Australia, about one per cent of all babies are delivered in home births. The issue was debated by Channel Seven's Sunrise panel, which included marie claire editor Jackie Frank.

Tell us what you think by adding your comments below. Share your thoughts on this important issue.

142 Comments Report Abuse

1. belindarocket - Apr 12 03:12pm

I work in the hospital system and if that’s safest & best practice I'm baffled. There's not a great deal of satisfaction with the care women are receiving. Most of my clients have had horrific birth experiences and know they need a better birth second or third time around. See - :www.birthbynature.com.au for evidence of this in personal feedback. Regards, Rachael McCleod

2. belindarocket - Apr 12 03:17pm

I urge you to come to grips with the reality of homebirth. Around the world, homebirth is proven to be a safer option for women than hospital birth. Open your mind and come read the facts. They’re obviously going to surprise you! Best wishes, Janet Fraser National Convenor, Joyous Birth Australian homebirth network. http://www.joyousbirth.info/

3. belindarocket - Apr 12 03:19pm

Put your prejudice aside; speak to women who have birthed at home with a midwife whom they’ve come to know well over a 9 month period. I am one of them and I found it the richest most rewarding and safe experience.Every woman deserves safe maternity care. The choice of a midwife and a homebirth is one of them. Regards, Jo Hunter - National Convenor Homebirth Aus
Coordinator Homebirth Access Sydney - Innate Birth doula and CBE.

4. belindarocket - Apr 12 03:22pm

I chose hospital birth for my third son and he was born via 'emergency' caesarean, unnecessarily. As a result, I developed PTSD and other mental health issues. I went on to choose homebirth for my 4th son and had an ecstatic, beautiful triumphant experience. My birth stories are here: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?f useaction=blog.view&friendID=10 7603514&blogID=218809914&My Token=ef55c5f6-86a5-4f59-9065-bbb52 be850ca And my table comparing the official labour notes from the hospital vs homebirt

5. arwenyth - Apr 12 04:26pm

You only have to experience hospital birth to come to the conlusion that home is the best place to be. Women who feel that cs is the best option to avoid the horrors of vaginal birth -news flash! The cs isnt the solution, it is where you birth and with whom and how much effort you put in to understanding the normal life event that is birth. stress incontinence is not caused by natural birth- it is pregnancy as well as the forceps that are needed after you have an epidural - a cs wont prevent t

6. kateestarbuck - Apr 12 04:43pm

I am a hospital-based Midwife, and I chose to birth my son in the safest way I know: A home birth with a Midwife I grew to know and trust. No interference in just another (although WONDERFUL) life event. There is no question that this mode of care should be available to all women - these babies are our future. Jo in WA

7. isis_caple - Apr 12 05:18pm

After 2 hospital births, I recently gave birth to my third child at home. Why? Because I wasn't sick, nor was my baby. Sick, or dying people go to hospital. I simply gave birth, with no strangers, superbugs or inhuman protocols. More women should have the option to not birth in a medical setting- pregnancy is not an illness, midwives are specialists in normal birth. Perfectly safe and simple really.

8. mungbean_em - Apr 12 05:29pm

Thankyou for opening this debate after the uninformed comments that were made on Sunrise. I hope you will follow through and do a magazine story on this subject and consult people most informed on this topic - independently practising home birth midwives. Home birth has been shown to be, for most women, a safe option and safer than the atrocities of current hospital practice. There's also the added bonus' of it often being one of the most empowering, satisfying, life changing events in a family'

9. treebytheriver - Apr 12 08:08pm

Decades of policies driven by fear, control, profits, politics, deception and misinformation are depriving Australian women of the simple right to choose. Homebirth is safe and satisfying option, and the right to opt to birth at home needs government backing and funding. Reforms in this area of our lives needs to be led by women, not obstetricians & politicians.

10. casmism - Apr 12 10:27pm

When 1 in 3 women report they are traumatised by birth there has to be something wrong with the way our maternity system operates. Add to this overflowing neonatal special care and intensive care nurseries because of our country's sky-high caesarean rate and a growing mental health problem with Australia's PND rate 15 percent and rising and we should all be asking questions about why our Government doesn't fund best practice maternity care. Homebirth should be an option for every woman who wants