Most individuals enjoy having their families there for the joyful event of a child’s birth. In less developed nations, this universal, natural process has occurred without medical intervention, but in the United States, it has become a medical occurrence. Although giving birth in a hospital is the most suitable and secure location. Women’s attitudes toward giving birth to a kid in a hospital are beginning to change. Some women want to receive care in an environment that is more comfortable and natural than the standard hospital. Women with low-risk pregnancies may be able to choose the type of care services in advance in several Western nations. Home birth is seen as a planned, natural delivery at home with no interventions other than the support of a midwife. In contrast, hospital birth is an alternative that can take place in a hospital setting without painkillers and again with the help of a midwife. It is essential to examine the benefits the home birth process brings to the family and parents compared to hospital births.
Women are more likely to have intact perineum during home births and experience fewer maternal infections. In certain cultures, these women prefer a setting that feels more like a family and relies entirely on a midwife who gives them the freedom to determine specific details of the labor and delivery process. Women feel more in control of their labor as a result, and they can experience skin-to-skin contact with their newborns immediately after birth rather than having the hospital take them away for examinations and baths (Coburn & Doering, 2021). The mode of delivery is a very personal decision. Thus, parents must thoroughly weigh their options before deciding between home birth and hospital birth.
In a hospital, the newborn is taken away from the mother for bathing, vaccinations, tests, and getting footprints for the birth certificate. It is also casual and does not allow mother and kid to bond. For nine months, the child has been growing inside its mother in a warm, secure, and safe environment. The newborn may experience trauma from entering the world and being touched by numerous people. Mothers choose a more practical method of childbirth because of this (Coburn & Doering, 2021). Suppose the family chooses to give birth at home or in a birthing facility. In that case, this offers a stress-free atmosphere centered on the family with opportunities for mother and child bonding. The childbirth process is aided by the family’s comfort level and the home environment.
Many incidents during hospital births influence women to choose home births in subsequent pregnancies. Too many interventions and interruptions and a desire to avoid pharmacological pain management are two significant factors affecting women’s decision to have a home rather than give birth in a hospital. Women feel they are not offered options when they are at a hospital. Some people think that no one is listening to them. Women speak about how they felt their choices were taken away when interventions they thought were unnecessary and taking pain meds they honestly did not want were made. Women’s exclusion from decision-making can ultimately result in discontent (Hutton et al., 2019). Because women have more autonomy and opportunities for empowerment at home, home birth is preferred for subsequent pregnancies based on experiences with hospital births.
However, women prefer giving birth in their own house, where they can take charge of their environment and do it their way and on their terms, without unnecessary interventions and interruptions, as empowering (Zielinski et al., 2017). It was stated that a woman needed to be the decision-maker over how she wanted her birth to proceed or to be a member of the decision-making team. Women believe in themselves and feel capable of making independent judgments.
Home is where most individuals look for and find peace and relaxation. When someone is in their residence, they have a more remarkable ability to control their environment and the activities that take place there. It was more fulfilling to give birth in a setting that welcomed them at home, where they could do so on their terms. The birthing process would be closer to nature at home if it were not for all of the medical interventions that are standard procedures in hospitals. The atmosphere and culture of the hospital are distinct from those of other settings, and the routines of the medical staff may affect how the baby is delivered. The room where a woman gives birth is constantly being entered and exited by various persons (Zielinski et al., 2017). The individuals that go inside a person’s home are typically guests who have been invited, and they will be an excellent source of support for the woman. With the proper assistance, a woman can go through the labor process without too much difficulty.
The standardized guidelines describing eligibility and risk factors for home births are essential to safe delivery in that setting. There is evidence to suggest that the results of home births are on par with or even better than those of comparable women giving birth in a hospital environment when standards are put into place, followed, and only reserved for women with reduced risk profiles (Walker, 2017). On the other hand, newborns’ death and morbidity rates may increase when mothers with risk factors such as breech or multiple deliveries choose to give birth at home. Only women at low risk of complications during labor and delivery should be offered the choice to give birth at home, according to recommendations issued by countries such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (Walker, 2017). Even though different recommendations might have slightly different interpretations of what constitutes a low risk for complications during childbirth, it has been suggested that maintaining a consistent application and utilization of guidelines is a crucial component in improving the safety of home births.
Furthermore, data points to home delivery as more affordable than hospital birth. In the UK, home birth settings were 50% less expensive than hospitals for low-risk vaginal births. Home births are, however, often not financially feasible for low-income women because the established maternity payment system does not cover them in many places (Zielinski et al., 2017). Although the difficulties of balancing risk, cost, and access to care in all settings have been a source of concern, a recent policy change in the UK has been recommended. It encourages women to consider the full range of options for maternity care, including home, hospital, and birth center, as well as the type of provider, a midwife or physician.
Pregnant women frequently desire more specialized care than hospitals may be able to provide. Hospitals frequently attend thousands of births yearly, and to ensure that everything runs appropriately for them, they have highly particular processes. At home, one person must be cared for at a time. According to her, this might result in improved outcomes for practical nursing, postpartum healing, lessened crying, fewer interventions, and other things. According to research, planned home births that follow specific rules are just as safe for newborns as hospital births and just as safe—if not even safer—for moms (Walker, 2017). Three studies have found that low-risk women who had planned home deliveries have decreased rates of maternal morbidity, surgeries, and interventions, including c-sections and episiotomies.
In conclusion, home births are preferable to hospital births for infants, parents, and families. A pregnant woman might decide to give birth at home because she wants to include her family, has less fear of giving birth, is self-sufficient, has self-control, and believes that giving birth is normal. Women who have already given birth may choose to give birth to their second or third child at home. As they gain expertise, potential dangers are placed on hold in favor of the mother’s satisfaction, which takes precedence over any threats. Being in a positive and relaxed condition will assist the infant in adjusting to this world when the mother is calm and can focus on her breathing. Therefore, home births should be encouraged because they facilitate a more straightforward and effective birthing procedure.
References
Coburn, J., & Doering, J. J. (2021). Deciding on home birth. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 50(3), 289-299.
Hutton, E. K., Reitsma, A., Simioni, J., Brunton, G., & Kaufman, K. (2019). Perinatal or neonatal mortality among women who intend at the onset of labor to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: a systematic review and meta-analyses. EClinicalMedicine, 14, 59-70.
Walker, J. J. (2017). Planned home birth. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, pp. 43, 76-86.
Zielinski, R., Ackerson, K., & Low, L. K. (2017). Planned home birth: benefits, risks, and opportunities Int J Women’s Health. 2015; 7: 361–377.
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