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Choosing where to have your baby

In the third trimester you’ll naturally be thinking more and more about planning the birth of your baby. You may be considering a home-birth and wondering how safe it will be, whether your medical advisors will allow it, and what to expect.

Or you may be certain that the only place you will want to have your baby is in hospital, but feel unsure about what to expect when you arrive there.

Your right to choose

The first thing to know is that all women in Ireland have the right to choose between a home and hospital birth. Your final decision will be made in consultation with your partner, GP, and midwife. You can always review your decision and change your mind if you need to.

However, aspects such as your health during pregnancy and whether any medical complications exist will also need to be taken into consideration.

Home births

Most women in Europe now have their baby in hospital. But in some countries home-births are becoming increasingly popular—a third of all women in Holland give birth at home. In Ireland, an estimated 200 women each year choose to have their children at home. According to the last report on perinatal statistics, this figure is rising. Because of the current differences in numbers between, both home, and hospital births, statistical comparisons between both of these deliveries here are not possible. However, studies in other countries make for surprising reading. In the UK, the perinatal mortality rate for home births is in the region of four per thousand, compared to around nine per thousand in hospital environments. Similar studies in Holland and Australia have confirmed these findings, which appeared in the ’British Medical Journal’ in 1996.

The reasons for choosing home or hospital birth will be different for every woman and her family. Some women feel strongly about wanting to avoid hospital if possible, others will simply want to stay close to their family and in their own familiar space.

The advantages of a home-birth include:

Family bonding

• Fathers can take a much more active role in the birth.
• In home-births, many fathers get the chance to help deliver the baby.
• There’s no separation of the baby from its parents after the birth.
• Siblings can immediately bond with the baby during the first few hours.

The comfort of your home environment

• By giving birth at home you may feel more comfortable getting into different positions in order to give birth more easily.
• You’ll be using your own bath, toilet, shower, bed, towels and sheets which may make you feel more comfortable.
• You’ll have the whole space of your home to use, to walk around when you can, to watch TV or whatever you need to just relax in the early stages of labour.
• There’s no reason your baby has to be born in bed. Your baby can be born in the room you feel the most comfortable and secure in.
• All your familiar things are around you, which may make the birthing process less stressful for you.
• You can stock the fridge with chilled filtered water and anything else you might want to eat or drink during labour.

How would a home-birth be managed?

Most home-births are managed with the help of midwives. Your GP may also become involved. If you experience medical complications you may be transferred to hospital, where the hospital based teams of midwives and doctors will become responsible for your care.

Finding out more information

If you’re interested to know more about home-births in Ireland, you can speak directly to someone who’s chosen this option in the past. You can do this by contacting the Home Birth Association of Ireland via www.homebirth.ie.

It’s also a question to discuss carefully with your partner, other family members or children, your midwife, obstetrician and GP.

What are birthing centres and can I find one in Ireland?

In some countries, birthing centres have been developed to provide a home-birth environment within existing hospital facilities. These are small maternity units which are staffed and run by midwives. The environment is comfortable and homely with the emphasis on seeing birth as a natural process first and a medical process second.

No birth centres are currently available in Ireland. However, more and more maternity hospitals have attempted to design hospital delivery rooms that are more like a bedroom than a hospital so you feel as relaxed as possible.

Hospital birth

If you’ve decided to have your baby in hospital, all the medical support you need will be on offer. Remember, you could go into labour anywhere from two or three weeks before your due date, so it’s a good idea to get everything you need together well in advance.

Plan ahead for your big day

Make a list of all the phone numbers you’ll need, including your GP, midwife and local hospital. Give a list of numbers to your partner of people he might not know, like new friends or work colleagues. Then he can keep everyone updated. Consider obtaining their mobile numbers so he can send text updates as it will be much quicker and easier than making lots of phone calls!

Stock up on food supplies that will last well in the cupboard or freezer. This will be a great help to you when you get back from hospital as you won’t have to think about food shopping as well as all the new experiences you’re having with your baby.

Pack your bags

Think about what you’ll need to take with you to the hospital. You’ll need to take things like clothes and toiletries, not just for you but for your new arrival as well.

To avoid bringing along lots of things you won’t need, ask the hospital in advance for a printed handout of what they do and don’t provide. Some will supply nappies and sanitary towels, and some won’t so it’s best to check first. You may also want to take some favourite snacks and drinks to keep your energy levels up during labour.

Taking care of your other dependents

If you’ve got other children make sure that you’ve arranged for someone to take care of them, or collect them from school, in case you go into labour during a week day. If you have any pets, make sure you’ve got another family member or neighbour prepared to help you out—you and your partner will have your hands full for a few days!

Work out how you’ll be getting to the hospital

You’ll need someone to drive you to the hospital who’s going to be available any minute of the night or day, and who lives or works close to your home. Ask your driver to make the back seat of their car as clear, clean and comfortable as possible, and to ensure there’s plenty of space for your bag.

If you don’t know the route to the hospital well, it’s a good idea to do the journey a few times before you actually go into labour. Then you can time the journey and work out the best route when you’re not under stress, and look out for any trouble spots.

Put plenty of change in your purse when you’re packing. Hospital car parks usually aren’t free and the person who takes you to the hospital may be with you for some time.