Barbara Bechtel, an experienced certified nurse midwife, provides midwifery services in Brooklyn, New York. As a midwife, Barbara Bechtel talks with women about their options and assists with at-home births in women’s homes.
In recent years, home births have become more popular as a birthing option. There are a number of reasons why a planned birth at home might appeal to someone. In particular, many women want to have their baby in an environment where they feel at ease and can have their loved ones around them. Hospitals, which lack the comforts of home, typically have restrictions on visitors. Staff might also restrict what a person can do during labor or how the baby is delivered. This would be a disadvantage for women who want to use a birthing approach a hospital might not use, such as giving birth in a birthing pool.
However, for women who have certain medical issues, such as diabetes or a condition that causes seizures, giving birth at home might not be the best option. Similarly, women who are pregnant with twins or who have pregnancy-related conditions such as preeclampsia might need the equipment and resources a hospital provides during the birth. A health care professional can help a woman make a decision and develop a birthing plan that is best for both the mother and the baby.
In recent years, home births have become more popular as a birthing option. There are a number of reasons why a planned birth at home might appeal to someone. In particular, many women want to have their baby in an environment where they feel at ease and can have their loved ones around them. Hospitals, which lack the comforts of home, typically have restrictions on visitors. Staff might also restrict what a person can do during labor or how the baby is delivered. This would be a disadvantage for women who want to use a birthing approach a hospital might not use, such as giving birth in a birthing pool.
However, for women who have certain medical issues, such as diabetes or a condition that causes seizures, giving birth at home might not be the best option. Similarly, women who are pregnant with twins or who have pregnancy-related conditions such as preeclampsia might need the equipment and resources a hospital provides during the birth. A health care professional can help a woman make a decision and develop a birthing plan that is best for both the mother and the baby.