My wife is 10 weeks pregnant. We've decided on a home birth because we think that will give us the highest chance of having a natural birth. We also feel a home birth will be much more spiritual and God focused, which we want to make sure Jesus is as the center of it all.
We have found a team with a certified nurse midwife and others that will assist us throughout the pregnancy. We have a nearby hospital familiar with our situation in case a transfer is needed for any reason.
Has anyone else had a home birth? If so, I am curious what your experience was like.
We had a homebirth for our first, it was an amazing experience and had a wonderful outcome using a birthing tub. The biggest thing is keeping Mom relaxed. The tub was #1 for that, I was #2 and our labor dula was #3. The more relaxed she is, the easier everything will be. We read the Father Coached Birth which helps Dad be more equipped to notice and help mom relax during the intense parts.
We used primrose oil daily for a few weeks before birth (inserted not orally) to help soften the cervix. Sex is of course better for that though so we used both methods.
Make sure the CNM has a good track record meaning they haven’t had a lot of transfers or emergencies they couldn’t deal with. Make sure they are capable of dealing with common emergencies like cord wrapped around head, and shoulder dystocia. Have a plan in place for in case baby is breach as only a few CNMs are even allowed to deliver this way. It is a beautiful experience but one that you and the CNM must be wellllllll prepared for. God bless!