"Wow you are so brave" and other stupid things people say when you tell them you are planning a home birth

I remember being pregnant with my third baby and pretty often, after telling someone was I birthing at home I would get met with the following comments:

WOW YOU ARE SO BRAVE (not said as a compliment)
AREN'T YOU WORRIED ABOUT YOUR BABY?
OH, I JUST COULD NEVER TAKE THAT RISK
aaaand many many more.

And I would sit there pretty shocked that 
a. they thought it was appropriate to say that to a pregnant person
b. that they thought their opinion mattered to me
c. that they thought their opinion was one based in truth
d. that they actually thought hospital birth was the safer choice

Let's bust some hospital birth myths shall we?

Whenever home birth comes up in conversation, it almost always goes straight to the safety of home birth which I can understand as home birth is still something that, while growing in popularity, goes against the grain of what most people do.

But here's my question - do those same people worry about the safety of hospital birth too? 

Birth holds risks. There is no such thing as a risk free birth - no matter where you birth, who your care provider is, how much weight you gain, how much you move during your labour, what kind of pain relief you get, waiting or inducing birth... it all has risks. It is about getting the information on the risks and benefits and then making an informed choice - and that choice should be yours - not your midwife or doctors. 

So many people are just automatically choosing hospital birth thinking it is the safer choice with out doing one once of research to the pros and cons of both home and hospital birth. If after researching, you still feel safer in the hospital, then that is perfect! You do that! Birth where you feel safest but make sure you actually understand what the truths are.

Here's some pros and cons of hospital birth:
PROS:

• ​many feel safer because of our societal norms 
• safest location for those experiencing medical complications / high risk pregnancies
• pain medication available
• emergency personnel is available
• avoids last minute transfers to the hospital
• the only place you can have a c-section
  
• pediatric doctor is available if needed
• round the clock help from the nurses if needed
• easier to restrict guests
  

CONS:

• sterile environment can cause issues with the hormones acting properly, and can cause stalled labour
• less control compared to at home
• can seem impersonal or intimidating
• many policies and procedures in place, many of which are not evidence based as the safest choice and mostly focused on liability
• time limits - hospitals are super busy and they need your bed for the next person. You will start getting pressured to get things moving sooner in the hospital
• hospitals are often on diversion (almost a daily basis in Fraser Health) which means you may have to birth outside your community with care providers you never met before
• less privacy - people often walk into your room unannounced
• staff are trained in pathology, not physiology
• food and water may be restricted
  
• water birth is not available in most hospitals
  
• risk of iatrogenic complications and infection to the mother and baby is greater among those who deliver in hospitals
• more likely to receive unnecessary interventions
• more likely to go into the cascade of interventions
• more likely to birth via csection
• lots of new faces, no continuity of care
• lots of disturbance postpartum, making it harder to rest
• because of Covid, no guests at all allowed
  

Here's some pros and cons of home birth:
PROS:

• statistics show it is a safer option for most birthing people
• labour in privacy in the space you are most comfortable
• your hormones are in the ideal space to be able to come to its full power, which then helps your birth go more smoothly
• move into any positions that feel comfortable with no restrictions in movement
• less pressure to birth according to "textbook" timelines
• water birth is available
  
• to eat and drink your own food
• risk of infection is less
• everyone present has been invited to join you
• no need to rush to the hospital so you can just relax and focus on your birth, not getting to the hospital
• you won't be affected by hearing other birthers in labour
• bonding is enhanced and baby remains close always
• sleep in your own bed and shower in your own bathroom
• viewed as a normal physiological process instead of a medical issue that needs to be managed
• your family can visit you after birth easily
  

​CONS:

• no operating room at home
• no medicated pain relief available
• social judgments
• no nurses available postpartum 24/7
• if a transfer is needed, it may feel disappointing and exhausting

Shared from this pubmed article:
"Hospital birth* has not undergone rigorous scientific scrutiny, yet is commonly believed to be safer than planned homebirth, even for low-risk women. A commonly promoted notion is that there are rare complications, which can arise at birth, making a hospital birth safer for low-risk women. There is no published research to support this notion. Where trained and equipped birth attendants are available, and hospital transfer is closer than 30-45 minutes, a planned, attended homebirth is safer for low-risk women than a planned hospital birth. Currently available published research suggests planning a hospital birth is not safer than planning an attended homebirth for women with one head-down fetus, between 37-42 weeks, no high blood pressure, no previous cesareans and no serious medical conditions that affect pregnancy outcome."

So please, can we stop with the stupid home birth comments? 
kthanksbye.

​#getreal