Even though the majority of doctors think that hospitals and birth centers are the safest sites for baby deliveries, in some nations 20% of labor is performed at home. While studies have shown that this sort of labor offers advantages, many women choose to give birth at home because it’s more affordable or because they prefer a familiar environment.

What does a home birth mean?

If you choose to have a home birth, it means that you have all the labor procedures done at your own home with the assistance of a midwife, a nurse, or an obstetric doctor. It should be previously agreed upon with the doctor that followed your pregnancy because some ᴄʀɪᴛᴇʀɪᴀ have to be taken into account, as not all women are able to perform this type of birth.  With the increasing number of home births, researchers from all over the world have taken interest in this matter and found out some surprising benefits of this delivery ᴍᴇᴛʜᴏᴅ.

1. It can be cheaper

In some countries, delivering a child to the world can be an expensive experience. Because of that, women are choosing to go into labor at home as a way to not ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ the bank. The cost differences can come up to thousands of dollars, and they can save this money to help with future baby costs.

2. You can do it without ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

Some women believe in natural births, and at a hospital, it’s more difficult to have that. Most of the time, when choosing a home birth, they are also choosing a ᴍᴇᴅɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ and ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ-Fʀᴇᴇ procedure, which means no ᴀɴᴇsᴛʜᴇsɪᴀ or C-sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.

3. It can be more comfortable

At home, you can choose to have the labor wherever you want. Women can do it in the bathtub, on the floor, surrounded by pillows, or even in their own bed. Being more comfortable can also help the delivery to occur more naturally and easier.

4. You can have more control

At the hospital, women are subject to nurse ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴs, interruptions, and unwanted people coming over to them all the time. But when at home, the woman can have total control over the situation.

5. Your family can be with you

As you can have more control, it’s common that your close family are the ones you choose to be around you in this miraculous yet difficult time. Some hospitals limit the number of people that can be inside the room, and women often have to ask the hospitals for this information before choosing which one they’ll give birth in.