Is Home Birth Safe?

This question suggests that there is a version of birth that is free from all risk of harm and that is just not the case. Birth is a natural process that is always subject to some degree of uncertainty and risk, no matter where it takes place. Life is not with out risk. Every time you get behind the wheel of your vehicle you are putting yourself at risk. The chances of getting in a car accident are significantly higher than many of the risks associated with birth. Also the meaning of safety and risk can vary from person to person. One person may feel safest in a location that they are familiar with and comfortable in, with only people they know and trust, where they feel in control. Someone else will feel safest being in a sterile environment with a medical professional to whom they hand over control and responsibility for their outcomes. So who’s definition of safe are you considering? Often when people ask this question they are just concerned with a healthy baby and healthy mom. But there is so much more possible to hope for than that. Trauma during birth can lead to an array of complications in postpartum such as depression, anxiety, difficulty breastfeeding, difficulty with connection and attachment and more. So it’s more to consider that just, is birth at home safe?..

I believe that following the intelligent physiological design of birth is optimal for a positive experience and therefore positive outcomes both during and after birth. Physiological birth is optimal. Following our natural design to birth and care for our babies is optimal. Feeling safe is essential for the hormonal blueprint of labor to unfold.

Where do you feel safe?