A home birth is a birth that takes place in your home rather than in a hospital or a birthing center. You can choose to have the birth attended by a midwife of varying degrees (CNM, CPM, DEM, lay/traditional) depending on your state. Birthing without an attendant is generally referred to as a “Free Birth.”

Home birth may be a safe option for anyone that has had an uncomplicated pregnancy and are full-term.

Some stats: [1], [2], [3]

Per a study released in 2014 by the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), found that among 17,000 families:

• 97% of babies were carried to full-term, and weighed an average of eight pounds at birth. Only 1% of babies were transferred to the hospital after birth, most for non-urgent conditions.

• Only 4.5% of the 17,000 study participants required oxytocin augmentation and/or epidural analgesia. This is much lower than average for the United States, where 24.5% experience IOL and an estimated 70-75% have epidurals, per Yale Medicine.

• Low rates of cesarean birth: Only 5.7% ended up birthing their babies via cesarean. This is compared to the national average of approximately 32.1% as of 2021, per the CDC.

• High VBAC success rate: For low-risk individuals, the chance of having a vaginal birth after cesarean ranges from 68-87% when birthing outside the hospital.

For many families, the comfort + security of your own home is unmatchable; You choose who attends your birth, who cares for you (rather than a revolving door of medical staff), food, drink, movement, sounds - it's your choice!

An HBAC is a vaginal, home birth completed by a patient with prior cesarean. Reminder that a doula cannot decide if you are a good candidate for HBAC, and that this should be discussed with your clinical provider.

Things to consider: The risk of uterine rupture is <1% if you have had one prior c-section, wait at least one year for your uterus to heal before becoming pregnant, have a low transverse incision, and your reason for the c-section does not necessitate another (e.g, transverse positioning or placenta previa). Patients with history of prior uterine rupture or high vertical incision are generally not good candidates for VBAC or HBAC. Nevertheless, ask lots of questions if you’re considering VBAC or HBAC!

Generally speaking, no. However, some plans will reimburse for care and you may also be able to use an HSA/FSA towards supplies and services.

Something to keep in mind, however, is that if you hire a midwife, they typically include all of the prenatal care in their fee, alongside labor + delivery charges. Many also offer payment plans, some offer sliding scales, and there are many other ways to creatively finance your home birth, such as a fund on your baby shower registry!

Absolutely! I strongly encourage all birthing persons that are good candidates for home birth to completely own your labor and delivery experience, surrounded by your most familiar, encompassed by your personally curated atmosphere.

I am available as a birth doula + birth photographer for local home births.