Q: What are the advantages of a home birth over a typical hospital delivery?
A: I respect the natural processes of giving birth. Studies indicate that labor progresses more rapidly in the familiar home environment. The dangerous bacteria and viruses that commonly inhabit hospital environments are far less likely to inhabit your home. Also, the baby receives immune globulins from the mother during pregnancy and lactation to protect him or her against the common microorganisms inhabiting the home. Furthermore, there are no unnecessary medical interventions performed at home, which themselves could create problems. I encourage laboring mothers to walk or to assume comfortable positions, and to drink if thirsty and to eat if hungry.
Q: Is it safe to give birth to a baby at home?
A: Yes. I carefully screen expectant mothers during the initial comprehensive visit and at all subsequent prenatal visits. Over 90% of couples who request a home birth do deliver at home. However, if risk factors arise such as toxemia, diabetes, breech presentation, prematurity, etc., I will either consult with an obstetrician or become an advocate for you if you should need to have the baby in the hospital. I will bring all the necessary equipment, including oxygen, to your house for the birth. Please see my link to the latest study on home birth, which is on the "links" page.
Q: Who may be present when we have our baby?
A: Anyone you wish! Your mothers, sisters, close friends, neighbor, labor coach, children, or others, are all welcome to be present. I recommend an adult, in addition to the father, to be present to provide for your childrens' needs during labor.
Q: Will our insurance pay for a home birth?
A: Many insurance companies will now cover a home deliver, especially if you have a PPO. At the present time, I am not a Medicaid provider.
Q: Are there any special preparations we need to make in order to have our baby at home?
A: I will furnish a brief list of supplies that you will have gathered together three weeks before your due date. These supplies will provide for your comfort during labor, and minimize the clean-up effort after the baby is born. All clean-up will be performed by myself and my assistant.
Q: How long will you stay at our home after our baby is born?
A: I will stay until the mother is stable, sitting up in bed, feeling well, drinking and eating, and the baby is judged to be healthly and is nursing satisfactorily. Before we depart, we will provide you with instructions explaining what to do and what to expect, both for the mother and baby. I will complete and file your baby's birth certificate.
I will visit your home the following day to check on mother and baby, as well as on the third day. I will re-examine your baby in our office at one week and at three and six weeks of age, and will perform the PKU and neonatal screening tests, as required by the State of Colorado. We feel that all mothers will need one to two weeks postpartum for rest and recuperation regardless of where thay deliver their baby. During pregnancy we will discuss how you should arrange for household help after your baby is born.
More of my home birth families.
