Last time, Julia Berg told us about her own experience of giving birth to her son at home in Home Birth Part 1. Julia herself is a clinical psychologist and mother of two children. She also offers help to women in processing and preparing for birth.
Today Julia tells us everything about the formalities and how to mentally prepare for a home birth:
IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, IS IT TRUE THAT WOMEN ARE LESS LIKELY TO CHOOSE A HOME BIRTH THESE DAYS? WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON FOR THAT?
"My experience is that more and more women are currently interested in home births. Especially in times of Corona, when a hospital birth often entails many restrictions (for example, that the partner cannot or can only partially accompany the birth or that a mask is mandatory), home births are increasingly becoming the focus of attention for many mothers.
Even though there are more home births in times of Corona, it unfortunately does not mean that there are more home births than ever before. Most home birth midwives are working at their maximum capacity. Unfortunately, there are often simply not enough midwives for all the women who would like to have a home birth. Unfortunately, many midwives even stop working because of the high costs and the high workload, which unfortunately means that home births are becoming less and less.”
IF A MOTHER-TO-BE HAS DECIDED TO HAVE A HOME BIRTH, WHAT SHOULD SHE EXPECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE EFFORT TO DO?
“The effort is usually not that great! The first and also the biggest obstacle is probably finding a midwife who will accompany you to a home birth. Then of course there must be nothing against it from a health point of view (it is best to clarify this individually with your midwife).
And the rest then happens completely automatically. Your midwife will discuss the birth with you in detail beforehand and will also give you a list of things that you should get and have on hand in time. If you want to arrange a birthing pool, that can be a little bit of work, but sometimes the midwife can lend you one!”
DO YOU HAVE TO OBSERVE CERTAIN FORMALITIES?
“From a bureaucratic point of view, there are no special hurdles to overcome. Your midwife will issue you with all the documents, examine your child after birth and issue him or her with a U-booklet.”
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE YOURSELF MENTALLY FOR A HOME BIRTH?
"The most important thing is that you are mentally ready for the birth and want to allow it to happen. If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe at home for any reason, your body will not be able to open up during the birth. The same applies if, for example, you are afraid of making too much noise because you don't want to disturb the neighbors.
You should be aware of these worries in advance and either resolve them immediately or choose a different birth location. Otherwise, you won't be able to fully relax during the birth. And in my opinion, that is the prerequisite for a beautiful birth!”
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN HAVING A HOME BIRTH?
“It’s clear: that mother and child are healthy (green light from the midwife!) and that they receive good care from a home birth midwife who they really trust.
The intensive care provided by a well-known midwife (sometimes even two!) and the very natural and relaxed setting make it possible to give both the mother and the midwife a very good feeling for the birth and its course.
It can also happen that the expectant mother does not feel well during childbirth.
The woman giving birth notices very quickly and early on if she is not feeling well. The midwife is always present and can notice very quickly if something is not going well. This means that measures can be taken early on if they are necessary (for example, transferring to hospital, although this only happens relatively rarely). This makes a home birth very safe - at least as safe as a hospital birth, where both the care and the woman's physical awareness are usually much less intensive."
YOU OFFER COURSES ON PROCESSING TRAUMATIC BIRTHS. HAVE YOU ALSO MET MOMS WHO HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES OR TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES DURING HOME BIRTH?
“A very good and legitimate question! A home birth is no guarantee of a pleasant birth! Other factors also play a decisive role. Accordingly, yes: I have also accompanied a woman who experienced a traumatic home birth. The real problem here was that she did not feel well looked after by the midwife. So you can see: the birth experience can stand or fall with the midwife - regardless of the place of birth.”
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND A HOME BIRTH AND IF SO, TO WHOM?
“YES, I would definitely do that. To all women who feel good and for whom there is nothing medically or midwife-related that speaks against a home birth. And then it is important that the woman really feels comfortable and safe at home, that she feels that she can let go and also be uninhibited and loud. Women who know: 'I just feel safer in a birthing center or hospital' should not plan a home birth for fashion or other reasons. My tip: listen to your heart!”
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIP ON HOW TO MAKE A HOME BIRTH A DREAM?
“Imagine clearly and precisely how you want the birth to be. Picture it in every detail. And then visualize it regularly during the pregnancy. That means: imagine this situation every night as you go to sleep, for example. So that this idea can become deeply anchored in your subconscious. Then you have a good chance that the birth will actually go like this!”
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Would you like to get to know Julia? Here you can find her offers:
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