The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS, a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA

More Advice From a Mother About Choosing Homebirth

I, too, had a homebirth with my first. I'm in the USA. I did not have an ob (who would back up a birthing woman here in the U.S. very few people see a GP or family practitioner for birth).

I'm glad I went ahead and had my baby at home! I wouldn't have it any other way. It's really a shame that other women (dr's) can't help you out. by being supportive of your decision. However, IMO, no matter where you choose to birth the responsibility for your health and that of your baby is ultimately yours. You can think the doctor is responsible, but your doctor is not going to be with you every day while you make important choices like what foods you eat to grow a healthy baby, sit with you during your labor and help ease you through it, etc.

That said, if you've read all the books and still don't feel comfortable at home it's probably not a good idea. The mother's emotional state and comfort level are quite important in terms of how labor goes. The mind-body connection is never so apparent as it is in labor.

However, you first might want to read several books like:

• Birth Reborn by Michel Odent
• Obstetrical Myths vs. Statistical Realities by Henci Goer
• Pursuing the Birth Machine by Marsden Wagner
• Unassisted Birth by Laura Shanley (even if you don't want to go it alone, it's very well written and empowering)
• Birth as an American Right of Passage by Robbie David-Floyd (still relevant probably, even though you're in the U.K.)
• Immaculate Deception II- A Fresh Look at Childbirth by Suzanne Arms
• A Good Birth, A Safe Birth by Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer
• Pregnant Feelings: Developing Trust in Birth by Rahima Baldwin and Terra Palmarini Richardson

If you have trouble finding these books, ask your midwife if she has a lending library. Or check with a local LLL to see if they have a library (my group has Birth Reborn, A good Birth, A Safe Birth, Immaculate Deception II, and The Birth Experience by Sheila Kitzinger)

You can also order them on-line. ALACE (a group that certifies childbirth educators and labor assistants [sort of doulas]) has an on-line book ordering service.

I understand wanting someone there to guide you through this transition in life. I chose a midwife for that, because I felt that having someone who is used to seeing normal spontaneous birth was a better choice as opposed to someone who's more accustomed to seeing medicalized-interfered-with-births (i.e. a doctor who only delivers in hospitals where most of his or her patients have interventions).