42: Home Birth

It was not too long ago in our history that all births took place at home.  Over the last century the number of women giving birth at home has sharply declined.  The decline in home births is due to many factors beyond the advancements we have made in medicine.  The laws of your country or state, the coverage of home birth by your insurance or health care, and social attitudes have all played a part in directing where you have your baby.  In recent years the rates of home birth have been increasing as more expecting parents are exploring this as an option.  The biggest benefit to a home birth is that you have the most control over your labor and your environment in a home setting.  Learn what you can expect during a home birth from the time you start your labor until your baby is born.  The safety of home birth is a controversial topic and this episode includes a lot of research on whether home birth is safe and what some of the risks are.