Re: Can I get some info from non-US moms, please?
Hi!
I'm in the UK. Home births are covered by our health care system (NHS) and every pregnant woman is supposed to have the choice of where to give birth (home, birthing centre, hospital - obviously this will depend to an extent on the needs of her and her baby). Midwives are generally supportive of home birth (though not all are); doctors tend not to be.
I believe the home birth rate nationally is around 2%, though it varies according to area. I think it's as high as 4-5% in some places, and I imagine it's virtually unheard of in others, depending on how supportive the local hospital is. Some places have dedicated home birth teams whereas in others it's dealt with by ordinary community midwives who also have to fit ante and post natal care into their workloads.
I had two home births and I would say that most people were positive, though I'm sure a few were just too polite to say anything! It was a relatively well-known choice where I had my babies.
Please PM me if you have any more questions, as I have some contacts in the birth world who may be able to give more details if you want them.
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