Home birth | Conditions and boundaries

The main prerequisites for a home birth include the physical and mental health of the mother and child. Of course, there may be pre-existing conditions that are not relevant to obstetrics or that may heal during the course of the pregnancy and therefore do not pose an obstacle to a home birth. In order to ensure the health of mother and child, the midwife will carry out preventive examinations at the pregnancy appointments and will need to see any medical findings. In case of doubt, she will also consult a specialist (e.g., pediatrician).

The structural requirements include a normally equipped apartment (water, heating, toilet, shower in the apartment) where you feel “at home.” The home should be normally clean, but no special hygiene precautions need to be taken. On the contrary, the average home has fewer germs and is healthier than any hospital, meaning that the risk of infection during and after a home birth is significantly lower than with a hospital birth.

During your pregnancy, your midwife will work with you to compile a list of materials you will need for the home birth and the first few days afterwards. Most of these materials will already be available in your household (garbage bags, buckets, yoga mat, etc.), but some will need to be purchased from a drugstore (sanitary pads) or a hardware store (painter's plastic). You should have the materials collected and easily accessible at the beginning of the on-call period.

If you already have children, it is advisable to organize a caregiver who is also on call and can look after the children if necessary. The partner usually participates in the birth and provides support for the woman giving birth.

It is helpful if the partner is also present at appointments with the midwife during pregnancy so that they can ask their own questions and be involved in the care. If there is no partner, it would be good for the woman to have a good friend/sister/doula... by her side during the birth to give her strength and encouragement.

Boundaries and personal responsibility

Every woman* should have the opportunity to give birth in a self-determined manner, in accordance with her own needs and preferences. To this end, it is important to clarify one’s own needs and wishes in advance and to communicate them to the relevant caregivers. This allows the midwife to provide support early on and, if necessary, make the appropriate preparations. During labor, however, many women* are no longer able to make clear-headed decisions, and the midwife then shifts, if necessary, from a supportive and encouraging role to a more guiding one. It speaks to good preparation and a solid foundation of trust when this can be accommodated and such a birth is still experienced as positive, even if it no longer fully aligns with the original expectations.

Should complications arise during labor or if you need a form of support that is not possible at home, the midwife will transfer you to the hospital. In the vast majority of cases, such a transfer takes place calmly and as a precautionary measure. Possible reasons and the exact procedure are discussed during pregnancy. To ensure you receive the best possible care as quickly as possible, you should register at a hospital during your pregnancy.