Home birth as safe as hospital birth

I am really glad that this study has proved that home births are as safe as hospital births. I have had two home births now. Both have been very safe experiences. My first baby was born in 1995. I hired a birthing pool andf had the first stage of labour in water. It helped my strong contractions and it felt quite relaxing. The water suported my body and felt lovely and comforting around me. I was in the pool from ten in the evening until nearly six in the morning. The second stage of the birth happened out of the water but it was not painful. Unfortunately I had a retained placenta and had to go to hospital to get it removed. My second baby was born earlier this month. I planned another home birth and bought my own birthing pool insted of hiring this time. Then at 36 weeks pregnant I found out my baby would have spina bifida. This was upsetting and most people tried to get me to have a hospital birth. I hate hospitals and believe in an active and natural birth. My midwife was understanding and worked out a way for me to still have the homebirth so so needed. I woke up in the night with mild pain. It got stronger but before I could get in my birthing pool my baby's head crowned and he was born after two more contractions. I dodn't have any pain relief. It was the perfect birth, so much better than I had expected.

yes i agree with you.. i myself have tried both.. my elder son was born in a hospital and my younger son was born at home.. actually, i just gave birth last February to my younnger son... there's no difference between the two.. it's just that, at home, you'll be given full attention by your midwife and of course your parents while in the hospital,,, they will only come to assist you when the time come for you give birth already... you'll feel all the pain in there alone, with no one in your family especially your husband at your side because they don't allow relatives to accompany you inside the delivery room..

WOOHOO for great new studies! I'm catching SO much crap about our upcoming homebirth - any "ammo" I can find is just wonderful. :)