Updated guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says evidence shows it is equally as safe for low risk pregnant women to have a baby at home as in a traditional labour ward – except for first-time mothers.

But Leah Kelly, who chose to have two of her six children at home, disagrees with the advice as does Charlene Hay who wanted her second child at home.

Mrs Kelly, 32, of Cavell Way, Sittingbourne, said: “I had my first two in hospital but with my third child Cody, now nine, I opted to have a home birth.

“It was a brilliant, the best experience ever. Everything went to plan. I was relaxed and I got to spend the first night at home with him. It really couldn’t have gone any better. My fourth and fifth children were twins so I had them in hospital but with my sixth Shaelea, now four, I decided to have her at home.

“I was 16 days over due when she was born but during labour she got stuck and the cord was wrapped around her neck. When she finally came out she was fine but then my placenta wouldn’t come out. When it did I started haemorrhaging. I lost five litres of blood in total.

“I was eventually taken by ambulance to hospital. I had surgery during which I was resuscitated. I then spent 24 hours on the intensive care unit. I went home four days later. They say you’re no more at risk at home than you are in hospital but every birth is different. Just because she was my sixth child doesn’t mean it was any safer. You don’t have an ambulance on call. It still has to be called for by the midwife dialling 999 so there’s no guarantee how long it would take to come.”

Miss Hay’s first child, Isabel, two, was born by caesarean because she was in the breech position.

So when she discovered she was pregnant with her son Frankie, now four months old, she was adamant she wanted to have him and at home. Doctors advised her against it which, she said, was just as well because things didn’t go according to plan.

The 27-year-old, of Aylewyn Green, Kemsley, said: “As I was pushing his heart rate went up and they said they had to get him out quickly so they used forceps.

“He was fine but then I started haemorrhaging. I lost two and a half litres of blood and I had to have three blood transfusions. I don’t agree with the guidelines for home birth. From my point of view they are risky. If I had had him at home it could have been a different story. I don’t think either of us would have made it.”

According to NICE, a baby born with a serious medical complication might occur in five out of every 1,000 births in a midwifery unit or hospital.

That figure rises to nine in every 1,000 for home births involving first-time mothers.
Healthcare professionals should inform women of the options available and advise them they have the freedom to choose where they give birth. It says all women giving birth should also have timely access to an obstetric unit if they need to be transferred to hospital for medical reasons or because they request an epidural.

Prof Mark Baker, NICE’s clinical practice director, said: “Where and how a woman gives birth to her baby is hugely important to her. Our updated guideline will encourage greater choice.”