Can you get an epidural at home

Having a home birth | Tommy's

Where can I give birth?

You can give birth:

at home
in hospital
in a midwife-led birth unit or centre.

Where you give birth is up to you and you should be supported in your choice. But there are some things you and your healthcare professional need to talk about, such as where you live, or if you’ve had any complications during this pregnancy or any previous pregnancies.

Your midwife can explain the different options and the pros and cons of each, depending on your circumstances. You can add information about where and how you’d like to give birth to your birth plan.

Having a home birth

Having a home birth means you can give birth in familiar surroundings supported by a midwife (or two).

It’s a good idea to remember that that sometimes a home birth may not be possible on the day if there aren’t enough community midwives available.

You may find your needs and priorities change as your pregnancy progresses. Don’t worry, you can always change your mind about where you want to give birth.

If you have any risk factors

If you have any complications, you may be advised to have your baby in hospital. This means you and your baby can be monitored more closely and have instant medical help if there is an emergency.

There are some risk factors in pregnancy that you should talk to your midwife or doctor about if you are thinking about a having a home birth. These include if:

you have pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure
you have diabetes
you have a high BMI
you have had abnormal scans during this pregnancy
you have had a caesarean section before (find out more about pregnancy and birth after a c-section)
your baby is in the breech position
you are having a multiple pregnancy
you have given birth prematurely before.

Are home births safe?

Giving birth is generally safe wherever you choose to have your baby.
If you’re having your first baby, home birth slightly increases the risk of problems for the baby.

If you’re having your second baby, a planned home birth is as safe as having your baby in hospital or a midwife-led unit. There is also a lower chance of having an assisted delivery, which could be a caesarean section, instrumental delivery or episiotomy.

Does it make a difference if I live far away from a hospital?

You should be offered a home birth no matter where you live in the country, although it may not always be possible if staff are not available.

Your midwife will carry out a risk assessment if you decide to have a home birth. For example, they will come to your house and check that it is accessible for an ambulance, in case you need (or want) to be transferred to the hospital.

Benefits of giving birth at home

There are benefits of giving birth at home.

You are more likely to be cared for by a midwife that you know. This is because midwives doing homebirths will be part of the community team that you will see during your pregnancy.
If you have other children, you will not need to leave them. But you will need to have arrangements in place in case you are transferred to hospital.
Your birth partner will not have to leave you at any point. But if you stay overnight in hospital, they may have to go home.
You are less likely to have interventions such as an assisted birth or episiotomy than if you give birth in hospital.

Being in an environment I felt comfortable and relaxed in was so important.'

Claire

Things to consider when giving birth at home

For anyone having their first baby, around 45 in 100 will be transferred to hospital during labour or after the birth. Your chance reduces for second babies after a previous uncomplicated pregnancy and birth to around 12 in 100 pregnancies.

Your midwife will need to do a risk assessment to make sure your home is suitable for birth. They will make sure emergency services can access the property (just in case) and check whether you have enough space for the birth.

Who will be with me at home?

Other than your midwife, it is up to you who to have with you when you are in labour.

Most trusts will also arrange for a second midwife or maternity assistant to come to you when the birth is about to happen.

Taking care of other children during a home birth

It is a good idea to have someone (not your birth partner) at home or nearby to look after any other children you may have. You might find it easier to focus on the labour if you know your other children are being looked after. This is also important in case you transfer to hospital.

Can I have delayed cord clamping at home?

Most home birth teams will try to do delayed cord clamping (DCC) for every birth, as it is now standard practice. Waiting longer before cutting the cord can increase your baby’s iron levels and the amount of stem cells they have. This can help their growth and immune system.

If you or your baby suddenly become unwell just after birth, the cord may be cut sooner.

Transferring to hospital

Even if you have started labour at home, you can change your mind and go to hospital at any time. For example, some women decide they don’t feel as comfortable as they thought they would, or they want more pain relief. Whatever the reason, your midwife can organise a transfer.

You will need a transfer to hospital if your labour isn’t progressing or if there are any complications.

Here are some reasons why some people get transferred to hospital during labour:

they’ve changed their mind
they want stronger pain relief
the baby has done a poo before it is born (called ‘meconium-stained liquor’), which can cause problems for the baby
they are bleeding from the vagina
labour is progressing too slowly
they have a prolonged rupture of membranes
the midwives have any concerns about the mother’s or the baby’s wellbeing.

What will happen if I transfer to hospital?

Your journey to hospital will depend on the reason for transferring. Most of the time, a paramedic ambulance will be called for you, especially if you are approaching or in the pushing stage of labour. In the ambulance, you will have access to Entonox (gas and air) for pain relief if you are in labour.

Sometimes, it may be possible to go by car with your midwife following. In both cases, the midwife will come with you to hospital. They may be able to stay and keep caring for you, or another midwife on the ward might take over and look you after.

When you arrive on the ward, you should have a room or bed waiting for you because the midwife will call ahead. If it is an emergency, the team on the labour ward will know you are coming. The obstetric and neonatal doctors will be ready to look after you and your baby.

Pack a hospital bag

You may not need to use it, but you should pack a hospital bag in case. Find out what to pack for labour and birth.

Pain relief during a home birth

TENS machine

You can buy, hire or borrow a TENS machine. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is a type of pain relief that uses a low voltage electric current. It is a small battery-powered machine with four pads, which stick on your lower back. The pads connect to electrodes that send small pulses of electricity through your skin and into your muscles. Many people use a TENS machine in early labour.

Remember. Do not use a TENS machine while you are in water if you’re using a birthing pool or bath.

Birthing pool

Some women also choose to have a birthing pool for a home water birth. You can use this for pain relief during the first stage of labour or later if you want to have a water birth. You can buy your own birthing pool or hire one.

Bath

If you cannot afford or would rather not use a birthing pool, you may be able to use your own bath instead. Fill it up to a level you are comfortable with, making sure you’re warm but not hot. This should be fine for pain relief, but you may not have space to move around or give birth in the bath.

Gas and air

Your midwife will be able to offer gas and air at home when you are in labour. They will bring portable Entonox with them and will be available to support you while you use it.

Hyponobirthing

Some people choose to use breathing or hypnobirthing techniques. Hypnobirthing is a method of pain management that can be used during labour and birth. It involves using a mixture of visualisation, relaxation and deep breathing techniques. Find out more.

You don’t need to manage without pain relief if you’re giving birth at home.

Pain relief not available during a home birth

You will not be able to have an epidural at home because it needs to be given by an anaesthetist in hospital.

Try to have a think about pain relief in advance, you can talk about this as part of your birth plan. Find out more about pain relief in labour.

How to organise a home birth

Each NHS trust has a different way of organising care. If you are thinking about having a home birth at the beginning of your pregnancy, mention this at your first booking appointment. If you decide later that you would like to consider a home birth, speak to your midwife as soon possible. They can talk through your options and help you make the necessary arrangements.

What do I need for a home birth?

You probably have most of what you need for a home birth already, but there are some things to think about.

If you’re planning to give birth in your bed, your midwife will bring disposable pads for you to use. You might like an extra waterproof covering for your mattress.

Our midwife suggested just a cheap shower curtain, which was really handy as we were worried about the mattress getting damaged and it was taken away by them afterwards.'

Lauren

If you would like a water birth at home, have lots of towels handy as you may want to get in and out of the water depending on how you’re feeling.

You will also need:

a hose with connectors
a water thermometer
a sieve (in case you poo during labour).

Tips for preparing for a home birth

Here are some other things you might like to prepare.

Try to create a calm and relaxing atmosphere that will help you focus. You might like to use music and soft lighting.
Keep cool using flannels, a spray bottle or handheld fan. If you have long hair, you may want to tie it up or wear a headband.
Get a birthing ball if you like, but you can use whatever is around you to get into a position that works for you.
Have your birth plan and medical notes to hand.
Don’t forget to charge up your phone or camera if you want your birth partner to take photos or a video.
Get some snacks and drinks for you, your birth partner(s) and (if you are feeling generous) your midwives. For your drinks, you might like to have a straw to make it easier for you.
It’s a good idea to have something you can be sick in, like a bucket or small bin.
A hospital bag (just in case you need to be transferred).

Don’t forget. Keep your antenatal notes to hand.

What do I need at home after the birth?

Here are some of the things you might like to have at home ready for your baby’s arrival:

a large, warm towel for wrapping around you and baby (put it on a radiator to warm them but make sure they’re not too hot)
some big pants to change into afterwards
sanitary or maternity pads – keeping these in the fridge can help with post-birth swelling
nursing bras and breast pads, whether you plan to breastfeed or not.
a light, breathable baby blanket (try to avoid the fleecy ones as these can get really hot
muslins.
a hat for your baby.

Find out more about what you will need for your baby.

Birthing the placenta

The placenta is delivered after your baby is born (the third stage of labour). This can be managed in two different ways:

active management – having medicine via an injection into your thigh to help things along
physiological management – this means that you will deliver the placenta without any drugs.

Your midwife should talk to you about your preference for delivering the placenta while you are pregnant. Find out more about delivering the placenta.

Your midwives will take the placenta and the umbilical cord to the hospital to be disposed of when they leave, unless you ask them not to.

If you need stitches

Up to 9 in 10 first-time mums who have a vaginal birth will have some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy. For most women, these tears are minor and heal quickly.

If you need stitches for a tear or episiotomy after you’ve had your baby, your midwife will probably be able to do those in your home. If you have a serious tear, you’ll be transferred to hospital.

Vitamin K for newborn babies

You'll be offered an injection of vitamin K for your baby. This helps prevent a rare bleeding disorder called haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN) or sometimes called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB). Your midwife should have discussed the injection with you while you were pregnant.

How long will the midwife stay after baby is born?

The midwife will usually stay with you for about an hour to offer you support with feeding your baby and to check that you and your baby are well.

When you are both ready, the midwife will go back to the hospital and complete your maternity records there. You will be given information about how to contact someone if you have any concerns. Find out more about your body after the birth.

The newborn physical examination

All parents are offered a physical examination for their baby within 72 hours of giving birth.

These can be done at a hospital, community clinic, GP surgery, children’s centre or at home. Speak to your midwife or doctor about arrangements for your baby after birth.

Find out more about your baby’s check ups after they are born.

Unassisted birth (sometimes known as freebirthing)

Some people choose to have an unassisted home birth without a midwife. This is sometimes called a free birth.

It is legal to have an unassisted birth. You do not have to accept any medical or midwifery care or treatment during childbirth.

However, we strongly recommend that you talk to a midwife if you are thinking about having an unassisted birth. This is because it involves some risks and it’s important that you understand what these are. For example, if you have any complications during labour, you may need medical attention to make sure your baby is born safely.

Where and how you give birth is up to you and you should be supported in your choice. But talking to your midwife about all your options will help you make a fully informed decision about what’s best for you.

If you have an unassisted birth, you’ll need to tell a GP or local maternity services about your baby’s birth as soon as they’ve been born.

This is because by law, every birth in the UK needs to be recorded (notified) within 36 hours. When the birth has been notified, your baby will get an NHS number for their NHS care.

What It's Really Like to Have a Home Birth

Home birth is becoming increasingly popular among American women, even though it only accounts for about 1 percent of all births each year. When a woman decides to give birth at home, she is given much more freedom than a hospital can provide. She can take a walk down the block, work, watch a movie, sleep, and labor however she wants to. She can also have her baby standing up, squatting, in the shower, in a tub or pool, on the floor or in her own bed. But this decision also comes with risks. If medical or surgical intervention is necessary, the woman must be transported to a hospital. And since there's no epidural option at home, women who choose home birth are also choosing to have natural childbirth, often without an ounce of pain management.

Three women shared their unique home birth stories with Cosmopolitan.com.

How old are you?
Woman A: Thirty-six.
Woman B: Twenty-nine.
Woman C: Twenty-seven.

How old were you when you had your home birth?
Woman A: Thirty-five.
Woman B: Twenty-five.
Woman C: Twenty-three.

How many babies have you delivered?
Woman A: Just the one.
Woman B: Two, both natural births at home.
Woman C: Two. I had a hospital delivery with my first, with an epidural.

What did you know about home birth before you became pregnant?
Woman A: I am a yoga instructor and I had done three prenatal yoga teacher trainings. It was during the first one that I had been introduced to the idea of un-medicated birth with a midwife. Because of the state laws in Texas, where I live, that means home birth.
Woman B: I witnessed my sister give birth in water when I was 9 and have grown up hearing remarkable stories of home births from my sister-in-law who is an RN and had six children naturally. I also witnessed my best friend give birth naturally. I was definitely inspired by these women's abilities.
Woman C: Before my first, I thought home birth was awesome, but I didn't think I was capable of getting through a delivery without pain medication. I trusted every other aspect.

Why did you ultimately decide to go this route?
Woman A: I thought home birth would give me more control of my whole birthing experience. That didn't turn out to be the case.
Woman B: From the moment I knew I was pregnant, I knew the only way I wanted to give birth was natural birth at a birthing center. It's where I thought I would feel safest. Once I realized I would have to pay for the midwife and birthing center out of pocket, I decided to do home birth.
Woman C: I have a good friend who is a midwife, and we just talked about it a lot after my first baby. I watched a ton of birth videos on YouTube as well. I just said, "You know what? I'm going to do this. I only get to give birth a few times in my life, I want the full experience, even if it's just once."

Was your partner apprehensive about this decision?
Woman A: My husband was wildly supportive and involved in the decision. He was very trusting of me. To be fair, like me, we had no real appreciation of what we were getting into. Not about home birth, but birth in general.
Woman B: He was scared of the idea. It was so foreign to him. Yet he finally eased into my confidence and was a solid partner.
Woman C: It was a new experience for both of us. But he was supportive and excited. Now he advocates home birth to anyone who will listen.

Was anyone outright opposed to the idea?
Woman A: My brother is a doctor and has delivered a few hundred babies in his family practice. He had major concerns about any number of complications that could happen.
Woman B: I decided not to talk about it with anyone who would bring fear into a conversation.
Woman C: No, not really.

Did you have to buy any special supplies to prepare for the home birth?
Woman A: We rented a birthing tub, where I was planning to labor and deliver. I bought cheap sheets at Target — really shitty synthetic ones, since I knew they would just get ruined. Big mistake. I remember wishing throughout the birth that I had nicer sheets to be more comfortable.
Woman C: We rented a birthing pool and had extra blankets and towels.

Did you watch any videos or live births to prepare for your home birth?
Woman A: Oh, those fucking videos they show you about home birth: Beautiful water births and women who are actually having third or fourth babies. If you had shown me a video of my own home birth, I probably would have been scared out of my mind. Not because my home birth was a bad experience, but because of the pain. I'm not sure my experience would have been any better in the hospital.
Woman B: Ina May Gaskin's book, Guide to Child Birth, changed my life. And I watched as many women give birth as I could — live and on video.
Woman C: I watched a lot of home births on YouTube.

Did you take any pain medication during labor and delivery?
Woman A: I took arnica pellets (a homeopathic anti-inflammatory) occasionally during labor, which I'm pretty sure did jack.
Woman B: Nope.
Woman C: No.

Did you have a midwife, doula, or OB assist in the birth?
Woman A: I had my main midwife, an assistant midwife, and there was also an apprentice midwife present.
Woman B: I had a main midwife, and I saw midwives at my local hospital during my pregnancy, which was covered by insurance.
Woman C: I had a midwife, and she was totally hands-off. I loved that. She just let me do my thing.

Did you perform any special rituals or therapies to help with labor?
Woman A: The baby started to turn sunny-side up at one point — with his spine at my spine, which is very painful — and my midwife performed rebozo. She used a blanket that was sort of wrapped around me, and rhythmically pulled strongly to one side. So I was getting tossed around to create space for the baby to turn back around. It was amazingly effective, and labor was less painful once he was back in an ideal position.
Woman B: Acupuncture, massage, essential oils, yoga, and sneaking away to have sex with my husband in our room. All of these things kept me calm and feeling good.
Woman C: Meditation.

How did your partner participate?
Woman A: He was awesome. He basically massaged me for 20 hours.
Woman B: He held me in the tub, offered incredible emotional support, massaged me, and cut the cord. He treated me like a goddess.
Woman C: He held my hands, supported my head, and gave me lots of kisses.

Where in your home was the baby actually born?
Woman A: In my bed.
Woman B: In a birthing tub in our bedroom, placed in the same spot he probably was conceived.
Woman C: I had a water birth in the living room.

Were you at all worried about the "mess" of home birth?
Woman A: I knew it would be messy. We put plastic wrap over any furniture we'd be concerned about.
Woman B: We hired a rental tub, and cleanup was part of the agreement. So it was awesome. I did have white carpet though, and I was a little concerned about stains. When he was born, I didn't even notice what was in the tub. I just focused on seeing him for the first time.
Woman C: I wasn't. I knew my job was to have the baby and that was it. My birth team and family took care of the clean up, which was minimal.

Were you worried about the pain?
Woman A: I thought I would be able to handle it because I am a yogi. Ha!
Woman B: I was very concerned about the unknown. I tried to practice the use of the word "sensation" versus "pain" during my entire pregnancy.
Woman C: I had a major fear of pregnancy and birth. Ever since I was little, when I asked my mother what it was like, she would say, "It's the most pain I've ever felt — but it's worth it." All I heard was that it felt like torture.

What were your biggest concerns?
Woman A: I felt pretty good about it going in, honestly. My biggest concern was that I wanted my mom to be there because she is my mom, but I didn't want her to bring her fear into the room. I knew it would get to me. I did end up having her there, and I'm glad I did.
Woman B: I was worried that I might need to go to the hospital or get a C-section. I also had fear of my emotional response to the experience. Could I handle it?
Woman C: I was a little bit scared that there would come a point where I felt trapped or like I was dying.

Did you have a backup plan if there was an emergency?
Woman A: We would go to the hospital, which is 10 to 15 minutes away. My midwife had worked with OBs on staff there many times.
Woman B: It was unofficial, but we knew we would go to the hospital.
Woman C: I trusted my midwife to tell me if we needed to transfer to the hospital. It wasn't far away at all, thankfully.

Where were you when you went into labor?
Woman A: I was at the grocery store with my husband for the really early parts of it, though I didn't really get what was happening at the time. I just remember needing to squat a lot to alleviate pressure and thinking how long it was taking him to find the fucking kalamata olives.
Woman B: I was at home. I walked around my apartment complex for a painful two hours. I meditated under a beautiful tree, stretched, and then almost lost it from the pain. I knew it was time to call in my birthing team.
Woman C: In bed. Labor started slow, and I actually slept through a lot of it. I loved my bed in my dark bedroom — I was in the zone.

How did the contractions feel?
Woman A: At first, it was manageable. But then when I couldn't talk during a contraction anymore, we called the midwife. I remember my husband saying, "Oh yeah, we're doing fine!" And I got so mad.
Woman B: They were manageable at first, and I even took a nap at one point. Then my midwife broke my water with her finger. From that point on, my contractions got really intense. I labored and moaned on the toilet for a very long time.
Woman C: I didn't have the typical back-to-back, painful contraction labor. The only time I felt like, Whoa, this is crazy intense, was when I started pushing and she was out within 15 minutes.

What did you do at home during labor?
Woman A: Squats felt not just good, but necessary. I liked being able to move around. To go up and down stairs. To walk outside. I also loved the shower and the birthing tub. Though neither came close to taking away the pain completely.
Woman B: I used the birthing ball, walked, laughed, paced, did acupuncture, took a bath, had sex, listened to music, and ate.
Woman C: I chatted on the phone, baked cinnamon rolls, took a nap, ate noodles, touched up my makeup and took selfies, and updated my Facebook.

How long was your labor?
Woman A: Centuries? A minute? But according to the clock, about 26 hours.
Woman B: In all, it was 36 hours. I pushed for two hours and pushed his head out for what seemed like a full hour.
Woman C: Slow and steady for 13 hours.

What did it feel like to give birth in water?
Woman B: After hours of labor, I waded into the birthing pool, and it was just an amazing transition. I felt so supported, like I was floating even though contractions were frequent and intense. During labor, I remember tapping into muscles that I didn't even realize existed. I was sore for weeks.
Woman C: It happened so quickly. I only got into the tub because my midwife said I was 10 centimeters dilated, so I knew the baby was coming. I got into the pool at around 5 p.m. and I had her at 5:42.

Was there ever a moment when you wanted to ditch the plan and go to a hospital?
Woman A: Many moments. At one point I said to my midwife, "Don't judge me, but if we went to the hospital right now, how long would it take to get an epidural?" She said confidently, "Two hours. " I knew that would definitely be worse than my present situation. But if I could have hit an eject button, I absolutely would have.
Woman B: Not really. Hospitals scare me.
Woman C: No, there wasn't. It literally never occurred to me. By the time things got intense, she was crowning and out within 10 minutes. I can see why people might ditch the plan if they had to go through hours of that intensity, but it was short and sweet, and she was out. I felt like I was out of my body, not really forming full thoughts or sentences at that point.

Did you experience any complications during labor and delivery?
Woman A: Pretty big ones. My baby was a shoulder dystocia, which is when the baby's head is delivered but the shoulders get stuck and the oxygen supply is cut off. It's a very big deal. They have only minutes to get him out. In a hospital, a doctor might intentionally break the baby's clavicle or humerus bone to get the baby out. Weirdly, in that moment, I wasn't scared. I had total trust that my midwife would get him out. I told myself, "Your job is to relax even though this is going to be very unpleasant for you."
Woman B: Only a little bit of tearing and post-natal bleeding, which is all normal.
Woman C: Surprisingly, none at all.

Did you tear?
Woman A: As soon as his head was born, I tore pretty badly. I knew it, but I didn't give a shit. I just wanted labor to end.
Woman B: My midwife stitched me up there at home. It wasn't serious.
Woman C: I tore a little where I had torn with my first child, but even less this time. My midwife gave me a quick stitch.

What did the pain feel like?
Woman A: I felt like my entire insides had come falling out of me. I felt like I was on fire. I could barely move.
Woman B: I am lucky that pain is not the sensation that I remember. I had an orgasmic birth. I pushed for over an hour and somewhere during those heightened moments of deep oxytocin running through my veins, I had a spontaneous orgasm. I burst out into wild laughter and was filled with joy and intensity. It was the best orgasm I had ever had in my entire life. I can't compare it to any other climax. It remains the best sensation I have ever experienced.
Woman C: It didn't feel like "pain" until those last few minutes, and then it was over.

How much blood was there?
Woman A: I hemorrhaged, and the cord broke. There was blood everywhere. I clearly remember thinking at this point, Am I going to die? I might die. After all this, am I not going to get to raise this child?
Woman B: I don't remember there being a lot. The pool kept things pretty clean.
Woman C: I didn't notice any blood, although I'm sure there was because that happens with every delivery. The pool helps with this.

Did anything gross you out?
Woman A: When I hemorrhaged, in order to stop the bleeding, the midwife had to manually get the placenta out. She said, "I'm really sorry about this," as she reached all the way into my uterus to scoop out the placenta. Her whole forearm disappeared inside me. That's hardcore.
Woman B: During labor I decided to take a mild dose of castor oil and milk. I prayed my body would handle it gracefully, which it did until after the birth. And then, what a mess.
Woman C: No. Whatever was in the water didn't bother me. I was pretty focused on my daughter.

How did you feel when it was over?
Woman A: I was grateful that I had a huge, 9.4-pound healthy baby, and I was alive. I didn't feel like a hero. I felt like I had PTSD.
Woman B: I was filled with so much love for the beautiful miracle that lay in my arms. I was in utter shock at his size — 10.5 pounds! Soon, I became aware of the pain. I felt like I had strained all my muscles from head to toe pushing him out. I could hardly walk without everything hurting — for weeks.
Woman C: I was like, Whoa, did that just happen? Is she really here? I just stared at her. I didn't care where I was at this point. I needed a little help to sit more upright.

Did you need to see a doctor for any follow-up?
Woman A: My midwife came by the next day, at three days, and then at two weeks. I saw a doctor six weeks after my baby was born to make sure my sutures were healed and to treat hemorrhoids the size of planets.
Woman B: No, I only went to holistic providers such as my chiropractor, acupuncturist, and midwife.
Woman C: We saw our pediatrician and chiropractor within the first couple weeks. My baby's foot was a little crooked at birth, and they just wanted to make sure it straightened out naturally. It did.

Do you face any criticism or judgment when you tell people you chose home birth?
Woman A: Um, subtly. When I tell other mothers about my birth — a short version that goes something like, "I had a home birth; it was harder and more complicated and painful than I thought it would be" — sometimes I get a response like, "You don't get a medal." This sounds pretty bitchy to me. Maybe they think I judge them for taking the drugs if they did. Not at all. The birthing movement is an extension of feminism — every woman should have a choice. If we start getting catty about each other's choices, we all lose.
Woman C: I received mostly positive feedback and anyone who didn't agree certainly didn't voice it. I got lots of, "Oh, you're so brave, I needed the drugs." Or, "You're going to love it!"

What was your favorite part of the experience?
Woman A: I got to be naked the whole time — as much as I wanted.
Woman B: Feeling safe, warm, comfortable, confident, free from judgment or observation — and having an orgasmic climax.
Woman C: Just being relaxed in my own home and feeling my body working. It was awesome.

What part did you like the least?
Woman A: Jesus, the pain.
Woman B: The post-natal pain was worse than pregnancy and labor combined.
Woman C: I birthed in a snowstorm, so my team showed up pretty early in the process. I feel like I'm introverted, so labor might have stalled out a little with people there watching me.

Would you choose to have a home birth again?
Woman A: I don't know if I would do birth again. If I do, it will probably be in a hospital.
Woman B: Yes, in a heartbeat, and perhaps I would even try unassisted and do it on my own.
Woman C: Absolutely.

Do you have any regrets?
Woman A: I felt like a failure for a long time after I gave birth because I didn't get the birth I wanted and had planned for. I felt like I did something wrong. Talking about it now, though, as I think about what I went through, I feel really strong and proud. I fucking did that.
Woman B: No, I am ecstatic.
Woman C: No, I am so glad I did it. I spent the entire nine months chipping away at what was basically a lifetime of built-up fear. There was a point in my life when I never wanted to birth my own children or even be pregnant. It was like a real phobia for me to overcome. That's part of the reason I decided to home birth for my second child. I didn't want to be held captive by such a powerful fear anymore.

This article is part of a weeklong series discussing real birth experiences here at Cosmopolitan.com. Check back each day this week for posts about Caesarian sections, multiple births, premature birth, and more.

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Dear patients!
Multidisciplinary Clinic and Maternity Hospital "Paracelsus" informs you, according to the Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation to the Federal Tax Service dated March 25, 2022. N BS-4-11 / 3605, that subparagraph 3 of paragraph 1 of Article 219The Tax Code of the Russian Federation provides for the right of a taxpayer to receive a social tax deduction in the amount paid by him in the tax period for medical services provided by medical organizations engaged in medical activities to him, his spouse, parents, children (including adopted children) in under the age of 18, wards under the age of 18 (in accordance with the list of medical services approved by the Government of the Russian Federation).

Joint order of the Ministry of Taxation of Russia and the Ministry of Health of Russia of July 25, 2001 N 289 / BG-3-04 / 256 (hereinafter - the order of July 25, 2001) approved the form of the Certificate of payment for medical services for submission to the tax authorities of the Russian Federation (hereinafter - the Certificate payment for medical services).

This certificate certifies the fact of receiving a medical service and its payment through the cash desk of a healthcare institution at the expense of the taxpayer.

Thus, if the taxpayer submits to the tax authority a Certificate of payment for medical services, the taxpayer's failure to submit the relevant contract for the provision of medical services and (or) documents confirming payment cannot be grounds for refusing to provide such a deduction.

The amounts are based on payment data. Therefore, checks, an agreement and a clinic license are not needed to make a deduction.

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Anesthesia | KGBUZ "VKRD No.

In order to avoid pain and stress during childbirth, as well as prevent disruption of labor and create comfortable conditions for the woman, maternity hospital No. 3 uses pain relief during childbirth. Labor pain relief is a process that must be effective and necessarily safe for the fetus.

The choice of methods of anesthesia during childbirth is determined by the obstetrician-gynecologist together with the anesthesiologist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the psyche of the woman in labor, the condition of the fetus, the presence of obstetric and extragenital pathology, the period of the birth act, the nature of the contractile activity of the uterus.

Psychoprophylactic training

It aims to eliminate negative emotions, fear of childbirth and pain, and also allows you to reduce the number of analgesics used during childbirth. The main goal of psychoprophylactic training is to teach a woman not to be afraid of childbirth, to obey the doctor's instructions during childbirth and switch her attention from pain to something else, to teach different ways of breathing during labor and at the time of birth of the fetal head. This preparation makes it easier to transfer childbirth. This is the safest method of labor pain relief. A good helper in the assimilation of this information is the school for pregnant women, which is systematically held in our antenatal clinic. If you did not have time to attend classes at the antenatal clinic, and are already in the antenatal ward, maternity ward, then you can get the help of a psychotherapist Novikova Svetlana Yakovlevna at individual or group meetings.

Medical pain relief

Tranquilizers and sedatives are used as components of medical pain relief to relieve agitation, reduce nausea and vomiting. When opening the cervix more than 4 cm in the active phase of labor and the occurrence of painful contractions, it is recommended to prescribe sedatives in combination with narcotic analgesics.

Depending on the period of labor, various analgesics are prescribed. A side effect of analgesics is respiratory depression in both the fetus and the mother.

Regional anesthesia

Regional anesthesia is considered the best method of labor pain relief. There are several methods of regional anesthesia: epidural (lumbar and sacral), spinal, paracervical and pudendal. The sources of pain during childbirth are the body and cervix, as well as the perineum.

Epidural anesthesia

Indications are painful contractions, lack of effect from other methods of anesthesia, discoordination of labor, arterial hypertension during childbirth, childbirth with preeclampsia and fetoplacental insufficiency. This method is the most preferred for operative delivery in pregnant women with preeclampsia and heart disease

Epidural anesthesia during caesarean section is much safer for the baby than the recently commonly used general anesthesia. It is also important that immediately after the birth of the baby, the mother can take him in her arms and attach to her chest, which, for obvious reasons, is completely excluded with general anesthesia.