What happens after a home birth?

My job frequently involves witnessing women at their most powerful and fierce; seeing them birth their baby and wrapping them safely in their arms; watching as their face changes from pure strength to a soft, peaceful, and elated look; and quietly observing as they flood their newborn with protective safe smiles and introductions. I am so privileged to witness these phenomenal moments and I NEVER get bored of seeing that transition, it is one of the reasons why I love my job! Have you ever wondered what happens in those first few hours after a homebirth? What happens to the placenta? How to register the birth? Let’s find out…

Following a birth at home, my priority is making sure that the parents and baby are warm and comfortable and having loads of skin to skin and bonding time. A lot of people prefer to be on dry land post birth, so if they’ve used a pool, I help them out and get them wrapped up, warm and dry. Because my clients tend to choose optimal cord clamping, the umbilical cord is usually still attached, making sure that baby is receiving all their oxygen rich red blood cells, which continues to support health and development for your growing baby.

If there are no signs of excessive bleeding, mum and baby are healthy, and a physiological third stage has been planned in the antenatal period, I leave the placenta to be birthed naturally. A physiological third stage can take up to an hour so during this time there is nothing better than sitting back, relaxing, bonding and inspecting all those tiny yet beautiful features of your baby. At some point your baby will start showing rooting signs, if so, we will always encourage you to latch them onto the breast for that first magical feed! We are on hand if you need help though. This helps with placental delivery too, as it promotes oxytocin which helps your uterus contract to expel your placenta. Some women experience some cramping and contraction-like feelings, usually a good sign that your placenta is ready to be born. When you have birthed your placenta, and at a time that suits you, I clamp and cut the cord.

If you have opted for active management of the placenta, we wait until the cord has stopped pulsating before cutting and clamping the cord, then administering the oxytocic drug. During this time, you lie back relax as much as possible and we do the rest.

What to do with the placenta after a home birth?

The short answer is, it’s completely your choice! Some clients choose to freeze their placenta and decide what to do with them later on. Some have someone pick it up following birth for encapsulation and some bury it. Some clients prefer for their placenta to be disposed of. If so, I drop it off at the booked hospital for incineration.

Once your placenta has been birthed, you and partner have seen the placenta (if you want to!), and pictures have been taken, part of my role is to make sure that you are well, and your body is adapting to post pregnancy smoothly. With your consent I will check your uterus is contracted by palpating your abdomen, and make sure your bleeding is within normal limits (this may not feel very normal for you, especially after not having a period for 9 months), and your vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, and pulse) are reassuring. When you are ready, I will check your perineum, to see if there is any need for suturing, thankfully, many tears can be repaired at home.

Next, I’ll undertake a top to toe check of your baby, looking for any birth marks and making sure they are ok after their journey from womb to world. This is usually the time that I administer vitamin K (if you have agreed to it) a topic we will have discussed in our antenatal conversations.  Most importantly (or at least it seems to be what everyone wants to know!) I’ll weight your little one. Once all these checks have been completed, I help to get you even more comfortable, either assisting you to the shower, to dress (if you so wish) and back snuggling your baby skin to skin once you’re comfortable. One of my priorities is making sure you have time to bond, feed and admire your beautiful creation! Then it is time for the best food you will ever have, the beauty of being at home is… you can have ANYTHING you fancy! I’ve known clients to have ice cream, crumpets, and even their favourite meal cooked for them by their Mum!

Once we’re happy you and baby are well and both, my final check is to make sure you have had a wee! Emptying your bladder frequently after birthing is important as it reduces your cramping as well as the chance of heavy bleeding.

Do you go to hospital after a homebirth?

As long as everything is normal and has gone to plan, we don’t go into hospital after a homebirth. In fact, one of the best things about birthing at home is getting into your own bed and having your own things around you. During antenatal discussions I always talk about the possible reasons that you would need to transfer into hospital. These can include pain management, if there is a decline in mother or baby’s health during labour, or if there are any postnatal concerns such as excessive bleeding, complicated perineal tears or if your baby requires observations. If a transfer to hospital is appropriate, I always try to ensure it is calm and that you feel safe and listened to. Usually, a transfer will involve an ambulance, but this is just to ensure that you are safe on the way to the hospital. Transferring to hospital in a true emergency is rare, but it can happen. I always remain with you when transferring to hospital, so that I can provide care enroute, discuss with the midwives and doctors taking over your care what has happened, and stay with you both for reassurance and to advocate for you.

How to get a birth certificate for a homebirth

This isn’t something you need to worry about on the day that you have birthed your baby! You have 42 days (or 3 months in Ireland) to register your baby as an official human! You will need to contact your local registry office to arrange an appointment prior to that time. If you are married or civil partners then your husband or wife can register the baby without the birthing parent being present. If you are not married or in a civil partnership, then it is an appointment you will have to attend together. I always find this really underwhelming, I expected confetti, banners, balloons, a celebration but it isn’t any of those, so plan something special, whether it’s lunch or cake afterwards, and make it special for you as a family (and to keep those energy levels up).

If you would like to find out more about Home Births click here or alternatively feel free to call us about your birth plans on 0800 3800 579