Dozens of women and families from across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire gathered in Sherwood yesterday to celebrate six months since the relaunch of the NUH Homebirth Service and to find out more about having a home birth.
Experienced midwives, community advocates and some of the 37 women who have had a home birth since the service relaunched in March this year were on hand to answer questions and share their own stories.
Mums-to-be and healthcare professionals who attended the event had the chance to hear from a family who chose to give birth in a cabin in the woods, a first-time mum who enjoyed a successful home birth, and a mum of seven who has had three of her babies at home.
A birthing pool was also set up at the venue to help families considering a home birth to visualise the option.
Dorrie Scott, 34, was one of the women who spoke at the event and shared her experience of delivering her first baby, Orly, at her home in Sneinton in May this year.
She said: “Every room in the house had a different set up – the living room had fairy lights and music, a birthing pool was in the dining room, we had a fuel station in the kitchen with lots of snacks, and then upstairs we prepped both bedrooms with the practicalities such as waterproof sheets, so that we were ready wherever I gave birth.
“I’d been worried about having lots of people in the house when the time came, but the midwives were so subtle in the way they came into the house, just really calm and steady, it didn’t feel intrusive at all.”
“Our experience was amazing and I was proud that we were able to put our own stamp on our birth. Of course, it was also very intense, but it all felt very smooth and calm. It was incredible to be in my own bed, with my baby in my arms, when the midwives left.
“If you do decide to have a home birth, the NUH team are amazing – they offer such a personalised service, they can be called on any hour of the day, to any house in Nottingham, to any home set up – that must be a difficult thing to navigate, but they do a great job.”
Another family, Joana and Nick Weaver from West Bridgford, had dreamed of having an off-grid birth in the heart of nature for their fourth child, Otto, and the NUH Homebirth Team went above and beyond to make it possible.
The couple found a cabin in the woods in the Vale of Belvoir which was completely off-grid – no electricity, cold running water, no internet, and a petrol generator and woodburner, and candles for light. They worked with the Homebirth Team to ensure the birth would be safe.
Joana said: “We are so grateful to the Homebirth Team for making our dream birth possible – they had the attitude of ‘how are we going to make this happen for you’. It allowed me to give birth my way.
“For anyone thinking of having a home birth, make sure you educate yourself. It’s important that you know the risks so you can make peace with them, and empower yourself so that you understand what is happening to your body during labour and birth – we are made to have babies. That will help you to put yourself in control and decide how you want your birth to be.”
Nick added: “We were completely immersed in nature, exactly as we had hoped for. We can only describe it as absolutely perfect.”
Eliza Jones, Lead Homebirth Midwife at NUH, explained that the Homebirth Team provide one-to-one care to support women and families throughout their home birth journey, and that two midwives will be in attendance at the delivery.
She said: “There are so many benefits to having a home birth – women are often more comfortable and relaxed in their own environment.
“This can help to raise one of the ‘love hormones’ – Oxytocin – which is responsible for the progression of labour and so can help things to go more smoothly.
“A lot of families also find that one of the nicest parts of having a home birth is that by the time we leave, they can be tucked up in bed in their own home having a cup of tea and a slice of toast.
“If you would like to discuss homebirth further, please ask your community midwife to refer you to the Homebirth Team for an initial conversation.”
NUH Chief Executive Anthony May said: “Our NUH Homebirth Service is important because it provides more and better choice to families in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
“This empowers women and their families to experience this milestone in their lives in a way which is authentic to them, particularly if they would prefer to give birth outside of hospital.
“The availability of a 24-hour Homebirth Service meets a commitment made in 2023 following a listening exercise with service users, where mothers told us that a Homebirth Service is an important option for them. This is part of improving the experience of maternity services for women and their families.”
