Homebirth has been around since Adam and Eve, with hospital births only being introduced in the late 1880's. By the mid 1900's, just about all women had their babies in hospital. (You can read more on the history of birth in our
Introduction.) Most homebirths in Australia are conducted by qualified midwives and occasionally by local doctors. Some are done by lay midwives (or carers with no formal qualifications in midwifery or medicine). You can read more in
caregiver choices- your own midwife.
Homebirth practitioners (and those who choose homebirth) usually believe that having a baby is a normal physical process (not an illness) and if nature is left to its own devices, most pregnancies and births will happen normally without medical interventions. They also believe that when a woman is in the familiar surroundings of her own home, being loved and supported by her family (and sometimes friends), she is more relaxed and at ease, facilitating the progress of her labour, reducing the likelihood of her baby becoming
distressed and reducing her need for medical interventions.
Women (and their partners) who choose homebirth will often state their reasons as: