Home Births on the Rise, American Academy of Pediatrics Provides New Guidelines for New Mothers

As more new mothers are opting for new age options when it comes to the birth of their child, it's no wonder that the popularity of home births has been on the rise. Unfortunately, the medical field is not too happy about this, especially when some high-risk births can cause dangerous consequences for those who may choose to have their child somewhere other than a hospital.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a new set of guidelines will be developed for mothers wanting to give birth at home. These guidelines will recommend midwives on how to properly care for both the mother and child, even when health issues during the birth may occur. And even though the majority of the guidelines are reasonably easy to follow, these new publications have already sparked controversy amongst midwives.

For instance, pregnant women who may choose to give birth at home and have the aid of midwives may be very skilled at helping deliver a child and helping the mother feel comfortable. However, they may not be trained to deal with certain illnesses that could occur during or following the birth. These new guidelines recommend that women find midwives that are certified and trained by the American Midwifery Certification Board, that will specifically train midwives to deliver babies in the hospital and birthing centers.

With the new guidelines, midwives associated with the North American Registry of Midwives (NARW) are concerned about the loss of patients they may experience despite being qualified for the job, as they tend to deliver children in a home setting.

"This assumption is that one type of midwife is better than the other," said Melissa Cheyney, a certified midwife and associate professor of medical anthropology at Oregon State University.

Other new guidelines suggest that there is at least one person certified in infant CPR during the birthing process. It is also suggested that a phone line is accessible, along with medical equipment that is ready to be used as an immediate backup plan in case the mother needs to be transported to the hospital.

"No matter where a baby is born, they deserve the same standard of care," said the lead author of the AAP's guidelines, Dr. Kristi Watterberg. 

These guidelines were published in the journal, Pediatrics.