These are for women and couples who are considering or planning a home birth, and those who have planned a home birth. They are informal coffee mornings or evening meetings where there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions. Any aspect of home birth can be discussed.

The aim of these meetings is to share information about home birth and provide support for those who:

• are considering home birth

• have had one or more babies at home

• have planned a home birth which resulted in an unplanned hospital birth.

Please visit our events page to find out when the next meeting is, they start at 8pm. Everyone is welcome to come. If you would like to attend please contact Sarah Gardiner, email homebirth.ncthertfordware@googlemail.com or call her on 0844 2436162 option 1.

Why do Women Choose Home Birth?

• Giving birth at home allows a woman more control over her environment and the process of labour and birth

• Labouring in a familiar environment enables women to relax, which usually helps labour to progress more easily

• There is no need to make a decision about when to go to hospital or to interrupt labour with a journey

• One of the on-call community midwives will come out to you during labour and she will call another when the birth is imminent. These midwives are not expected to look after any other women during this time

• Women often find labour at home less painful and may be less likely to want strong pain-relieving drugs

• Medical interventions are less likely at home - one study showed that planning a home birth halved the incidence of both assisted delivery and caesarean birth

• There is no need to be separated from your partner or other children after the birth and you have control over who you want to be present at the birth and who can visit afterwards.

The branch have some books and leaflets on home birth that you may find interesting and a help in deciding if a home birth is for you.