You want to keep your baby with you / Can take the baby away for examination
You want to keep the umbilical chord attached until it stops pulsating / Can cut the umbilical chord straight away
Partner wants to cut the umbilical chord
You want to breastfeed straight away
Third Stage - Placenta Delivery You would like to deliver the placenta naturally / you would like an injection to help speed up the delivery of the placenta.
What if your birth does not go according to your birth plan?
Midwife Does Not Arrive on Time In the vast majority of cases the midwife will arrive on time. If you feel that she will not make it then call 999. Ambulances can get through traffic a lot faster than a normal car and the paramedics are trained to assist childbirth. What If There Are Complications The midwife will only support your home birth if there have been no complications with your pregnancy and your baby is in the expected position and expected size for his age, so the risk of having complications in childbirth are minimised. The midwife will continually monitor your progress, and if concerned she will transfer you to hospital before any issues arise. This is something you will discuss with her when going through your birth plan. Many planned home births result in a transfer to hospital as the midwife will always err on the side of caution to ensure the safety of you and your baby.
Lucy Pickering is co-founder of the company Hello Baby. She has been providing services and products to aid childbirth since 2006 and actively promotes women’s choice in childbirth for both hospital births and home births.
