. In the late 1700s, doctors began to help with the birthing process because some people felt they needed the medical knowledge to make birth safer.Then, in the early 1900s, hospital births became more popular. Hospitals offered a less painful birth withNow, just over 1.5% of births in the U.S. are done out of hospitals, either at home or at a birthing center.
While uncommon, in some places, OBGYN doctors may be available to help with home birth.The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that you have a trained person present whose only responsibility is the newborn.Supplies and equipment you’ll need before, during, and after a home birthIf you want to breastfeed immediatelyWrite down your expectations and plan and share with your birthing partner or whoever will be there during labor.
In some states, nurse-midwives can only work under the supervision of a doctor. In other states, licensed or certified midwives, who are not registered nurses but have extensive midwife training, are allowed to help with at-home births. This includes prenatal, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. One large nationwide survey found that, on average, home births in the U.S. costs $4,650. But costs can vary by state and region and how much training your midwife has. For example, a certified nurse midwife has more training and might charge more than a professional midwife.