The Cork and Kerry Home Birth Midwives are delighted to announce the launch of their new website, www.corkandkerryhomebirth.ie

The aim of the website is to inform and educate women and their families about the options available to them if they are healthy and low-risk. Home birth offers women the opportunity to have one dedicated midwife caring for them throughout their pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as postnatally to help with feeding and parenting.

All the midwives who are currently working in Cork and Kerry are profiled on the website, along with their address and contact details. The HSE is the provider of the home birth scheme, which means that it is free of charge for all women who avail of the service. Some of the midwives offer additional services privately for a fee, and these services are outlined on their individual websites.

Pregnancy appointments take place either in the midwife’s clinic, or in the woman’s home, and last up to an hour, so there is plenty of time to talk about all the woman and her partner’s concerns, answer any questions, and plan for the birth well ahead of time.

A recent large research study which took place in the UK, the Birthplace Study, found that home birth was safer than hospital birth for mums who had given birth before. The risk for first time mothers was slightly increased, but the actual risk was still extremely small. At a home birth, the woman has control over her environment, which makes her feel safe, and oxytocin and endorphins are released, which provide natural pain relief and help the labour to progress. She has peace and quiet, in her own space.

The continuity of carer, which means having the same midwife for pregnancy and birth, allows the woman to develop a trusting relationship with her carer, and the birth is planned well in advance, taking all the woman and her family’s preferences into account.

At the birth, the midwife is responsible for ensuring the safety of mother and baby, and if a risk factor develops, a prompt transfer to hospital will take place. A second midwife is in attendance for all births and Ambulance Control is on call for the birth in case transfer is needed. During the labour the midwife will give supportive care, and the woman will be encouraged to eat and drink, and to rest as needed, to keep her energy levels boosted for the birth. 

The Cork and Kerry Home Birth Scheme is providing gold standard evidence-based care, women are informed about all their choices, and supported to make their own decisions about their own care. This approach is intended to empower women and their partners, by making them the decision-makers.

If you are interested in a home birth, or just want to have a chat about future possibilities, please give any of the midwives a ring, our contact details are on the home page, and each midwife has a profile page as well if you want to know more about us.