Currently, there is a lot of conflicting information in the media related to home births. There are both opponents and promoters of home birth. Our goal is not to agitate or dissuade anyone from choosing a comfortable and safe place for childbirth, because... We understand that there is no clear answer to this question. However, we will help you understand this issue so that you can make the right choice for yourself. To do this, we need to make a short excursion into the history of obstetric practice. Modern obstetrics originates in France in the 17th century. It is believed that it all started with Louis XIV, who, hiding behind a curtain, wanted to get a better look at how his child would be born, for which his mistress was placed on her back during childbirth. Around that time, women began to be placed on their backs during childbirth to make it easier for doctors to deliver and apply obstetric forceps. The supine position, as a forced passivity of the woman in labor, is still a widespread practice of childbirth in many countries. In this position, the woman herself secretly agrees to self-denial. She adopts a system that "controls" her response to pain, breathing, position and even the sounds she makes. The problem of choosing a place to give birth is much broader than it seems at first glance. First of all, it concerns a woman’s desire and ability to give birth naturally, in a position comfortable for the woman, without unnecessary drug intervention, in a calm, homely environment, in the presence of people close to her. On the other hand, it is very important for a woman that the baby receives the first drops of colostrum immediately after birth and is not separated from the mother. In many countries, the possibility of such a choice is guaranteed. For example, in the United States, a married couple expecting the birth of a child is given a choice of the method and place of birth of the child. According to statistics, 15% of all births in California occur at home. Views on the role of the father are also noteworthy: 90% of unmarried American students believe that the father should be present at the birth of a child and care for the baby. In the USA and many other countries, the environment in maternity hospitals is close to home. Childbirth using the F. Lamaze method is common, in which various breathing and relaxation techniques are used during contractions with the participation of the spouse. This approach is based on the belief that women need to learn to give birth, just as we have to learn to write, read or swim. According to the Lamaze method, women master different types of breathing, postures, and massage, which can be used during contractions during childbirth. Concentrating on breathing, according to Lamaze, distracts a woman from the pain of contractions. Also in the USA, the Lebuyer method is used: dim lighting in the delivery room, communication in a whisper, a respectful and reverent attitude towards the newborn, a calm environment. The baby is placed on the mother's stomach and gently stroked for 5-7 minutes until the umbilical cord is cut. Then bathe in warm water. All this makes the child’s transition to a new environment easier and helps him quickly adapt to new conditions. Robert Bradley’s method is also common in the USA. The Bradley method of natural childbirth includes not just the presence, but also the active participation of the husband. His main responsibility is to help his wife relax and follow the “instructions” that come from her state in childbirth. To do this, the husband joins his wife’s breathing, does acupressure massage of the sacrum, brings ice, a wet towel, etc. Today, the Bradley method is one of the possible birth options, which has firmly entered the “American standard” for childbirth with the active participation of the husband . In accordance with this method, preparation for childbirth during pregnancy is carried out for both spouses. During the classes, future parents learn meditative techniques aimed at rhythmizing the breathing process and concentrating on their body. With this method of preparation, anesthesia and caesarean section are used only indifficult cases. According to statistics, about 94% of women trained at this school do not use anesthesia. In schools that practice the Bradley method, it is believed that for a successful delivery it is necessary to attend classes throughout the entire period of pregnancy. Long-term joint preparation of spouses helps to obtain important information regarding the development of the child, nutrition, care for him, as well as enriching the spiritual world of future parents and harmonizing their family relationships. In the mid-1960s, Dr. Michel Odin headed the obstetric department in Pithivières, near Paris . Michel Auden transformed this department and changed, in essence, the very philosophy of childbirth. In his opinion, obstetricians and gynecologists traditionally view childbirth as a medical problem, and not as a normal physiological process. But interference in the birth process, the widespread use of artificial hormones, sedatives and anesthetics in many cases is fraught with harm. Michel Oden has set himself the goal of reconsidering and changing the culture of childbearing. In the obstetric practice of Michelle Oden, a woman ceases to be a passive object in the hands of a doctor and gets the opportunity to make her own choice of behavior during childbirth. In this case, the doctor only monitors the labor of the woman in labor, the condition of the child and, if necessary, corrects the situation with minimal medical intervention. Most women who responsibly prepare for the moment the child is born study information in advance about possible options for childbirth. Indeed, in the West, clinical obstetric care is more developed and the choice is wider. It is no secret that Russian maternity hospitals are still far from even traditional Western clinics. In the practice of global obstetrics, the trend towards supporting and promoting natural childbirth has long been actively developing. Childbirth is no longer treated as an operation to remove the fetus from the mother's body, but is viewed as a natural, normal, physiological process that can easily take place without unnecessary medical intervention. For example, in Holland, 80% of women give birth naturally, of which 40% at home, 40% in a maternity hospital without medical intervention. The remaining 20% ​​constitute a risk group, but of these, 10% give birth with a midwife and under the supervision of a doctor, and only the remaining 10% use medical care. In the USA, England, Sweden, Denmark and other countries, natural childbirth, which takes place in family centers, is also widespread , clinics or at home. They encourage and support a woman's choice to give birth naturally. There are no such centers in Russia yet. Due to the fact that the requirements for Russian maternity hospitals do not fully correspond to the desires of women, the practice of home birth has appeared in Russia. You need to understand that every woman experiences pregnancy differently, and therefore childbirth is unique and unpredictable. On the one hand, by giving birth at home, a woman receives a number of advantages; on the other hand, in a difficult situation, there is no way to provide her with medical care and there is a certain risk. Therefore, you should take this choice very seriously and responsibly. In those countries where home birth is recognized and generally accepted, for example, in Holland and Switzerland, not far from the home of the giving birth woman, just in case, there is an ambulance equipped with all the necessary equipment to provide emergency medical care. However, despite the difficult situation in the field of obstetrics, Russian maternity hospitals are already trying to provide an individual approach to the woman in labor. A woman has the right to choose not only external living conditions, but also a doctor, midwife and various additional services. Expensive medical equipment appears that makes it possible to care for premature babies. There are noticeable shifts towards the humanization of childbirth: the presence of fathers or one of the close relatives is allowed, the free behavior of women during childbirth is encouraged, the presence of mother and child together is used, early breastfeeding. Today in Russia they are startingmaternity hospitals will appear in which births are performed in accordance with the basic WHO recommendations. And although there are still few such maternity hospitals, there will be many more of them if you give them preference, and also demand compliance with WHO recommendations in every maternity hospital. Now a woman also has the right to refuse medications and stimulation during childbirth. This right is guaranteed by Art. 30 and 33 of the Fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation on the protection of the health of citizens: “Refusal of medical intervention” and “Consent to medical intervention.” When choosing a place for childbirth, the history of the pregnant woman is important - information about how the pregnancy proceeded, whether there were any this period of serious stressful situations, exacerbation of chronic diseases and intrauterine infections. All this also affects the quality of labor and the outcome of childbirth. When choosing a maternity hospital, find out in advance the policy of this maternity hospital regarding breastfeeding, get information about services and its capabilities, birth options and specific doctors. At 37-38 weeks of pregnancy, you need to call and meet with the maternity hospital doctor in order to discuss in advance possible conditions and situations during childbirth. Here is an approximate list of conditions required for a modern maternity hospital. Select the most important ones for yourself as a rough plan for a conversation with a maternity hospital doctor. A list of conditions required for a modern maternity hospital. The maternity hospital should have a pediatric intensive care unit. If it is not there, then you need to find out which children’s hospital children are transferred to if necessary. Is it possible for the child to stay together with the mother? It is necessary to stimulate labor only in exceptional cases (a long period after the rupture of amniotic fluid, aging of the placenta, infection of the amniotic fluid and other signs of post-term pregnancy). Unless absolutely necessary, do not use any medications during childbirth. The doctor must inform the woman in labor about the administration of any medications, justifying their need with specific arguments. The use of epidural anesthesia or caesarean section during childbirth is only for medical reasons and with the consent of the woman in labor. The ability to walk, squat and use various methods to relieve pain during labor is very important (take a shower, sit on a large inflatable ball, etc.). The ability to choose a separate prenatal ward. The ability to constantly have one of your close relatives, such as a husband or mother, during childbirth. After the birth of a child, the umbilical cord is not cut until the pulsation stops ( this condition is unacceptable in case of Rh-conflict pregnancy). Immediately after birth, the child must be placed on the mother’s stomach and attached to the breast (this accelerates uterine contractions, promotes a more active onset of lactation and calms the child after childbirth), and communication between mother and child after labor should not last a couple of minutes, but at least an hour. In no case should the child be supplemented with feeding (formula or donor milk) or given additional water if the mother has at least a drop of colostrum. If supplementary feeding or additional feeding is practiced in the maternity hospital, then you should have the opportunity to agree that your child is not supplemented with anything. The ability to feed a newborn baby (especially until the milk has arrived, and feeding consists of a few drops of colostrum) as often as possible, at the child’s first request .The opportunity to be in the same postpartum ward with your child. It is unacceptable for a newborn to be brought in only for feeding. The best option is when someone close to you can come to you for a few hours after giving birth. In this case, you can be with your child and shift some of the care for him to a loved one. Nurses or a lactation consultant should help establish lactation. Good living conditions, single or double rooms. Possibility of visits. Psychological preparation for childbirth. Throughout pregnancy, a woman thinks about +79137259380