Searches about home births in Singapore are on the rise. Dr Lai Fon-Min, the only known obstetrician who supports home births in the country explained the trend.
He said home deliveries comprised his total in 2011, but that number rose to 9% in 2015. “With easy access to the Internet and social media, women now realise they have options,” Dr Fon-Min explained.
“[They have] probably heard of celebrity mums such as Angelina Jolie and Cindy Crawford having home births in the United States,” he added.
If you want to be one of these happy mothers, read further to learn the proper way to have a home birth in Singapore.
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Should I get a home birth?
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Mayo Clinic says there are many reasons why mothers choose to give birth at home instead of the hospital, such as:
- Giving birth without medical instruments like pain medications and labour induction
- Welcoming their new child in a comfortable, familiar place instead of the cold, sterile hospital environment
- More control over the birthing process
- Being able to move freely
- Lack of transportation or a local hospital
- Lower costs
Doula support facility ParentLink says home births in Singapore are viable if you meet those criteria. More importantly, you should be having a healthy, low-risk pregnancy.
On the other hand, ParentLink and Mayo Clinic discourage home births if you have the following:
- Diabetes
- Chronic high blood pressure or toxaemia, also known as preeclampsia
- Past preterm labour experience or risk
- Giving birth to more than one child
- Inability to deliver baby headfirst
- Previous C-section
- A partner who does not fully support giving birth at home
Despite the growing trend of home births, only a few obstetricians and facilities support the practice. Dr Leo Hamilton, a senior paediatrician at IMC Paediatric, said it is not a “strong tradition in Singapore.”
Read More:
Woman Delivers Child While Working From Home
AXA Global Healthcare Insurance says home births in Singapore aren’t available through the public system. You must contact private hospitals to see whether they support this procedure.
Having home births in Singapore safely
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If you’ve decided to have a home birth, create a birth plan by answering these questions from Mayo Clinic:
- Who do you want to be with you when you give birth?
- What do you want your surroundings to be like?
- What comfort measures would you like to rely on during labour?
- Will you use any specific methods to manage pain?
- Do you want to breastfeed your baby immediately after delivery?
You should also take a childbirth class to prepare. It will teach you what to expect during home labour and delivery and answer more questions to consider for your home birth.
Discuss with your healthcare provider all you need to prepare for this procedure. That includes ways you can head to a hospital immediately in case the home birth issues occur.
Natasha Cullen, UK trained midwife, shared some tips for home births in Singapore with the International Medical Clinic:
“If you are going to have a home birth, you will need to have a doula as well, who will be with you at home until the doctor arrives for delivery.”
If you can’t find a private hospital for the procedure, Cullen recommends going to the Four Trimesters’ “Birth House.” It doesn’t let you have a home birth but an out-of-hospital one instead.
Mayo Clinic reminds mums have the right to make an informed decision about where they prefer to deliver their children. However, you must remember that life-threatening problems may occur during labour and delivery.
Taking you to a hospital after a problematic home birth may delay care. That is why you should read the benefits and risks of home births discussed in this article.