"While home births are twice as risky to mother and child as hospital births, if there is a chance to avoid going to hospital it's a nice idea to take it. " I'm sorry, but that is simply not true. Where are you obtaining your information from? There's a good summary of current medical evidence at at http://www.homebirth.org.uk/homebirthindex.htm) which I think you should look at, especially the findings of the "National Birthday Trust - Report of the Confidential Enquiry into Home Births", which shows that home births, for the right women, are *at least* as safe (or safer) that hospital births, and this position is now accepted by the Department of Health, RCOG, NMC, RCM, BMJ etc. The huge huge weight of evidence and the experiences of women who have home births do not back your statement. Please contact either the NCT or homebirth.org.uk for more information. - Joint statement from RCOG & RCM is at http://www.rcm.org.uk/info/docs/Home%20Births_Joint%20Statement_1.pdf - NMC's position on homebirth is at http://www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=1472