“I found out through a report on unassisted births that although many of them come through OK & safely (though I would not personally recommend unassisted births), it is in fact illegal in this country. But the reports also stated that if a woman wishes to have a home birth, the NHS trust is legally obliged to provide care through either a midwife or a doctor for the woman. So the trust is actually trying to act illegally in this woman's case. She shouldn't be faced with a bill of any amount. As for mentions of childbirth being dangerous, it can be, but in most cases it's absolutely fine. Unfortunately we live in a society that has medicalised childbirth to the extreme so that it is no longer perceived as a natural part of life, but a dangerous process that must be very closely monitored in a strict medical environment. Thousands of home births in America are completely successful & free from any problems, even for triplets! It has also been proven that home birth can actually reduce the risks of complications simply because the woman is far more relaxed. I worked as a midwifery assistant for a while, so I'm familiar with the professional side of things from both the hospital environment & the home environment. Midwives are able to spot any potential problems early on, so if help is needed they can take action quickly & in good time. They even come in pairs to home births either two midwives or a midwife & midwifery assistant. Although having said that, things are relaxing a little more as midwives take less of a leading role & more of an observing role at home births to allow couples to have as much or as little encouragement & assistance as they want, while still keeping an eye on things to make sure there's nothing of concern that needs attention. But whatever you choose, trust your body & the midwife, the likelihood is you & your babies will be fine.”

“In England anyone is frre to choose to give birth at home even if it is against medical advice. So this woman is legally free to refuse to go to hospital and within her rights to give birth at home regardless of any complications and that includes carrying twis also. So even the mother of twins or more CAN stay at home and CANNOT BE FORCED INTO HOSPITAL.Although the health tust does not have to provide a NHS midwife no trust has ever not sent a midwife round when the mother has determinded to stay at home.The trust never said they would not send a midwife for the twin birth,they mearly said their midwifes are not experienced enough and could not take responsibility. This does not mean they will not send a midwife but that if somthing went wrong the couple could not sue the trust which this woman is unlikly to do as she mearly wants to stay at home for the bith and afterward. So it is not true a health trust does not provide midwives to those who want a home birth,even if it is against medical advice. however this mother has chosen a private midwife for her twin birth and this is also her choice.so nobody can be forced into hospital and trusts have provided NHS midwives for twin births,even though they may have adviced against home birth.A trust however does not have an abligation to pay for private care if the couple chooses to go private,but as mentioned it is this womans choice to stay at home if she chooses and the trust is still obliged to send a midwife round regardless of her choice.”

“Let the parents have their choice. It is only in the last fifty odd years has it become "the norm" to have babies in hospital. Personally I feel it's better to have your babies where you feel most comfortable and with the state of the UHNS and it's record for infections then I know where I'd rather be. In my own clean, germ free home. Good luck with the birth!”

“No I am not from your area, however I am a mom of Twins that were home birthed in water. I have to say that it saved my daughter's life!

I was aghast at what I was told would happen if I labored at the hospital. I would not be allowed to walk around or be in whatever position felt best to me. I would be hooked up to monitors and the only position I could deliver in was supine (slightly sitting) and would only be able to do that if Baby A was head down. suffice it to say neither baby was head down. And would not be in a comfortable Labor and Delivery room, I would be confined to an bed in an Operating Room. My son was a frank breech and my daughter was a footling posterior.

I chose to go with midwives, in USA they carry everything that is needed to deal with resuscitating, hemorage, or any other issues that arise. the only thing they can't give is an epidural and a cesarean birth.

When my daughter was born, she had a large dent in her skull right over the veins that supply blood and oxygen to her brain. The surgeon said that if she had come out any other way than footling posterior breech including surgically she would either be brain damaged or dead.

Midwives saved my daughter, so while medically there are times where a surgeon is needed, midwives are also needed. Homebirth is a viable option for multiple births as long as the mother is considered a 'low' risk for everything else that can happen during pregnancy.

I'm sure many people consider me crazy and selfish, all i can say is my homebirth saved my children. I would have lost my daughter if i had delivered in a hospital.”

“I suppose it is up to the NHS to offer home birth or not... but it is up to me as a women to choose if to accept any treatment - nhs or otherwise while pregnant. I am regardless of my death or my baby's death going it alone.. the law in the UK states no-one of sound mind can be forced to accept any medical treatment - treatment without consent carries an assault and battery charge.
I know women struggle with the concept but we, in a so called free world are allowed to choose regardless of the fact the state may disapprove or 99.9% of the population may disapprove allowed to choose our destiny (and also our baby's destiny while in utero)
As an educated late thirty year old I make the choices in my life... so women stopping worrying about what is happening in other women's lives and concentrate on your own that is all that you have control over.”

“Well said Alison. I have experienced first hand, how
dangerous childbirth is. I was minutes from death, and so was my baby. It happened to me, yes and it could happen to you. I wish the family well with the birth whatever birth they have.”

“I am absolutely in favour of trying to make childbirth as natural and happy an experience as possible and homebirths, where appropriate, are a big part of that. However we seem to have lost sight of just how dangerous childbirth still is for both mother and child. Some half a million women every year still die giving birth and without the amazing work of the NHS staff (of whom Stafford maternity ward is some of the best in my opinion) this country would have a much bigger share of that figure. Surely you must see that if the hospital (or to put it another way, we the taxpayers) pay for you to have special treatment they would have to do this for every case where a family demanded a homebirth? Is it still your 'right' if you have triplets, octuplets, or any other higher risk birth? How many specialist midwives and equipment do we ship in? Where do we draw the line? It would be amazing if every woman could have an entire team of midwives at her beck and call during birth but the fact is the resources simply are not there, not for you, not for any of us. Whether or not they should be is a separate debate and if you want to take it up do so with the government not Stafford hospital individually who I'm sure are just doing what they feel is best and most responsible with the resources they have. You have been told honestly that the best standard of care that can be provided for your particular case is in the hospital, if you choose not to take up that service that is your own decision and you must bear the cost. The care provided by the NHS is a privilege not a right.”

“I think if we are truthfull with ourselves, we will admit that we all take risks with our lives at some point in order to make ourselves happy, or to enrich our lives, some of these risks seem unimportant , like drinking alcohol, or smoking, driving cars or motorbikes, yet often these choices result in people having to have some medical help, we are not handed a bill for this, it is taken as our right to have free medical help, i bet all of the people who have commented make these choices all the time, mabey you should look at yourselves befor you judge others.
it seems to me that this couple should be able to have the same free medical treatment we all take for granted, they seem to have looked in to there choice carefully,and they have lots of personal experience,having had three home births before.
I trully believe that they love there children and would not do anything they think will put there children in any danger.
I also think that the health service thinks that they know the persons body better than the person themselves, they take away our rights to live our own lives.
i dont blame the couple for having no faith in the NHS, we only have to look at the papers to see all about how staffs hospital looks after the patients, and with all the infections the hospitals spread, you could argue that it would be more dangerous to have the babys in hospital.
I think you are making the right choice and I send you love and best wishes for you all.”

“doula's/private midewifes are paid to care for the person paying them i think people are forgetting this.they will be paying for a one to one service the nhs midwifes have to care for lots of different people so they can not offer the same amount as care and clearly could not cope with this homebirth,no matter what everyone else says it doesnt change the facts of the story.the nhs cant help so they are going private this time which is thier choice they should not be able to claim any money back as they are making a choice to do it thier own way regardless of the nhs's stance.we all have a choice to go private if we want and can afford to and this couple seem to be able to do this so good luck to them but i do hope they dont try and claim any money back as they really arnt entitled to it.”

“Miss X, Stone, I did not say I was a 'normal case'. In fact I said my case was unusual. I was 7cm dilated when things started to go wrong. I was told that if I had been in any other hospital around here, I would have died, and so would my baby! There would not have been time to move me to the unsh. I was lucky that I was at the north staffs hospital. Obviously a twin birth carries more complications than a single birth. I would not put my baby/s life, or my own at extra risk if I had the choice in the future.”