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Home Birth

Mum holding baby in birth pool
A home birth is ideal for those who want to experience the birth of their baby in the comfort of their own home, with minimal medical intervention.
 
Home birth is ideal for women and birthing people who have had a straightforward pregnancy. If you have medical or pregnancy complications and would like to choose to birth at home, your midwife can arrange for you to discuss further in our Birth Options Clinic to make a personalised care plan for birth.
 
Care is individualised to your needs and we can advise you on the range of specialist equipment available to hire for home births, including birthing pools.
 
Please note, the Whittington Hospital offers home births to women living in the Islington or Haringey areas. If you wish to have a home birth and do not live in these areas, please contact your local hospital.

Home birth - What we offer

The benefits of having your baby at home include:
 
  • Being in familiar surroundings, where you may feel more relaxed and able to cope
  • Not needing to interrupt your labour to travel to our birth centre or labour ward
  • Not needing to leave your other children, if you have any
  • Increased chance of being looked after by a midwife you have got to know during your pregnancy
  • Lower chance of needing an intervention, such as forceps or ventouse, than giving birth in hospital

We encourage and support the use of active birth techniques, hypnobirthing, aromatherapy and massage to help you have the birth you want.
 
After your baby is born, your midwife will stay with you until you and your baby are comfortable and supported with breastfeeding (if you choose to do this). We can also answer any questions you might have during this time.

Pain relief options

If you choose a home birth, you will have the following pain relief therapies available to you:
 
  • Water
  • Gas and air (Entonox - a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas)
  • Complementary therapies such as hypnobirthing
  • TENS machine (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) – we do not provide this, you can buy a machine from pharmacies or online, there are also companies who hire out TENS machines

Transfer to hospital

If you need any help or your labour is not progressing as it should, your midwife will discuss your options with you and if appropriate make arrangements for you to be transferred to our Labour Ward at The Whittington Hospital. Roughly 30% of first time mothers transfer to hospital.
 
There is also a slightly higher chance of complication for mothers and babies if it is your first time giving birth at home.
 
There are some reasons you may prefer to birth in a hospital setting. Some of the common reasons to transfer to Labour Ward include:
 
  • Asking for an epidural or diamorphine (pain relief)
  • Labour is longer than expected
  • Meconium (when baby passes their first stool in their water)
  • Fetal distress (when baby is unhappy in labour)
  • Your doctor or midwife may recommend that you give birth in hospital if are expecting twins or if your baby is in breech (lying feet first). If you would still like to birth at home or in the Birth Centre, your midwife can refer you to the Consultant Midwife to make a personalised plan
Last updated27 Mar 2025