Home-birthing?!?!

Here's the deal then - "how about a home birth?"

This is the first question/statement that the midwife says at the first antenatal parenting class.

Cue wide eyes, a dawning smile and a million questions from my wife.

Cue wide eyes (full of panic), jaw hitting the floor and visions of me delivering the baby myself for the dad to be.

But here's the thing - just how bad could it be? The longer you think about it, the less disastrous it seems and the more natural it could be. Without wanting to sound too sandal and sack-cloth about it, could it be better for both baby and mum to give birth in a non-medicalised environment, where comfort is key and the environment can be made much more suitable more easily?

Just as Expectant Dad is thinking about how wonderful a home birth could be (light a candle, some soothing music on the iPod, tandem chanting from mum and dad-to-be, deep breathing) we have a visit to the antenatal class from a couple who've just had a home birth only twelve days ago. Says dad:

"It was like an abbatoir."

Deep gulp from Expectant Dad. To be continued...