How To Create A Wellness Design Space For Giving Birth At Home

The pandemic has had significant impacts on our relationships to our living spaces, turning millions of residential square feet into classrooms, offices, gyms or nursing homes, at least temporarily. One of the most interesting impacts has been an increasing interest in home births. Are you expecting? Is your home right for supporting one of the most important events in your life?  

Healthline reported last June, “As COVID-19 continues to spread, home births have become a compelling option to many pregnant people who’d previously planned to give birth in a hospital.”

Amber Winick agrees. “Hospitals across the country are limiting the number of people allowed in labor and delivery rooms, and people – especially women of color – are turning to home birth as the safest, most viable option,” notes the design historian and co-author of Designing Motherhood, an upcoming book from MIT Press and related museum exhibit.

Benefits of Home Births

Winick sees home births as empowering expectant mothers in safe, comfortable, tailored  environments, surrounded by people they trust. “In a way, home birth is as much about the psychological space one sets up as it is the physical space. Being able to move freely and intuitively in the comfort of home, being able to control the lighting, the sounds, the ability to get in and out of a shower or tub, and being able to eat or drink at will—these are definite pros. But home birth also enables one to plan for who is in the room, and that alone can be incredibly empowering.”    

Setting the Home Birth Scene

Winick delivered her children at home, she shares, one in a tiny New York City apartment and one in an upstate house. “The beauty of home birth is that it’s completely flexible – there are no objects or procedures that make or break the experience. Some swear by birthing tubs, others love birthing balls. Some labor in bed, others walk around. I gave birth at the kitchen counter and while that position was certainly not planned, I intuitively found just what I needed in that moment, and it was perfect.”   

There is no single room type that works, she says. It’s about the environment and support, which can happen anywhere in the residence. “I have women in my circle who prepared their homes with their impending births in mind. Some rearrange the furniture, or surround themselves with certain artwork or family photographs. My second daughter was born in a house full of wild roses since that was what was in bloom at the time.”

Stiliyana Minkovska shares this approach to flexibility, adding, “The must-haves differ from person to person, but having said this, I believe that ergonomics is a primary element that needs to be present.” The London-based architect’s professional focus is birthing mothers and their well-being.

While giving birth to her daughter in 2016, she came up with a delivery suite concept to improve the space for future mothers. Her Ultima Thule concept includes three pieces of ergonomic seating designed to make the birthing process easier and more natural. Available globally on a commission basis, Minkovska sees the furniture potentially becoming part of a midwife’s portable equipment kit.

“Current hospital settings are devoid of many qualities that medical researchers have deemed necessary, such as privacy, sanctuary and comfort. Although they have developed techniques to hide the presence of technology and equipment, the spatial quality is not warm, womb-like, soft or female-centered,” the architect says of hospital birthing centers. “During my pregnancy, I yearned for a calm space, with a carefully chosen color and lighting palette.”

Home Birth Space Essentials

There are some home-related items that the expectant mother and her team should have at the ready, says assistant professor of obstetrics at Farmingdale State College and HealthyWomen website’s Women’s Health Advisory Council member Daihnia Dunkley. These include pillows, sheets, blankets, towels (both cloth and paper), garbage bags and water for drinking and cleanup. Given that there is likely to be at least one delivery professional present, (e.g., midwife), as well as potentially loved ones, these supplies should be readily available, but not located where they would provide a trip hazard.

When evaluating a residence for home birth, Dunkley looks for “access to a water source, temperature control, and ease of mobility around the room,” she explains. “Additionally, access to power outlets for various devices and equipment that the provider may need” is important. Her criteria also includes room for the mother’s choice of birthing surface, sufficient lighting and good ventilation. Easily cleanable is another consideration, she suggests.    

“A room that is cluttered, or one with poor lighting or ventilation is a big no-no,” agrees Board Certified Ob/Gyn Cindy M.P. Duke, medical director of the Nevada Fertility Institute in Las Vegas, clinical assistant professor at UNLV School of Medicine, and another HealthyWomen Advisory Council member.  

Water Births

Birthing pools have gained popularity since they were introduced in the 1970s, Winick shares, and the trend has carried into the home birth space. “Many rent birthing tubs, others use their existing bathtubs, or even buy cheap kiddie pools to use.” You don’t actually need to buy a fixture, Dunkley points out; an existing bathtub with a disposable plastic liner can suffice.

Minkovska is not a fan of the available options, she reports. “I would love to design a bath for water births, as the current ones are horrendous; they are so high and difficult to access, especially when your body is double its normal size.”

Professional Home Birth Cautions

While a comfortable, softly-lit sanctuary may fit the expectant mother’s idealized vision of her home birth space, the ability to discern possible problems with good lighting is crucial. This means the ability to turn it up when necessary, cautions Duke, “To be able to assess amniotic fluid for color changes that may portend ensuing fetal complications” requiring transfer to a healthcare facility.

She adds that home births can be associated with significant risks for mother and baby. “Therefore, while the decision to proceed with a planned home birth is ultimately up to a pregnant person, they should only embark on this journey after discussions with their obstetrician and/or a certified midwife.”

While everyone hopes for an optimum delivery experience, Dunkley notes, “Create plans for emergencies, determine how many support persons will be present and their roles (consider doulas as well as partners, friends/family), and make accommodations for any other children in the home, whether they will be present or not.”

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.