The most powerful arguments against homebirth

Grieving family with an infant's coffin

Thinking about homebirth? These mothers of these babies were, too. Their babies are dead as a result. In one case, the mother died.

James died after an abruption

Baby Girl in Portland taken home to die due to massive brain damage when she failed to breathe at birth.

“Thor” son of author Elizabeth Heineman died from lack of oxygen during labor.

Gavin Michael died of lack of oxygen when he was more than 2 weeks overdue.

Lloyd died of lack of oxygen during labor when 3 weeks overdue.

Baby girl died due to shoulder dystocia.

Baby girl died of viral infection contracted in birth pool water contaminated with diarrhea.

Baby died in Indiana when s/he failed to breathe at birth.

Mother hemorrhaged to death during transfer to the hospital after birth.

Aminah, a second twin, died after a cord prolapse.

Sam died of aspiration nearly 3 years after homebirth left him profoundly brain injured.

Utah baby died of lack of oxygen during labor while mother attempted a VBA3C.

Michigan second twin died while mother attempted a VBA2C.

Baby boy died after fetal distress during labor, hospital transfer and C-section.

Paityn died during labor.

Baby girl died of lack of oxygen during 4 day labor.

South Carolina baby died during labor at a freestanding birth center.

Natalie died of lack of oxygen while her mother pushed for 6 hours with meconium running down her leg.

Kaiya died of lack of oxygen during labor.

Michael died of meconium aspiration after his mother attempted a VBA2C.

New Jersey baby died during breech birth.

Baby girl died of Group B strep sepsis.

Aisley died of lack of oxygen during labor.

Oregon baby died of overwhelming infection.

Second twin died in Indiana after partial delivery, transfer and hospital C-section.

Baby boy died of cord prolapse.

Baby boy died of lack of oxygen during labor.

Gianni died after his mother hemorrhaged during labor.

Jude died at a freestanding birth center.

California baby boy died during prolonged labor with maternal fever.

Sunrise died after fetal distress during labor.

Baby girl died after fetal distress in labor.

Baby girl died of “complications” after homebirth.

Titus died of shoulder dystocia.

Baby girl had a cardio-respiratory arrest after birth.

Baby boy, second twin, when his head became trapped during breech delivery.

North Carolina baby died when s/he could not be resuscitated after birth.

Idaho baby girl died after fetal distress during labor.

Idaho baby boy died after fetal distress during labor.

Idaho baby died after fetal distress during labor.

These are 40 deaths that I wrote about in the past 2 years. And only the American homebirth deaths. And only the deaths that I heard about.

Homebirth represents approximately 1% of US births. When you look at term births of normal sized babies to white women, homebirth represents approximately 1.4% births. So if you are planning to tell me that “babies die in the hospital, too,” ask yourself if you’ve heard of nearly 3000 deaths of term babies in the hospital in the past 2 years.

Homebirth kills babies (and mothers) and the only people who appear to be unaware of that fact are homebirth advocates.

Thinking about homebirth? Maybe you should think about these babies (and mother) and think again.