Homebirth 'an empowering experience' and 'the feeling of safety was next level'

Almost 650 women gave birth at home last year in Ireland. But when the experience is free and proven to be clinically safe - why are the uptake rates so low?

Susan Loughnane and her baby boy, Lockie Doyle, who she gave birth to at home in Clarecastle, County Clare. “We are conditioned to believe it (birth) is a scary thing,” Susan says, but for her homebirth was instead an amazing and empowering experience for the whole family. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Almost 650 women opted for homebirths last year across public and private services, with the national service treating 53% more women than in 2019 despite some counties lacking community midwives.

Many women said homebirth was on their radar for the first time as they sought to avoid hospitals because of Covid-19 visiting restrictions on birth partners and fears about catching the virus.