Sir, - The mystery father in the article "The Mother of all labours" (The Irish Times, February 9th) makes some extremely damaging and ill-informed accusations about the safety of home birth in rural Ireland. Two years ago my partner and I had a truly wonderful experience of giving birth to our first child at home in not dissimilar circumstances. We live an hour-and-a-quarter's hard driving from the nearest hospital but were never in any doubt that our midwife would recommend a transfer in ample time should the need arise. My baby was also "face up" - incidentally, this is very common - but with the midwife guiding me through an all-fours position we were able to turn him around. As for homeopathic remedies, I used them throughout, not as painkillers, which they do not claim to be, but to ease my exhaustion and finally to help the baby move down.
Throughout my long and arduous 21-hour labour I could not have wished for more professional and caring support and I needed no painkillers save those that my body naturally produced. In fact, I am the only person I know who genuinely enjoyed the whole experience of childbirth.
It is unfortunate that your writer's home birth did not go as planned and I'm sure that he and his partner were disappointed. However it must be noted that on the basis of his account there was no actual danger. The baby was born normally three hours after their arrival at the hospital and not by emergency Caesarean. The baby was blue, as many newborns are, and it may even have been the Syntocinon drip that caused this; but most importantly, the baby and mother were healthy. To claim that some midwives "have chosen to take risks as part of a campaign to return childbirth to the home" is a serious charge indeed.
Home birth is statistically safer than hospital birth with fewer interventions (Majorie Tew in the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, August 1985). Those who choose it must prepare adequately, accept that there is no fixed timetable for giving birth and that things do not always go to plan. By choosing home birth parents are reclaiming responsibility for what is surely one of the most momentous events of their lives. - Yours, etc.,
From Abigail Joffe
Ballintlea, Ventry, Co Kerry.