home birth in Alabama?

[Lady Lilya]

A friend's friend wants a home birth, but says she can't because it is illegal in Alabama. Is this true?

[b_light]

Yes, it's true. Assissted homebirth is illegal in Alabama.

[fairyandgnome]

I believe that all forms of homebirth are illegal in AL.. even for the parents.

[Lady Lilya]

I googled and saw an article about an unassisted HB in AL that resulted in an arrest.

Wow!

[Lady Lilya]

So I am guessing that if someone does take her chances by homebirthing outside of the law, there wouldn't be a mechanism to get a birth certificate or anything.

[b_light]

Where is that article? I'd love to read it. I think Alabama law only explicitly states assisted birth as illegal, but that wouldn't stop someone from deciding you are being negligent.

Where does she live? There are ways around it. I live in Northern Alabana, many of us travel to TN to birth. I had my first in TN and my second in the car on the way to TN (that was unassisted and in Alabama, but an obvious woops).

[Lady Lilya]

I don't know where she lives. My best guy friend mentioned it to me casually, that he has a friend in AL who wants to homebirth but can't because it is illegal.

[b_light]

Gotcha. Well, it's definitely true. The birth climate here is far from desirable for the homebirthing-type crowd.

[Hayes]

There are midwives who will attend homebirths as well as one who will attend a birth in Tennessee.

[rcr]

There are midwives here. They are hard to find and underground, but they are there and are practicing a lot. It is not against the law to have a baby at home in Alabama, it is just not legal for a certified midwife to attend a birth, so the midwives are either not certified, or certified but doing it illeagly. I know quite a few people who had babies at home in Alabama.

[LoveStory1017]

I live in Alabama as well, and would LOVE to have a home birth! Sadly though I live in the Anniston-Oxford area and its two and a half hours for me to get to Tenn and an hour to get to GA. So if you could point me in the right direction to find a midwife that would be great!

[allilyn11]

Bumping this.  I'm not pregnant, but whether or not we have more children will depend on whether or not I can birth at home.  I'm in the Auburn/Opelika area.

[rcr]

A woman named Gretchen in Eclectic does home births, I think.  In any case, EAMC is not really that bad for natural births, I don't think that they are into pushing for interventions if it is not necessary. There is a birth center that has water births in Columbus, if you don't mind driving 45 minutes. Also, there are a few midwives who are willing to drive to Auburn from Atlanta - just call around.

[Homebirthmamma]

I am in the same situation, and it seems an impossible one. Fast births run in my family. I don't want to have my baby in my car, or on the floor of an apartment, as other family members have had trying to get to hospitals and birth cottages. This means my only choice right now, in Alabama, is to have my baby at home, without any help from anyone educated. The law here makes it to where only an un-certified, untrained person can help me give birth at home in Alabama.  If I am to give birth at home, a certified, trained person can't help me?  I have to give birth with someone uneducated in birthing?  What a weird law. It is dangerous for women and babies. It makes absolutely no sense! I hope things will change soon.

[wissa19]

Hi ladies  - There is a bill up for a vote in the Alabama legislature to address this issue!!!  If you can, please take the time call the senators on the health care committee and encourage them to support the mid-wife bill (SB314)!!!

For more information...

http://www.alabamabirthcoalition.org/blog/

Also, please help get the word out to other like minded women in Alabama!