Microbiome of Home Birth is Safer than Hospital Birth for Babies

Myth: Hospitals are cleaner.
Fact: The microbiome of your home is safer than hospital microbes.
Photo by Aimee Preston for Home Birth Aotearoa, New Zealand

By Home Birth Aotearoa

Let's talk about the microbiome!

We often hear about how dirty, untidy homes can be a hazard to babies -- and wouldn't you rather have a nice, clean hospital bed?

The reality is that sterility is not an ideal birth space, and that the bacteria that do survive in the hospital setting are dangerous.

Birth at home sets you and baby up for a diverse and robust microbiome.

Myth: Hospitals are cleaner.

Fact: The microbiome of your home is safer than hospital microbes. 


Dig into related reading on why this is the case:

Homebirth and the Microbiome: https://midwiferytoday.com/mt-articles/homebirth-and-the-microbiome/ 

Babies born at home have more diverse, beneficial bacteria:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181031080557.htm 

Babies born at home have more diverse bacteria:
https://www.futurity.org/home-birth-diverse-microbiome-1901502-2/ 

Home birth may start babies off with health promoting microbes:
http://theconversation.com/home-birth-may-start-babies-off-with-health-promoting-microbes-119045

Rethinking Sterile: The Hospital Microbiome:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4080534/ 

Rate of contamination of hospital privacy curtains on a burns and plastic surgery ward: a cross-sectional study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28413115 

Hospital Acquired Infections:
https://www.amboss.com/us/knowledge/Nosocomial_infections 

The most dangerous germs in the hospital may be those (people) bring with them:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/most-dangerous-germs-hospital-may-be-those-you-bring-you


Related Groups: 

Birthing (more holistic): FB.com/groups/Birthing

Pregnant Moms Due in [this year] (more mainstream): FB.com/groups/DueDateGroup

Peaceful Parenting Community: FB.com/groups/ExplorePeacefulParenting

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