When it comes to making your birthing plan, there are a lot to factors to consider, including whether or not you're planning on giving birth in a hospital, midwife led unit, or even considering opting for a home birth.
The thought of a home birth might not even cross some mums minds, and others might consider it but be worried about the logistics of it all.
We spoke to three mums who all gave birth to at least one of their babies at home, to get their advice and experience of giving birth at home.
1. Blow the pool up before you go into labour
If you're opting for a water birth at home, you can buy your own birthing pool or even hire one.
Jessica Ord, specialist home birth doula and educator said that: "home births often progress more quickly than hospital births (as there's more happy hormones flowing!) and it's common for women to need the pool quickly!"
2. There's not as much mess as you think
Jessica said that as a doula it usually takes her no more than 20 mins to get a house looking exactly as it did pre labour.
Adding to this, Jo Smedley, Chief Candlestick Wielder at Red Herring Games said: "you can decide what to do about the washing later, it isn't anywhere near as messy as you assume it'll be. We washed all the towels after my home birth and still use them 20 years later."
3. Preparation is key
Sharing her top tip when it comes to home births, Jo said: "when making the bed you are going to give birth on, make it so you have a sheet on the bottom, then the waterproof sheet, towels (for absorbency) and another top sheet."
She adds: "Once you've given birth, you can then roll up everything up in the waterproof sheet and just get straight back into the same bed, as the bottom sheet is still there and clean."
Mum Stephanie Buckley has had three home births, but every birth has been different in some why. She said by reading, planning different scenarios talking, and getting advice from others you can feel more comfortable in your choices.
She said "my confidence in myself and my baby and my plan to stay at home is what got me through. I felt confident I was near enough to a hospital if needed but prepared and comfortable to stay at home."
4. Stockpile towels
One thing our three mums agreed on was that however many towels you think you'll need, just get a lot more. Jessica mentioned: "if you're using the pool then you will plow through towels getting in and out the pool, and you NEED to have a fresh, dry supply. 20 big towels and four smaller ones for baby should do it."
You can donate cleaned towels to animal shelters after too, if you're conscious of having too many.
5. Don't worry about when to call the midwife
Just like when you go to the hospital to give birth and they said you away because you're not quite ready, Doula Jessica said that if it is too early, they'll simply head away and come back again when you need to.
6. Trust yourself
Stephanie said that she opted for a home birth because she wanted to trust her body knew what it was doing as there's been "millions of women who have birthed before." She said that: "Everything I read about home births and creating a calm and safe environment for both baby and mum statistically showed the home to be the better option."
Jo also went on to add that she grew up on a farm and saw giving birth as a natural process. "My own mum had two of her six children at home and said it was very easy. I don't like hospitals and I didn't feel afraid of giving birth at all, so it seemed the ideal option for me."
While there are so many positives to having a home birth, Jessica mentioned that it is also important to remember that while midwives for home births have a lot of experience "the only thing they can't bring with them to a home birth is a theatre and the epidural."
If you are considering a home birth, it's a good idea to discuss with your midwife and consultant about whether it is a viable option for you.
Samantha Ball is a Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby, having written for the brand since 2018. She's a mum of two and loves browsing for the best and current trending products for little ones and for cute seasonal outfits.