I am lucky enough to live in an area of London where I can elect to have a home birth with the NHS. At my booking appointment, I chose to be referred to the Rainbow Team - midwives who attend home births in my area. I am on my third pregnancy and have had two previous normal vaginal births. This has given me the confidence to feel that I know how my body labours, I also know that I am only 5 mins from the hospital in case I need to be referred there. Although my two previous births were 'normal' my experiences of giving birth in London hospitals have been stressful and unsupportive. (I am sure I just got unlucky, as other local mums have had positive experiences). The last time, I was sent home, as I 'wasn't dilated enough' (due to lack of bed space). Driving back in, less than one hour later, my car was written off by a wreckless driver on a mobile phone, while I was in active labour!! It's these sorts of stressful labour experiences that have made me certain that I am going to stay home this time. I will also meet my midwife before going into labour. Both times before, I had never laid eyes on them until the big day!! But I know how lucky I am to have this option. Having the midwives available on the NHS is a postcode lottery, not everyone is eligible. For those of you overseas, being on the NHS means we don't have to pay for this service. The NHS is funded by National Insurance contributions from everyone's pay checks, meaning any British citizen is eligible for free health care, no matter their circumstances. I know that elsewhere, I would have to pay to have a private midwife attend, or I might be too far from the nearest hospital to allow me the confidence I could get there on time if anything went wrong. What are everyone else's thoughts or experiences of home births? It's such a personal choice. I'm interested to know how other mums feel...