These are all the sources I used to create The Homebirth Series, which outlines my 6 main reasons for choosing to birth my second baby at home.
It’s a hefty list, including over thirty high-quality resources. If you are curious about any of the information, or maybe you are a little homebirth-curious, I encourge you to go to the sources and check them out, as they are almost all open access.
References
Alfirevic, Z., Devane, D., Gyte, G. M. L., & Cuthbert, A. (2017). Continuous cardiotocography (CTG) as a form of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) for fetal assessment during labour. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2(CD006066), 1-137. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006066.pub3
Andrew, M.S., Selvaratnam, R.J., Davies-Tuck, M. et al. (2022). The association between intrapartum interventions and immediate and ongoing breastfeeding outcomes: an Australian retrospective population-based cohort study. Int Breastfeed J (17), 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-022-00492-7
Ben M’Barek, I., Ben M’Barek, B., Jauvion, G. et al. (2024). Large-scale analysis of interobserver agreement and reliability in cardiotocography interpretation during labor using an online tool. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth (24), 136. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06322-4
Birthplace in England Collaborative Group. (2011). Perinatal and maternal outcomes by planned place of birth for healthy women with low risk pregnancies: the Birthplace in England national prospective cohort study. BMJ. 343 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d7400
Blix, E., Kumle, M., Kjærgaard, H. et al. Transfer to hospital in planned home births: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth (14), 179. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-14-179
Brancato, M., Church, S., Stone, P.W. (2008). A Meta-Analysis of Passive Descent Versus Immediate Pushing in Nulliparous Women With Epidural Analgesia in the Second Stage of Labor. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 37 (1). 4 – 12. https://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-2175%2815%2933722-9/fulltext
Buckley, S. (2018). Gentle, Natural Birth for Modern Mamas. Dr Sarah Buckley. https://sarahbuckley.com/gentle-natural-birth-for-modern-mamas/
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Office. (2024). Cadiotocography Monitoring Policy. Government of Western Australian Department of Health.
Dahlen H.G., Tracy S., Tracy M., et a (2014) Rates of obstetric intervention and associated perinatal mortality and morbidity among low-risk women giving birth in private and public hospitals in NSW (2000–2008): a linked data population-based cohort study. BMJ Open (4). doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004551
Downe S, Gyte GML, Dahlen HG, Singata M. Routine vaginal examinations for assessing progress of labour to improve outcomes for women and babies at term. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (7) Art. No.: CD010088. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010088.pub2
Dixon, L., Tracy, S.K., Guilliland, K., Fletcher, L., Hendry, C., Pairman, S. (2013). Outcomes of physiological and active third stage labour care amongst women in New Zealand. Midwifery, 29 (1). 67-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2011.11.003
Homer CSE, Cheah SL, Rossiter C, et al. (2019) Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth in Australia 2000 – 2012: a linked population data study. BMJ Open (9). doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2019-029192
Hruban, L., Spilka, J., Chudáček, V., Janků, P., Huptych, M., Burša, M., Hudec, A., Kacerovský, M., Koucký, M., Procházka, M., Korečko, V., Seget’a, J., Šimetka, O., Měchurová, A. and Lhotská, L. (2015), Obstetrician agreement on CTG records. J Eval Clin Pract, (21). 694-702. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.12368
Fahy, K., Hastie, C., Bisits, A., Marsh, C., Smith, L., Saxton, A. (2010). Holistic physiological care compared with active management of the third stage of labour for women at low risk of postpartum haemorrhage: A cohort study. Women and Birth, 23 (4). 146-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2010.02.003
Government of Western Australia North Metropolitan Health Service Women and Newborn Health Service. (2025). Obstetrics and Gynaecology Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring. Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring
International Confederation of Midwives. 2005. Position Statement: Homebirth. https://internationalmidwives.org/wp-content/uploads/08d_EN_Home-Birth-.pdf
Keedle, H., Peters, L., Schmied, V. et al. (2020) Women’s experiences of planning a vaginal birth after caesarean in different models of maternity care in Australia. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, (20). 381. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-03075-8
Kibuka M, Price A, Onakpoya I, Tierney S, Clarke M. (2021). Evaluating the effects of maternal positions in childbirth: An overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Eur J Midwifery. 5(57). doi: 10.18332/ejm/142781
Lee, N., Firmin, M., Gao, Y., Kildea, S. (2018). Perineal injury associated with hands on/hands poised and directed/undirected pushing: A retrospective cross-sectional study of non-operative vaginal births, 2011–2016. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 83. 11-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.002.
Lee N., Gao Y., Lotz L., Kildea S. (2019) Maternal and neonatal outcomes from a comparison of spontaneous and directed pushing in second stage. Women Birth. 32(4). e433-e440. doi: 10.1016/j.wombi.2018.10.005
Levett, K. M., Fox, D., Bamhare, P., Coddington, R., Sutcliffe, K. L., Newnham, E., & Scarf, V. (2025). Differences in women’s experiences of labour according to type of fetal monitoring: a quantitative analysis of an Australian national survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 25(1), 565. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07509-z
MacDonald, D., Grant, A., Sheridan-Pereira, M., Boylan, P. C., & Chalmers, I. (1985, Jul). The Dublin randomized controlled trial of intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 152(5), 524-539. https://doi.org/0002-9378
Method of Birth, Australia’s Mothers and Babies 2024. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/australias-mothers-babies/contents/labour-and-birth/method-of-birth
Moncrieff G, Gyte GML, Dahlen HG, Thomson G, Singata-Madliki M, Clegg A, Downe S. Routine vaginal examinations compared to other methods for assessing progress of labour to improve outcomes for women and babies at term. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (3). DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010088.pub3
Oladapo, O.T., Diaz, V., Bonet, M., Abalos, E., Thwin, S.S., Souza, H., Perdona, G.,Souza, J.P., Gulmezoglu, A.M. (2018). Cervical dilatation patterns of ‘low-risk’ women with spontaneous labour and normal perinatal outcomes: a systematic review. BJOJ. (125). 8. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.14930
Olcese, J. & Beesley, S. (2014) Clinical significance of melatonin receptors in the human myometrium. Fertility and Sterility, 102(2), p329-335. https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(14)00566-4/fulltext
Pelak, H., Dahlen, H.G. & Keedle, H. A content analysis of women’s experiences of different models of maternity care: the Birth Experience Study (BESt). BMC Pregnancy Childbirth (23). 864. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-06130-2
Priddis, H., Dahlen, H., Schmied, V. 2012. What are the facilitators, inhibitors, and implications of birth positioning? A review of the literature. Women and Birth. 25(3). 100-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2011.05.001
RANZCOG Guidelines for Home Births (C-Obs 2). https://ranzcog.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/Home-Births.pdf
Sandall J., Fernandez Turienzo C., Devane D., Soltani H., Gillespie P., Gates S., Jones L.V., Shennan A.H., Rayment-Jones H. (2024). Midwife continuity of care models versus other models of care for childbearing women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004667.pub6.
Scarf VL, Rossiter C, Vedam S, Dahlen HG, Ellwood D, Forster D, Foureur MJ, McLachlan H, Oats J, Sibbritt D, Thornton C, Homer CSE. (2018). Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth among women with low-risk pregnancies in high-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Midwifery. Jul (62). 240-255. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2018.03.024. Epub 2018 Apr 3. PMID: 29727829.
Schmied, V., Myors, K., Burns, E. et al.(2024) A mixed methods study of the postnatal care journey from birth to discharge in a maternity service in New South Wales, Australia. BMC Health Serv Res (24). 1530. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11995-w
Small, K., Sidebotham, M., Fenwick, J., and Gamble, J. (2019). Intrapartum cardiotocograph monitoring and perinatal outcomes for women at risk: Literature review. Women and Birth. 33 (5). 441-448. Intrapartum cardiotocograph monitoring and perinatal outcomes for women at risk: Literature review – ScienceDirect
Tracy, S.K. et al. (2013). Caseload midwifery care versus standard maternity care for women of any risk: M@NGO, a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 382 (9906). 1723 – 1732. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24050808/
Selection Committee on Birth Trauma. (2024). Birth Trauma. New South Wales Parliament. Legislative Council. https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2965/FINAL%20Birth%20Trauma%20Report%20-%2029%20April%202024.pdf
WHO statement of Caesarean Section Rates (2015). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-RHR-15.02
Zhang, Jun PhD, MD; Landy, Helain J. MD; Ware Branch, D. MD; Burkman, Ronald MD; Haberman, Shoshana MD, PhD; Gregory, Kimberly D. MD, MPH; Hatjis, Christos G. MD; Ramirez, Mildred M. MD; Bailit, Jennifer L. MD, MPH; Gonzalez-Quintero, Victor H. MD, MPH; Hibbard, Judith U. MD; Hoffman, Matthew K. MD, MPH; Kominiarek, Michelle MD; Learman, Lee A. MD, PhD; Van Veldhuisen, Paul PhD; Troendle, James PhD; Reddy, Uma M. MD, MPH for the Consortium on Safe Labor. Contemporary Patterns of Spontaneous Labor With Normal Neonatal Outcomes. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 116(6):p 1281-1287.. | DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181fdef6e
Perth Birth Nerd 