The Safety of Homebirth: emergency preparedness and preparation
Brave Arrows Midwifery | Christian Homebirth Care in Erie, Colorado
When families begin exploring homebirth, one of the first questions they ask is:
“But what about safety?”
It’s a good question. A wise question. And one we welcome.
At Brave Arrows Midwifery, we believe safety is not accidental — it is built intentionally through training, preparation, discernment, and humility before the Lord. We trust God deeply with birth, and we also take seriously the responsibility He has given us to steward mothers and babies well.
Homebirth safety is rooted in three key pillars: appropriate candidates, skilled providers, and emergency preparedness.
1. Careful Risk Assessment: Staying Low Risk
Safe homebirth begins long before labor starts.
We carefully screen and monitor clients throughout pregnancy to ensure they remain appropriate candidates for out-of-hospital birth. Prenatal care includes:
Comprehensive health history
Routine lab work
Ongoing vital signs for mother and baby
Nutritional counseling
Blood pressure monitoring
Assessment of fetal growth and position
Open communication about risk factors
Staying low risk requires intention. We do the work — through nutrition, education, lab monitoring, and relationship — to protect the safety of homebirth
2. Ongoing Emergency Drills & Skills Practice
Calm in an emergency does not come from personality.
It comes from repetition.
Our team practices regular emergency drills so that if something unexpected happens, our response is immediate, coordinated, and practiced — not reactive.
We drill for:
Neonatal resuscitation
Postpartum hemorrhage
Shoulder dystocia
Cord prolapse
Maternal collapse
Breech variations
Rapid transfer protocols
We rehearse roles within our 3-person birth teams so each provider knows exactly what to do without hesitation.
When seconds matter, muscle memory matters.
3. Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) Certification
All birth attendants maintain current certification through the American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP).
NRP is the gold standard training for helping newborns who need support transitioning after birth
This training includes:
Neonatal airway management
Positive pressure ventilation
Use of oxygen
Chest compressions
Emergency newborn stabilization
Team-based resuscitation scenarios
While the vast majority of babies born at home transition beautifully with skin-to-skin contact and gentle support, we are fully trained and equipped should additional intervention be necessary.
4. CPR & Maternal Emergency Training
We also maintain current CPR certification for both adults and infants.
This includes:
Adult CPR
Infant CPR
AED use
Emergency airway support
In addition, we carry medications and supplies for managing complications such as postpartum hemorrhage — one of the more common emergencies in birth settings.
Preparedness is not fear-based. It is stewardship-based
5. Equipment We Bring to Every Birth
Homebirth does not mean “without medical tools.”
We bring advanced equipment to every birth, including:
Oxygen tanks
Neonatal resuscitation equipment
Suction devices
IV supplies and fluids
Hemorrhage medications
Suturing supplies
Sterile instruments
Doppler and monitoring equipment
Your home becomes a safe birth space — supported by professional-grade equipment and a trained team.
6. Clear Transfer Protocols
Part of safe homebirth care includes knowing when to transfer. We build relationships with local hospitals in the Erie and greater Colorado area and follow clear guidelines for when hospital care is the safest next step. Transfer is not failure. It is wise, collaborative care.
The goal is always the same: healthy mom, healthy baby.
Faith & Responsibility Go Together
As Christian midwives, we believe birth is designed by God.
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” – Psalm 139:13
We trust Him fully. And we also prepare fully.
Faith does not replace training.
Prayer does not replace skill.
Trust does not eliminate responsibility.
Instead, we approach birth with both reverence and readiness.
For healthy, low-risk women attended by trained midwives, research consistently shows that planned homebirth can be a safe option with outcomes comparable to hospital birth — and often with lower intervention rates.
If you are exploring Christian homebirth in Erie, Colorado, we would be honored to walk through your questions and help you discern whether homebirth is the right fit for your family.
Prepared.
Equipped.
Faithful.
Ready. 🏹
