According to a source who spoke to Fox News Digital, Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend Joaquim Valente are expecting a child.
The 44-year-old supermodel is expecting her third child. With her ex-husband, former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, she already has two children.
According to a source who spoke to People Magazine, Bündchen is reportedly several months along and will not be able to find out the gender of the child. However, she is planning to give birth at home, just like she did with her son.
Bündchen has given birth at home before, but some experts have warned about the dangers.
Talitha Phillips, a labor and postpartum doula and CEO of the health nonprofit Claris Health, says that the biggest worry about giving birth at home is what would happen if something goes wrong.
The Los Angeles-based specialist told Fox News Digital, “There is sometimes less access to necessary medical interventions if there is a serious medical complication.”
Additionally, Kristin Revere, owner of Gold Coast Doulas in Michigan and a highly qualified birth, postpartum, and infant care doula, issued a warning regarding access to medical care, pointing out that home births are “not covered by general insurance.”
“If a transfer needs to happen during labor and the hospital is a distance away, and mother or baby is in distress, they may not be able to get the medical attention they need in time,” she explained to Fox News Digital.
“If an epidural is desired or needed, the mother will need to transfer to the hospital.”
The experts pointed out that there are certain advantages to giving birth at home, such as the opportunity for the mother to be in a familiar and “very comfortable” setting that “feels less clinical,” Phillips said.
Additionally, she said, there are fewer medical interventions to deal with during the process, such as IVs, shift changes, and the freedom to eat and shift positions whenever the woman desires.
“You also get to choose the people who you want to be a part of your birth, and you build a relationship with the team that you’re welcoming into this special process,” Phillips stated.
“If you have other children, they can also be there if you want them to be.”
According to Revere, her clients value the fact that they don’t have to “scramble to get someone to watch their children when they go into labor.”
Even with insurance co-pays, home births can be less expensive than hospital births, she said.
“Some of my clients fear hospitals and prefer to deliver in their environment, while others prefer the longer prenatal visits that many home birth midwives provide,” she stated.
“Some mothers have a history of quick labors and feel more comfortable delivering at home.”
People over 35 are generally at a higher risk of becoming pregnant, according to the Mayo Clinic and other sources.
According to Phillips, Bündchen’s age of 44 should be discussed with the home birth professional during the decision-making process because it could be taken into account along with the medical history and pregnancy history.
However, Revere went on to say that age has less of an impact on home births than it does on general health.
“Home births are for low-risk clients,” she stated. “There may be restrictions on delivery dates based on the age of the mother and state laws regarding home births.”
Phillips advised women thinking about giving birth at home to weigh a provider’s credentials, training, experience, and patient feedback before choosing one.
“You want to make sure to hire someone you feel comfortable with, who adds peace and knowledge to the experience and is a good fit for you,” she stated to Fox News Digital.
“Make sure the medical provider is backed up by a provider with hospital privileges should you need a hospital transfer,” Phillips stated. “That allows for open communication between the teams and a smooth transfer in cases where one occurs.”
Additionally, Revere advises all home birthers to enroll in a thorough childbirth education course that covers pain management and breathing techniques for an unmedicated birth.
The Bradley Method, Lamaze, Gentle Birth, and HypnoBirthing are some of her favorite birthing classes.
According to Revere, there may be different restrictions on things like vaginal birth following cesarean and twin births because the laws governing home births vary depending on the state in which the mother resides.
