Letter: Home births

Sir: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Marina Baker's articles on home vs hospital births do not take into account the "third way".

This involves having the same midwife throughout pregnancy, bringing her to the hospital with you and then after delivery (all being well) returning home the same day. The misconception that you have to see a doctor before you can leave the hospital is often the reason for feeling you must stay longer than you would like (and often the doctor's round won't coincide with the birth).

If, like me, you live in a block of flats where the lift is often out of order, the thought of trying to get down 15 flights of stairs to an ambulance should the need arise may create more anxiety than it is worth. Why not have it both ways in the knowledge that your carpets stay clean and yet you can still come home to your own bed as soon as you want to?

BECKY VINCENT

London EC1