For a number of reasons. Firstly, because I've learned a lot more about the Certified Professional Midwife credential (and CPMs do most homebirths in the US), and how it compares to international standards for midwifery education. I've also learned a lot more about actual home birth outcomes in the United States, which are not as good as international data. I think the data from other health systems does show that for a mom who has delivered vaginally before, a home birth with a qualified provider who is fully integrated into the local health care system, at a location in close proximity to a hospital, is a safe option. This definitely doesn't exist in my area and doesn't exist in most places in the United States.

Secondly, I'm really opposed to the whole "trust birth" initiative that home birth often has become a part of. The idea of trusting a process that has a natural maternal mortality rate of 1-1.5% (according to the WHO) just seems absurd to me. I feel like the natural childbirth movement has become far more radical over the last decade and I think that's really dangerous. I do still believe in respecting the physiological process of birth but belief even more in looking objectively at good data.

Thirdly, my experience with my local midwife was not good. I was mislead about the nature of her relationship to her "back up doctor." Several unsafe and quite potentially dangerous things happened or were suggested just before, during and after my delivery. There had been no hints this would happen and I'd gotten lots of good reviews about this midwife. The midwife even performed a religious ceremony during my baby's first bath without my permission or prior knowledge. And this is the midwife with the longest practice history, best relationship with local doctors and hospitals (not, as I found out afterwards, a good relationship) and best education in my area. Other available home birth midwives were either trained by her or were even more radical, having no formal training apart from correspondence courses and brief apprenticeships under other untrained "traditional" midwives. No thanks.

Finally, it is just better emotionally. I found out that I am actually far more relaxed and less anxious when I know I have back up right there if I need it. And I like the brief postpartum stay and being taken care of for a bit.