[a_tartaruga]

Home birth is absolutely a rational choice in many cases. The author had a very strong reason to require hospital birth but in scenarios with lower risk it is safer in some respects to avoid the hospital.

It will still cost you 5 - 10k for a good midwife and you'll still want to be insured in case you need to transfer. So it only knocks off 5-10k from the total.

[ErroneousBosh]

Why are you paying to give birth at home when there's a hospital right there, that has all the equipment in case anything goes sideways?

[a_tartaruga]

The two biggest benefits are reduction of iatrogenic harm and comfort for the mother delivering.

Midwives are medical professionals who have the equipment and expertise to intervene in the most common scenarios that require it.