Guest wants to have home birth with midwife in my Airbnb?

[Kari2653]

Hi Everyone!  This is a first one for me, so I wanted to find out how others dealt with this situation? A couple had booked my Airbnb for 1 week in September, they told me they lived far from the hospital.  My place is 5 min from hospital, so they would be close when the time comes to have baby.  Today, they just messaged me and asked if they could have a home birth with a midwife at the Airbnb, instead of going to hospital. They said they would pay extra, and that it is really clean and won't ruin anything.  Apparently, this is becoming a thing for couples to rent hotel rooms or Airbnb's now to do home deliveries.   I'm not 100% opposed to it but I am mainly concerned about any liability if things go sideways or if it's not as "clean" as they say and items or furniture is non-salvagable?  I haven't been able to find any specific information on Airbnb about this situation but would really appreciate some feedback from anyone who may have gone through this? 

Thanks for your time!

Kari

[Huma0]

@Kari2653 

You need to try CS again and see if you can speak to a different rep. @Helen3 is correct. It's not about whether you qualify for extenuating circumstances. If it was an instant booking, you have three penalty free cancellations a year if you feel uncomfortable with the guest or feel that they will break your house rules. I have been able to cancel IB guests penalty free this way.

It's nonsense for the rep to stay that you can't cancel because you already accepted. Airbnb offer this 'get out of jail free x 3 times a year' card specifically to lure hesitant hosts into using IB. Now they need to back this up by giving you a penalty free cancellation. If suddenly springing a home birth on you AFTER you accepted is not sufficient reason to feel uncomfortable with the booking, then I don't know what is.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/2022/can-a-host-cancel-a-reservation-without-adverse-consequen...

[Anonymous]

@Kari2653   A home birth is not a party, but technically the midwife is an unregistered and unpaid "guest" that you didn't approve. And what about other relatives and friends who want to come to support the new parents? I guess they're just assuming that you'll let them all in too.

Airbnb has already bungled this once, but you still have a loophole with these guests if you tell them that you rules/insurance/etc prohibit you from allowing any additional people into the home during the stay - including the midwife and any visitors - and hopefully they'll recognize that your home doesn't meet their birthing needs.

[Mark116]

@Kari2653  It might also technically be some kind of commercial endeavor since the midwife is a professional who is offering her service in your residence.  I really can't believe that Airbnb won't do a cancellation, but if not, then all you can do is advise the guests that the home birth will not be permitted and that you recommend they cancel ASAP so they can get a refund.

[Anonymous]

OMG @Mark116 for all we know, it could just be a low budget porno or horror shoot with a brilliant excuse for the state of the linens. 

[Kari2653]

Hi All, Just an update on my home birth couple.  I had sent them a message to let them know I wasn't comfortable with hosting a home birth and best they look for different location.  They finally replied back to my message after a couple weeks and cancelled their reservation.  The couple said they had made alternative arrangements. It was such a relief to have them cancel on their own and to know they have found what they are looking for.   

In future, I will be sure to question couples who are close to due dates and make sure I know their true intentions of their stay.  Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and support.  I appreciated all the feedback. 

[Helen744]

@Kari2653 this could be a lovely thing if organised properly . you will need or they will need to double sheet the bed . this is so that the lower bed is made up with sheets , then a plastic cover is added . then on top of this would be another set of sheets . I would ask your gusest to bring two sets of linen for all beds , just in case the mum changes her mind as to which bed she ends up having the babette in . They will need to provide a dish for the afterbirth and a process for disposing of it. they will need to provide the hospitals number and the doctors number and or the midwives . also you will need to keep an ambulances number on standby because if something goes wrong in a home birth it will do so quickly . Ask if they have been told that they are unsuitable for home birth in any way . Ask if they will have a doctor come to the house if need be and who that will be ?also find out if other family members will be present as well as other children . If it is a first time birth , I would say no . All the best H Oh yes. I had three homebirths . Piece of cake really 

[Anonymous]

@Helen744  And did you rent a stranger's house for any of those three cakelike occasions? 

[Helen744]

@Anonymous No, never ,but I can understand the wish to both have a home birth and be near a hospital if you live a distance from the hospital, I know in parts of England there used to be the ability to birth in your own home with an ambulance parked out the front ,just in case.It would leave ,when all was well and the baby joined the world and mum was stable . I am not sure if that is still an option but it always seemed to me to be a good one . Ha ha.  H

[Gillian166]

so the timing of this is interesting. I have been approached by a mum who lives over an hour+ from the  hospital and wants to stay somewhere close by as she goes into labour. She previously has had home births but this time she said she wasn't 'eligible' whatever that means (i don't want to pry). I don't know how on earth she would get the timing right to book somewhere for 2-3 days (her hubby and kids will stay in the airbnb during her hospital stay).

She's just making enquiries to various places right now, and then randomly guessing some dates.

 Poor thing is due right at the end of summer school hols, on Australia Day (our national public holiday), it's high season.  I doubt she'll have much luck, and i urged her to make the bookings now if she can. Anyway, apart from putting down a solid waterproof cover over our mattress topper (currently have mattress with a light protective cover, then 3" mattress down-topper thing) is there anything else to consider? She's not having the baby at my place, but "going into labour" means her waters will break somewhere. 
@Helen744  you are the wise woman for this scenario. 

[Helen744]

@Gillian166 you need another layer of light plastic similar to a shower curtain . then she will need to provide two sets of sheets and another shower curtain type plastic sheet . so that if her 'waters break ' in bed , then her partner can remove the sheets from around her easily leaving another sheet plus another cover as this is your mattress , not hers. I would not put the topper back. a third baby and 'not eligible ' means something . I cannot say what, but if she is pretty definite on her dates then I am guessing her last 'home birth ' ended up in a ceasar. You do need to know because you could be liable for misadventure if she takes ill advised risks . We all know women can exhibit the type of 'hiding and avoiding ' behaviour around childbirth that is not exactly rational . It would be a good idea to have a chat with her partner. as generally 'partners ' travel to the hospital , although with covid this has been and still is limited I understand . I have no idea if this is a common thing at this time but maybe a chat with a hospital midwife would give you some clues . Ring the closest maternity hospital and they will give you some guidance. Mostly after a birth the mother will want to be home as soon as possible but ceasars take longer before you can leave the hospital .I actually think its a good idea for those who are near to the hospital but there would need to be another adult with them for the children .H

[Dawn241]

throw a baby pool in the yard with a hose