DM: Duchess Kate is apparently ‘keen’ on doing a home birth with this one

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take part in a boat race on the River Necker

I never get tired of the Duchess of Cambridge’s keenness. Duchess Kate is keen about so many things! Kate is keen about mistaking keenness for actual work, like it should count as an “event” if she simply makes Poor Jason slip word to one of the papers that Kate is keen about something or other. Kate was so keen to really buckle down and really start working full-time as a royal, but alas, her keenness for babies came first. As we know, Katie Keen is sick as dog in the first months of her third pregnancy. Once she’s feeling better, I suspect she’ll have the same kind of pregnancy as her first two, where she’s able to keep up with prenatal yoga and all of that. Her delivery of Princess Charlotte was apparently easy as can be – she was only in labor for a few hours, and the birth was no drama, and Kate left the hospital with Charlotte very quickly. Now sources tell The Daily Mail’s Girl About Town columnist that this time around, Kate is keen to have a home birth.

The Duchess of Cambridge, pregnant with her third child, is keen on the idea of a home birth, I can reveal. Kate previously sought permission from aides for second baby Princess Charlotte to be delivered in Kensington Palace, but decided against it after taking advice. However, after the births of Prince George and his sister proved to be problem-free, my sources tell me Kate will be on much stronger ground this time. It would spare Kate the ordeal of facing hundreds of paparazzi, as she had to do straight after leaving the maternity unit with George and Charlotte, and allow her children to meet their sibling in the privacy of their own home.

My well-placed informant says: ‘The Duchess knew it wasn’t possible for her first baby to be born at home, but she asked for a home birth for the second. Officials and doctors thought it too risky. There was concern and in the end she decided against it.’

The Duchess, 35, thought to be less than 12 weeks pregnant, has been suffering extreme morning sickness, as she did with both her other pregnancies. It caused her to miss George’s first day of school last week. If she gets the go-ahead for home birth this time, she will be reverting to Royal tradition. The Queen had her four children at Buckingham Palace, and Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace in 1819. The Cambridge children were born in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where the £5,000-a-night suites have the latest technology and access to St Mary’s next door in the event of an emergency.

The Duchess’s wish for a home birth last time was taken so seriously that the route from Kensington to St Mary’s was timed in case of any scare. My source adds: ‘The Duke and Duchess decided not to take the risk last time. A similar request with the third baby would be more acceptable.’

[From The Daily Mail]

My guess is that she probably IS keen on it – she’s reportedly not interested in the drugs or epidurals or anything, and she seems to want all of her deliveries to be as natural as possible. She probably does want to give birth at home, or Kensington Palace or wherever. That’s her right, and they’ll probably let her do it for the third pregnancy, don’t you think? If the rest of her pregnancy is uncomplicated, that is. Then again, Kate is 35 years old and she’ll be 36 when she gives birth. While she’s still a young woman by many metrics, gynecologically her age makes a home birth more risky.

Also, the Daily Express says that Kate had to “persuade” William to have a third. William’s argument was basically that he’s thinks two kids is a good number and that George was an extremely difficult baby and what if they get another one like George? Kate’s position was basically “but my mum had three kids and now I want that!”

Princes William and Harry pay tribute to their mother, Princess Diana, on the eve of the 20th anniversary of her death

Photos courtesy of WENN, Pacific Coast News.

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133 Responses to “DM: Duchess Kate is apparently ‘keen’ on doing a home birth with this one”

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  1. AmandaPanda says:

    I don’t blame her for wanting a home birth. Having to walk out of the Lindo the day you’ve given birth to face the world’s press must be horrendous.

    Plus her home is huge – it’s not like she’ll have to give birth on her living room floor.

    • Seraphina says:

      She won’t be a home birth like most of us think of home births. And she could stay a bit longer in the hospital if she’s keen on that idea. Let’s be honest, she won’t get kicked out due to insurance policies like the rest of us.

      • mar_time says:

        Just read they’re having twins!!! Ooooh that line of succession is deep lol

        EDIT: I’ve only read that from one source, no confirmation on this

      • KiddVicious says:

        If it is twins Harry won’t need the Queen’s permission to marry. He may dump Meghan and go for a stripper he’s always had the hots for 😉

      • Megan says:

        There were twins rumors with her other pregnancies. I don’t think it is true, but it would be kind of fun. Think of all the little twinsie outfits!

    • Sarah says:

      I don’t think a few minutes showing your new baby to the people who have paid and will pay for the support of your entire family is too much to ask. That was my first thought – another way to screw the British out of any and all access to the moochers they pay for.
      Keen Kate is keen to be a mooch, that is the beginning and end of it. And I think home births are riskier, but they are probably close to a hospital, so could get there in an emergency.

      • Nic919 says:

        They pay such a tiny price for all their luxuries and act like it’s a burden. It’s not like Kate was forced to be pictured immediately upon delivery looking all sweaty and haggard. So if this is just to avoid the first photo from the press, then it’s more arrogance on the part of W and K.
        If she truly had issues recovering from childbirth, which didn’t appear to be the case the first two times, then a home delivery wouldn’t be the medically sound option.

      • lolSarah says:

        Maybe they can go old school and open up her room so you can watch her give birth. Really get your money’s worth. What a ghoul.

  2. Nicole says:

    Women often want family sizes similar to their own. Not unusual.
    Listen if she wants a home birth I’m not going to knock her for it. There’s things to knock kate for but this is not it.

    • Yup, Me says:

      Not just women. My husband is one of three and has been trying (and failing) to convince me we should have three. I’m one of two and two will do quite nicely, thank you very much!

    • still_sarah says:

      @ Nicole : I am the youngest of four children. The oldest and youngest have no kids and the middle two have two kids each. But to be fair to your theory, my parents did make it very clear that they had only planned on having two kids and my sister and I were accidental but well received afterthoughts.

      And my mother was one of four children. Hmmm. My dad was from a big Irish Catholic family. Six survived childhood (my dad was born in 1919, so child mortality was high).

  3. Jess says:

    Hopefully she’ll get her wish this time! There shouldn’t be any issues since her previous deliveries were smooth, but you never know I guess. I’d want the hospital close by if it were me!

    I think they’ll have another girl, and at home. I can’t imagine having to face the press(and the world) just a few hours after giving birth and while probably in a maternity diaper. No wonder she wants a home birth.

  4. MostlyMegan says:

    I don’t ever feel sorry for Kate but having to face a huge press contingency just after giving birth must be horrendous. I can’t imagine having to get into pantyhose/tights, getting my wiglet in place and fluffed and getting full makeup done just after giving birth when you want to be doing is snuggling in bed and having tea and toast with your new perfect bundle. I had home births and they were great.

  5. MarionC says:

    It’s getting to the point on this site that she’s going to get slammed for breathing wrong; I mean come on, you really need to be snarky about her pregnancy too?

    • Mermaid says:

      I agree. I can’t imagine the pressure of facing the paparazzi so soon after childbirth.

    • Suze says:

      I actually feel sympathy to Duchess Kate, so I agree her pregnancy issues shouldn’t be mocked. I believe they are very real. And their family planning is their business.

      However, I think Kaiser is actually the side eyeing the use of the word keen, which has been applied to everything and anything the Cambridge duo does.

    • littlemissnaughty says:

      Can you point me to the slamming? I don’t see it, not about this.

    • Maria says:

      I don’t get how you think there is criticism. I went back to the top and re-read the comments.
      So far all I have read is that posters support her wish to have a hone birth. What’s your problem?

      • Sam Louise says:

        The criticism concerns the pregnancy announcement at the time Kate was said to be starting more Royal duties. I think it’s over the top criticism. So what if she’s pregnant right now? She’s at the perfect time to have another baby with Charlotte being 2 yrs old now. I hardly think she got pregnant to shirk royal duties and that seems to be what the criticism implies.
        Make no mistake, there is plenty to criticize Kate and William about, but this isn’t.

      • Nic919 says:

        That’s a massive stretch to pull in comments from another post days before. And still makes the original statement false.

      • Aurelia says:

        I’m pretty sure 6 months ago when they were casting around to hire the professional mentor for kate she shat her pants at the thought. Hence the 3rd child.

      • Sarah says:

        Sam Louise, if you don’t think Kate got pregnant at this exact time to avoid work, you haven’t been paying ANY attention to this woman for the last 6 years!!! Kate will do anything to avoid work, and to avoid showing her kids to the people who pay for them. And yes, I do think people have the right to grumble at more kids. While these kids will have castles, vacations, 3K dollar dresses, helicopter rides, security, etc, etc, the British citizens who pay for all of this are having services slashed. And it will be worse, in my view, after Brexit kicks in.

    • milla says:

      Agreed. She may be lazy but her royal husband never taught her better. I do think she loves him and still people take out all royal family crap on her

      • Nic919 says:

        She is 35 and not a child. She could do more at this point if she wanted to. She does not want to. Diana was 19 and managed to do a lot more and outshine Charles, which is something he didn’t want.

        Kate is simply lazy and has to take ownership of this. She never worked in the ten years she waited to get engaged and that tells you a hell of a lot about her lack of work ethic. Even the Queen said “but what does she do”?

      • milla says:

        @nic919

        Diana used her tragedy to help people. Kate has what she wants. She is bad role model but she is just following William which is the only thing she knows how to do.

        Is she really an adult? She has no identity, no interests. Its kind of sad but its her life and i doubt she knows how much power she has. I cannot even form an opinion on her. Still, her life and her choice.

      • notasugarhere says:

        What prevents her from being prepared from her work, dressing properly, practicing her speeches, writing letters herself instead of the desperate staff recycling form letters annually for her pathetic number of charities?

        The idea that William is “holding her back” denies her agency. If she had any spark of work ethic, she’d be on point and fully-prepared for the handful of engagements she does. That she shows up to them unprepared and acts unprofessionally while there is all on her.

    • Scarlett says:

      Slamming her for breathing wrong ? Well now that you mention it, she is so lazy she would probably out source that too if she could.

  6. Sixer says:

    I’m VERY keen that she does a home birth. Then I won’t be subjected to the BBC camping outside the bloody hospital for entire days-worth of rolling news.

    • Suze says:

      They will graciously wave from the window.

    • Clare says:

      But then how will that self ascribed Royal Announcement Maker (I have no clue what he actually calls himself) stand outside the hospital to announce the birth?!

      Have you no respect for tradition, Sixer?

      • frisbee says:

        Nicholas Witchell is the BBC’s sychophant in chief – sorry meant to say Royal Correspondent – can’t think what came over me…😉

      • Sixer says:

        Nicholas Witchell DOES MY HEAD IN! And Huw Whatsit.

        I boycott Last Night of the Proms too, Clare. I’m a rubbish Britisher really.

      • Clare says:

        Wait, is he the guy who dresses up in costume and reads shit off the scroll? I’m talking about THAT guy. Is he a BBC correspondent?!

      • Clare says:

        Found it – ‘town crier Tony Appleton’, president of the Royal Guild of Town Criers. Ooooohhhh booooooooyyyyyy.

        Sixer – I am with you on being awkward about patriotism. Hilariously, my mother in law is the exact opposite. I’m talking Union Flag tea towels and a Union flag patterned dress for the trooping etc.

      • frisbee says:

        Clare yes Nicholas Witless (as I like to call him) is the serious, unpartial, not an arselicker by any means no sir! BBC Official Royal Correspondent. Can’t for the life of me think why they won’t let me do it….

      • Sixer says:

        Oh good grief – cringe at still having town criers outside of pantomimes.

        I’m allergic to patriotism, probably to a silly degree and conflate it with jingoism also to a silly degree. I liked the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony – I think that managed to say lovely things about us without making me cringe. But that’s as far as I can go.

        I think the BBC has Special Royal Reporting Voice Coaching training for all their royal correspondents. It’s the puketastic tone they use that gets me.

      • Tina says:

        Did you all see all the EU flags at the Last Night of the Proms this year? Did my heart good. (Plus Nigel Farage’s delicious, delicious tears).

      • Sixer says:

        I boycotted as per but would actually have enjoyed THOSE flags!

      • frisbee says:

        I managed to get confused between Nicholas Witchell and a Town Crier. Now I want a Town Crier to be the Official Royal Correspondent but to do it with added Morris Dancers, it would be cringastically fantastic! It’s already a bloody pantomime so they might just as well just go the whole hog.

      • PrincessK says:

        Years ago I was at a park in central London with my kids and then there was this man pushing his daughter on a swing. I knew he was on the TV but I had forgotten his name. So I went over and said I recognise you but I can’r remember your name, and he very abruptly said “Witchell!” But something made me feel that he was happy I recognised him and he was deliberately trying to look sour faced.

  7. Suze says:

    When Diana had William in the hospital it was considered a radical move. Royal women used to have the hospital come to the palace.

    Guess it’s full circle now.

    • Citresse says:

      Both the late Diana and Kate looked great leaving the hospital.

      • kaiko says:

        how could they not?! money, hairstylists, etc etc…not to mention that no one truly knows what kate or Diana did before/during/after their deliveries…it’s all speculation if for some reason you do not lap up the sugar coated PR lines that are fed to the peasant public. for all we truly know this new crop of babies could’ve been born days beforehand with no one the wiser. media manipulation and the royal family are timeless bedfellows.

      • Citresse says:

        Yes kaiko, I agree with your comment about media and the royals. And I enjoy learning more about the days past, long past, when carrier pigeons held the capacity of Twitter.

  8. Louise177 says:

    I’m just surprised she’s having another so soon. Although they have nannies, three kids under five seems overwhelming. I thought they would wait a couple more years. A home birth wouldn’t be a problem. They can bring in everything they need.

    • Alexandria says:

      Not surprised at all and I’m expecting even up to 5 kids (whether the taxpayer likes it or not). Mainly due to 3 reasons:
      1) Do it all before 40 or 45.
      2) Have more Middleton heritage in direct lineage of the crown.
      3) They simply have the means and the help.

      Think birthing at home is a harmless choice for her, not gonna knock it. She will have access to all experts and equipment (which is good, I don’t wish her harm). However I chuckled when I read this is a throwback to how it used to be done royally. Between her penchant to dress up like she’s from the 30s and the children’s vintage outfits, she really wants to go back in time eh? Hahaha she really did go to college to keenly meet a husband.

      • I too think they will have more than three,just a gut feeling…

      • Lucky Charm says:

        I think they’ll end up with four. This one will be another girl, and the next one a boy. I also think Pippa will be pregnant at the same time as the next one.

      • Aurelia says:

        I will totally eat my hat if waity stops at three. Even willie will see the benefits of being inundated with children. So many more skiving opportunities. I think they will have 5.

      • suze says:

        The only MIddleton lineage traced to the crown will be through George.

        If that was a driving reason, she would have stopped at one.

    • Sarah says:

      I had three kids under 5 – a 4 year old, a 3 year old and a newborn. I went back to work when my baby was 4 months old, and then went to Graduate school two nights a week before she was a year old.
      We peasants do what we have to do for a better future. Kate doesn’t work, has at least one nanny, had a night nanny, housekeepers, secretary for nothing, and a doting mother. She has an easy life.

  9. Shambles says:

    I don’t care where she gives birth, be it at home, the hospital, or on the palace steps, as long as she doesn’t act like she deserves an award for doing it “all natural.” If she doesn’t do that, she and I are cool.

  10. Karen says:

    The Queen had the hospital wing delivered to her in the palace. So keep in mind this would probably not be like home births for the peasants.

    If she wants to, it’s her prerogative. Her delivery, her choice.

  11. Liberty says:

    “At home,” affirmed Mrs. Middleshanks into the mobile she gripped so tightly, her knuckles turned white beneath her dazzling set of pushy-rings. “Yes, we are quite keen on this! Of course, this means we shall have to get started immediately on purchasing and remodeling the sort of top home in a quiet district that will accommodate a home birth, oi, with an extra media room for those waiting for the joyous tot news, with rooms for skilled discreet midwives and staff and some nice cashmere weavers to make the blankets for the wee one. And a surgical theatre should it be needed, as well as suites for me Mike and myself to lay our poor grey worried heads, with a beauty salon so I won’t have to venture from the side of me little Queenie. And a gym. And a test kitchen for my handsome boy. No, it will quite be a smallish place, I am afraid, we are a modest lot, yo know, just what we need, no room really for the likes of his own Henry and the stick of American sequins — but if they really keenly care, as they like to throw about though where is my safari bracelet souvenir, I’d like to know, eh? Oi? — if they care they’ll stop the remodel of their selfish slapn’tickle flat and let the builders accommodate me poor sick darling’s birthing of a royal manor. But what can you expect from the 6th or 7th in line, as I always say to me mister.”

  12. Gertie says:

    I’m an ObGyn resident. I would never let ANYONE I love do a home birth. No matter how healthy you or the baby are, a cord can drop any second, and baby can die within a minute. There is ZERO reason to risk it just to have your special at home birth. Find a center that gives you autonomy, find an ObGyn (or midwife, with an Ob in hospital) that will allow you to labor in ways you want to, and give birth in a freaking hospital. You and or baby don’t have to die because of “the experience”.

    • Alix says:

      I won’t knock Katie’s keenness for a home birth, but the fact that her first two deliveries were problem-free means absolutely nothing.

      • kaiko says:

        YES! To all of the above. Sure it sounds so great in theory going natural in a birthing center (which is where I had my second), but an uncomplicated pregnancy/ labor can change in a nano second and THINGS CAN GO WRONG. I tried to do it “the best way for baby and mama” and my son was still rushed to the NICU next door when all was not 100%. I will forever ask myself ‘was it really worth it to not be in a hospital an extra day or two’? Nope Nope Nope. The pendulum swung hard with me, I cannot disagree more with anything but a hospital for delivery (just choose a good one if you can), and I’m as big of a crunchy hippie as they come.

    • Adele Dazeem says:

      Agreed. I’ve seen too much myself to support home births. It’s fine to do it Medicine free, but be in a location that can help you in case things go south.

    • littlemissnaughty says:

      I never realized how often women actually need emergency c-sections until my friends started having kids. It’s crazy. I hate hospitals but would always choose one over doing that in my own home. If only because of the cleanup. I mean come on.

      • Nic919 says:

        It happened to my sister in law. She had a midwife with her at the hospital and when things started going wrong, the midwife took her sweet time relinquishing power to the doctors who then decided an emergency c-section was needed. Luckily my nephew was fine, but for the next one she had a scheduled C section and it went perfectly smooth.

        It’s not like Kate is staying in a dingy hospital room anyway. She gives birth in a setup that is nicer than most people’s homes.

        This sounds like a Carole story anyway.

    • Jessica says:

      They can probably turn a portion of their home into a birth center if they really wanted to. Queen Elizabeth had 4 home births so I highly doubt it would be a problem.

    • CynicalAnn says:

      I had really easy births-but there was no way I was taking a chance on doing it at home. Better to be safe than sorry.

    • Nikki says:

      I also would try to talk ANYONE out of a home birth. My third baby was being monitored during my delivery in a hospital, and STILL needed to be rushed to an ICU for a week after my emergency C section. The cord was wrapped around his neck twice, and he’d breathed in meconium. Every second was critical; we are SO lucky he wasn’t brain damaged. Many hospitals will accommodate most of your wishes for autonomy and naturalism, but every second counts in an emergency. Every delivery is different; you never know what to expect, so please play it safe.

    • trillian says:

      That’s what I did. Chose a hospital that leaves women alone while laboring (aside from a midwife peeking in every once in a while to ask if you need something) and only sit and watch/encourage during the actual birth as long as no intervention is necessary. Had two great births, no meds, no nothings. But I did it because I didn’t want the mess at home 😉

    • magnoliarose says:

      I had my first in a hospital, my second and the rest in a birthing center except my last was at home. It depends on the setup and how skilled the midwife is. It was fun for my children to meet the new baby and delightful how they still think the youngest is theirs.
      My births were easy, and by the last, it was very smooth.

      • CynicalAnn says:

        I had a midwife and a doula with my 3rd (albeit in a hospital-there were no birthing centers by us) and it was quickest, most pleasant birth. By the time I had the 4th, my ob gyn practice had gotten rid of all the midwifes because it was costing them too much in malpractice insurance-such a bummer. They were wonderful.

    • sjohnson says:

      Thanks, Gertie. She’s a role model (ugh) and this sets a very dangerous precedent.

    • bluhare says:

      Becks just said what I was going to!

  13. Becks says:

    A “home birth” for Kate would not be like a home birth for most other people. I’m sure an ambulance would be on stand by, full medical equipment would be brought in, etc. I would not be surprised if they dedicated several rooms to the labor/birth and it was basically like a mini hospital.

    That said, it’s her birth, her body, and I certainly don’t blame her for not wanting to deal with the Lindo Wing madness immediately after giving birth.

    • Aurelia says:

      A surgeon will also be present and set up to give an emergency c-section if need be. Yes, it will certainly not be a peasant / prole home birth.

  14. Citresse says:

    The historical aspect comes into play. It’s comforting in some way to have a future King’s child born inside KP. Some may not feel that now in year 2017.

  15. LucyHoneychurch says:

    Interesting that she was able to persuade him. It usually seems that the partner who wants fewer kids “wins” but not in this case obviously. I kind of think they will go for a fourth. Anyone else think that too?

    • Lucky Charm says:

      I definitely agree. I was actually surprised she waited so long to get pregnant again with this one. The next one will be quicker and they’ll be closer in age, less than two years apart.

    • Aurelia says:

      Yep, wait for the oppsie 4th and 5th kid. If willie didn’t really want more than 2 kids he would have had the snip though.

      • Yes I posted above I believe there wil be more than three.I can easily see as many as 5.Even though Kate must be very ill early in pregnancy, I think she enjoys being pregnant and it seems she delivers easily.Plus I think she and Pippa will try to time a couple of pregnancies close so their children can grow up together.

      • Sarah says:

        I can’t imagine self-centered petulant Will doing that to himself. It would be a mature and reasonable thing to do, and he doesn’t seem to be either.

  16. SoulSPA says:

    I think she looked great in the photo ops after George and Charlotte were born. And I think she should be allowed privacy after giving birth and time for herself and the baby. No photo ops so soon. Those should wait. Release a pic of the newborn on twitter.

  17. FB says:

    Nothing wrong with a home birth if it’s what she chooses.

    A side note: Is Kate having more babies to purposely push Harry further down the chain?

  18. Adele Dazeem says:

    Okay let’s get in to the IMPORTANT issue here….how is this baby going to affect the royal wedding in the spring/early summer plans?? Will they plan around it? Will she potentially miss the wedding??

    I need this wedding. Don’t mess it up baby Cambridge Tres!!!

    • Jessica says:

      If Meghan & Harry are engaged a Cambridge baby isn’t going to change anything. It isn’t always about Will&Cath especially on someone else’s wedding. Princess Madeleine was quite pregnant with her 2nd when she went to Prince Carl Phillip’s wedding and Princess Sofia had just given birth a month ago when she went to a christening (I believe or a birthday celebration for the King); it can be done.

    • Merritt says:

      It won’t affect a potential wedding. The date will be set either comfortably before Kate gives birth or maybe a month or so after.

    • spidey says:

      Princess Anne attended Charles’s wedding 2 months after giving birth to Zara.

  19. Flora Kitty says:

    Princess Anne was born at Clarence House, all of the Queen’s sons were born at Buckingham Palace.

  20. HelloSunshine says:

    I’m sure the reality of what a home birth is for her and normal citizens is very different so I’m okay with it. I try not to side eye moms who do home births, because who am I to judge?? But I would never do it. My labor and birth were awful and ended in an emergency c section. I can’t imagine how terrifying that would have been for me and my husband if we would have needed the extra time to get an ambulance and get to the hospital, not to mention the potential consequences for my baby.

  21. Zondie says:

    My second and third births were emergency c-sections. Something about me having narrow hips. The idea of a home birth scares me.

  22. Cerys says:

    Duchess Dolittle is keen on everything except work.
    However I am not going to snark about her wanting a home birth. it’s her choice and, as others have said, a home birth for her won’t be like a home birth for the rest of us. She will have a team of doctors and midwives on stand-by.

  23. notasugarhere says:

    KM stepping out in a designer hand-painted dress after the hair and makeup people have done their work 12 hours after the birth? Seems easier than what others have done. Rania and Maria-Teresa were filmed by the press in their hospital beds in their hospital gowns, showing off the baby.

    It is their choice to trot the older kid(s) to the hospital for the photo op. They aren’t required to do that, they choose to. Gives them great PR so they do it.

    I doubt the home birth story for that reason – it gives them less PR. If nothing else, these two love to grab the easy PR of the hospital step photos.

    • Maria says:

      The Swedes tend to have pics taken leaving the hospital wearing jeans and running shoes. Perfectly fine.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I like those photos because often we don’t really see the baby, but we see they are in their car seat as per Swedish law.

      • Tourmaline says:

        This is totally what I was thinking–pictures I’ve seen of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden leaving hospital with her newborn babies, and she is wearing casual and comfortable clothes. The whole leaving the hospital in nude heels and a dress and blowout was Kate’s strange choice with Charlotte. Kate was somewhat less primped when she left hospital with George and she must not have liked how that came off based on the extreme she went to with Charlotte.

      • Jessica says:

        @Tourmaline

        She was complimented for how she looked after both births; make-up, heels, dress, hair, etc. for both.

      • Kaz says:

        I love to see the sensible Swedes leaving hospital looking relatively normal. Kate puts so much pressure oh herself by the ridiculous amount of primping for the hospital shot. Its so unrealistic and the public does not expect it.

    • Jessica says:

      They could still get the same PR if they released a photo from home or just walk outside of the steps of KP; it doesn’t have to be at the hospital. And no royal is required to show their child to the public, it’s simply tradition.

      • notasugarhere says:

        It wouldn’t be anywhere near the same amount of hype and PR, and with these two, often all we get is hype and PR.

      • Jessica says:

        @notasugarhere

        I disagree, if they let press onto the grounds of KP and did a photo-op the press and hype level will still be very high. But this is their 3rd child and they already have a boy and girl so this one isn’t going to get the same interest as the first two anyway. I think a homebirth would cause even more excitement because Queen Elizabeth gave birth at home.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The PR comes from the number of people outside, from piles of press to passersby, and from the media attention all the media attention gathers. They would not get the same PR from letting one former staffer (Chris Jackson) take a photo at KP, as they would never let multiple press anywhere near their private quarters at KP.

      • Jessica says:

        @notasugarhere

        Like I said earlier, it’s their 3rd child and they already have one of each, they aren’t going to get near as much media attention regardless. If they did something different, like a homebirth, I honestly think they’ll get more attention. But we are months away and I’m not going to argue about it any further.

  24. aang says:

    I had two home births. Both super easy. Yes I know I was lucky. Had an ambulance on stand by. Great pre-natal care. The closest hospital was aware of the plan and alerted when I went into labor, and the midwife had admitting rights, and a doctor on call. I don’t like the judgment I see here. My body, my choice. I was not going to relinquish my autonomy over my body to a doctor and a bureaucracy that would be more worried about protocol or being sued than he/she would be about my comfort, my health, and my ability to deliver my children without their direct intervention.

    • jobo says:

      think some people would have trouble having a doctor on standby!!

    • magnoliarose says:

      I had one with similar precautions so it was fine and cozy.

    • Ravine says:

      You monopolized an ambulance just so you could give birth at home? What if everyone did that?…

    • Fiorucci says:

      I think people judge because it’s not just your safety but that of your baby, seen as being risked for moms comfort and preferences. Cord around neck, many risks of brain damage etc
      But then most people don’t have an ambulance on standby and all that you had with the hospital.
      The one mom I know who did home births is a lovely caring and giving person but she also let her husband decide that they don’t vaccinate their kids (and she’s a nurse) just a way of thinking totally different from my own. Her kids have never been harmed by any of their choices admittedly. I loved my hospital births and the friendly professional support there even though the food there is obviously no good.

  25. Kitty says:

    Wow I just realize she will have two more years of not having to do any work. I think she must be the most lazy royal wife ever.

    • PrincessK says:

      I don’t know if this has been mentioned before or if the American sisters on here are familiar with the chocolate Kit and Kat and the slogan, ‘Have a Break! Have a Kit Kat! ‘. Well its now ‘Have a Break! Have a Kid Kate’………

  26. George says:

    Most people who want and enjoy kids are restricted by time and money concerns. Kate and Will have neither. Why wouldn’t they have more kids? I’d be a stay at home mom to more than the two I stopped at if I had their resources.

    You know who should not keep having kids? Tori Spelling and that sad sack husband of hers.

    • Sarah says:

      Tori Spelling pays for her own kids. Any child Kate and Wills have will be supported for that child’s entire life by the British public. So more kids are more people for British taxpayers to support. Kate and Wills should think about that a bit before having more kids. When you don’t pay, you don’t always have the say. If I were British, I would be really annoyed, especially because I think Brexit is really going to hurt the British economy.
      And yes, the British do support the royal family through the Duchy. Other can come along and explain it better.

      • Ange says:

        Actually Candy Spelling and credit card companies pay for Tori Spelling’s kids if you want to get nitpicky (not saying I don’t agree about Will & Kate).

  27. Egla says:

    When and if I have children I would prefer a hospital. Many friends of mine went through hell delivering the babies. 4 c-sections out of 6. Two of them had 13 hours of contractions with 6 cm of dilatation and had the c-section only when the waters turned brown and the heart beat of the babies were dropping. Another one just didn’t dilated past 3 cm despite being in top form and 26 years old. The other one had the baby with the feet down. The baby never turned. the doctors didn’t want to risk anything so c-section for her to. The other two were normal deliveries even though one had 14 stitches inside and out so I think someone must redefine the word “normal delivery” for that one. That being said all of them said that they would have preferred having someone more compassionate near them, a more intimate place to endure the pain so I understand the desire for a home birth.
    Anyway congrats to this two and their new baby. For some reasons I knew she would have another one and no surprise if she has one more in the future. This woman is never going to work. She will be mother earth all her life.

  28. weegie warrior says:

    Lets face it – we dont see much of th royal children so I dont think 10 mins of press getting pics of th baby when its being taken home is too much to ask – th press certainly dont get many opps to get pictures of her working.

  29. Zan says:

    Makes me wonder if women all are getting paid less than our male counterparts because people think we are trying to “get out of work” by having children. Stinks of internalized mysogeny to me. Side note: Before the internet, I feel like she would be in trouble if she wasn’t currently pregnant. But I am an American, so I admittedly I don’t really understand why her marrying someone comes with a job description.

    • notasugarhere says:

      It comes with a job description because every penny of their one percenters lifestyle is paid by the taxpayers. If they supported themselves, what they chose to do with their time or their family planning wouldn’t matter to us.

  30. MyLittlePony says:

    I have always wondered about home births… I know it was a standard up to 1950s or so but not really after that. Midwives had to be really good and skilled to handle even the more complicated births in those days as there simply was no alternative, and they got a lot of practise too as birth rates were high. I am really quite convinced that very few modern midwives have the possibility to gain that amount of experience in non-hospital environment, which simply makes home births riskier in my opinion. Also, there is the element of unexpected complications which can only be dealt with in the operating theatre, and not at home no matter what. What is it exactly that makes women choose “personal experience” over their own safety and the safety of their unborn children?

  31. Starlight says:

    Kate’s got some big shoes to step into if Meghan marries Harry, strong, opinionated, hard working, charismatic / poor Kate and with a Saturn return due in December plus three young bairns and Wills back in the jacking zone. Fasten your seatbelt sits going to be a bumpy ride!

  32. carolind says:

    Unless she has the exact facilities of a hospital put into KP I think she – and anyone else having a home birth – is off her rocker. There is always the chance of something going wrong. I value my life too much to have done this.

  33. Where'sMyTiara says:

    “Also, the Daily Express says that Kate had to “persuade” William to have a third. William’s argument was basically that he’s thinks two kids is a good number and that George was an extremely difficult baby and what if they get another one like George? Kate’s position was basically “but my mum had three kids and now I want that!”

    I’m saying… I think this is Kate’s reward/payback for Wills’ Dad-Dancing-With-Bimbos-In-Verbier incident. He’d put his foot down probably, but then Verbier happened and embarrassed Kate publicly; so she used that incident to renegotiate. Probably Carole with an E had her back on that, so Wills was emotionally blackmailed by his PseudoMum.