Does birth at home have a place in the word today? Sheila Kitzinger believes that couples should be able to choose where they would like their baby to be born and that provision for home birth should be a vital part of the health services. She explains the advantages of having a baby at home, and how to arrange this, and also describes the risks which make birth at home a bad choice for some expectant mothers and their babies whereas it is a splendid one for others. She examines a way in which a woman can prepare for the happy experience of birth by sensible living and diet during pregnancy. The help which can be given to the mother in labour by her partner is explored in detail, and the needs of the older child are discussed too.