There are so many reasons to choose a home birth. A pregnant woman isn't sick. Birth is a normal process that doesn't function well with deadlines and under the scrutiny of strangers. Haven't you ever felt like you'd rather hurry home than use a "strange" bathroom? Wouldn't you rather sleep in your own bed? Do you invite strangers in to watch while you perform personal bodily functions?
A woman giving birth heads for her favorite chair. She hugs her pillow, or cries into it. Maybe it makes her happy to pet her dog or cat. She doesn't want to be tethered to a bed by monitor leads with nothing to eat or drink but a little Jello or Sprite - if she's lucky. She can keep her clothes on as long as she wants - or take them all off if she gets hot.
At a home birth, the woman and her partner call the shots. The midwife provides information, guidance and encouragement. The woman and her partner decide what they want to do. Do they want to rest for a while? Or would she rather walk and try to get things going? Does she want to know how far she's dilated? Or does she think everything is fine, and just wants to be left alone? The father of the baby is central - he knows his partner better than anyone and can advise the birth team. In the hospital, he feels he is in the way, unfamiliar with all the equipment, and feeling he's on someone else's turf. If the father of the baby is not involved, or not available, the mom can be surrounded by anyone she desires for support and comfort.
And no, there's usually not a big mess. The midwife is expert at preventing messes. She doesn't want to clean them up later on!
Why would anyone want to have their baby at home? Isn't it a horrible mess? And what if something happens?