There are many seemingly valid reasons not to have your first child at home. However, the bottom line is that if you are healthy, not experiencing what the medical community considers a high-risk pregnancy, the baby is healthy and you are confident in your research, you will do just as well as experienced mothers. The midwife knows the signs to look for that signifies trouble premature labor, poor positioning of the baby, toxemia, etc. A good midwife will not allow you to endanger yourself or your child if she has any doubts she will recommend that you give birth in either a hospital or a birthing center with a doctor on call. Speaking of birthing centers and hospitals.
Many hospitals now allow midwives to deliver babies by natural means within their facilities.
If you are hesitant on having a home birth yet adamant that you want your baby to be born by natural means, those are a couple of options to consider. There are some things about giving birth that we are simply not able to foresee, however, if you have properly planned for all else, you will be able to manage any last minute details without difficulty. A great resource for information on midwives is the Midwife Alliance of North America. From there you can find a wealth of information. Please keep in mind that some of the states have statutes that make midwifery illegal in their state.