Introduction
One common reason for transferring to hospital from a homebirth is that meconium is found in the waters. This means that the baby has had a bowel movement before or during labour, and it is a sign that the baby possibly is, or has been, in distress, OR that the baby's gut is mature. Unfortunately it can be hard to tell which reason applies, which is why standard practice is to be cautious if meconium is present.
Amniotic fluid is normally clear, often with flecks of white vernix - if it is coloured then usually meconium has been passed. The midwife can tell from the colour of the waters whether the meconium is fresh or old. If the waters are greenish, the meconium was passed recently. If the waters are brownish or golden, this suggests the meconium is old, ie was passed some time ago.
In many areas there is a blanket recommendation that the mother should always transfer to hospital if meconium has been passed. In other cases, mothers and midwives may be happy for the labour to continue at home if the baby appears to be coping well with the labour. For example, if the meconium is clearly old, all this tells us is that the baby might have been in distress at some point in the past, or that its gut is mature, and if there are no signs of current problems then the mother and midwife may be happy to continue with a home birth.