Any old stylers given birth at home?

knithappens

alot of places are pro homebirth, I had my 2nd HB last july ( she's almost one the time has flown by) you shoudl check out babcy centre, they have a home birth forum ontheir with lots of advice tips stories etc, really helped me get prepared.

I loved giving birth at home, My first labout was 30 odd hours in hospital, my 2 home births were 6 hours then 4 hours, it was so much more relaxed, and after wrads quick shower, baby checked over midwives cleared away, and we all got to snuggle in bed withthe new arrival it was just so natural.

OrkneyStar

Would not dream of a homebirth- was so glad to be in a hospital where the expertise that you need is on hand!

OrkneyStar

gizmodo wrote: »

I'm having my first baby and am considering a home birth (water birth). My OH isn't keen on the idea. In fact it was an outright "no you're not" when I first brought it up. I think he's scared something might go wrong with me or the baby.

He's slowly coming round now though and wants to talk to the midwife about it. Me on the other hand - I keep getting wobbles Being my first time I'm more worried I might want more pain relief although I definitely won't have an epidural. Still, there's plenty of time yet to make up my mind.

What if you need forceps or a section, or just cannot cope with the pain (no matter how natural we are told it is it is apparently* sore!) ?....I say apparently as after a failed induction I had no labour and straight into a section!

gizmodo_2

OrkneyStar wrote: »

What if you need forceps or a section, or just cannot cope with the pain (no matter how natural we are told it is it is apparently* sore!) ?....I say apparently as after a failed induction I had no labour and straight into a section!

Well I guess I won't have a choice if I have to have a caesarian. I didn't know you had to have an epidural with forceps. There's a lot I don't know. It's my first baby.

bylromarha

I had 1 excellent relaxing hospital birth (never wanted a home birth as needed hospital equipment close to relax)- walked all through labour and gave birth standing up (complications afterwards meant the crash team all came in, but prior to that just me, OH, 1 midwife who disappeared for about 30 mins in total of the 4 hours I was hospital labouring and her student who never left me)

I had 1 surprise birth in the car on the way to the hospital - that was fun! OH didn't believe DD was coming out, so carried on driving, and only realised I wasn't being hysterical woman in labour when he looked down to change gear and saw his daughter looking back at him.

I had the priviledge of being a friends birth partner at home - she wasn't sure if her OH was going to go icky with the sight of blood, so wanted to know someone else was there for her should OH disappear. It was a wonderful experience - she had a birth pool which had 1 hours use, but slowed her labour down. She bought a kit from somewhere with all the plastic sheeting and everything to protect the carpet. All of this was in the front room.

She 2nd degree tore, the midwife didn't feel my friend would get the best possible result if it was done at home, so we transferred to the hospital. Friend walked into the labour suite and said, how do people have babies here, it's horrid!

For me the assurance of the hospital relaxed me, for her, being at home relaxed her. Don't think you need to "swing it" just request one. They may try to put you off, but you are entitled to have one, so be firm! I tried to have my second at home, but was strongly advised that the complications of my first made a home birth for my second a very bad idea. Understandably we wanted healthy mum and baby after birth more than a home birth, so we put that on ice very quickly - although I've always thought she chose a car birth as she didn't want a hospital birth at all!!!!

weezl74

lauren_1 wrote: »

Maybe this should be on the families board but i consider a homebirth to be exactly that, Old Style

I have my booking in appointment tomorrow and fully want a homebirth, 2 hospital births, last one 4 hours with no complications.

Basically I cant be bothered with a hospital, firstly it feels like you have to convince them your in labour, secondly you actually have to get there, thirdly it appears the birth pool is in constant use (first labour 43 hours and still was in use) and lastly only one person is allowed in the room (i want my sister, OH's mum is coming over too, i had a room full of students last time so my self conciousness went years ago :cool:)

Any tips on how to swing it, any stories of your experience and tips for a homebirth if i get one.

Thanks, sorry if its in the wrong area, im sure it will drop to page 9 in a few hours anyway.

OP what are you meaning to swing it? You sound like you know what you want, which in my understanding of midwifery should mean that's what happens (as long as you're low risk )

I had both my sons at home and am very glad.

Just a couple of thoughts, your last labour was very quick, so when you are contracting, I think it would be worth saying this to the midwifery unit when you ring, so that they can bleep the second on call at the same time as the first on call.

My second on MW arrived 4 mins before my last push, and I honestly was holding him back so she'd arrive.

you asked for tips: have a plan for who will be with your eldest 2 and how you feel they'll cope with mummy howling

I had my first son in an enormous paddling pool, and my second in a proper birth pool. Definitely recommend the real thing, primarily due to the higher sides and padded bottom and thermometer.

I borrowed one off a friend from MSE

kit you'll need: cheap seive, decent hose adaptors, thermometer, anglepoise lamp, table and clock with a secondhand all in the birth room, lamp table and clock for your MWs use.

MWs don't like always having to eat cake to sustain them thru a night shift, so bananas and cereal bars are good.

Still lucozade for you.

Do make a plan of where to labour if you have to get out of the pool.

make sure you kit yourself out for after the birth, I'd recommend co-dydramol, thermacare heatwraps, brufen gel, arnicare cream. Sudo is great for any grazes/tears as it has an analgesic which works topically.

I think homebirths save the mother, the family and the NHS money, so definitely a good topic for MSE

Congrats and all the best

Love Weezl x

JBD

Any wrote: »

It was fab, unless you have such a stupid MIL like her who insisted that she comes down for dinner 2 hrs after giving birth - no idea why probably as she has guests and it would be rude not to.

I tell you - I was near telling her something really nasty but my sister insisted I let it go.. I am still angry about it though (unusual for me) so I am sure I will still tell her what I think about the full functioning of her brain one day...

Everyone is different. I got up an hour after my baby was born and got dressed and came downstairs. I loved having visitors. Would have absolutely hated laying in bed doing nothing which was the worst thing about my 1st birth , being in hospital being forced to do nothing.

weezl74

Any wrote: »

What male perspective??
I don't understand that logic at all..

maybe the fear of watching someone you love in pain or difficulty and needing to know the 'right' people are nearby?

This isn't my view or my OH's BTW, just that's what I've heard lots of men say about HB

Kelinik

Weezl if we have another I'm coming to you for info on water births at home.

weezl74

Kelinik wrote: »

Weezl if we have another I'm coming to you for info on water births at home.

thanks

sadly mine don't actually count as water births despite spending 9 hrs and 2 hrs immersed respectively, cos it's where you actually push that counts IYSWIM?

But if asked what my chief analgesia was I'd definitely say lashings of hot, hot water. Hose meant that dh could point the hose right at the small of my back during contractions.

Oh and another thought, might be worth having your boiler serviced at about 36 weeks gestation. We did this, and had a diaphragm replaced, just in the nick of time