Any old stylers given birth at home?

Ms_Piggy_2

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Is that just if you have a birthing pool? Only I don't remember ANY of those being requsted for my two!

weezl74 wrote: »

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.

The seive, hose adaptos and thermometre are for the pool.

The angelpoise lamp is for the MWs to have a good light if they need to stitch you (the stitches have to be straight after all )
The table (or any flat surface) is just in case the baby needs resuscitation (in reality this may mean they need a squirt of oxygen! Resuscitation sounds far scarier than it often is).
Most MWs have their own watche sto time contractions - and any way, a good/experience MW will be able to tell how far on you are by observation as much as by timing things.

weezl74

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Is that just if you have a birthing pool? Only I don't remember ANY of those being requsted for my two!

hmmmn not sure sue, it might differ with trusts and note-taking policies?

second hand on clock was cos she had to record contractions on the notes, anglepoise was cos it was a semi dark room, but they needed bright light for checking skin colour for apgar score, and table in birth room was to lie baby on in case of resuss and to write notes on.Thermometer is water birth specific cos they can't let the water go above 39 degrees if baby is imminent.

HTH

gratefulforhelp_2

Do it!

DD2 born at home, all very calm. When I called and said I'd need a midwife that evening the receptionist got all panicky and said there was noone free, I just said send someone when you have someone.

She arrived, just after DH who came home from work early. She brought entonox. We chatted and made her watch big brother (poor woman) and she gave me a "sweep" to move it on a bit.

DD2 was born 10 min after the second midwife arrived, DH had a gin and tonic, made them a cup of tea and job done.

The only hitch was the timing of the injection to expel the placenta wasn't quite right and so that part was a little harder.

Recommend it. Here they are very much in favour, they suggested it to me rather than the other way around.

eta goodness, we didn't have to provide any kit except some plastic sheeting to protect the carpet. And we had no heating except an aga in another room. No fire, no radiator, nothing.

Nickitree30

I'm 27 weeks pregnant and aiming for a home birth, so it was lovely to come across this thread. What a brilliant idea to use an old shower curtain under an old duvet. As far as tearing of the perineum goes I will be rubbing Vitamin E oil (from capsules) into my lady parts daily from this point onwards. Currently reading Ina May's guide to childbirth by Ina May Gaskin and have picked up some amazing tips from there. Also about to start drinking raspberry leaf tea (from 28 weeks onwards) to tone and strengthen my uterus which is supposed to ease delivery.

Savvy_Sue

Nickitree30 wrote: »

Also about to start drinking raspberry leaf tea (from 28 weeks onwards) to tone and strengthen my uterus which is supposed to ease delivery.

Good luck with that, it tastes VILE! :rotfl:

clairec79

I had my younger two at home and am planning a homebirth for this time.

You can have pethidine at home (but have to organise it beforehand normally - personally I had pethidine with my first and was sure I didn't want it so didn't bother - but with the second was told if I wanted it to get prescription off GP, pick up from the chemist and keep in the fridge and if I didn't use it they'd dispose of it for me - other areas the community midwives keep a stash and will carry one ampule with them)

I had an episiotomy with my first in hospital, with the second the old scar split slightly and was asked if I wanted it stitched or not - I choose to leave it, third time no problems despite him being 2lb heavier and face up instead of down.

I got a plastic dustsheet and stuck it on the floor, never had any urge to get in/on my bed - I suspect this one will end up being born downstairs too.

It is rare that things go wrong that fast in a birth, normally there are warning signs, which often in a hospital environment the midwife doesn't tell you about (and I'm admitting that as a midwife who has worked on a high risk delivery unit and now works in a midwifery led alongside centre) but will be acted on earlier in a homebirth/standalone birth centre setting and you transfer in earlier - if it turns out to be a false alarm and you give birth within 10 minutes of going through the door theyll kick themselves but know they made the sensible choice. If there is fetal distress when pushing and you've had a couple of babies before you can usually manage to push them out faster than an ambulance will get to you - and the resusitation equipment is brought with them.

I bled a little too much last time, but it was dealt with at home without a problem, they didn't do anything they wouldn't have done in hospital and there are short term measures which the midwife can do to deal with a haemorrage while transferring if it goes beyond the second load of drugs

Sarah_Joanne

I had my first baby in February and was planning a HB. I laboured at home in my own birth pool (amazing btw!) but after pushing for way too long it transpired bubs had turned mid-labour and I had to transfer in to hospital. Ambulance was called and went to hospital. All was well and he arrived safe and sound. I hated the hospital once I'd had him and it showed me I was right to want a HB from the beginning. Next time I will definitely be HB again (hopefully all the way next time though)

I had no problem in requesting HB, the midwives thought it was a great idea and some preferred that to hospital births, so you may well not have a fight on your hands for one Good luck x

clairec79

BTW my husband converted completely after our second daughters birth, he got to do what he wanted with regard to food etc, he knew the midwife (she'd put herself on call for me so knew who it was, but she loved homebirths, now works a different area - that is rare - and this time I know whoever comes out to me, as I have 3 of my midwife friends agree to cover between them) afterwards we didn't have to be seperated etc.

When I'm in labour I want to be left alone but know he's there, so I'm happy with him watching a DVD or something while I go into my own world in the corner till I want to push

skintchick

I had my first baby at home last July. It was great. My birth story is on MSE if you search my name in the birth stories thread on the families board.

I didn;t have to persuade anyone, even though it was my first baby, and the MWs were mostly lovely.

If you want info check out the hombirth UK website as they have loads and the Yahoo group is brilliant for asking questions.

Bitsy_Beans

Nickitree30 wrote: »

. Also about to start drinking raspberry leaf tea (from 28 weeks onwards) to tone and strengthen my uterus which is supposed to ease delivery.

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Good luck with that, it tastes VILE! :rotfl:

Actually I don't think it tasted all that bad but you can get the tablets instead.

I didn't have a HB with either of mine but I have to say I laboured at home (in a very hot bath for several hours) with my second and it was a far more relaxed and pleasant experience to being stuck on a labour ward in hospital with the first.

My friend had a HB with her second but ended up with complications because baby got a bit stuck. Ended up being rushed to hospital as a precaution once she finally delivered.

At the end of the day for every horror story (of either hospital or home birth) there are a dozen that work out fine. Go with what will make you relaxed, one the hospitals had a Birthing Centre (in Brum) that looked like a very nice spa led by midwives. You had the added security of being within the hospital if an emergency arose but as it was MW led the empahsis was on using birthing pools, keeping moving, birthing balls, hammocks to hang on to.