Home birth question

Angela84

Hi everyone,

I am 2 weeks off having my 3rd baby, and was hoping for a home birth.

Everything has been sorted with the midwife, but the one thing that leaves me uncertain. Apparently the doctor doesn't come out in our area, so in order for the baby to have their checks, which need to happen within 24 hours apparently, I have to take him into hospital.

Im just starting to wonder what's the point in a home birth if we have to get dressed for the elements, within a few hours and go and sit in a hospital for no doubt hours to have these checks done.

I understand we can't predict how a birth will ever go, but I just wanted to deliver my baby, have a lovely shower in my own bathroom, introduce the children to their new brother, and then settle down to sleep in our bed.

Any advice would be appreciated.

alwaysonthego_2

I have had two home births, with the last one 17 weeks ago. In my area one of the midwives is trained to do the checks. I know it is annoying, but to have the baby at home will override this

soolin

My last two sons were home births and it was an extremely rewarding experience. After the births the midwives tidied up and tucked me into bed and my older son (a toddler at the time) came to meet his new brother.

My GP was very anti home birth and would not attend , he always said that a GP was the last person you want delivering a baby, but I was lucky in that he was very happy to do the checks. I just put in a request at surgery

You might try phoning AIMS as they end to know the current requirements for what you can insist a GP does and does not do.

Angela84

Ok Im going to look into AIMS thank you. The midwife can't do the checks either.
I do want to have a homebirth, but what I want most is the easy and least stressful situation for my family.
Homebirth = older children having to probably go away for birth, come backto meet brother, and then be looked after again within a few hours whilst we go to hospital.
Also means baby has to take a return journey in the car.
Hospital birth = Older children have to go away whilst in hospital, and come back when Im out again. Baby also has a one way journey, straight home, and I can get straight in my pyjamas for as long as possible!

peachyprice

As the test have to be done within 24 hours, not hours, of the birth, there's no reason why you can't have the baby then get tucked up in bed until the next day/morning/afternoon depending on the time of birth. There's no need to rush out within hours.

Have you checked whether the nurses at your GP surgery can do them?

MummyOfTwo

i would definitely check (pref in writing) with your surgery. i didnt even realise that a GP had to check a homebirthed baby over til ours knocked on our door the day after my sons homebirth and woke us all up!

Memory_Girl

Neither did I till our GP arrived the next day - he looked at DS2, pronounced him a well made boy, had a cup of tea and gave me a lolly pop for being a brave girl :rotfl::rotfl:

(He's been the family GP since I was a tot - so he wasn't being patronising honest - just his warped sense of humour.)

MG

JC9297

I had an unplanned homebirth - after I had my son I asked the midwife about going to hospital and was told no need, my GP turned up later that day to check him.

MummyOfTwo

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Neither did I till our GP arrived the next day - he looked at DS2, pronounced him a well made boy, had a cup of tea and gave me a lolly pop for being a brave girl :rotfl::rotfl:

(He's been the family GP since I was a tot - so he wasn't being patronising honest - just his warped sense of humour.)

MG

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

GobbledyGook

Speak to AIMs and your surgery and find out what the actual policy is. Not the one operated by the doctor, the actual policy.

Sometimes you'll find in an area where the Docs are not supportive of homebirths they'll tell you something that they may wish to do, but isn't actually the policy (i.e. I was told "we don't do homebirths here" when what they actually meant was "we don't like to do homebirths because we keep our staff levels to the very, very minimum and anyway you silly girls should just do as you are told"!).

Kimmy1980

I didnt realise the gp needed to check a homebirthed baby either till I got call from the surgery the next morning to tell me to bring him down for his check. My mum was shocked I had to take a less than 24 hr old baby to sit in a doctors waiting room full of germs!

Like others have said the home birth outweighs this inconvenience