Home birth

[Dreamingofchocolate2]

I really want a homebirth, am on my third baby my two previous labours were low risk and went smoothly.
I'd love a home birth this time but my hubby is freaked out and not particularly supportive as he wants me to be in hospital.
I would love to hear ppls stories good and bad as would love a realistic perspective so I can really decide

[Fattycow]

Why is he freaking out?

[Fattycow]

Points that might convince him:

• you get two midwives all to yourself if you are at home
  
• it is as safe as in hospital
  
• he can have a snack/cup of tea/rest whenever he wants (bit hard to make your favourite toastie in the hospital)
  
• the midwife clears up any mess after you
  
• familiair environment for mum usually makes her more relaxed
  
• no worries about parking/the meter running out
  

The list goes on, but this is a nice start to throw at him.

[Dreamingofchocolate2]

Fattycow he is freaking out because he is a man!! Pahahahaha and because he thinks that it isn't safe and if something goes wrong yada yada!
But I explained to him that the midwives are trained to spot any signs of concern and would call an ambulance which would take around 6/7mins to get to the nearest hosp. I 'm all for it I think he just needs to speak to the midwife first hand to discourage any further worries for him. I would love the fact that I can be in my own bed and people can visit straight away no visiting times etc I feel I would be more relaxed.
Has anyone had a home birth?

[Roseybee10]

I had a home birth last month. My hubby freaked out initially but the more research we did together, the more he came round.
I sent him the link to homebirth.org and it really helped answer a lot of his questions.

My home birth was lovely. My mum picked dd1 up early on the Friday morning as I'd been contracting off and on all night the previous night. Hubby and I just lay on couch watching Netflix and I kept nibbling and drinking lucozade until things became more intense at 3pm and I phoned the hospital, who sent a midwife out to see how things were going. She arrived about 3.30.
I was 2-3cm as I predicted but my labour with dd1 went very quickly after I hit 4cm and MW said she could stretch me to 4cm so she didn't think it would be long. She left around 4pm as she said she didn't want to 'watch me' but leave me to it but she said she wouldn't go far. immediately things ramped up and my waters broke. I started finding it tough by that point and by 5pm she phoned to see how I was and hubby asked her to come back. She got stuck in traffic and arrived at 6.30 by which point I had just managed to get in the pool. Baby was born at 7, and hubby caught her and handed her through to me to bring out of the water.
It was a lovely, peaceful experience and it felt like hubby and I had done it all togethrr as a team.

The main reasons for transfer during a home birth are apparently failure to progress, need for stronger pain relief, signs that baby might be in distress like meconium in water or heart rate dipping etc.
the midwives bring gas and air and oxygen for baby plus full recuss equipment tje same as hospital. They also carry the same drugs as used in hospital in case of a post partum haemorrhage.

The only bit that was a bit scary was that my placenta wiuldnt come. I chose to have a natural third stage as I wanted delayed cord clamping and so they didn't give me the injection right after she was born. The placenta hadn't come after an hour and I was terrified I'd need to transfer in but they gave me the injection after the hour and it came after about ten mins phew.
X

[Roseybee10]

Also the only thing that can be more risky is if there is a cord prolapse. From my research it's about the only thing where the odds are poorer in a home birth than hospital birth but it is very rare.
If your waters go before contractions start then you're more at risk of this.

[Dreamingofchocolate2]

So far in both my labours my waters break just as the head emerges. My first labour was 8hours from first contraction to delivery and my second labour was 4hours from first contraction to delivery but I was in third stage for 21minutes!
My hubby's concerned about if after the labour I pass out or anything but I explained to him the midwives wouldn't mess about they would call for back up.
Your experience sounds lovely exect the midwife being stuck in traffic part! I'd rather she not leave but I'm guessing I can request that?? Lol

[Lifeisabeach]

I had a home birth last Saturday evening with DC3 so it's very fresh in my mind! My previous births went like this:

DS1: back to back, planned home birth but had to transfer to hospital as waters went early in labour and had meconium in them, long labour, syntocin drip to speed things up, epidural. Normal vaginal delivery in the end.

DD: planned to go to hospital but in the end she was born at home as she arrived very quickly. OH missed it as he'd gone to take DS1 to his mum's, and the MW didn't make it either so I delivered DD alone. Very scary although she was totally fine.

So this time I decided on a home birth as it was likely to be quick again and I wanted to make sure OH and a MW would be there. As it was, the MW only arrived 30 mins before DS2 was born, and the 2nd MW didn't make it until afterwards. Labour was about 3 hours in total but only the last 45 mins were really painful, and I managed without any pain relief.

The home birth experience was fantastic. I felt comfortable and safe, and it was fab being able to get into my own bed afterwards, rather than spending the night in hospital. As others have said, the MW brought resus equipment and oxygen, and made it clear at my antenatal appointments that if there were any concerns at all, I would be transferred to hospital.

[Dreamingofchocolate2]

Wow lifeisabeach (great name btw) your second labour sounds very scary! But your planned home birth sounds like my dream. I really want to explore it further with my hubby and allow him time to ask all the questions to the midwife. Ultimately I feel it can only be beneficial having a home birth!

[Roseybee10]

I think she would have stayed if I'd asked. She did ask if I was ok with her leaving snd said she was happy to stay etc. she even offered to sit outside in her car. I was happier going it alone as they stressed me out a bit when they arrived with trying to establish what stage things were St and asking me to get out the pool for an exam etc. I knew I was about to deliver her head at that point but couldn't speak to explain that. I can understand why you'd feel safer though. X

[Allthatnonsense]

I had DD2 at home, all went well. DD3 was supposed to be at home, but ended as am ambulance trip straight into theatre. Thank goodness we only lived 5 mins away. DC4 will be an ECS.

[missmakesstuff]

There's a homebirth support thread in antenatal clubs op, come on over!
I'm on baby 2, pastry due date now and just waiting for something to happen..I'm having a vbac and we are 30 mins from hospital, . Probably a little more wary than others as the risks are slightly higher, but once you look into it properly ther. Are benefits for mum and baby that outweigh the tiny risks.
Good luck with your dh, there parlors of resources out there via AIMS that can help with any misgivings he might have.