my daughter had her nap, but she sussed that something was on, so stayed awake and cooed loudly from her cot in the next room.

i woudn't have wanted her to see me in pain, but she came right in afterwards for a cuddle and to see baby. DH looked after her in the afternoon whilst i slept.

Wow, LargeG&T you're an expert

Thread dropped off my active convos so I've not caught up for a few days. Glad to be of service fairy, I hope your birth goes exactly as you hope with no traumatised DC

I had both DS1 and DS2 at home.
I knew that I didn't want to have DS1 around.
We called my Mum at the same time as we called the midwife, DS1 went to build a tree house at Mum and Dad's over night, as it happens the birth was very fast and DS2 was born shortly after they left. However it felt lovely to have some time to sit and stare in awe at DS2 before we introduced him to DS1

I had a home birth four weeks ago using hypnobirthing. Got in the pool at 3am and DS1 (4 years old) woke up and came downstairs at 8am by which time I was pretty far gone.

DH gave him breakfast in front of the TV whilst my best friend / doula stayed with me. We allowed him to wander in and out the room as he wanted. DS1 stroked my head as i was leaning on the edge of the pool and he also fetched me some biscuits from the kitchen.

He was in the room when I delivered DS2 at 9am and, although he was very quiet and serious, I'm certain he wasn't scared or upset. It helped that I was able to smile and talk to him calmly between contractions. And he was all smiles when he met his new little brother!

I agree with the other ladies that you should plan for both scenarios. Good luck!

Ah fond memories of dd's home birth... The twins were 20 months, they were unpacking the midwife's bag as she examined me!

They were picked up before it got unbearable though.

With ds#3 he came at night when the other 3 were in bed [considerate]

Ds#4 came very considerately, ds#3 was in hospital with pneumonia and i said to baby in utero

"No coming out till your brother is home safe"

He was discharged at 6pm and at 2 weeks overdue i went to the labour ward on the way out for a sweep. The midwife said "you must come back to be induced tomorrow".

I was thinking maybe i wouldn't need to by then. I asked for my notes and started pacing.

Exp moved the car round the front of the hospital. I crawled to the car.

Phoned my mum and friend en route throwing the phone as i finished the convo

Crawled up to the front door to be met by my Mum who said "Gosh i didn't think you would be quite so far along"

Got in the bath, midwife arrived. Waited for the G&A to be set up (she couldn't park, i was bellowing) and at 8.20pm just 20 minutes after being back in the house ds3 watched ds4 being born. He still remembers it now, fondly i hasten to add.

Ds5 came in hospital, late.

Dd2 cameat home, she woke me at 430ish and by 5 i knew this was it. She arrived at 725am so they all got tohug her before they went to school. They heard me and ds4 was a bit upset but fine once he had seen me

It will all work out

really helpful thread puffy, thanks for starting it! I am due in 3 weeks for second HB and have various plans for what will happen to my ds when i go into labour. Our nearest family is 3 hours away so although my lovely MIL will come at the drop if a hat i have also got several friends lined up!
Great to read lots of others stories about night-time births with shorter labours etc.. and also helpful to read that others felt worried about their dc getting freaked out by events - i am pretty sure my ds (who is 2.8) would, so i am glad i have made plans.
But he is going to stay at his grandma's for several days (or as long as i want him to be away!) in the days leading up to my due date so we will be doing everything possible ( it worked last time!) to get the baby to arrive then!
All the best to the rest of you who are expecting too

Wow aaaggghhhh, now that's what a call a quicky. LOL at "DH insisted on pulling the plug out of the bath on contraction number 4 when DD was crowning".

1st dd 4 hours all together from waters breaking to her being there. i am NOT fit lol

Doh, I see it was. Tell me you had an 18 hr easy labour with your first and the second was that easy, despite not staying fit and eating lots of chocolate and crisps

wow !! Slipped out like an eel..

Tell me it was your 2nd ?

i woke up for a wee and my waters broke on the loo about 1.40am. Once i stopped dribbling and told DH it would be sooner rather than later. I decided i would take a bath to pass the time . I was just getting in when contraction number 1 came, approx 2.10. DH rang midwife and inlaws with contraction 2, he rang ambulance on number 3 when i said i needed to push. DH insisted on puling the plug out of the bath on contraction number 4 when DD was crowning. DD was born on contraction number 5 at 2.20am and caught by a rather shellshocked DH- still in the bath!

In a nutshell there it is- and such a fantastic experience!

Luckily, my mum (a star!) biked over about 6am before dd2 born at 9.15. She took eldest to school and looked after my 2 year old. The daddy was away watching the football abroad. DD2 was 10 days early... Could have turned out so much worse!

Well don't just leave it there!! I crave more details!

completely unplanned

love it rumple - your DD1 home at 5, met sis, in bed for 7.30 - LOL ! So new arrival barely alters anything although please tell me you didn't have to cook tea and put her to bed yourself

aaaggghhhh - unplanned?

My husband brought my dd1 (2.2yrs) home from nursery when I was just starting labour. My mother came over to take her away to hers half hr later. The pain wasn't so bad at that point but found she wanted to play catch/football with the exercise ball I was trying to lean on. So would have found it very distracting to have had her there for any length of time. Conviently dd2 was born 4hrs later at home by 5pm so dd1 was home, had met new sister and in bed by 7.30pm.

dd1 slept through our unplannes homebirth!

DS was 22mths when his little sister arrived in the dining room, and he very considerately went to bed before she got here and waited till 1am to meet her!
birth thread
Even though I was told by MW at AN checkup that afternoon when I asked for a sweep that I was 5cms I was impressed by my body's ability to wait until DS was out of the way(upstairs being bathed by bf) before anything major happened

LOL Good luck even!!

Oooh congrate ermintrude, that sounds lovely, I know exactly how you feel and was so please I had DS2 at home and could get into my own bed to BF in peace.

I have a 15m DS2, and won't even contemplate an age gap of less that 4 years, so I think I'm all done now!

Puffy, put both feet down and stick to your guns girl!! Good lick.

BR

you tell 'em puffy and good luck

Ah, it sounds wonderful, lucky you and lucky that you didn't have to put up with tons of grief and daily monitoring (I had that with DS1 - went +18)

Thats exactly what I want (AND WILL HAVE IT - <stamps foot>) from my homebirth

puffylovett: I had DD (11) at a birth centre, DS1 (6) at home in London and both were v straightforward so despite the doctor's raised eyebrows (I'm in the Midlands now and HBs are less common here, though growing) I requested a home birth for DC#3 too. Problem-free pregnancy (apart from the usual indignities: nausea, vomiting all the way through, rampant indigestion) but then went overdue and was told that they only allow +12 days and then induce, which I wanted to avoid. I had to go to the hosp to be monitered and even though all bloods, urine, BP etc were perfect, a registrar who didn't even see me wanted me to stay in for induction 'because of her age' . Instead, the lovely MW gave me my 3rd sweep in 5 days (ouch) and at 4am the following morning, at 40+12, contractions began. I woke DH at 4.30, woke DC at 5.30 and a neighbour fetched them at 6.00 when the MWs arrived. I laboured with TENS over a gymball while DH recorded contractions on his i-phone (!) and all progressed well. Second stage lasted 5 mins, wonderful advice on breathing from MWs meant that my 10lb baby boy was born at 8.29am without me needing a stitch, despite his head circ of 38cm and having to 'birth' his beefy shoulders as well as the head.

I waited 40 mins for the placenta but it stayed put even when putting baby to the breast, so had syntometrin injection and it came out with a bit of help from MW and me pushing again. Quick shower, then hopped into clean sheets and breastfed baby while DH made tea and toast for everyone and then phoned the DC's schools to tell them about new baby bro and arrange to pick them up a bit early to meet him.

It was a lovely experience - painful towards the end of course, but not unbearable - and I felt like I was in very good hands. Even though it was my 3rd I still appreciated the MW's calm advice, and am making a very quick recovery.

If baby or I had been ill or in need of emergency care I'd have been off to hospital like a shot, but short of that I'd far rather labour in my own home and be able to spend those first hours of baby's life with DH and DC

oh please do tell ermintrude, if you've the time. or have you posted stories on another thread ?

Ahem bunnyrabbit, never say never: I'm 42 and had a lovely home birth on Monday morning. .

LOL not at 42! No reason to stop 'practising' though

but BunnyRabbit shouldn't you be breeding like, um, eeerrr........

With you on that one!!

there won't be a next time, I'm too old and knackered to do it again!!

Next time, eh, greenmonkies

So -
1) Get my mum to be flexible
2) have a back up plan just in case
3) try and maximise daytime sleep in the run up to the birth - cos it's likely to happen at night !!
4) If it does happen at night, have a plan in place for someone to take DS1 the following day for a few hours so we can get a few hours rest
5) Don't underestimate the probable emotional need to spend lots of time baby gazing without the distration of DS1 being there !!

When my friends DD saw the baby's head crowning she said; "what's that?" and as he emerged she said, full of wonder; "oooh, it's a baby!"

I kinda wish DD1 had been awake for DD2's birth, she would have loved it I think, it was all very quick, calm and quiet, wouldn't have traumatised her at all, never mind!

DS 2.5yrs was fast asleep and didnt hear a thing. I do, however, remember being worried that he might wake up and was very aware of this, even in the middle of labour as I know he would have been upset (the type of child he is). Fortunately he strolled into the front room after the drama and the clear up to meet his new brother. Then off he went to nursery for the day, great for us to have a rest and stare at the new arrival, then be able to give DS1 loads of attention when he came back from nursery.
Best to have as many back ups as you can for different times if you feel your little one won't cope with the birth.

DD1 slept through it. Most home births seem to happen at night since that's when you relax after the day's activities.

I kinda wanted DD1 to see DD2's birth, but DH didn't so we had a friend on standby to take her.

But like I said, she was asleep upstairs, didn't even stir with all my noise and woke up to a new baby sister!

Ment to say, of my 6 friends who have had 2nd/3rd babies at home, all of us have delivered at night with older DCs asleep.

My MIL was coming to stay with us for 10 days from 3 days before the due date. She arrived at 5.30 and we were just sitting down with a cup of tea at about 6 when my waters broke (first sign of anything happening). DS1 (then 2.3) thought I had wet myself, all very comical. DS1 was very excited about having granny to stay and was quite happy for her to put him to bed (glad I didn't have to sit on a plastic bag to read him stories in bed). DP had just got on the train 2.5 hours away and arrived home 1/2 hr before DS2 got here, just as my contractions really started. It was all very relaxed, we had 2 midwives, a student midwife, MIL and DP in the kitchen, but all of them bar DP were hanging out at the other end of the room drinking tea while I was in the pool and were a bit suprised when I announced that I was holding the baby's head.

I'll never forget the look of wonder and confusion on DS1's face when he came in to our room the following morning and met his little brother.

It was great, I'd do it again tomorrow if I didn't have to be pregnant or deal with another year of no sleep!

There's also the issue that you might have to transfer to hospital so if there's only your OH present he'd have to stay with DC and you'd go to hosp on your own.

The ideal is prob if you have a friend or family member who can come to look after DC while you labour, esp if they're not school age .

I gave birth on Monday morning - first contraction 4am, sent DC (11 and 6) off to friend's house for breakfast and taking to school around 6am while I could still kiss them goodbye and reassure them, gave birth 8.29. I made a lot of noise they may have found a bit disturbing! DH phoned the school and they got the kids to come to the phone to be told the news, then he fetched them early. Worked out perfectly.

I'm afraid I don't have time to read the rest of the thread but we arranged for DS1 to go to MIL's. DH wanted to be able to look after me and not worry about DS1 and I didn't want him to see me either in pain, or getting into difficulties if things went wrong. People would have been rushing around and I think he would have got upset.

DS1 left at 16.30, DS2 born at 23.47, MIL brought DS1 back the next morning and then she insisted on taking him back with her to give us another night with DS2. It was a very good idea as DS1 had a lovely hols with Grandma and Grandad and we had time to clear up the 'mess' from the birth and spend afew precious moments just baby gazing!

BR

My contratctions started at 2:30pm. I called the MW and DH called FIL. FIL came and waited to see what the MW said. She arrived and called for the second MW. FIL took DD to the park and his house. My best friend showed up at 5pm and FIL brought DD back at 6pm. He gave her a bath and put her to bed. I was able to hold it together enough to help put her to bed like normal. She slept through everything and I had DD2 in the living room at 9:45.

The reason we had another person there was because the MW's said if there was an emergency they would need DH and he also wanted to focus on the birth. Everything turned out great and as a result of my best friend being there we were able to webcam the birth to my family in the states as she also kept them updated!

It is such a great experience and I am sure everything will work out great. I was sooo worried too in the weeks before but it all worked out in the end.

well, fingers crossed !! I went 18 days over with DS and they wouldn't 'let' me have one (I didn't have the strnegth or guts to put my foot down) and I'm pretty sure they've got my dates wrong this time too, so we will have to see.

But I'm loving all these stories, it's making me even more positive about having DC2 at home

I'd say that the key is to be flexible. I had a fab HB where for the start of labour (in the afternoon) a friend took DD1&2 out for a walk / to the park. They then came back, kissed me night night and went to sleep upstairs (my parents put them to bed) whilst I had DS1 downstairs. They slept through it all and woke up in the morning to meet their new baby brother.

I wish I had prepared DD1 a bit more because she was quite worried to see me in pain but other than that it worked out really well.

Good luck... I am feeling quite jealous that you have a home birth ahead of you !

<Waves at Belgian & Chocobunnies>

It's sounding like Jungle Book is the way forward, isn't it whistlejacket

Not much to offer from me but wanted to say this is a really helpful thread as I'm wanting a homebirth but will have a 4 year old and 18 month old in the house. Was wondering how I'd do it, this has given me some ideas.

DD2 - DD1 was 18month slept through whole thing, DD2 born at 4am after 2 1/2 hour labour

DD3 - DD1 4yo, DD2 2 1/2yo, both slept through although DD1 woke just after DD3 was born and came into bed for a cuddle, SIL nad a friend were here in case they woke

I went into labour around 7am. Ds1 (then 2.7) was around, having breakfast & watching CBeebies, so it all felt quite nice and normal. When things started hotting up my parents came round & my poor old dad took him off to the park for a couple of hours in the freezing cold till after ds2 was born. When they wandered back in, ds1 was askedif he wanted to see mummy and his new baby brother, and he said 'Yes, after lunch'.

I thought I'd want him to be there but actually it worked out well - the second stage seemed to go on for ever and I was screaming the house down, I'm sure he would have been upset if he'd been around, instead he had a fairly normal day.

Good luck for your hb, they're great.

yet more lovely stories and great advice !

Planning on having my mum come over, all being well. Apparently we have to have a 3rd adult around for a water birth, so actually she's probably going to have to stick around unless we can call on others, but our house isn't big enough for 4 adults, a toddler, 2 midwives and a birthing pool ! Lol.

Looks like I'd better stock up on some DVDs then

I was planning on SIL being here for DS (then 3.3). I thought she could take him to the park, to a friend's house, to a different room - whatever seemed right.
In the end things happened MUCH faster than anticipated. DS was in the room and was completely fine. I had made him a treasure chest of 'big brother' pressies and he was busy opening those and glanced over occasionally. At one point he sauntered over while eating an ice lolly and whispered in my ear - "Come on Mummy. You can do it". He said it unprovoked and with such sweetness. Definitely my favourite memory of the whole experience
He also popped over to watch the placenta being delivered and did flinch a bit but we talked about what it was and what we had read about it in various books and he calmed immediately. In our situation DS was very verbal and able to talk about his feelings and understand explanations. I think that really made all the difference. If he had been much younger I'm not sure I would have been as happy with how things had turned out.

I would just try to give yourself options. I think it's sensible to have another adult around and follow your instincts nearer the time.

foxytocin has a great story. Can't remember the detail but the friends who were going to look after her dd had been drinking so couldn't come to get her, she (dd) then slipped on water on the kitchen floor (from the birthing pool) and broke her leg iirc. To top it all, the midwife got lost. Epic story.

Forgot to add that I did have my parents present just in case the dcs were upset or things went wrong and I had to go into hospital.

I had an unplanned (very fast) homebirth with DD. DS slept through the whole thing and we have a very small house! I kept asking between screams if I'd woken DS.

When I'd had practice contrations DS had helped DP rub my back. I liked him being there for the early stages but don't think I'd like him there for delivery. DP was in shock after DD's birth and he'd seen it all before so I think a toddler would have been overwhelmed.

If we have #3 I'd ask for a homebirth but have someone on call who could take DS out or sit with him if it was night time. Personally I would be distracted with him in the room.

I loved my homebirth even if it was unplanned. The best bit was spending DD's first night in my own bed with DP and having DS snuggle up with us in the morning.

With my DD I went into labour in the early hours and I called my friend at 7am who came straight away and watched Thomas videos with DS downstairs.

With DS2, DS1 was a very reliable 5.5 year old so I knew he would be OK and indeed he slept through the whole thing as I went into labour late at night. DD however woke up and so friend was called again and she had the joy of watching Tweenies videos.

Because I have no family to call on I had already planned if there was a problem I would transfer to hospital on my own and DH would stay with the kids.

If I ever have a DC4, I will go to hospital on my own and have a mini-break away, LOL!

DD (2.8) went to my Mum's ten mins away, had a 2.5hr labour with DS and my Mum bought DD back 1.5hrs after he was born. She then stayed with me til about 8 (DS born at 3pm) so that she could help feed DD and get her to bed for us.

Was all very relaxed and lovely Hope you have a lovely HB - I've had two and they are wonderful.

DD1 was at nursery.
MW: "what time does she finish"
me: (between contractions, wondering absently why they didn't ask DH) "1 o'clock"
MW: "oh we'll have this baby out by then.
12.55, DD2 arrived!
(No I didn't do the nursery run to pick DD1 up.)
I had lots of alternative arrangements - in principle I was happy for her to be there if she wanted to, but I also prepared a list of 7 people who had offered to come and get her if necessary.

DS1 spent the night at his my wonderful childminders as we have no family nearby and they werent supportive of me having a hb anyway.

He was 19 months, it was great as my cm brought him round at about 12pm the next day so we all had a sleep. He then met his new brother when it was calm (if you can video it, it makes me cry everytime)

Dh went to bed during the labour and he and mw only just made it down in time for the birth.

I loved my hb. good luck

8.30 a.m. ds1 off to school
9.30 a.m. me off to maternity ward (just old fashioned, I guess, I like LOTS of doctors, medical equipment and the machine that goes "ping")
10 a.m. induced at full term because dh is going away in a few days time
11 a.m. up the dose of hormone thingy because nothing is happening
1 p.m. ds2 is firmly attached to boob
3 p.m. transferred from birthing room to bedroom
5 p.m. dh picks ds1 up from school, brings him to clinic to meet ds2.ds1 more interested in the tv channels available and the buttons to make the bed go up and down.

The worst thing was that I missed lunch.

Easy!

My sister went into labour at home. It turned out to be a very short painful labour, and her DH had to deliver the baby. My poor little 18month oldniece was found in the corner of the next room by the ambulance driver . She was traumatized and was just saying over and over again "mummy crying"

DD1 was 2.3 and I had really hoped that she would sleep through and wake to find her new baby sister/brother had arrived.

All was going to plan when my waters went at 3am (first labour was only 6 hrs, so thought this one could be very quick). Unfortunately DD2 got a bit stuck and things didn't progress for a while. So (reluctantly) we called my mum at 6am as DD1 stirred and she kept her in the lounge with Rice Crispies and funnily enough -The Jungle Book.

It was really lovely and we had chance to get everything sorted (cleaned up) before our girls met.

I look at her now (3.5) and think she would be fine to have been around as it was happening. But then I look at pictures of her on the day and realise how much more immature she was. I think she would have possibly been upset by it all.

Also you don't know how much pain you are going to be in or how you will behave. So I think it's wise to have a back-up plan and then just see how it goes.

Good luck with it all and hope you have a great Homebirth whatever you decide to do.

I had a homebirth with DD2 who will be 2 on tuesday, DD1 was 14months when DD2 was born and was at the birth in daddies arms having a good look, she wasn't fazed by it at all, but to be honest i think she was too young to understand that blood meant pain etc,

Not sure what we will be doing this time DD3 due in sept, i think i will plan to have them around but not there as i think it would upset them, especially DD2 who is very much a mummies girl.

Oh and i was supprised when my DD1 was in the shower with me and said 'the baby will come out of your ninny like hattie did won't she?'....she has recently turned 3 and i have not said more than the baby is in mummys tummy..so she clearly remembers how she got out and seems quite excited about it. x

good luck

i had a lovely home birth, but as DS was 5 he went to school and did sports day! and im assured he got fussed over. then when he came home from school that night he had a baby sister!
dont think id have let him stay all the way through though. he went to a friends who took him to school at about 8am, and i gave birth at 9.40.

My mum had DD - I didn't want to have to think about her needs whilst trying to labour. She will be having both DD and DS this time

DD1 slept through DD2's arrival, but I would've been quite happy to have her with me if she'd been awake.

My friend had a HB a few weeks later, her DD was about 2 and watched her brother being born with intense fascination over the MW's shoulder. No trauma at all.

dc 1 and 2 slept through it! Labour was 1am til 4am, in a birthpool downstairs. Neither dc nor neighbours (we live in terrace) heard a thing!

But my mum was on standby, but not needed.

when i had ds2 my mum came and took ds1 o 0play at her house,

when i had ds3 i laboured in the night and the boys stayed asleep upstairs and met him in the morning.

i do know people who have had their children present during the birth though andh ave found it a very positive experience,

you justneed to make sure you have someonme there to take yur older child away if you or she decide it isn't working

I read somewhere that sunsequent children aremore likely to be born at night- my experience with the later 2 certainly (and quite possibly with ds2 except labour stopped every time I stepped into the hospital at 3am!)

With my HB the boys were in bed asleep, but I had fuzzy plans depending on what I felt like at the time: reither dh would ahve done a drop of (a round trip of @ 2 hours) and I had a Doula there, or they would remain in the house upstairs- we avquired DVDs ewtc and we would be guided by them as to attendance at the birth etc.

As it was hte birth was so rapid that there wouldn't even have been a chance to get their stuff together, they remained asleep and woke a few minutes after the birth when DS1 heard the baby crying..... ds1 and ds2 came down to meet him, ds3 came down but fella sleep on the sofa instead LOL

Mine were 8,7 and 4 but ds3 fundtions much younger so is like a 2 / 3 year old

I had a h/b 7 weeks ago and dc1&2 (7&5) were in the room, but at the head end IYSWIM, so they didn't actually see any of the more messy stuff. My labour was fast and furious, 2h and like chocbunnies I had no g&a simply because the mw didn't really make it until about 10 min before she was born and by then I was already pushing. My lo was also on the large side: 9lbs 10oz.

With my 1st 2 labours I was really calm, in control and quiet. You know in my own little world, so I had imagined that if labour started at night they would sleep through it. As it was the speed of my labour took me by surprise and I screamed the house down, waking up ds, who in turn woke dd1 as he was very excited that the baby was coming.

Neither dcs were traumatised by the birth. But dd1 seems horrified about the thought that I got torn down there and needed stitches (which she's witnessed), so hopefully that's her contraception sorted

I prepared the dcs by reading them a wonderful book about a home birth that was recommended to me by some one on mn and it seems to have done the trick, because they both seemed to understand why I was making so much noise and weren't scared or worried. The book was Hello Baby by Jenni Overend.

Some great stories here, thank you all ! Some funny and touching

( for Riven though - I know your story from lurking on the vacc threads.)

I think the message I'm getting is to try and cover all bases really, ie have my mum in place to look after him and to take him out if I start mooing like a cow / swearing a LOT like the last time , but also have her on standby to take him back to theirs if need be.

I sort of think that I'm likely to be more controlled if he's around, trying not to show pain as much - also my friend had a lovely homebirth, her DD same age had her own birthing ball and everything and was present, but it was a fast delivery.

I like the idea of having time with DP and the new baby, without DS being around - but then I also love the idea of DS being immediatly involved after the birth and greeting DC2. Confused !!

ds1 slept through the whole thing (2 storeys up from labour area). my mum was there to take lead with him if he woke.

My Dad had come up to visit to try and be here when DS2 arrived. So DS1 went out with grandad for the day. DS1 then stayed with my mum and stepdad overnight.

My mother came over to look after my son. They stayed downstairs and played board games and I laboured upstairs. My orginal intention had been that my mother would take him out.

DD2 - DD1 slept through it all upstairs.

DD3 - DDs 1&2 were eating fish fingers and watching Fifi just across the room. They were 17mo and 2.11. As soon as DD1 realised DD3 had actually made it out she was straight in and splashing her

The only difficulty we encountered was DD1 wanting to get in the pool with me, and then her getting quite upset when I had to transfer in following PPH. We hadn't really talked about that possibility and it did freak her.

We'd arranged with some friends to have dd1 (nearly 3 at the time)if need be. We thought we'd get away with it if the birth happened overnight but full-on labour began around 5 am and after she'd got up twice and wandered downstairs to see what was going on dh took her over to our friends' place (at around 6). She had a fab day-went to a party, then spent the afternoon bouncing around on our friends' trampoline, so she had lots of fun. dd2 was born at 10am and we had a peaceful day cuddling and napping with her...it was a lovely lovely day...
i think i would have found it hard with dd1 around tbh-our house is small, and i did alot of shouting

riven - i knew you had a hb, i hadn't realised the other dcs were there too...

my friend's dd1 rubbed her back lol (they had a birthing pool in the dining room) - but it was a big family affair with her parents drinking tea at the table whilst she was pushing... it was all v relaxed and the mw arrived 5 minutes before her ds was born. (the ils missed it by 10 minutes - they were gutted)

hope it all goes well!

I had a homebirth with our first so knew I wanted the same again, and I'd met one of my best friends here through antenatal classes for our firsts, and she offered to take ds1 when I went into labour with ds2 - dh's parents are a 2hr drive away and as my entire first labour was less than 6hrs, with less than 4hr after waters going, it was cutting it fine!

As it happened ds1 had gone to the childminder's in the morning as usual and I'd started to get some latent contractions so I knew it would be that day. I called my friend to put her on alert, and my waters subsequently went around 4pm. So friend picked up ds1 from the minder's at his normal time (5pm) and kept him overnight. Ds2 arrived v promptly 2hrs after waters, at 6pm.

I have to sy it was lovely not having to worry about having another child in the house, and being able to go to bed and have those first precious few hours together alone. I know dh was also v pleased we'd arranged it that way. Ds1 had a whale of a time having tea at his best friends house and staying overnight together - apparently it took them hours to stop giggling and throwing toys at each other! I would definitely recommend having some kind of arrangement in place - afterall, you only have to call if you feel things are not working out, if they are then you can just go with it.

Haven't done it yet, but am due on friday and planning a homebirth. DD is 3 and the plan at the moment is for my mum to come to the house to look after her while I am in labour, so if it's not too traumatic for her she can be around, but if it starts getting a bit much mum can take her out. However my in-laws are also on standby to have her at their house, so if I decide that I don't want her around once labour starts she can go there.

ooo how did I manage to post twice! Sorry!

I had a homebirth 4 weeks ago, I had planned on having my 2.8 DD there in the backgrond but the more I thought about it as it got closer to the birth, the more I worried what kind of effect it would have on her to see or hear her mum in pain like that, and as you cant plan how birth will plan out I didnt want her to be there if something went wrong or if I had to be transferred, also I wanted to be able to concentrate on the task in hand and I felt that if she was there it would slow me down as I'd be worrying about her, so she went to her grans.

As it turns out I had a very fast labour (50 mins) at home, with no pain relief as Midwife came with faulty gas & air so I couldn't use it, so I was very loud with the pain (he was 9lb13.5oz!) so I'm glad I decided to let her go to her grans, they bought her home the next day once we were all settled and sorted.

Best of luck to you, homebirths are amazing!

I had a homebirth 4 weeks ago, I had planned on having my 2.8 DD there in the backgrond but the more I thought about it as it got closer to the birth, the more I worried what kind of effect it would have on her to see or hear her mum in pain like that, and as you cant plan how birth will plan out I didnt want her to be there if something went wrong or if I had to be transferred, also I wanted to be able to concentrate on the task in hand and I felt that if she was there it would slow me down as I'd be worrying about her, so she went to her grans.

As it turns out I had a very fast labour (50 mins) at home, with no pain relief as Midwife came with faulty gas & air so I couldn't use it, so I was very loud with the pain (he was 9lb13.5oz!) so I'm glad I decided to let her go to her grans, they bought her home the next day once we were all settled and sorted.

Best of luck to you, homebirths are amazing!

oh and with ds (baby no.3, homebirth no.2) who was born in the afternoon, dd1 was over at a friend's house for tea anyway, and dd2 was at nursery. I don't think it would have been good to have them around - had a really difficult second stage.
Of course nursery rang 10 minutes after ds had popped out to ask us to pick dd2 up who was presenting with chickenpox! It's never easy....

just to add, I wouldn't have minded ds being around for the birth, but I totally understood and respected why dh wanted him to be elsewhere. After all it would have been dh having to deal with him!

my dd1 (then 18 months) watched The Jungle Book if that's any help

Seriously though - she did get a bit upset at seeing me in labour so dh took her to the other end of the house for a bit of TV. Unfortunately he missed dd2's birth as a result (was all v. quick - midwife hadn't even arrived yet so had to deliver dd2 myself). We didn't have anyone nearby to take dd1 so I'm not sure what we could have done differently. Anyway, she wasn't traumatised or anything.

the other 3 watched while number 4 was born (they were 12, 11 and 9) and I think they were so traumatised they aren't ever going to forget contraception when older!
(it was pretty traumatic for them to be honesy)

DD born at night in our bedroom, ds (then 21 months) was asleep downstairs as he had been unsettled earlier that night and dh took him down stairs! My mum was on her way to be there when ds woke in the morning but baby arrived first and ds woke to find his new sister. We had planned for ds to be out of the house, Dh said he wanted to be able to concentrate fully on meeting the new baby/looking after me. i was worried about what to do with ds throughout the pregnancy and everyone kept saying 'it will all work out fine'- it did

I sort of thought that DS1 (2.6) might be around and about, not entirely sure how it's going to pan out. I'm 29 weeks btw. I have this vision in my head of my homebirth being like that lovely spanish mattress add that's been posted on here a few times ! Except maybe in water..

However practically my whole family disagree and think he should be removed from the scene of the crime as it may be too traumatic for him.

What do you think ?