to plan a homebirth when 28 miles/50 mins from hospital?

[CloudiaPickle]

I'm in the final stages of pregnancy and think things could be about to start but am having major cold feet because of the distance to hospital. Would you have a homebirth if you were this far away?

[my2centsis]

Is this your 1st baby OP?

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

No I wouldn't. But then again, I don't think a homebirth would be for me at all, so I'm probably not the best person to answer!

[WalkingInMemphis]

Sorry op but no. Definitely not.

[TheOriginalWinkly]

Absolutely not. DD got well and truly stuck and became distressed during the pushing stage, and needed to be whipped out sharpish. I don't like to think what would have happened if we'd waited an hour (by the time transport arrived

[CloudiaPickle]

Thitdq

[atticusclaw]

Not sure what "thitdq" stands for but no I wouldn't (however I am anti home birth anyway)

[HicDraconis]

Depends on your birth history. First baby - wouldn't recommend it. Previous complicated delivery (elective or emergency CS, forceps, bad tear, retained placenta) - would say no way.

If you've pushed out multiple babies already on nothing but gas & air with no incidents or complications, chances are this one will go the same way. I'd want regular monitoring though and a transfer in at the first hint of trouble.

[Moghedien]

I can only give what I would do, not telling you what to do here.

But for a first baby I wouldn't.

After that I would base it on how my first birth went, but I doubt I would. Has you midwife discussed how this would be managed with you? Maybe they have a policy of suggesting you go if certain circumstances arise, and balance it with the probability of you having an emergency where you need immediate care.

[tomatoplantproject]

No I wouldn't - but that is because dd was undiagnosed breech (missed by 5 midwives) which was caught just in time for an emcs. If I had been at home with midwives inexperienced at breech births we could have been in a whole heap of trouble. Personally I think the idea is lovely but too risky and would opt for a birthing centre instead if possible.

[MsBug]

Probably not. I planned one but I am 5 mins away and being able to get there easily in an emergency was key to my decision?

Is this your first baby? if you have a history of quick labours then a homebirth could be safer if the alternative is likely to be giving birth en route.

Is there a birthing centre or midwife led unit anywhere nearer to the hospital?

[MiddleEarthBarbie]

If you have having major cold feet, don't. You need to be as calm as possible.

I wouldn't, personally, but women who live rurally must do all the time.

[atticusclaw]

Out of curiosity why do you want a home birth anyway? Once you're in the process of giving birth you couldn't care less where you are and if everything goes smoothly you're likely to be home 3-4 hours after the birth.

Why wouldn't you want to be in the safest place in case of complications?

[smilingthroughgrittedteeth]

Im only 19wks with my first baby OP but im hoping for a homebirth.

however I am 10mins max from the hospital, I dont think I would consider it if I was 20mins away never mind 50mins away.

[Idontseeanysontarans]

I did for my third. The hospital is actually only 20 minutes away but a month before I was due we were informed that the wards were closing to new admittances on a regular basis and I had to be prepared to travel up to 50 miles to find a bed.
It was my third labour, a couple of issues in pregnancy but nothing major apart from a tendency to shoot them out like a rocket so went ahead with a HB.
I wouldn't be so certain with a first labour though - as a first timer I was scared, had no knowledge of the reality of birth and utterley overwhelmed.

[PassTheAnswers]

I wouldn't but I know people who have. We are only 5 mins drive from a hospital but I wanted to be on site with facilities immediately available if something went wrong

[Idontseeanysontarans]

Sorry, 30 miles, not 50!

[BiancaDelRio]

No. 50 minutes is too far.

And I had a home birth with my first. We were 5 minutes from hospital. If we'd been much further I wouldn't have done it.

[NewEraNewMindset]

No I wouldn't. I also planned a home birth for my one and only pregnancy and at the later stages I went in.

This is the way I would look at it. Your primary concern is your baby I am sure. If something goes wrong and you are 50 mins away from theatre, your baby could die. That really was enough all on it's own to get me into the birthing suite instead.

[nohysteriahere]

My third was a planned home birth, it was the least stressful of all. I made one phone call and the midwifes came. I really wish that I had planned homebirths for all three. If I had another it would be a home birth.

Yanbu

[SeattleGraceMercyDeath]

Personally I would. And I'm a midwife.

[SpannersInTheToolbox]

I wouldn't. Seems crazy risk to take.

[Bramshott]

I wish I'd had a planned HB with DD2 (we're 45 mins from the hospital) because then she wouldn't have been born in the car at the side of the road ! Sometimes I wonder whether travelling when in labour is one of the most counter-intuitive things we do... However, I guess that's easy to say in hindsight when everything was straightforward with DD2's birth (apart from the setting!).

[RiverTam]

No I wouldn't. If there was an emergency and you needed to get to hospital, your baby could be starved of oxygen which could have very far-reaching consequences. It happened to a MNer who used to post on here.

Can you look into a midwife-led unit at a hospital, quite a few have these now - basically you can be in a home environment with a midwife and the minimum of medical equipment etc, but just down the corridor from the labour ward should the need arise.