Anyone planning to give birth without DH’s / DP’s assistance?

[toja555]

I am 25 weeks pregnant with DS2. I had DH on my side when I was giving a birth to DS1, he didn?t do much but it was nice not to be alone. However, our relationship is a bit shaky at the moment, part of it that he is not supportive at all and not very interested in how I feel, and I wonder if it would be much worse experience for me if I just leave him with DS1 at home and go to hospital alone? I have nobody else to assist me with the labour, apart from the hospital staff, of course. But just hoping that the 2nd time will be quicker than 1st (1st lasted 26 hours ) and don?t feel like wanting a man, who at the moment behaves like a child, at my side.

Just wondering if anyone got this experience of giving birth on her own?

[sotough]

hi, my DH is squeamish and wasn't keen on being very hands on through the messier bits of childbirth, and i was quite happy not to put him through that if he didn't want to, so we hired a doula. she was brilliant. DH floated around but wasn't under any pressure to be by my side all the time. he was out in the corridor for the messy bits in the old fashioned way but came back into the room for the moment of birth. it costs several hundred pounds for a doula but if there's any way you can find the money i couldn't recommend it enough.
it really depends on what your local hospital is like and how well staffed they are whether it would be okay to be on your own. in our case it would have been a nightmare as i was left on my own (well, with the doula) for literally hours during what was a very long labour. however, that was in a central London hospital. maybe if they know you are genuinely on your own the midwives would be more attentive? you could discuss with your midwife anyway.