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Pregnancy

Who gave birth at home first time?

28 replies

Ladypug · 04/05/2015 17:15

Any first timers who gave birth at home? X

OP posts:

Report

NamasteGirl · 04/05/2015 17:22

Me, but not intentionally. Hospital sent us home by mistake when ds was on his way out. 2 teams of paramedics and a midwife delivered him, all v dramatic. Our bedsheets and towels were all ruined because nobody was planning it that way!

Ladypug · 04/05/2015 17:28

Oh no! :-( I'm hoping there are some calmer planned home birth first timers on here too x

OP posts:

gallicgirl · 04/05/2015 17:33

Me.

was planned and went fine. Was calm and stress free and it was lovely to relax in my own bed afterwards . Just had my second at home too and hired a birth pool this time which was brilliant.

IfYouWereARiverIdLearnToFloat · 04/05/2015 17:56

No experience but I'm keen for a home birth with my first.

Unfortunately DH is not so keen & I feel we both have to be committed to it if it's going to happen. Does anybody have any suggestions of literature he could read?

We're due late in December so potential bad weather if I had to be transferred to hospital in an emergency is also putting DH off & we stay around 40 minutes from the maternity unit. I'm a bit disappointed it's looking like I'll have a hospital birth.

gallicgirl · 04/05/2015 18:57

Look at homebirth.co.uk for info about home birth, accounts and logistics.

Ask him to try to articulate what his objections and fears are so you can try to address those together.

The place of birth study lays out risks in statistical form but generally homebirth was only marginally more risky than a midwife led unit for 1st births and was safer for subsequent births. That's assuming you are low risk of course.

Talk it over with your midwife sooner rather than later. If you have hb booked you can always go to hospital if you change your mind.

Personally i think the calmness and security of your home results in less stress and more oxytocin can be produced which will help labour.

Ladypug · 04/05/2015 19:49

We found out that 90% of transfers from a birth centre to a hospital are for pain relief (so not emergency reasons) that might help your DH x

OP posts:

NotMyChashkaChai · 04/05/2015 19:53

me! although super annoyingly I had a retained placenta and so had to transfer in after doing the hard bit of actually giving birth!

EsmetheWitch · 04/05/2015 20:03

Me.

It was planned, long but a very positive experience. I had one midwife who stayed with me for 12 hours and she was great.

DH was also really involved and helped deliver DD. It really was very special and I got into my own bed straight away.

I went on to have my second at home too.

applecore0317 · 04/05/2015 20:07

My midwife wanted to organise my 36 week appointment at home with the home birthing team to go through the benefits. I declined, assume that's the norm though and they can then go through it all with you.

siscaza · 04/05/2015 20:09

Me.. I have three DC and all were planned home births and all birthed at home It was lovely and very positive, the vast majority of people who transfer do it on the grounds of needing more pain relief. I had gas and air, birthing pool and a gym ball thingy and coped fine.

soundsystem · 04/05/2015 20:15

Me! It was lovely. 4 and a half hours in total, baby born at 5.10pm and by 8pm we were sitting on the sofa eating a curry :)

Beesandbutterflies · 04/05/2015 20:21

Yes. Planned hb, quick and easy labour, I highly recommend it

TiggerLillies · 04/05/2015 20:28

I planned a first time at home but it was not to be as was induced in hospital. Don't regret it for one minute though, the homebirth midwifery team were amazing and even came and visited me in hospital.
Will try again for home next time!

IfYouWereARiverIdLearnToFloat · 04/05/2015 21:42

His main fears are something going wrong & needing intervention quickly. And with us being out of town & due date in winter - the hospital is further away than he's comfortable with. DH doesn't cope with stress particularly well & is a bit of a flapper (in an adorable way) so think he'd rather rock up at the hospital & let them take over. I'll work on him but not sure I'll get anywhere.

Thanks for the link - I've got midwife appt on Thursday so will discuss it with her then.

IfYouWereARiverIdLearnToFloat · 04/05/2015 21:44

Thanks Ladypug! I will need to do my homework & speak to him again

Ladypug · 04/05/2015 21:54

I'm hoping to give birth at home too or local birth centre and I'm a few months before you so will keep you posted!

OP posts:

Grantaire · 04/05/2015 21:56

I attempted it with my first and second. Sadly, I had to transfer in.

Springtimemama · 04/05/2015 21:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Springtimemama · 04/05/2015 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CrystalGlitz · 04/05/2015 22:00

Had my first at home. It was a pretty calm experience - 5 hr labour (as PP have mentioned I think lack of stress in own surroundings was a big benefit to progress).

Had a birthing pool but didn't use it as much as I'd envisaged. Had 1-1 monitoring for most of second stage with 2 snr midwives attending for the latter phase immediately before the birth. I still maintain I wouldn't have got that level of care in our local maternity hospital.

DS did have a cord-related problem but it was picked up so early due to the close monitoring that any crisis was averted and he was successfully delivered in our lounge

I was also grateful to be able to labour in my own home surrounded by my own stuff and my own germs!

Good luck OP

Springtimemama · 04/05/2015 22:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparkletastic · 04/05/2015 22:01

Me. Was long but we had great support from local midwives. Really glad I did it - straight into own bed with champagne and toast and jam after. We were only 15 mins from nearest acute so that was reassuring.

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QuicheConverter · 04/05/2015 22:09

Me. I've had both DC at home, both in water. They were lovely births and I coped really well - in large part because I felt so comfortable in my own surroundings I think. Getting into my own bath, eating my own food and then into my own bed with DH after were the icing on the cake.

StrumpersPlunkett · 04/05/2015 22:11

DS1 and 2 both home births (2,5 years apart)
brilliant experiences and very very different births.

DS1 very long early labour took 30 hours of contractions every 7 ish minutes to get to 4 cm's
I chilled at home watching video's, sitting on the birthing ball in the garden
listened over and over to the birthing cd's we had made.
new midwife came and in rather stern manner told me to get off my backside and go upstairs for a shower then when I came down she told me to go back up again. I was NOT impressed. However, when I came back down I had gone from 4-8 cm's YAY!!!! got in the birthing pool we had hired and after 36 hours DS1 arrived in the pool. I was the first to touch him and it was amazing! Forgot I had the option of gas and air until I needed a couple of stitches and I enjoyed having that then

DS2 first contractions niggled at breakfast, called midwife and she arrived at 10.30am same time as mum and dad came to get DS1. got into birthing pool at 11.30am DS2 born at 12.05pm.
all done with midwives by 2pm, had neighbours in to meet baby and have cake at 3pm cos we wanted to show him off!!

FWIW, there is NO WAY I could have gone ahead without DH's full support. He was a vital part of my support and if it meant being in hospital I would have done that.

MrsSheRa · 04/05/2015 22:18

I almost did! The only reason I didn't was because I'd been pushing for so long and was exhausted and dd wasn't coming out (but was so close). Needed an episiotomy at the hospital and she was born very quick and all well.

Had I managed, it would have been a very straightforward home birth. Hospitals make me feel very faint and ill so I avoided as much as possible!

If we have a second, i'll plan a home one again.

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