Experiences of home birth (especially during Covid)?

[Hardbackwriter]

Posted this in childbirth but no replies so thought I'd try here:

I'm 32 weeks, had an antenatal appointment today and mentioned to the midwife that I was considering home birth, and she was enthusiastic and has booked me in for a home birth consultation. I'm really unsure though; I wouldn't have considered it under 'normal' circumstances, but in the current ones a) avoiding hospital and b) having DH there throughout are things that are swaying me to at least consider it.

This is DC2 and DC1 was a straightforward, unassisted birth apart from a retained placenta (which apparently is more likely than average this time because of this, but still more likely not to happen) but I was quite unhappy with the care I received in hospital.

I don't really know anyone who has had a home birth in real life, so was hoping to hear about other people's experiences, both good and bad? And particularly if you've had one very recently.

Sorry, not during Covid, but I had a hospital birth for my first and a home birth for my second. Home birth was miles better than hospital. Hospital birth I was ignored, frightened and being on a ward afterwards with no DH was a nightmare. Home birth, two midwives just for me, much more chilled, straight into my own bed with clean sheets and a cuppa, bliss. Saying this I live 10 mins from a major hospital so was pretty confident we would be ok in an emergency. Actual delivery for both was similar it was just that being at home was so lovely.

Transfer time to hospital is critical, OP, especially as there may be delays getting an ambulance during the third wave of Covid post Christmas social mixing. How far away do you live from your nearest labour suite? If you have severe fetal distress or a major bleed, there is no way to deal with it at home.

Thank you for sharing - that does sound lovely! Like you I felt very ignored during my hospital birth (they wouldn't believe I was in established labour and left me on a triage ward for a couple of hours; I was only actually in the labour room for about half an hour before DS was born) so it actually felt quite unsafe, and the idea of having two midwives to myself seems so luxurious! I was surprised that they were still encouraging it at the moment and asked if she thought they'd be cancelled again if things look really grim with Covid in Jan/Feb but she said although she couldn't promise she didn't think so, that they cancelled them in March and April because they were working out how to do them in the pandemic and now they know.

@Babdoc

Transfer time to hospital is critical, OP, especially as there may be delays getting an ambulance during the third wave of Covid post Christmas social mixing. How far away do you live from your nearest labour suite? If you have severe fetal distress or a major bleed, there is no way to deal with it at home.

Yes, this is something I've thought about - it's a 20 minute drive to the hospital so less if I were blue-lighted but obviously you have to factor in time for the ambulance to arrive, which as you say is unknown. I agree that it's a concern.

I was part of a baby group where most of us gave birth at home, to DC1 and subsequently if they had more DC. So maybe 15 positive experiences, ranging from long to super quick, midwives/doulas. birth pools or on the bed.

I read a lot of old threads on here and some books (knowledge is power- definitely helped me feel positive about giving it a go) and local midwives were v supportive and gave their own info.

It comes down to your personal attitude to risk, finding out how low the risk of eg needing an ambulance is (midwives said emergency transfers from home are rare, they err on the side of caution and send women in sooner, more often than not because pain, but then you already have an idea what it's like and how you manage pain).

I seriously considered home birth. I only didn’t have one as there were not any midwives available due to Covid. I won’t go into details but had a minor complication (well, minor in midwife unit), that could have turned out disastrous for my baby. Everything fine in pregnancy and low risk.

I was a huge supporter of home births prior to giving birth but now absolutely against them and will not consider for my next baby.

I found the midwife led unit to be a happy medium.

They've shut the midwife led unit at my local hospital, unfortunately. It's one reason I was considering home birth when I wouldn't have previously as it means they're not doing water births in hospital and I'd really like the option of water for pain relief if possible as I've suffered from SPD in this pregnancy and find the bath is about the only thing that helps.

Midwife led units are only ok if they are close to the obstetric unit and operating theatre, preferably inside the same building.
In my area, the MLU is over 20 miles away from the nearest hospital maternity unit, and at least one baby has died during emergency transfer.
Stand alone MLUs have no obstetric, anaesthetic or paediatric resuscitation staff on site, so are no more equipped to handle an emergency forceps or Caesarean delivery than your home.
You need to do your research and check out your local facilities, transfer delay time, etc.

Obviously this has to be your own decision, taking due account of known risk factors, especially as you mention the distance from a hospital. But a home birth was perfectly right for me (first baby at 36), so many positives in terms of relaxation, comforts, more in control, eating/drinking etc and I firmly believe "happy mum = happy baby". DD arrived very alert and calm. Placenta delivered naturally 30 mins later. Take away Chinese ordered, long soak in bath and my own bed to sprawl in.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

I recently had a home birth and it was a very positive experience. I didn’t have to worry about when to go into hospital and had two dedicated and excellent midwives with me throughout my labour. Loved being in my own bedroom and not having to be in hospital. Only a 5 mins drive from hospital which made me feel confident about the decision

I will just add, I never really got too far into researching a home birth as it was squashed as soon as I enquired.

I have no idea of the equipment midwives bring to your home and whether this complication could have been managed at home just as well.

It just scared the living daylight out of me and I just feel as many professionals around as possible would help me feel happier about next birth (hopefully).

I have had two babies now, years apart. One in a labour ward which had two pools, thank god I got one! It was lovely. Ive heard that many people have horrid experiences on labour wards though so was very put off another after hearing my best friends experience.

The reason I wanted a home birth was because I was adamant I wanted a water birth again. I ended up in midwife unit as they each have a pool, I was at the time very disappointed about not having a home birth though.

Have you checked with your local hospital if you have any on labour ward available?

I had both of mine at home and they were great. My first birth was a little more tricky because you have no idea what to expect the first time and labour stalled at one point (we discussed transfer, but we were both doing absolutely fine, I was just getting tired). It picked back up after a bit of a rest and I had a lovely birth. 2nd one was also at home, faster and more straightforward because I knew what to expect. I was very comfortable. Midwives arrived 50 minutes and 15 minutes, respectively, before he was born. I had a cup of tea in bed after and they left us to it with 2 hours. It was really nice. I'm not having any more babies now, but I would definitely have no reservations about another home birth, all being well. No experience during COVID, but from what I've seen of friends who've had babies this year, it's been particularly stressful and unpleasant being in hospital and they felt a lot of pressure to try to get discharged, but with little support and no partners allowed to visit. It wouldn't be something I'd want to opt for, if baby and I were healthy and well and we had other options. The home birth midwives here have been very busy during COVID with lots of mums having home births.

Not a recent experience I'm afraid but I had my 2 daughters (child 2 & 3) at home and it was brilliant. I had a horrible delivery in hospital with my first child - constant staff changeovers, not knowing what was going on, being talked over all the time etc - which is why I decided to have home births afterwards.

It's worth remembering that you will get very experienced midwives attending you for a home birth and they will stay with you throughout labour. My GP even attended for the birth of my 3rd baby. I would totally recommend home birth.

We do live quite near to the maternity hospital which came in useful when I needed a second cannister of gas and air during my second labour. One of the midwives got to the hospital and back with the gas in the time it took me to have 4 contractions! (It was about 3am though :) )

I started at home but had to transfer in, but not an emergency. I enjoyed the bit at home and found the midwives very attentive and the situation relaxed.

In terms of risk...the birth places study found that for second and onwards children in low risk pregnancies, home birth is statistically just as safe as hospital. In fact it's safer in terms of less chance of instrumental birth etc. The thing is, childbirth carries some risk. There will always be someone who has a home birth with a bad outcome and it would have been different in hospital. But then there will be someone who had a hospital birth with a bad outcome and it might have been okay at home (on the basis, hospital can lead to more intervention which then carry risk). And if something does go wrong, you'll never know if it would have been okay with the other option. I decided that if it was as safe statistically, I was satisfied with that.

I second Keha’s well-informed reply. Hospital practices and interventions can actually have negative consequences, and in home birth you can avoid some of these, great if your birth is not considered high-risk. Most transfers to hospital are due to tiredness and not due to a sudden emergency. I had both mine at home - one in US where it was a huge fight to be allowed and second in Netherlands where it is much better supported. Both were great, even with first one needing midwife I’d never met as mine were both away at another midwife’s wedding. Was a calm water birth and I had done lots of reading so felt well-prepared. Second was a different kind of labour as it went very fast and water did not help, so I got out of the bath and crawled around the front room instead. Was very reassuring to be in my own home (with my other child asleep in their room) and was great both times to be tucked up in bed and left in peace within an hour of delivery. Second time I was a bit nervous about pushing out the placenta as everything felt a bit heavy and like my insides might fall out (!) so I resisted for a while. Midwife reassured me and asked me to try so we wouldn’t have to transfer, so I did and it was out in seconds. I am still a bit cross that this “threat” was used but I suppose she needed me to do it and it did work to persuade me to try.
Most of my friends and family have had unsatisfactory experiences with hospital births but still felt home birth was somehow extreme - I think it can actually be easier on the mother. The harder part is convincing others so they don’t give you a bad time about the choice - but perhaps that will be different with the Covid situation.
All best whatever you choose - lovely time of year to be adding to your family and just a wonderful phase of life with a new baby!

Not during Covid, but DD was a home birth and a vastly better experience than my hospital induction with DS. She actually ended up being delivered by paramedics because there were no midwives available when we called but it was too late to go to the hospital!

I think if your two previous births were straightforward, a home birth would be a fairly low risk option and I would definitely be even more keen given current Covid restrictions in hospitals.

Thanks for the replies; it's really useful to see other's experiences and lovely to hear some really positive ones at home birth. I think I'll be keeping an open mind but swaying more towards the home birth option (if it's still on the table in late Jan/early Feb, as I think I need to be prepared that it won't be) until the midwife comes for the home birth consultation visit, when I can ask more about transfer times etc.

This is probably a very long shot, but I'd so love to hear from any midwives doing home births during Covid - one of the things that's putting me off a little is I wonder how comfortable they feel going into other people's homes at the moment (I'd completely understand why they might not) and if that means that the relaxed and friendly atmosphere that a lot of people describe as a positive of a home birth isn't there?

OP the description of your first delivery could have been mine, they didn't believe I was in labour and left me on a ward until I begged after a few hours and then had to be rushed to the delivery room. I'd never considered home birthing until I listened to an episode of Woman's Hour on the subject and it was suddenly obvious.