Would you consider a homebirth if the hospital was a 2 minute drive / half a mile away?

[Prickled]

First baby, in my 20s and low risk. Hate hospitals. I either want a total no intervention vaginal birth, or an elective section.

Very worried about induction, interventions and instrumental delivery as friends and family have had horrific births with these.
I only know one relative with a straightforward birth in hospital and hers was 10 years ago. I know so many maternity units are in a dire state with poor CQC ratings.

I am wondering about a home birth but don’t know if the risk of that is huge given that I’m a FTM.

Your thoughts please :)

No I would never consider it even if u lived right next door to the hospital. My friend was 28 and had a low risk first pregnancy with everything perfect then had a very severe postpartum haemorrhage. No warning signs. Even in hospital it was touch and go getting the blood to her in time it was that bad - at home she certainly would've died. Not trying to be doom and gloom just explaining my reasoning

Please speak to kemi birthjoy Johnson (look her up on I G or her website) . She used to be a midwife and is now a birthkeeper. Has so much valuable knowledge and experience

I had a homebirth with my third, wish I'd have also opted for a homebirth with my second. As safe (if not safer) than in hospital. Wouldn't have done with my first though as there is slightly more risk involved.

@Doublerainbow23 Birth is not a "medical procedure", it's inherently a natural process.

LorlieS I don't think you meant to quote me, I agree with you 🙂

@Prickled i would have a chat to with your midwife and also find out what care is available locally to you. Where I live, there is a home birth team who are your regular midwives throughout your whole pregnancy and get to know you before the birth.

If you are two minutes to hospital I think it's a great idea as it's sounds like you'll be more comfortable at home. I planned a home birth with my first but was advised to transfer for lack of progress after my waters broke and an increased risk of infection. I ended up in the attached MLU birth center as by the time I got to the labour ward things were progressing well.

Overall I had a good experience. I'm pregnant again and was planning the MLU just because I loved the pool but decided to book a homebirth just in case I want to stay home. It's important to be where YOU feel most comfortable. Also, it's better to book a home birth and then change your mind then not plan for one at all.

I'd definitely agree with this. The antenatal and postnatal appointments I had were all with the same midwife, and all at my home. I had a different midwife on the day due to shifts but I had met her before at a meet the whole team event. If your hospital has a dedicated team for homebirths the care is very personalised and honestly second to none. The ethos is very woman focused, and they are highly trained midwives (ours have additional training in case of paediatric emergencies, for instance).

The regular community team are trying to emulate the homebirth team's standard of care, but they are leading the way. I know other local trusts have dedicated teams as well and they are spoken highly of.

If nothing else than to get supported by the homebirth team I would recommend booking a homebirth.

My first was during covid and was quite the different experience, seeing (or not in most cases) a different midwife at each appointment.

@Doublerainbow23

When comparing births that go well, I’m sure they are. However, when looking at first time mothers, like the OP, the birththplace cost effectiveness study found ‘Planned birth at home was also cost saving but was associated with poorer outcomes for the baby. Because poor outcomes for the baby can be associated with long-term disability and substantial life-time care costs, it is unclear which setting would be most cost effective in the long term for women having a first baby”

However, we were all asked our opinion and I gave it. 🤷‍♀️

OP: Do you think I should have a home birth?
Me: No I don’t.

I’m happy to agree to disagree.

Having been driven fully dilated to hospital and then having to walk in whilst DH parked I would say no thank you.

I would be more concerned that you assume medical intervention was just because they were in hospital? Like they were bored or something.

You do what you want to do.

But like others have said, do it privately. NHS have enough pressure.

And I say that as having has three sections.

I've two friends, close, who accidentally gave birth outwith hospital. We are very rural. One didn't make it, was trying to get there, baby wasn't breathing and she managed to resuscitate. Third child.

The other had baby on floor, and won't talk about it to this day. She is still terrified. Second out of four.

Another very lovely friend had a home birth, first baby, all went well.

Nobody knows.

No, I couldn't live with any 'what if's' should something go wrong.

So strange that there is an argument that women choosing homebirth should have to pay privately?!

I had an accidental homebirth with my first and a planned with my second as my first labour was so quick (and the second was quicker). If I had to go to hospital with my second I almost certainly would have had him on the way there. As I've chosen a homebirth here should I have to pay? No? Well where do we set the bar?

What about older women or women with a higher BMI more likely to have intervention, should they have to pay due to resources? And why not women choosing c section or epidural? There's an anaesthetist who could be in another operation cutting down waiting lists.

How about instead we just let women choose the births they wish in the best place for them whether it's home birth, ELCS or hospital birth. And leave the resourcing issues with the government (and voters).

With my first I was totally against home birth. My second was born during lockdown and I would have genuinely gone for it if I hadn't been high risk as the risks of hospital felt more in that strange time. But, on balance, I think I couldn't take the risk personally. That's not that it's not for anyone, just my anxiety would destroy me before and during. If you feel confident then go for it, but honestly hospital birth isn't that bad and some even have birthing centres which are a great compromise if you're eligible

@scrunchmum agree and my post was badly worded. I would say if I was having one, pay private. Because of the examples I gave.

There is absolutely no way I, or any of the friends I listed could have had a home birth happily. There is just not the resource for the staff to be present.

So of if I were to be of the view i wished one, I would be absolutely damn sure I had the correct people on stand by.

Had my first baby as a home birth, 40 min drive to nearest hospital. Maybe 30 on blue lights. Much safer than giving birth on the side of the motorway as several people I know ended up doing since the hospital wouldn't let you go unless you were contracting for a minute every three - I only did that at the very end......

My first baby. I came into hospital at 11.55 and was 5 cm dilated. I was 10 cm dilated at 12.15, Resus team of at least 6, on stand by at 12.16 as her heartbeat had dropped. An emergency episiotomy. She was born at 12.19.
I had cute ideas about having a baby at home. Please be in the best place to have at least your first baby.

No, but then I have a disability due to my birth so it makes sense that I would be extra cautious.

You never know how things are going to go with babies. My friend gave birth at home but not through choice, her baby came so quick!
You can drive yourself mad trying to decide but at the end of the day you must do what's best for you and baby.
I had my first baby in hospital but I'm older and I have hip problems. My first came so quick that I almost didn't make the hospital.
With my second, I pushed for the birth centre as it was closer and we deemed it safer then me having the baby on the side of the road, the birth centre was wonderful.
If you want a home birth then go for it, if there's an issue they will blue light you to hospital.
Trust your self and your midwife.

I would, I wanted a natural birth too (no C section under any circumstances if possible, also no interventions or epidural), didn't quite go according to plan unfortunately for me. Only if you are low risk though and have planned for all scenarios.

I had two home births and they were both much more enjoyable than my hospital first birth. Be willing for plans to change if necessary.

I think only you can decide what is best for you.

With my first I had a very straightforward pregnancy, low risk, mid 20s -desperately wanted an unmedicated waterbirth and ended up with both me and her with sepsis and a massive pph requiring 3 blood transfusions.

Second I was scared as hell after the first but had the beautiful unmedicated waterbirth in hospital and it was wonderful.

Third, very straightforward induction due to iugr discharged the same day.

Fourth - maternal sepsis, pph, neonatal sepsis, congenital pneumonia and nicu time.

In my own personal experience birth is very unpredictable and I would prefer the safety net of the hospital purely from knowing just how quickly things go wrong when they do-first and fourth babies both needed medical interventions at birth, fourth baby needed resuscitation and was a neonatal crash call….. and given the extent of my pph first time round I might not be here if I’d been at home.

That said I have friends who have had wonderful homebirths and I’m a little envious of their experiences I would have loved similar, or even just for all my births to be as uncomplicated as baby 2! It’s just so unpredictable that no one can give you a straight answer.

PLANNED home birth is very different to an accidental born-before-arrival situation.
Of course it would be traumatic to birth unexpectedly without the help you expected.

Both of mine were homebirths OP. Wonderful happy experiences unlike many of my friends in hospitals. Ill never forget those hours alone in my home with my babies after birth in my safe place. Majority of mumsnet users feel triggered by homebirth so this isn't the place to ask. You're a healthy 20 something you should go for it.

Have a read of the book "Why Home Birth Matters":

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1780665555/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1706427604&sr=8-1

This book was recommended to me by a community midwife when I was considering a home birth with my second child. I went for it and I'm planning home birth number two with my third baby in April.

"In the 21st century, women are supposed to have a choice about where they give birth. But when that choice is home, women often encounter obstacles, despite robust evidence that birth at home is safe, beneficial and should be available for women who want it.Why Home Birth Matters is a clear discussion of the reality of modern home birth, which aims to show how the home environment supports and powers the birth process, while encouraging parents to consider how it might work for them"

Last year a Mum in my community died in childbirth at home. Many years ago my neighbour in the flat above me had a home birth with her Mum and Dad present ( both doctors) along with midwife. The baby died and I will never forget the sirens and blue lights that night . So for me personally it's a big no .