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?

MrsDeVere telling people there should be no "what ifs" is somewhat irresponsible. And no one is dismissing the positive stories, people are merely being realistic that things can go wrong and surely it's safer to be closer than 50 minutes from the hospital (probably longer by the time an ambulance arrives).

But the fact is that just being in the hospital itself can make things more likely to go wrong so the 'its better to be closer just in case' theory is flawed.
I would happily have a home birth that far from hospital. I did it twice with no drama and no fuss. We did transfer in after my son was born because he was a bit small and 'Grunty' but it was all very low key and non-dramatic.

No the fact is, NobodyLivesHere, if a lot of people had babies so far away from the hospital (myself included) their baby may not be here. Not worth the risk for some people.

We had our first child in a midwife led birthing unit at a major hospital with an A&E (even though a midwife led unit was 5 minutes across town from our home)

After the birth DW would not stop bleeding. Only on my insistence did the MW come in to look and shortly after all hell broke loose.

DC had nicked a blood vessel on the way out and it was like a dripping tap. Lost about a litre, became tachycardic had to be observed for days after. I don't want to think about what would have happened if we hadn't been in a decent hospital at the time. Sorry if this scares you but much the same thing happened to 2/8ths of our NCT group.

Please go into hospital. It may not be your ideal and if will probably be fine anyway but it is so important to have the backup

OP I think you need some unbiased advice, personal stories are all well and good but sometimes a personal story can be too emotional or because of the personal element can be difficult to look at objectively because it's scary whilst it's happening to you or your loved one. Whereas for the professionals involved it can be something that appears scary but can be dealt with in a straightforward manner. You need reassurance with regard to any concerns you have and unfortunately whilst here is great for getting personal experience it's not so good for getting a professional unbiased opinion of actual risk.

Good luck OP! Hope you have a lovely baby wherever you choose to deliver. I'm sure whatever decision you make will be the best for you.

Telling the OP there is no need for what ifs is indeed irresponsible.

I've just had my first baby, had him at home last Sunday. It was a great experience, not easy but really calm and with a good outcome. There was thick mec in the waters so we transferred in after delivery but in no great hurry, I breastfed at home then we got an ambulance in with the midwives following in their car.

It is simply untrue that everyone on this thread would have died had they planned a homebirth. I'm sorry if that's inflamatory (and I don't doubt each poster believes it) but it's correct. Maternal death in childbirth is vanishingly rare (and yes that's because of our excellent medical resources which I made full use of).

I have no prejudices against home birth whatsoever, but to make out there are no risks involved is ridiculous. It may well be the best option for OP, however I personally don't think it's wise to give birth so far away from the hospital.

OP asked for opinions, we have given them. Just because I don't think a home birth is the best option for this OP, doesn't mean I have prejudices against them, what a ridiculous statement.

This isn't about Jane's home birth or Jill's hospital birth. This is about Cloudia's home birth. She asked, so it sounds like there was seed of doubt in her mind.

I think we can all agree that the woman must feel happy and secure wherever she chooses to give birth.

Many of us have not said we wouldn't give birth at home, we have said that the distance adds a risk factor into the equation. For example, I live 3.5 miles away from my local hospital; 10 mins drive and even quicker on blue lights in an ambulance. I'd happily give birth at home if I had a low risk pregnancy, knowing I am so close. That's not going to happen for me but just citing why I said I felt the way I did.

This could all be futile, maybe Cloudia has already had her baby! Any update?!

I can only provide my experience. I was nervous about planning a home birth for my first but decided to continue as my midwife was supportive.

I live 45 minutes away from hospital. As in that's how long it usually takes to drive there.

All was going extremely well and I progressed beautifully because being at home relaxed me. However my blood pressure rose and I was advised to transfer to hospital. Agreed and transferred by ambulance. There was no issue with this.

When I got to hospital, thus began a cascade of interventions. My D's was born safely despite the intervention.

I would still have done a home birth. It relaxed me and was a great way to start. Speak to your mW about pros and cons and then make an informed decision.

I had a hospital birth and then two home births. I lived about 15-20 miles from the hospital (I don't remember exactly and we've moved since then) and it Used to take over half an hour to get there, down country lanes, in the rural east of England. Nightmare journey.

So, yes op, I would plan a home birth living as far away from the hospital as you do.

Maybe check how far away the midwife is, mine was 50 mins away from me when I had dc2. My labour only lasted less than 90 mins and I'd phoned my mum first to tell her. Mw walked in, saw a couple of pushes and there was baby!
I am a huge advocate of home births in low risk, normal pregnancies, if that is what the woman wants. However if there is a reason for a hospital birth because of risks and complications I would have opted for that as I just wanted my baby to be born safely. In my view, living away from the hospital isn't a reason in itself to have a hospital birth. What if your baby arrived very, very quickly en route to the hospital, I think that would be far more risky, to be born in the back of a car along a country lane, in the middle of the night.

Can we remind ourselves of the known facts about out of hospital births: (from birthplace study 2011)

For low risk women and their babies - no matter what parity (ie first or subsequent baby) - the best outcomes were associated with labouring in non-obstetric settings (ie units with no doctors, anaesthetists etc) not attached to hospitals. Average transfer distance from these units to obstetric settings in the study was 17 miles.

I haven't had a home birth myself, and I probably won't ever have one (I like being somewhere where someone else does the clearing up ).But there have been so many horror stories on this thread, I thought I'd list the home birth outcomes of some of my friends:

Friend A- 2 homebirths in a caravan, about 22 miles from hospital: both starightforward and fine.

Friend B- second baby at home, about 8 miles from hospital: straightforward and fine.

Friend C- second baby started at home, about 22 miles (etc.etc)- meconium in waters, had transfer and gave birth in ambulance, mother and baby fine.

Friend D- had TWINS at home (3rd and 4th babies), about 15 miles, they made an ambulance wait outside the house for the duration of the birth!, 1 hour gap between babies 1 & 2, midwife in hysterics, mother and babies absolutely fine, M/W probably still suffers from PTSD...

Friend E- second baby started at home, about 8 miles, transferred because tiring, otherwise straightforward birth, both fine.

Friend F- started at home,8 miles, persuaded by MW to transfer against her will, cascade of intervention in hospital ending in EMCS, both fine but mother really pissed off.

Friend G- second baby born at home in the bathtub, about 20 miles, straightforward and fine.

These are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head. I know a lot of hippies

MrsDeVere where on earth did I say you said there are no risks involved?! Stop taking every post as if it's aimed at you!

And where have I said I would never have a homebirth? Had my first birth been straigh forward, and if I was having a low risk pregnancy then maybe I would be considering it. As it happens I'm having a really difficult pregnancy and the neonatal team are to be on stand by at the birth. The OP has expressed doubts about the distance, and that is the main reason I think the distance is an issue. If there is doubt in her mind then she is not going to be as relaxed as she would be closer to the hospital, this defeating the object of having a home birth in the first place!

minifingers You don't have to be so patronising. It's not about statistics for many people, it's about the individual.

I had my first baby in hospital. Easy pregnancy, textbook birth.

Within seconds of delivery my baby's turn took a dive. The peadiatric crash team were there within seconds and thankfully no lasting damage. I dread to think what would have happened if he had been born at home.

My good friend had three home births, the first two easy. During the third the baby's condition deteriorated very quickly and by the time the paramedics arrived they were unable to resucitate the baby.Her life is now in tatters, she feels so bad about putting her own comfort above the life of her baby.

Millions of women world wide wish we had access to the brilliant hospitals that we have in the UK.

Big blue, I'm very sorry for your friend. But it irks me that you say it was 'about putting comfort first.' As I and others had explained it's not just (or neccessarily at all) about that. From what you've told us in your post we have no idea if the outcome would have been different in hospital.

Secondly, if a baby had died in a hospital birth for a hospital related reason (for example an infection or due to lack of staff) would you have blamed the mother for 'putting her peace of mind' first?

I'm not saying I would have a home birth in this case - I probably wouldn't - but there does seem to be an undercurrent that the home mother is selfish in a few posts.

Ps to poster above who said about clearing up, the midwives did that - and there was a lot of blood - as well as making me a nice cup of tea to have in bed just after my stitches!

The events surrounding the death of my friends baby were very harrowing.

The midwife who attended the birth ( and death) of that baby was quite distraught by the time the paramedics arrived.

The midwife ran out of the house, slamming the door- not before shouting at my friend and the paramedics (THIS IS WHY I FUCKING HATE HOME BIRTHS!)

This parting comment from the midwife compounds my friend's grief to this day.

That is extremely unprofessional of the midwife she should never have said that, as it will have placed a great deal of unnecessary guilt on the mother! I'm so sorry to hear of your friend's loss, and despite my views on home birth not always being the best option, your friend should absolutely not feel to blame, and the midwife most definite should not have shouted what she did.

I agree with Blueberry. It's never right or fair to place any blame on the woman for the choices she makes in good faith. We all make choices for our offspring; pregnancy through childhood. Would you blame a woman who lost a child in a road traffic accident for putting their child in the car?