To want a home birth?

[InMemoryOfSleep]

I’m not pregnant (yet), but chatting to my mum and some friends recently I mentioned I’d like a home birth next time. Their reactions weren’t positive, to say the least - despite me explaining that, for a 2nd baby, home birth is as safe as an MLU, and both are safer than a hospital. They’ve made me really doubt myself - having read the research and stats I was convinced it’s the best option, but am I missing something?!

NICE guidance = 'proper 'woke' bullshit' only if you can't understand stats.
OP you clearly understand the data around home birth and are happy with your choice, you will have two midwives who monitor you carefully. I have had 50% home and 50% hospital and my care was much worse at hospital, in fact it seriously breeched NICE guidance and could have put my baby at risk. We make an informed decision on the best info available and should be supported in that.

@doleritedinosaur that’s a really good point and I hadn’t considered that - even if you need an emergency section and you’re in hospital already, it’s not immediate.

Ok. I can understand people saying what if things went wrong. They did for me.

My home birth was very quick. 1hour 42 mins in total. I was relaxed and happy in my lounge on the floor. Yes there was less but the midwives clear it all up at the end and some plastic backed dust sheets and towels contained it all.

Mine went wrong as I had a massive cervical tear (due to cervical cancer treatment that left my cervix with scar tissue) and a retained placenta. I lost 6.5 pints of blood between home and hospital. The midwives spotted the problem very quickly. An ambulance was called and they were apparently here within 5 mins. I was stabilised at home and then quickly transferred to hospital where a consultant and anetheatist were waiting for me. I ended up having surgery and 2 blood transfusions.

I asked afterwards if a home birth made things worse as opposed to giving birth in a mlu. The reply I got from 4 different midwives was a resounding no. Apparently the ambulance can take longer to get to the mlu as they know you have full medical assistance and other calls can take priority. The mlu is further away from the hospital than my home so it would of taken longer to get there.

There are pros and cons to every birthing experience. You have to weigh up what is important to you. Mine was to be relaxed and as happy as I can be and for me that is at home.

I had a home birth with my second. I absolutely loved it.

Gave birth early in the morning with no pain relief, went and had a bath while the midwives tidied up, got back into my own bed, breast fed and went to sleep.

Bliss.

Not saying it will be like that for every woman but I was SO much more relaxed being at home and I think that contributed to the ease of the experience greatly.

I had a homebirth with DC1 and am planning another with DC2. It was great, two midwives all to myself (who cleaned up all the mess afterwards) and all straightforward. It is actively encouraged that expectant mothers round here with normal pregnancy chose homebirth over MLU. We're in a city though and I know I could be in theatre in around 7 minutes if necessary. I was CONSTANTLY monitored during the homebirth (which was really annoying) in case they needed to transfer me.

I'm a statistician by trade and felt very comfortable that it was a safe option for us, living where we do. I wouldn't have done it had we lived more rurally.

You might find Reading Ina May Gaskins natural midwifery books helpful. They talk about the medicalisation of childbirth over time and how childbirth is a normal part of life, and homebirth can be a very safe part of that for normal, low risk, pregnancies.

I'm planning on a homebirth with this pregnancy. I had my first in hospital but it was so quick we barely made it in. Midwife at the hospital told me I would be a good candidate for a home birth next time.

We're further out from a hospital now, and we'd have to sort out getting dd to my mum's or getting my mum round here... there's a good chance this one would be born in the car!

I’ve had two home births and one MLU birth.

My last was a planned home birth but would have been born at home regardless due to how fast she came.

When it goes right, it’s wonderful. If it goes wrong it can go very wrong.

Do you have a dedicated home birth team? I’d suggest meeting with them and having a chat, they will go over all your concerns with you

Whenwillthismadnessend don't be ridiculous, of course they wouldn't be marked as a homebirth if they gave birth in hospital...precisely because they weren't a home birth! There's a big difference between intended destination of birth and actual place of birth. Basic stats.

@InMemoryOfSleep

You are not BU tonwant one.

Hi op I have had 2 home births. 3dc.

For my situation:

I live close to hospital 15/20 mins.

Midwives are professionals- I would much rather them deliver my (low
risk pregnancy) baby than a doctor

Mw will know if something is “going wrong” they will call an ambulance. I will be in hospital / theatre quicker or as quick as I would if in a labour ward and they had to clear and prep a theatre....

There was very little mess. Inlabour too quick for a pool so no water to fill / dispose

Old towels, sheets, cheap duvet , pillows, shower curtain(I actually used a punctured inflatable mattress I cut open, incontinance disposable bed sheets etc

I never had any issues with family not supporting me in wanting a hb. I did attend a hb support group in my area. Plenty people were able to suggest and support those who were needing “facts”

I would suggest finding and going to one in your area when pregnant.

You can book for a hb, be seen at home (this was what happened both times for me) by the hb team (later apppitments) and always change your mind on the day. It’s a no loose situation.

Yes there are horrible cases about bad things happening at hb but plenty sadly in hospitals too.

Good luck xxx

I had a Homebirth for my 3rd child. I was completely encouraged by my community midwife. It was lovely. I ended up in hospital for a week as I had strep and the baby needed antibiotics. I had good reason to have at home though, as I have precipitous labour and I didn't want to risk having the baby in the car!!

I actually had 3 midwives in attendance so in many ways was more supported than my first where I was left with a student midwife in a side room as there were no delivery suite rooms left or my second birth where they were so busy they had to call a post natal ward midwife down to do the delivery - I met her pretty much as my waters exploded in her face and delivered very quickly after. I tore badly for both births (down to positioning as I was encouraged to deliver on my back) but not even a graze third time round (kneeling on the floor) but that might just be because I have been stretched before!!!

I would not want a Home birth if I lived a very long way from
Hospital though as things can go wrong very quickly. There will be more monitoring equipment available in a mlu than in your home too.

What I learnt during my first birth (in a hospital) is that the experience and expertise of the midwife monitoring you is the most important thing in securing you and your baby's safety.

One of the biggest advantages of a home birth is that you'll have the undivided attention of a very experienced midwife. Now I'd want to be very close to a hospital if I was going to do it, but if I was eligible for this birth (and I'm not) I'd be thinking about it.

It's not as simple as 'if you're in a hospital you're safer'. The worst birth outcomes I've come across were women in hospital who were not monitored properly. They had devastating outcomes because of this, despite all the medical expertise on hand. Ironically if they'd had home births the problems would have been picked up sooner, they'd have been transferred to hospital and dealt with much more quickly than they were.

Oh and I wrecked the carpet as despite having waterproof stuff down no one thought to clear it up quickly enough.

364 other days of the year to relax in your sitting room. It's not all about you.

Ffs, it's no ones business but yours. I really wanted a home birth for my first but was bullied into going to hospital for monitoring in early labour and tricked into staying there. Bastards. I hated it. And all the monitoring and fucking business did was put me through unnecessary pain and stress. I'm still angry about it two years later. If you're the kind of person who doesn't get on with hospitals, you're it going to be in the best place to give birth, because emotional and mental wellbeing plays such a big part.

It is up to you. Although I can see where they are coming from. Hospital is not more risky than home births, there is obviously a much higher proportion of high risk births happening there unfortunately those with agendas to push can use stats to prove anything. Like I say,I can see where both side as are coming from. One of my friends died during childbirth which made me request a hospital birth despite being low risk and people pushing me to mlu. Turns out it was a decision that saved mine and DS life. Went from fine to crash c section under general in a matter of minutes same happened to a friend 2weeks earlier. Make whatever decision about your birth you want but make it an informed decision.

even if you need an emergency section and you’re in hospital already, it’s not immediate.

Oh yes it bloody can be. Midwife broke my waters which were filled with blood because both placentas (twins) had abrupted and she pressed the emergency alarm (my previous birth was an EMCS but a less urgent one - no alarm that time. I’d already had an epidural so I was whipped in to theatre with 3 minutes and had the babies whipped out, only 20 secs between them.

Having said that, in your case a home birth sounds lovely. A friend did that for her second and she said it was a lovely experience and just felt like part of life going on as normal. If I was low risk I would totally do it.

**WhenWillThisMadnessEnd

I don’t think what you are saying is correct. My second was a planned hb and she was delivered at home.

On my notes when pregnant with dc3 I found out she had been classified differently (apologies can’t remember the term used) as paramedics were present as she she came so quickly. Midwives arrived 5mins later.

So No way are the classifications for hb ones that planned and transferred in (choice or necessity). One of Mine was planned and actual but isn’t even in those stats!

I had a normal, low risk pregnancy with DC2. All scans normal, no raised blood pressure etc. No warning signs of anything. DC1 had been perfectly healthy.

DC2 was born critically ill with a congenital abnormality that is almost impossible to detect antenatally. When I tried to feed him he went blue and floppy. The midwife started to rescuscitate him and within two minutes a team of specialist doctors had arrived. He was in an incubator and on oxygen within ten minutes. He also needed secretions drained immediately. He absolutely would have died if I had a home birth. When he did transfer to another hospital for surgery, it was in a specially designed ambulance with an incubator and two doctors.

The chances of this happening are 1 in 3500 for his condition. It's a very small chance. But I would never risk a home birth.

I’m planning a home birth with number 4 next month.

I had my babies arrived in less than an hour and we live over an hour from our nearest hospital.

I’ve had lovely reassuring comments.

Yes there is risk but then there is a risk in every day life.

You decide what’s best for you. I believe if you think you will have a positive experience then you will x

I wouldn't. I know some people find hospitals stressful ( and they are not always pleasant) but I am deeply reassured by the presence of equipment and multiple professionals with decades of experience and research behind them.
Women and babies die all over the world in childbirth precisely because they do not have access to the best medical support. I think it is mad when we are so lucky to have access to medical care that we would choose a watered down version of it in order to be able to watch netflix at home while in labour.
My births were in hospital and I felt safe there. I would have felt panicky and anxious at home.

I think we all need to remember that. A mother who is a “good candidate” for a homebirth is very low risk pregnancy etc.

Eg she should be allowed to deliver in a mlu away from an operating theatre. She wouldn’t be considering an epidural lost goes on.

Obviously it’s a woman’s choice. I was fortunate I didn’t need to make a choice as was low risk.