To consider having a home birth

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DD is nearly 2 and we are TTC number 2.

With DD my labour was really quick - 4 hours from first twinges to birth. 90 minutes from waters breaking. We only just made it to the hospital in time and if it had been rush hour or roadworks I'm sure we wouldn't have got there in time. The car journey was by far the worst part of the whole thing.

As I have heard generally second babies are born quicker, I was considering that a home birth might be the way to go. However I have always thought there was no way a home birth would be for me. Am I mad to even consider it?

For the home birth statistics if I opted for a home birth but then needed to be transferred to hospital would that now count as a hospital birth? So the ‘safer outcomes’ for home births are because all of the ones that went wrong ended up being a hospital birth which makes their statistics look worse.

I really don't think it's helpful to OP to reduce the thread into an argument. I wish I hadn't left my last comment. I have no desire to enter into a heated debate.

Nobody is scaremongering. The fact is, people make this decision based on what they feel is safe. They read data and they do their research, but of course they also form an opinion based on personal experience and that of friends and family. Whichever side of the fence we land on, it's because we feel that it's a safer option, which automatically means that we think the alternative is more dangerous. Stating an opinion on this and backing it up with the reason for your opinion - whether your pro hospital or home births - is not scaremongering. All of our views are valid. OP is on a parenting forum. She is an adult and I'm sure is intelligent enough to take any anecdotal evidence for what it is and do her own research. If she was looking for proven statistics at this point, she wouldn't be asking on Mumsnet.

*statistics are only useful to a point
Well exactly. A woman I know nearly died during a planned C section, I guess that would make her the 1.

Well said @ChanklyBore.

Platypusfattypus
They had done a trace ten mins before and all was fine. I suddenly had a lot of constant pain and they examined me, found a cord prolapse and then in theatre it was discovered that the cord had tied both hands to his head hence the cervix starting to rupture.

amazing I completely agree which is why I research things thoroughly.

However the level of risk matters. Not just how frequently it occurs but the level of severity. So while a homebirth doesn't often go wrong, the level of seriousness in the case of it going wrong is not a risk I would take with my child.

@Tohaveandtohold that is an option, but has the same issue of possibly not making it on time or stressful car journey and arriving with 5 minutes to spare.

It I hadn't had such a quick delivery last time then I would almost definitely be choosing a hospital/midwife unit

@Gatehouse77

"Thing is, you can start with a home birth plan and change your mind but not the other way round. And, for me, that was enough assurance"

This sounds like a good way to go ahead, keeping both options open

Bit of a different game plan OP but would a planned cesarean be an option you'd consider?

in studies women were assigned to gps based on their choice, regardless of if they were transferred

Defo worth booking one and seeing what happens when you labour. I've had 3 low risk pregnancies, 3 straightforward labours and brilliant deliveries. Do research, see what the homebirth service is like in your area.

@Seline I hadn't considered a planned caesarean but I don't think it would be for me (medical necessity excepted, of course). My immediate thought was "no" but it is another option to think about.

I would rather avoid surgery plus all the associated recovery time etc.

Why had they done a trace on you? I take it they were breaking your membranes or was it spontaneous rupture?

Cord prolapse can happen, there are usually certain risk factors for it such as polyhydramnios or unstable lie. Women with those wouldn’t be advised to have a homebirth.

Fair enough I only mentioned it as some people don't realise you can ask for one out of preference

I had a HomeBirth with my third. Loved it - definetly preferred it to my hospital births.

My midwife was lovely and the one and one care was great. Do your research and do what's best for you.

Chunkymonkey123,

The studies are for planned place of birth. The statisticians know what they are doing. If the birth began at home it is counted in the home birth cohort regardless, or the study would have zero merit.

“And a whole hospital full of other staff on the other side of the door should you crash, haemorrhage, require emergency surgery etc. Right there at the touch of a button.”

Nope, not really. After DS2’s birth I was literally abandoned in the middle of being sutured while the midwife ran to someone giving birth. Literally abandoned. For more than half an hour. I was in a suture room on my own, legs in stirrups, bare from the waist down, bleeding on to a pad on the bed. DH didn’t know where I was, I could hear DS2 screaming for me from down the corridor. The emergency button was out of my reach. If I had started to pass out/haemorrhage not one soul would have known and I was stuck there without being able to get help. It was only when I had been gone a while that the midwife who had helped me give birth cams in the room to try and find me. She looked shocked to realise I had just been left. I was trying to put a brave face on it but looking back I was put in a very vulnerable and dangerous position and no-one knew. I fume about it even now but DS2 was such a difficult baby that I just didn’t have the emotional strength to complain afterwards.

My first labour was five hours (including an EMCS when he got stuck, so would have been quicker). My second was under two, and I wish I'd stayed at home rather than venturing to hospital with continuous unrelenting contractions. If I was going to have a third WHICH I AM NOT I would definitely be looking after a homebirth.

That’s not standard though curly, you realise that isnt just what happens, it was one of those times where procedure wasn’t followed. When you say “not really” it should really be “not always”. Because usually there are people there on hand at the touch of a button in an emergency.

The OP's alternative isn't home vs. hospital, it may well be home vs. the side of the road during rush hour. My second would have been had it not been three in the morning, and even so DH floored it through every red light.

You know what, it's easier to compare my full term low risk son's birth than my preterm twins.

38 weeks. Low risk. Low BMI. Low BP. Planned cesarean for maternal request, no physical indication. A growth scan that was only needed due to one incidence of borderline polyhydramnios that never showed up again showed he was fine three days earlier.

They made the cut and he was pulled out blue. He had swallowed meconium and was in distress. Couldn't cry. Within seconds he was on the resuscitare and they'd called neonatatal. Within 30 seconds two pediatricians appeared with an incubator and some nurses. They took DS straight to scbu and then blue lighted him to NICU as he as severe and a chest x-ray showed he'd breathed in thick meconium which has stuck his lungs together like glue. He needed CPAP breathing support and ITU. He also developed sepsis.

No one had any idea that would happen.

MaxiBondi: fair enough, I should hve said “not always”. My point was, that in a home birth it does sound like you woukd have more one-to-one care and attention. My two hospital births have been very hit and miss in terms of staff actually being available. I was left alone most of the time. Gas and air not replenished. DH having to call for a midwife to come back so I could actually give birth once I felt the urge to push (from urge to push to baby out it took 5 mins). Midwife onlybjust came into the room in time after DH frantically buzzing for help otherwise he would have had to deliver the baby himself!!!

I had been recommende for a home birth that time. I do wish I had agreed to try it.

Had DS1 in hospital and remember thinking before hand that I couldn’t understand why anyone would risk a home birth what if something went wrong?! Things did go wrong with DD1 but only because I was in hospital. They started by telling me I wasn’t in labour(even though I was contracting quite strongly!) and sent me home. Half an hour away but was the middle of the night so no traffic fortunately! I was definitely in labour and turned round halfway home. My waters broke and they tried to convince me that I’d just wet myself then wouldn’t listen when I said I needed to move and tried to make me stay on my back to the point one midwife was holding my shoulder to prevent me getting up! I got stressed, baby got stressed and his heart rate went mad! He pooed inside me and they called the consult to come in, I turned over told them I needed to push and got shouted at that I needed to lay down and wait I wasn’t ready yet at which point my sons head was already out and midwife had to RUN across to catch him so he didn’t fall on the floor as next contraction came straight after! We were then left without any checks/water for 7hours in the middle of June despite ringing the bell a number of times. Then when checks were finally done he was rushed to nicu for suspected meconium on his lungs. When he got the all clear I discharged us immediately!! Home birth with DD on the other hand was the polar opposite!! I was relaxed and comfortable, the midwives listened to how I ideally wanted things to go and I had the most perfect delivery and was tucked up in bed with all 3 kids and a decent cuppa and bacon sandwich within an hour! That said I was also prepared to go to the hospital had I needed to and live closer to the hospital than our local birthing centre! I also researched the more common issues and how to handle them in case a midwife didn’t arrive in time (cord around neck, how to check babies airway etc so I was prepared just in case!) research is key and you need to make a choice on what you and dh feel most comfortable with! I have a great link for a husbands veiw point aswell which did both of us a lot of good!

Oh my god that was looong sorry

OP - yanbu of course. Look at all your options and talk to your midwife, who should give you impartial, unbiased advice. The problem with posting here is that so many people have very strong feelings about birth, usually based on their own experience, which is completely valid - but not helpful or useful to you. These stories aren’t your experience and they are largely irrelevant to you. I wish you all the best with your birth experience whatever you decide is right for you, but please try not to place too much weight on anecdotal stories from others while you are considering your choices.