To think about a home birth for my first baby?

[consideringhomebirth]

Trying to decide. Initially I thought home birth was a crazy idea and that things can go wrong in a split second, but I have seen research online which says there is actually no increased risk. Now I am thinking twice.

I know I either want a no-interventions birth, or a planned caesarean. Two extremes but I don’t think labouring for ages in my hospital would be ideal for me and I would feel quite stressed, plus the recent enquiry into UK maternity services is not great. 45% of all births in the last couple of months at my trust were C-sections, majority being emergency ones. A large proportion of women seem to end up being induced and there is a high rate of induction being unsuccessful and leading to emergency section or assisted deliveries, which would be the worst of all worlds for me.

I am low-risk and baby measuring on the 60th centile. Is home birth the gamble everyone says it is? We are 10 minutes from the hospital by car. If we went for this option we would have midwives at home from the homebirth team and you get transferred to hospital should anything be not quite right.

I’d be so much more relaxed at home- but only if everything went right, obviously, and I understand birth is quite unpredictable.

I’m speaking to my midwife about the options I’m considering soon. In the mean time any thoughts or experiences welcome. :-)

The risk is tiny but the outcome could be truely catastrophic. Google HIE and post partum heamorhage. Those were the ones that really put me off.

I'd planned a homebirth for my first but ended up being pressured into an induction (which wasn't necessary). My second was a homebirth and was amazing, he was actually born minutes before the midwives arrived (this was my fault as I'd been putting off calling them!). I was able focus on breathing, move freely and most importantly fully trust my body without people telling me what I should or shouldn't be doing/feeling. I never panicked/felt I needed drugs like I did with the hospital birth, and having no drugs meant I felt in control and had clarity of mind.

The midwives were so kind afterwards and my husband tidied up, we had a big sheet down on the floor so that just went in the bin along with the pool liner and towels went in the wash. It also felt so much more personal with the midwives (even though they missed the actual birth!), they stayed for 3-4 hours

I would definitely recommend a homebirth. Yes some births don't go to plan, but births absolutely CAN go to plan too. There is so much birth trauma around now, a lot caused by hospitals, I'm so grateful I got to experience a positive birth and I hope you do too

I wanted one for first but wasn’t certain. In the end I’m glad I decided to go in to hospital because the pool was a lifesaver for some hip pain I was having. I wouldn’t have thought to have one at home having not tried it.

Second time I stayed home.

It is not too messy. The midwives bring big absorbent mats and wipe up.

Apparently half who try it for baby number one end up transferring to hospital though.

I think statistically it’s safer for second time.

I knew I would be okay without pain relief due to endo pain coping, but if you are unsure you may find you want options other than the gas they can offer.

Pros were not having to work out when was the right time to transfer to hospital. (Mine were strict about not allowing you in before 4cm and I left it too long the first time for fear of being turned away.) Also not having to journey to hospital while in pain was great.

Also much easier to sleep in the quiet of your own home once baby arrives.

Cons would be you won’t have same access to breastfeeding help as you will in the hospital. People will come back to visit you at home in the following days but it’s not the same. If you have never done it before you might want that.

I didn't consider a home birth because it's not really an option where I live.

Childbirth is very unpredictable. I'm sure a great many women would say their first choice would be to have a completely straightforward intervention-free vaginal birth, or failing that a planned C-section. The thing is, you can't plan for a straightforward intervention-free vaginal birth, and although you can plan an elective C-section to be sure of getting the next best option, it is (in my opinion) a much worse option than a straightforward vaginal birth.

In my experience it's also not really possible to plan for a pain free experience unless you are induced and have an epidural before they start the syntocinon drip and then manage to have a straightforward intervention-free vaginal birth with no tearing (which would be very lucky indeed). Natural labour is painful. An epidural will take the pain away but if you have a spontaneous labour you will usually have to labour without one for at least a few hours before you can have it. And the recovery from any kind of C-section or a vaginal birth if you need stitches is not going to be painless.

I've had a C-section (an unplanned one following a failed induction but carried out in very calm conditions) and a VBAC (where I did early labour unmedicated and then had an epidural in active labour which turned out to be very quick). I needed a few stitches after the VBAC but I had a very straightforward recovery after both births.

If I were ever to have a third child I would plan to do it the same way I did with my second. Do everything possible to try and go into labour spontaneously, stay at home until the contractions were strong and regular, manage without pain relief until active labour, then get an epidural to help me through the last few hours. It worked really well for me. But you would need to be in a hospital setting for that.

I think my main concern about a home birth (apart from the risk of having to be transferred to hospital) would be the lack of pain relief options. Until you've done it you don't know whether you'll be OK with a bit of gas and air or whether you'll want something stronger.

I had a home birth with my first. Had a birthing pool. We were 10 mins from the hospital then so that helped me to decide. I was very open to going in to hospital if needed.
I laboured for a little bit rang the ward and the midwife came / I was 9cm when they arrived so I got int he pool. My baby was big and back to back. It was hard work! But once he was out I felt great. They stitched me up on the living room floor. Again no mess as they cleared it all up!

I had a wonderful student midwife who helped me to breathe and although it wasn’t serene (I swore a lot!) I think few child births are.

they told me if I’d have been in hospital I wouldn’t have been allowed in the pool and I would have had the monitor on me lying on the bed as he was big and back to back so this was very scary to hear and exactly what I wanted to avoid!

having said that I do work in healthcare and I would have gone into hospital ina heartbeat if needed.

I needed a hospital birth for my second (a pregnancy issue not a birth/labour issue).

I had a third at home. When I rang the hospital to say I had gone into labour they told me there was no room(!), I said I was down for a home birth. The midwife luckily lived in the next village (total coincidence) so turned up pretty quickly. She examined me -I was 5 cm. She was about to go home and then baby started coming and was born 20mins later, we’d moved home by then so she’d have been born in the car!

I would never tell someone to have a home birth as I think you have to be certain. I was very lucky with my births in that they went pretty smoothly in terms of me and baby being ok.
they were really special and do not regret them.

Do your research and keep an open mind.
good luck x

I've had a home birth and two hospital births (home birth was no. 2). I'm a big fan of home birth if you have confidence in your community midwives, and it was a great experience for me.

However, I would not recommend it for a first birth, simply because until you've laboured you don't know how you'll react to the intense stress of childbirth. You may have thought about it, discussed it with midwives/partner/family etc, you may have written a birth plan and considered all the eventualities etc, but until you've done it, you don't know how it will affect you. Some people feel more in control when they're drug-free, some people feel more in control when they're pain-free, some people (not many imo) fully embrace the feeling of having no control at all and labour like animals. You've no idea which you will be, so it's wise to labour somewhere where you've got the widest range of options. But if you still want a home birth after you've done a hospital one, then go for it imo. It's a very empowering way to have a baby imo.

One other thing: I'm pro home birth, but you should regard with caution studies that state home birth is safer than hospital birth statistically. That's because home births that go tits up and result in a transfer to hospital then become hospital births. Truly tragic outcomes rarely end up on the home births balance sheet.

Same here with my 2nd, the midwives were fantastic
We were also 10 mins away from the hospital.
First baby?....I wanted to be in the hospital

You have to. I was 2 min from hospital, my husband offered to drive but the midwives said it had to be ambulance. And it was top priority (level 1 or whatever it is) even though baby and I were fine at that time, I just wasn't progressing as quickly as would be ideal and I decided I'd rather move to hospital whilst safe and calm. That's just the process, ambulance, level 1.

This was meant to quote user1491396110 · Today 13:07

I'm surprised at the people that have planned home births and then had to use an ambulance to go to hospital. That ambulance could have been needed to save someone's life if they had found their own way to hospital when in labour.

Same with my first, cord wrapped around her neck twice! She had to be resuscitated. How would a midwife do that at home?
I’m all for doing it naturally but I think it’s just too risky with your first.

I planned a home birth for DC1 but it didn't happen. Waters broke Sat lunchtime, light labour started that evening, midwife came before bedtime and another around 3am (bearing the news that Princess Di had died in a car crash in Paris!) and left around 5am. By 11am Sun, they recommended I go to hospital as my blood pressure was increasing. I ended up with an episiotomy and forceps delivery, a haemorrhage requiring a blood transfusion, and a 5 night stay on the post natal ward, so the complete opposite of what I had hoped for.

No messing about with DC2, I ruled out a home birth very early on, but she popped out after a couple of hours so all was good. I remember texting my friend about 7pm saying they were going to be inducing me in the morning, but by 9.24pm she was there!

One in three babies have the cord round their neck. It isn't unusual. And midwives bring oxygen and suction to a home birth.

There's nothing wrong with doing your research and making a decision that is best for you. Just research all options, including a plan 'B'. I'm not against home birth; but also make a detailed plan if, for any reason, you need to go to hospital. What would you want to happen then? Avoid all interventions and go straight to c-section? An epidural or general anasthetic? Who will advocate for you in hospital? What are the potential side effects of each of your preferred options?

Most importantly, I would ask what your mother and grandmother's experiences were. If they had big babies and haemorrhaged, for example, that's more likely to happen to you. Make that knowledge a part of your decision-making process.

I personally can’t think of anything worse and I would have been terrified to have a home birth.

If you are close enough to a major hospital that you can get there if things go sideways and that really what you want then go for it. If you live somewhere really rural I don’t think it’s worth it.

I don’t think YABU to consider it, though there isn’t a chance in the world that I would!

I know that my view is totally coloured by my job (hospital doctor). But I need to know that the adult and neonatal crash teams are minutes rather than “a short journey” away. As it happens, I did need the crash team after my first when I had a major haemorrhage and lost consciousness.

Currently pregnant with my third, and it made me laugh when the midwife at my booking appointment said “I know there’s no point in asking a doctor, but would you consider a home birth?” 😂.

@user1491396110 what a strange comment, you could also say the same for going to hospital in the first place, taking up a bed or a planned section taking up a surgeon.

I think you should do some research about the middle ground because there are more than 3 ways of giving birth other than home, planned section or labouring for ages in a hospital. Hospital labours, like home labours can be quick and straightforward. I had my kids in a midwife unit which was separate from the hospital so in a lot of ways same transfer time to hospital. There were no doctors or surgeons. It was great, I think it made a huge difference because maternity services and hospitals are sadly not so safe. You just have to do the research and decide at the time what's best for you. My labours were only a couple of hours. My only advice would be not to get hung up on a water birth. I did it first time because saw it as the best way but actually it wasn't pleasant and much nicer second time on a bed

I did for DS (second born) as I had a relatively easy first birth on a midwife led unit. It was also during covid and we were shielding so it helped to protect DH not being in a hospital setting. I was told I'd be the perfect candidate for a home birth. I knew I could cope with the pain and was fine previously on G&A. I got my GP to prescribe some anti emetics because I was vomiting a little with the first.

All went swimmingly, I was so chilled at home it was fab. Then I'm afraid he got stuck, I won't terrify you with too much details. However he wasn't the 8lb they predicted but 10lb and he inherited the wide shoulders that the males in my family appear to have. I ended up having to go into hospital once he was born. I had an apology later from my community midwife saying had they sent me for a growth scan like I'd requested several times and seen how big he was they'd have suggested an ELC not a home birth.

Nothing wrong with a home birth as a first time mum but would you possibly consider a midwife led unit? Although I didn't enjoy the pool as I couldn't get comfy in it the unit was so much more relaxing. I had pethidine but knowing next door was the main labour ward was reassuring.

I had a home birth with my second. We lived 50m from the hospital and could literally have wheeled me there on a trolley if necessary. It was a wonderful experience.

In your shoes, I'd try to think through all the options. I think your preferences are very sensible but it's worth remembering that you cannot guarantee a vaginal birth without interventions even if you aim for a homebirth, as you may need to transfer. So if you feel very strongly about it, I'd speak to your MW about the options for a planned section. You have the right to request one and the hospital can only refuse the request with good reasons.

Otherwise, whether you decide to go for a homebirth or not, try to keep in mind that you can't rule out all interventions- you need to keep some element of flexibility in your thinking. A bad outcome would be to stay at home when things aren't progressing well and then end up in an emergency situation (and of course some emergencies can't be foreseen at all). It would be more sensible to say you'll see how it goes at home but allow yourself the option of transferring at an early stage if that looks like a sensible idea.

Sometimes home births are cancelled due to staff shortages, I'd want to know if that had happened in my area recently and what percentage of attempted home births for first time mothers ended in hospital transfer.

My first birth, I went to a standalone midwife unit (15 mins or so from nearest full hospital with delivery suite) which was supposedly a nice mix between home birth and hospital. However after 24 hours we hit the time limit and needed to be transferred - we weren't priority for ambulance so had to wait hours still having contractions but midwife having lost interest. Then being strapped down in the ambulance on bed was awful with contractions ongoing and the lights, noise and bumping. Ended with c section.

Later found out the unit had a one in three first time mother birth rate - 2 in 3 transferred to hospital. Would have decided differently if I'd known!

Which rambling account is to say - know your facts and understand that transfer while in labour is not fun.

My first birth was totally wonderful in the birth centre, my second and third were also birth centres and I ended up transferred to be monitored. I haemorrhaged with both of them (both times would have required an ambulance in if I’d been at home), and my second baby needed quite a bit of monitoring, they were very drowsy which they hadn’t expected because I’d not had anything other than gas and air. Even without my haemorrhage, we’d have had to come in to make sure they were okay.

If it all goes smoothly, I expect it’s beautiful to have a home birth. With my experiences though, it’s not something I’d be considering.

Nope. Because the baby hasn’t read the birth plan so may not follow it! Also I’m a big believer in prioritising having a healthy live baby than the venue.

What if something were to go catastrophically wrong in your home? You would never be able to sleep there again.

Long time posters will remember a member from back in the day who had a dream pregnancy and decided on a home birth. It became an emergency situation and as a result her DD was being severely and life limitingly disabled.

I had a dream pregnancy and ended up with an emergency caesarian after DC became stuck. Within seconds multiple doctors arrived in the room and whisked me off to the operating theatre making me sign a form to accept they would prioritise my life over unborn DC. Thank God we both made it. It wouldn’t have happened if I were at home.

It’s totally your choice, and they often allow you to opt for hospital if you are in labour and you want to go into hospital instead.

I also considered a home birth, but I’m glad I didn’t as I needed assistance to give birth, then my baby needed to go straight to SCBU. I was also in a great deal of pain in early labour that went on and on for hours before my waters broke, which is more typical for first births (longer labour). I also couldn’t urinate and by the time I was catheterised there was a litre of urine that had been slowing my labour and making everything more painful than it needed to be. I think midwives prefer to allow home births for women who have no history of complications with previous births. Same for water births. I was just shoved in a tiny claustrophobic room and left to get on with, in agony.

What if you don't get sent an ambulance quickly? Maternitaxi ambulances aren't really priority and even if you needed a cat A ambulance,
What if they're all lined up outside a hospital?

Your call, you're an adult but you need to be happy with your choice if you need to get to hospital in an emergency and take the consequences that come with your decision

It’s a no from me. Friend of mine lost her baby at a midwife led birthing centre, inquest said her baby would have survived had she been in hospital. Sometimes 10 mins is the difference between life and death. I had 3 babies, all born naturally (first forceps). I’d have never considered a C section ahead of time because I didn’t want a long labour. I don’t think she should just be able to choose an operation when no medical factors. My 2nd and 3rd child were very quick deliveries and I was home 2hrs after birth with my 3rd. I was happy to leave all the mess for them to sort out.

Completely not for me, I'd be too worried if something went wrong, which it did for my first, a lot of damage can happen even in a short trip to hospital. Also, ambulance may take ages for arrive, travelling mid labour is a frightening big thought- it's just too much that could go wrong especially with first child