to think home births are selfish?

[woozlet]

I just watched a 'desperate midwives' that I had recorded and there was a home birth on it which went wrong. It worked out ok in the end and the baby was ok. But I was really scared watching it, it just seemed like an unnecessary risk to take.

God, what a useless midwife and sister, that's unbelievable! How is it that they were able to see what you were describing and yet not see? My goodness. Well done you for fighting your corner.

Know what you mean about Tena - which reminds me better keep the old plumbing in good condition!

I could have complained but after having been through all that, and then having to get used to this new baby at that time, it was the least of my worries. I just wanted to get home and settled as a family.

Apparently I had 'psychosomatic' issues because I wasn't letting her near me with the catheter Perhaps that was because I was in complete agony and having anything near my fanjo just wasn't an option. In the end I ended up going into theatre for the repair and they catheterised me whilst I was under the spinal anaethesia. Much more appropriate. Shame it took them so long to figure it out. I just hope they've learned from what I went through and that they don't do the same to some poor woman later on.

Sorry for the hijack. Feel better now I've got that off my chest.

I must admit I don't do the pelvic floor exercises as much as I should . Pg again so hope everything goes well. My main worry (shocker) is that I may tear again.

Wow - there was a time when I used to go out on Friday nights - my DD is now 6 weeks and 5 days old, so now I spend my Friday nights (the WHOLE Friday night!) reading threads like this one!

I had my first at home in our kitchen on the 4th of October, in water. It was the most peaceful beautiful experience. I am awed by it.

My sister, who was pro - hospital, for safety sake, is now pro homebirth, and my mom - who works as a midwife in Australia and has never attended a water birth - is totally sold on them now.

I didn't tear, but then I used an epi-no to prepare (www.epi-no.co.uk) and birthing in water is also reputed to lessen the risk of tearing, and reduce the 'burning' experience of crowning (which I didn't feel at all).

Oh - and I didn't have an easy labour, just for the record. 48 hours of back to back - intense! Which is why I was glad to be at home as the midwife told me I'd have been 'strongly recommended' for an emergency cs had I been in hospital.

I've loved this thread - so good to see so many pro-homebirth. You should check out the homebirthUK yahoo group - and the waterbirthsupport group too.

Lovely stuff. You've all made my night.
P.S. I have posted a picture story on youtube - it's not graphic! if you're interested

All your thankyous at the end of the video just made me cry. Is she your first baby ?

sorry, just realised you already said she was your first !

Hi Fibilou - yip, my first! Sorry it made you cry!

Waterbirthbaby...I am bawling my eyes out right now, and making me wish I had allowed photos to be taken at my own home waterbirth...

What an AMAZING story...

Thank you so much for sharing with us!!

Lovely film!

Can I add that my consultant is pro home birth as well as long as people are reasonably near the hospital. She told me (if I remember all the details correctly, but I think I have) that it generally takes an hour for things to go wrong, so there's plenty of notice, and half an hour to someone be prepared for an 'emergency' section, so if there is good communication between the hospital and your midwives and you can be blue lighted in in half an hour or thereabouts, there's not much to worry about that wouldn't happen anyway in hospital (they'd all have got ready and be standing by ready to whizz you into theatre).

She said they actually like mums who have had quickish births in the past to opt for home, as their worst case scenario is apparently delivering babies on the move or in car parks.

YABU - yes, it's about what's best for baby, but also what's good for mum before/during the birth, as a happy, relaxed mum is more likely to produce a calm, positive birth.

Yes, things can go wrong, but they would likely go wrong in hosp too, and some 'straighforward' births in hosp can end up being traumatic and mum losing control of what is happening to her, which can impact on bonding etc.

Does anyone else find the whole 'you might have to transfer to hospital' argument entirely bizzare?

Unless you have a planned section or are induced or kept in hospital for complications before going into labour everyone 'transfers' into hospital in labour. You don't say, oooh I'm going into labour in three hours - lets get into hospital now. Labour starts and you stay home for as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

I think a good default position would be that when you go into labour a midwife comes out to see you and between you a decision is made over whether to stay home longer/totally or go into the hospital - with that same midwife who knows how your labour has been going at least going in to get you all settled in (if the labour too long to stay with you the whole time). With the decision obviously taking into account your medical and birth history, what you want, how you're coping, etc.

I think that's such a sensible approach, Anastaisia, I have no idea why we don't do this already. It would probably even break even on the cost side of things thanks to reduced need for capital investment in larger and larger maternity units, etc.

There would obviously be issues; like rural areas having larger geographical areas, needing more midwives trained and experienced in community work and things like that. But those issues exist anyway it would just need a different way of thinking about solving the problems.

Anastaisia - on the up side, there's 9 months to prepare and have an idea where these people are in rural areas and 'make a plan!'