Home Birth Club- tentative first timers and vetertans welcome!

[Allstoppedup]

Inspired by the ladies in the October ante-natal club thread but not wanting to clog it up with incessant HB chatter, I thought I'd start a little thread for anyone planning a home birth this year!

I thought it would be a nice place to share tips, advice, experiences and generally have a chat about it all!

I'm due DC2 in early October and am hoping, all risks considered to have a home birth!

Love to hear from anyone else!

My friend had a homebirth at 43 weeks, so it's definitely doable, her dating scan was way off too like yours!

Hello, new mumsnetter here I'm planning a July home birth with my third child, hoping to have both elder siblings about (maybe not in the room during pushing) and hoping for water birth. Any hints any tips would be greatly appreciated x

i had a home birth at the start of February with my second daughter. I've no done a birth story yet so here goes.

I always wanted a home birth but wasn't quite confident enough with dd1 and have a family history or long difficult births and Intervention so I decided to opt for my nearest MLU. I ended up on the CLU as early labohr was long due to dd1 being back to back. Active labour was quick though and for this reason I decided to go for a home birth with number two.

I was much smaller with dd2 and more comfortable and she was in a better position so I was hopefully it eoukf be more straightforward this time. I was due on Saturday 7th Feb. I had been having lots of painful braxton hicks for about a week.
I had reflexology on the Tuesday night before due date and by Thursday morning I knew I was going into labour (39+5). I felt 'off'. Had a crampy tummy and felt like I had to run to the loo but I couldn't. I wasn't hungry and felt really tired and weepy. By 1pm I started having a blood tinged show and knew it wAs imminent. Mild contractions started around 7pm but came and went and I knew I needed a sleep before anything would kick off.
I woke at 1.30am with stronger contractions but still nothing major. I dozed on and off til 4am when they started getting closer and had much more show so called my mum to pick up dd1. As soon as she did things tailed off again - typical.
By 6am they were down to maybe 1 every 10 mins and they continued that way til about 12pm. Hubby and I lay on couch chilling and watching movies and I nibbled on oatcakes and kept up the lucozade isotonic drinks.
things started getting closer together and I started having to breathe through contractions so phoned the assessment unit around 3pm to say I would likely need a mw within the next 12 hours so to give them a heads up. The woman on the phone decided I had too many contractions while on the phone to be in early labohr so was sending someone out. I explained this was normal for me and I was only 2-3 cm by that point (I could tell from the pain and frequency).
Nevertheless a mw arrived around 3.40pm and did an exam and sweep which confirmed I was indeed 2-3 but she could stretch me to 4. She said she didn't want to sit and watch me but she thought it would be quick now so she wouldn't go far. She left around 4pm but my contractions had ramped up a gear by then from her exam and my waters went around 4.20pm.
Then it got very intense very quickly. By 5.15 I lnew I was in transition as I was crying and saying j couldn't do it. I only had my tens machine and hypno breathing and I was struggling a bit. Mw phoned back to see how things were and hubby asked her to come straight back and started filling the pool.
I managed to get in the pool around 6pm but the MWs got stuck in traffic and didn't arrive til 6.25pm. I could feel myself starting to push her down just before they arrived although I didn't start properly pushing until about 6.50 when my body just took over completely and pushed of its own accord. I had a few massive contractions and pushes and then I could feel her head - I delivered her head with the next one, then shoulders and just eased the rest of her out and hubby caught her then passed her through my knees (I was kneeling over side of pool) and I brought her out of the water.
I chose to have delayed cord clamping and a natural third stage but an hour later the placenta still hadn't come and we decided to do the injection. I was a bit scared as I didn't want to end up having to go to hospital but thankfully once I got up and moved around it came. I got away with a small tear which didn't need stitches.
It was an incredible experience.
Such a different experience to my first and so calm and lovely. It felt like hubby and I did it all together almost on our own as we just chilled all day together then delivered her together.

What a beautiful story Rosey! Thank you for sharing it - how wonderful that you knew and trusted your body so well. I just hope I can have a similar experience

Rosey that sounds amazing :) glad you had such a lovely experience x

I'm having a hb later this year. Had one last time but it was all very quick, didn't go to plan and wasn't really an experience I'd like to repeat!

This time I don't think I'll bother getting a pool (didn't have time to fill it/get in last time) but most hbers do seem to plan home water births. Is anyone else planning a dry hb?

I'm also thinking of doing it in the large living room so there's more room to move about (and to save the bed from the blood bath of last time). But how will this work? It's carpeted but will I still find the floor quite hard? Other births happened when I was kneeling- that seems to be what I instinctively do.

I think I'll just have the post birth jag to lessen chance of pph/delayed placenta as this took a while last time and don't wan to be worrying about it.

Jackie I'm going for the jab, but with delayed cord clamping as well. Must admit I don't want to be worried about delayed placenta as I've never not had the jab with my others x

Lovely story rosey.
I'm feeling a bit more positive, had a friend round who did a henna pattern on my bump, just sitting here waiting for it to dry and have put dd in front of a film as I'm feeling a bit headachey, cough is feeling better and had a bit more sleep, and have been having quite painful Braxton hicks/tightening all day, very intermittent though, when lying down to have henna done they were much stronger. No idea if this is things starting or not, got loads of fanny daggers too. Going to let doula know in a bit and get something out of the freezer for dinner just in case!
Bit worried about the headache as had a couple + protein yesterday but think it's just being under the weather and normal end of pregnancy stuff, I do tend to get worked up about things like this as with my last pregnancy I had things like this crop iota the end and then had all control taken away from me by them overreacting.

I need to chill out and let things happen if they are going to, seems to have tailed off again now though.

Just from my experience, didn't have the jab (didn't think about it to be honest) bleeding was noted as

I really wanted to have a go at the natural stage and I'm glad I tried but it was quite scary. Tbh I was a bit annoyed with the mws because, in hindsight, I should have been up moving about to encourage the placenta to come. They got me to lie down. They were talking about catheterising me before actually letting me go for a normal pee.
I just said no way and that I was going to the loo and trying to have a pee myself first and as soon as I sat on the loo the placenta came. Mw had to fish it out the loo haha. Mortified much.
I had very light bleeding tbh, never really bled at all even after the placenta then it was lighter than my normal period tbh. Stopped completely after 3 weeks.
I soo want to do it again but hubby says no. ??

Missmakestuff I was quite headachy towards the end. I don't think I was drinking enough water either. I had very strong braxton hicks for the last week and found it quite hard to tell if it was contractions at times.
Hope things kick off soon x

Mm yeah I've got to admit I was nursing straight away which helps w placenta and bleeding and I squated to pass it so maybe that was the difference. I can't believe they wanted to catheterise you!! That sounds a bit bonkers tbh

I started feeding right away too but had terrible shakes and that was preventing me from holding her properly to latch and the MWs were utterly useless with helping with feeding. It's the one area I feel completely let down on tbh.

Aww I had not the best mws either to be honest, luckily I didn't need them but it's a big source of anxiety for me this time round. Did you get feeding sorted in the end? I was lucky to have a great doula who sort of did the things the mws weren't xx

I ended up switching to formula as I got messed around something awful with her tongue tie and latch and bu the time I got proper support she was hysterical at the breast and wouldn't go near it anymore. Bit gutted but can't be helped now. Still think the tongue tie is causing her issues feeding from bottle but gp and HV aren't listening. X

Oh that's frustrating, can you see someone privately? We saw a private mw through the local Nct bf councillor for an opinion

Lovely to come back and read some great birth stories!

Congratulations to all of you who have your little squishy babies now!

I had my booking in session today and told my midwife I wanted a home birth and she got really excited and was super positive! She said that they don't often get requested in our area but she always offers them as an option anyway! She ticked the big 'low risk' box and said she hoped everything stays like that and is really looking forward to planning it with me in the later stages!

Feeling very excited now as I was nervous I wouldn't have the support from my midwife.

Great news allstopped :)

Hi Ladies

Been so lovely reading all your birth stories!

It's very early days for me as I only got my BFP last week, had a hospital birth with my DD as I was high risk, I never got a chance to even consider a home birth, but I would love one and hopefully now with DC number 2, I can have that option.

Just a quick question, at what point do you mention that you want a home birth? - at the booking in session or the 1st midwives appointment at 16 weeks? Also is it worth looking into a private midwife or Douala? Thanks in advance x

Toadie you can say anytime including when you're in labour! I booked at the booking appt though.

Highly highly highly recommend a doula, would love an IMW but it's a cost thing for us

Ah thank you bees, I know it must seem silly trying to plan it this early but then I can be sure of what to say at my booking appointment - they do them anytime from 10 weeks where I am, so I'll tell them then

Hope everyone's having a lovely Easter Weekend!

I think it's good to be clear about your plans from the start then you're all on the same page xx

I'm planning my second home birth in December. I loved my first, so much better than my hospital birth.

Baby news!DS was born on good Friday after a 11 hr labour, all at home and 8lb15oz! He's perfect, feeding and sleeping well, I'm sore and had a few small grazes which needed stitching but feeling great! He was my first labour and a vbac after elcs with dd 5 years ago, 30 mins away from hospital at least, midwives were only here for the first bit to check me over after 3 hrs of cxt when I was only 1cm, then back 3 hrs later when I wanted to push! Over 2 hrs proper pushing but was fine, my body just knew what to do. The pool was amazing, as was our Doula, I don't think I could have done it without her as she gave us both the confidence that everything was fine when I wasn't always sure I could carry on.
Good luck to you all with your home birth plans, all I can say is go for it! I could not have imagined how I could have got into a car for a 40 min car ride to hospital with the contractions coming every 2 mins apart from the start, or what would have happened would have been that it would have slowed right down or maybe stalled. I also could not have dealt with constant monitoring with something strapped to me as I didn't want to have anything on me, as it was I could only stand up three times for the doppler as the water was the only thing keeping me calm!
it was bliss to be in our own bed straight after, the cleaning up the next day was a bit more work and what I would say is make sure they know you are having water if you are cause not having a waterproof doppler was a right pain. (they were more worried about this than I was a. I had vbac). I would also say that being at home, lovely as it is, makes it a bit more difficult to rest after as I keep seeing washing up, things I need to do etc, and as I feel ok I get on and do them, when really I need to rest as my stitches and my bottom (sorry, tmi but feeling very bruised!) need rest!

Ahhh! Congratulations on your bonny new boy missmakes sounds like you did an amazing job!

Thanks for the great advice too. Glad you had the birth you had hoped for and I hope your poor bruised bottom feels better soon!

I'm fairly good at ignoring the washing up but perhaps my nesting instinct will give me more shame nearer the time!

Wow miss that's terrific news. A little boy born at home on Good Friday - huge congrats. Sounds like you've done a brilliant job

Really appreciate the practical advice. Planning a home (water) birth next month and didn't appreciate the midwifes might not bring a waterproof doppler. They are coming to ours on Saturday for our 36 week appointment so I'll remember to ask about that then.

Watching this thread with interest & looking forward to following more stories and shared experiences.

Dot x