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!

bees, everyone over here has health insurance, as it is compulsory. Normal midwifery is covered by this, but a hospital birth not on medical grounds isn't. So if there is a medical reason to give birth in hospital, it is covered by your insurance, if not, you pay a fee.
This gives women the opportunity to choose for a hospital birth if they want to, but it encourages home birthing.

Home birthing and birth pool do not go hand in hand here. I think I'll get a pool, but I'll be one of the few.

Fattycow that sounds great for normalising birth but what happens to the women who wish To go against medical advise? Are they left without cover?

I'd definitely recommend the pool

You can always choose to stay home to give birth, but if you are medical, they advice against it. You will never be without care. If you are medical, your entire pregnancy will be done at the hospital with the gyneacologist, whereas a normal pregnancy will be done by the midwife.
You aren't considered medical that quickly, but this can of course change. For instance, if you have had a normal pregnancy and are giving birth at home, but things aren't progressing well and you need to go into hospital, you become medical at that point.
Giving birth at home is always covered by the insurance, in hospital only if you are medical.

Sounds very sensible!

a system like that could save the nhs a lot of money, it also sounds fabulous for mums

I like the fact there is a recognition that hospital birth = medical whereas I dont think in the UK it occurs to most people that birth could be anything other than medicalised.

I am not having a pool, sounds nice but I know my water tank won't get near to filling it. I laboured sitting on an exercise ball last time and found it fine. Hoping it's the same this time but will have to see!

Currently time may run out for me anyway as I'm a week past my due date and booked for induction on Saturday. They may still let me in midwife led unit anyway if I'm induced in which case I may give the pool a go!

Oh no cat. Why are you wing induced? Hopefully baby will appear because then!

I'm being induced because I'll be 42 weeks on Sunday, but I guess they don't actually do inductions on Sunday so Saturday it is.

I am hoping it doesn't get that far! Have a scan and sweep on Friday maybe that will do the trick.

I want my home birth but have run out of energy to argue...despite having no risk factors it feels like there is a new potential barrier or hurdle every midwife appointment.

If I am induced I will be pushing to be in the midwife led unit and will have the prostaglandin pessary but not the sytocinon drip (refused last time and the gel did the trick).

You can refuse being induced if you don't want that to happen! I know they say the placenta will be 'up' by then, but I hardly think the placenta knows how to read a calendar!

In my area I know lots of women who have declined induction in favour of expectant management. Those studies about the placenta being 'up' as fatty says are over 50 years old when women would regularly smoke and drink throughout pregnancy and didn't have good nutrition.
2 of my friends went to 21d post dates and know another that when 20d. Other friends have gone 15 and 16d 'over'

Some just knew the scan dates were wrong, others preferred to wait until the baby was ready to come. It seems not unusual here to decline if there are no medical grounds x

I'm an experienced refuser of induction by sytocinon but last time found the sweep and prostaglandin enough and had a otherwise drug free birth so was happy..but it doesn't matter anyway this time because I'm in labour anyway!! Fingers crossed all goes smoothly. More painful than I remember it haha!

Woohoo! Hoping all goes well Cat :) xxx

Good luck!

Good luck, cat!

Yay! Cat congrats!! Can't wait for the updates!! Xx

Exciting news cat

Just an update from me as I have had my book in in appointment and the midwife was really positive about me having a home birth this time so it's all looking good so far.

Thanks to whoever posted the birth plan template. I didn't get around to writing one last time. I've no idea what happened about cord clamping or any of the other stuff after the birth as I was so out of it by that point.

Quick update all, beautiful baby girl arrived last night. Laboured alone at home during the day - lovely. Contractions never settled into the pattern of 3 in 10 which was when I was supposed to call midwife so I just decided to call anyway after about 5 hrs averaging every 5, but never terribly painful contractions so was not sure I was getting anywhere.

Midwife arrived and was fabulous, and I was already 7 cm and entering transition. Unfortunately had to transfer in at the last minute because of high blood pressure. Little one arrived very shortly after we arrived in hospital (fortunately not in ambulance!)

I am over the moon nonetheless and would now always book a home birth for the reasons that:

I laboured mostly on my own in absolute peace and it was lovely. It all felt so much easier for this bit, hence I wasn't sure if I was calling in too early even though I was nearly there!

Transfer in was not ideal however once in hospital my cmw stayed with me and looked after me exclusively until placenta delivered. She was my advocate in achieving a natural birth despite pressure once on ward from doctor for various interventions. So despite all the pressures I did have a drug free birth. Was much better cared for, even once in hospital, than I would have been otherwise. Having been through this I can't really understand safety concerns about home birth as you get such individual attention versus my previous labour ward birth where I was alone most of the time with one midwife caring for several women at once.

Also as a planned home birth ending up in hospital the midwives fought my corner to get me a private room in the midwife led unit afterwards and I felt extremely well cared for.

They also anticipated and recognised my wishes about having no drugs and natural third stage etc without my having to reiterate over and over, somehow as a planned home birther.

Good luck to you all! Off to get some rest now.

Big congratulations :) xxxx

Congratulations!!!! Lovely news
Do you have a name yet? And a weight? home you'll be home quickly too xx

Oh brilliant brilliant news! Many congratulations! And wonderful that the majority of your labour was so peaceful and at home. Hope you're all settled back home now? Did anything come of the high BP?

I'm hoping to have my 2nd DC at home in late May. Feeling pretty unprepared so all this is very helpful.

Congratulations, cat! How exciting! Enjoy your newborn!

38 and a bit weeks here!

Congratulations, cat!

Congratulations cat! Your cmw sounds ace!

Anyone here planning a home vbac? I have my consultant appointment in about 2 weeks and want to go prepared! Looking for good, unbiased information to help me on my way