almost convinced by homebirth article in the Guardian this weekend...

[elportodelgato]

I don't know if anyone else saw this article by Sali Hughes about homebirth on Saturday in the Guardian Family section? probably there is a whole thread about it somewhere but I can't find it...

I've never considered homebirth before but this article has really made me think again. I had a straightforward pregnancy with my DD but she was induced at 41+3 so I was in hospital so they could monitor the induction. Besides, it was my first baby and I would not have wanted to be anywhere except hospital. The whole labour was 7 hours in total and I did without any pain relief (not out of choice btw, would have loved something to take the edge off) until G&A for the pushing stage - I tore and had stitches but otherwise all was normal. It's entirely possible that I will be induced this time around too but if I'm not then I am really considering homebirth - can someone come and tell me if I am being silly and it's my hormones?

I almost cried when I read the bit about her being tucked up in her own bed in nice clean pyjamas with her new baby. It has made me really realise that my hospital experience last time was 'OK' but not amazing - busy London hospital, laboured for the most part behind a curtain in a ward which was not at all private or pleasant and I remember being hugely embarrassed when my waters broke on the floor. In the night following the birth the call button in my cubicle didn't work and no one came to help me. Because of my stitches I needed help to get to the loo etc but no one did this. I'd like to avoid all these downsides if possible and suddenly homebirth looks attractive. Can anyone offer a view?

To put it simply, what my post is saying is, if statistics were more transparent, it would be more helpful for women trying to exercise their choice.

If a woman is considering a HB, to be told 'X amount of women transfer to hospital during a HB' is less helpful than 'X amount of women transfer to hospital during HB, but the majority of these are not due to medical needs but because the woman has chosen to have an epidural'. That's the kind of information that is straightforward and clear, and which may tip the balance for a woman who is unsure. I thought about a Hb, and this is exactly the type of information which would have been helpful. As it was, I probably believed that HB is more risky than it really is. As it turned out, I was very happy with my MLU choice, but it could have turned out differently if I'd had a bad hospital experience. It's about women being armed with as much accurate information as possible on which to make their decisions.

Sorry x posts there MarineIguana!

I think some of this is semantics! By 'medical need', I was referring to something like a complication which could affect the outcome of the baby. Fair enough, you could say extreme pain is a medical need, but then it kind of gets confused when women have non-medicalised births (because the pain is still extreme, believe me!!!)

The important thing is distinguishing between situations where the mother decides that she wants to transfer because she wants an epidural, (whether that's described as a medical need or not!) and situations where the transfer is necessary because of some urgent complication which cannot be handled at home. That distinction is important because if women dont know the facts, they can't make informed choices.

Even after all this discussion I still don't know what to do.

I'm so incredibly jealous when I hear of all these lovely home birth stories where women speak of the experience so highly. I want to feel like that.

I had flashbacks for weeks after having DD, I couldn't walk near the hospital, I still think about it now and want to vomit. And that was a fairly straightforward birth, just quick, painful and feeling out of control, DD had the cord around her neck but nothing really went wrong and I'm still traumatised by it. I just want to not feel that this time round. But as DH puts it a HB is about making it a better experience for me, he just wants a healthy baby and wife.

"But as DH puts it a HB is about making it a better experience for me, he just wants a healthy baby and wife"

But outcomes for babys born at home are as good as or better than hospital. Your baby may well be LESS likely to need a trip to SCBU if born at home, and you are less likely to end up on an operating table having major surgery!

Honestly - having a 'good experience' is not necessarily the whole rationale for homebirth. Women who have their babies at home generally have easier, less complicated labours and births and have better mental health afterwards. Surely this would count for something with him?

Thesecondcoming - I was hideously shocked by the pain of delivering my second baby and appalled by how agonising my third was. As soon as I started contracting I though - oh shit, I'd forgotten how blood horrible this is!

Bumper - you should be where ever you will feel most comfortable, the one thing I would say about my 4th birth was that I felt very calm throughout and that stops the contractions being painful I am convinced of that.
The gas and air works beautifully if you take nice controlled breaths, put it down and take in normal air between contractions.
If that's at home great, if it's in hospital also great IMO.
As for intervention, they can only do what they do with your permission, if you are well read you'll know why and what alternatives if any you have for each situation as it occurs, just ask questions.

I think it's feeling of lack of control that traumatises people for life not necessarily the situation.

Hi there,
If you are interested in homebirth, the NCT usually run a local homebirth class. It's free, there's biscuits and I found it really helpful. Just look it up online.
I tried for a homebirth and it was great, I mean bloody painful of course but still better than hospital. Unfortunately there were complications so I ended up in hospital anyway but I would absolutely do it again. We luckily live quite close to the hospital (very lucky when you're having contractions in the back of a car the whole way) so I felt confident that there was help nearby if I wanted it.
The hospital was exausting as the maternity ward is not a peaceful place and the food, of course was terrible. The staff were fantastic though and as it was my first baby, it was nice to have help on hand about breastfeeding etc.
However as I already said, if I have another baby, I'll definitely go for a homebirth. My boy is only 3 weeks old though so it won't be for a while.
Anyway, you have to do what feels right for you. Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

Ps. if you do decide to do it, get a pool. We bought an eco birth pool in a box as it was cheaper than hiring (about £140) and it came with everything you need including a disposable liner so you can sell it when you're finished with it. :)

Bumperlicious I really sympathise, I was traumatised by the lack of control during ds' speedy birth. I felt like they had forgotten I was in the room, everyone was talking over me even doing ves without asking! I would love a hb for dc2 just so that I can be in control but what worries me is how long it takes to get the mw here. Can any of the women who had a hb tell me how long it took the mw to come out? Do they come as soon as you ask to support you with the first stage or just when they think the birth is imminent? I'm so scared they won't believe me again!

Marjee - in my experience, you ring the MWs when you might ring the hospital. Depending on what they are doing and how regular your contractions are they may come as soon as they can or else talk to you and leave you to it until you are a bit further along.

In my case, I rang when I was contrcting for a minute with 2 mins rest in between. MW came 1/2 later (from another HB). When she discovered that i was 6cms she rather urgently summoned the other MW on call.

Had I rung earlier on, one might well have visted to see what was going on, adn then decided to stay or go depending on my wishes and/or what else was going on.

an uncomplicated delivery can only be diagnosed in retrospect. would you put your new baby in a car without a seat belt? independent midwives are unisureable because insurance companies know the risks are too high. have the baby in a hospital and can be home within 6 hrs

oops, that should have read - would you put your new baby in a car without a car seat?

that presupposes taht thing never ever go wrong in hospital

and they do

from simple things like an infection to worst case scenarios

in labour at home, with one ot one care from a MW which is not how it is on labour ward unitl delivery is pretty much imminent, problems are noticed and transfer can be arranged

most thing that can go wrong in labour, go wrong with some notice

sadly, babies and mothers don't always make it, and that goes for home and hospital

for a low risk normal pregnancy, ebing at home is as safe if not safer, tehr has been a wealth of research on this

it's not comparable to not using a car seat

if you tell them you gave birth quickly first time, they'll send you someone right away marjee, or so i found. was less than 20 mins for MW to arrive after call for my most recent birth. same for the one before.

and lulumaman is completely right, which is why it would take quite a good reason to get me into hospital to give birth - i only know 6 women who delivered at our local hospital (recently rated 'good' i might add), but 2 of them delivered their babies unattended. Much safer, wherever you are, to have a qualified midwife in the same room!

the stats on the time -delay between deciding to perform a C/S to actually starting it make interesting reading too - the Govt targets hospitals to get it done n 30 mins - 60% meet this target. 90% by 50 mins - basically if i left my house by ambulance, I'd probably still have to wait for the operation on arrival.

people believe there is a safety net in hospital. in many ways it is very much the same safety net as in a planned homebirth, in some cases not as good.

nantynan - are you saying that those of us who had our babies at home willfully and knowingly put them at increased risk of death and injury?

Really?

There's no social support for carrying babies in car seats without proper restraints.

There is plenty of social and medical support for homebirth - from doctors and from midwives who know more about the risks involved in childbirth than anyone else.

I tried for two home births and ended up with two c/sections. But I was pleased I'd tried in both cases. I'm not very relaxed in hospitals so I think it was the right thing for us - and at the time we were a 15 minute walk from the hospital.

The second one was a proper emergency. I don't think we lost any time - the ambulance crew come very quickly when a midwife is the one calling to say get here now, they drive more quickly with blue lights on and move faster once they get to the hospital. The operating theatre was ready and waiting for me with doctors in there, and consultants pouring in soon after. I'd signed my consent form and was having a spinal before DH had got his green gown on. And my friends who'd laboured at hospital had been left alone for quite long periods. The factor that helped DS2 the most was the midwife's attention, and he might not have had that if we'd been in hospital.

My advice would be to consider a home birth, and if you feel you'd be more relaxed in hospital, to go there. It's a really personal choice.

Lol at the nutters who have pitched up on this thread to equate home birthing with child abuse and neglect!

If I travel in a car with a baby seat and don't use it I am breaking the law. If I have a home birth... I'm not!

If it were completely dangerous people wouldn't do it. Or course it's not right for everyone but then what is?

Homebirthers generaly rate their pain lower on a scale of 1-10 than women birthing in hospital.

although people like to make out people going for no pain relief (and homebirthrs who obv have nothing more than pethadine at most) in labour are freaky masochists (you know 'you don't get a medal' ), in actual fact i went for it because in total it was going to be a less painful experience.

actually that 'you don't get a medal' thing really hacks me off. As stupid and dismissive of womens choices as 'too posh to push' IMO.

I seriously considered a homebirth, but in the end didn't go through with it, and when I was in labour in hospital I was relieved I didn't, as I found it very comforting to be in a hospital. I was in the natural labour room which was not personal but was fine. Sure it had it's negatives, and yes, waking up the next morning on a ward is a bit grim, but I liked that emergency services were at hand. I know all the arguments, and maybe if my partner wasn't so panicky I might have gone through with it......but then when my baby woke at 3am and was having breathing difficulties, I could just ask a doctor to look at him then and there, instead of having to make a trip to hospital in the night.

Edgar Allen I agree! I was dosed up with an epidural with first baby and was so out of it it - long protracted birth, delivered in OR although he was delivered by forceps as a last ditch before the C section. I really found it hard to bond with him - my DH held him for the first hour or two and when at last I was able to hold him and try to feed him, Doctors were walking in an out of the room, some not even bothering to acknowledge me - I found this so upsetting - I had just had my first child! Let alone being expected to do my first ever breast feed with an audience! I actually wrote a complaint letter to my hospital because the care I had was so appalling. I know thats not always the way - I was unlucky - and I came accross the rarest of creatures - a HORRID midwife. She didnt talk to me, she didnt even tell me her name until I had been with her for 5 hours and when I asked her, she just shoved her name badge in my face and was moaning that she hadnt had a break! I had been in labour 16 hours at this point (I know it sucks not to get a break but, erm, you are a midwife - did you really expect 9-5 working hours??)

Second time round - with only G&A - I was soooo much more aware of what was happening and if I could have written my perfect birth plan, my second home birth would have filled every expectation of that. The lack of drugs wasnt to prove a point, it was so I could listen to my body and do what was needed. The difference was amazing.

Sorry for long post!

Also to add, I know many could argue that second time round will always be easier (well, nearly anyway) but still felt the overall experience was far far better. And my local midwife team love doing homebirths - seems strange then that a home birth equates to not putting baby in a car seat. Hhmmm, how odd. Must have a very neglectful community midwife team.....

Bumperliciou (or anyone else considering homebirth) please get hold of Elena Tonetti's DVD BIRTH AS WE KNOW IT (go to www.birthasweknowit.com) it is the most beautiful, awe-inspiring video about natural birth. Unfortunately I didn't see it until after my HB.

Gave birth on the farm, aged 42, 1.5 hours from the nearest hospital with a fab midwife, no vaginal exams, no interference, just letting the baby take his time. Lovely music, candles, walks under the stars and in the sunshine. 3 hours of pushing so it was pretty hard but birth int he bathroom and straight to bed with hubby and baby and then a cup of tea and long hot shower and quiet and relaxed for all of us. Can't recommend it highly enough (but then I don't like hospitals, noisy, stressy, fear-inducing places for sick people)

If you like Doctors and trust them and go to them often, go to hospital, if you don't like Doctors or try not to go to them and trust your body and yourself and are prepared to do the work on yourself in order to be strong and centred enough for homebirth, go for it. Also read anything by INA MAY GASKIN or JEANNINE PARVATI BAKER. Good luck and good birthing!

I had my DS in hospital, and being a "first timer" the midwives left me to rest and chill out for quite a while. It was all very busy and I didn't want to be a nuisance, but when hubby finally got someone to look at me I was fully dilated and ready to go, BUT ....
... then I was asked if I could walk (Duh! I had a melon strapped between thighs!!), no problemo, they soon located a wheelchair and I was whisked off. Small wobble when I nearly had the baby in the lift up to the delivery suite, but managed to hang and breathe through it! (Hah, hah - gag more likely). Then having got settled into the super high bed with gizmos and scary techno gadgets all around me, the damned contractions stopped and I lay there for what seemed ages feeling like a total fraud - finally DS gorgeous boy arrived and all was well. All over from 1st contractions to birth in under 5 hours, including 1/2 drive to hospital!
Needless to say when DD1 was due, I arranged tto have a homebirth - no way was I going to risk a quicker birth getting caught out in the car!! And yes it was "bliss" having that bath straight after DD1's arrival while hubby and midwife cleared up. Can't remember much of that birth except it was completely under my control - I could move, kneel, shout, rest, whatever felt right - SOOOOOO much better than in a clinical hospital room, and I slept in my own bed. DS had slept through the entire thing - little poppet got a surprise next day!!
However, for DD2 and DD3 I chose to become step mum to 2 little girls - definitely a tougher option in the long run, albeit less painful. Interestingly their mum (sadly deceased of cancer) had had a very similar experience to me - 1st in hospital then 2nd at home.
I would definitely recommend considering homebirth if your 1st was fairly quick and no complications. It's especially easy to fit in with the rest of the family, and everyone can feel more involved from day1. I wouldn't consider it for a first because you don't yet know if your pelvis or whatever is the right shape to cause no problems - but assuming that you've got through the 1st OK, then yes go for it - if only for the post-birthing bath - bubbles and all!!

Labouring behind a curtain in a ward sounds horrendous. I can see why you're longing for the comfort of your own home this time round.

My labour was also around 7 hours, no pain relief, but some tearing. The midwife said that it was textbook and that she'd recommend a home birth next time. But I'm not going to go for that option due to the "what if" factor (if something were to happen I'd never forgive myself) and also because I had a lovely hospital experience - just enough attention but also the privacy to sit and think about the enormity of it all that I know I wouldn't have got at home with all the family round!

If thinking of going to the hospital again to give birth fills you with dread and embarrassment though, go for the home birth - the fact that you'll be much more relaxed will I'm sure make the labour itself easier. Good luck!

The comparison with travelling with your baby not properly secured is a totally flawed one.

If you aren't ok to give birth yourself without being in a hospital, fine, your call, but don't try to scaremonger by talking nonsense.

Just accept the statistics which show that homebirths and MLUs have excellent safety records (and indeed that hospitals in the UK are usually very safe too) and then stick with your decision for hospital. It's pathetic to try to validate your choice for hospital by denigrating other people's choice for a non-medicalised birth.