home birth plan

[OnlyWantsOne]

MW came for 36 week home visit - to discuss home birth

she asked if we had any special requests for labour, apart from saying I'd quite like to have a physilogical (sp?) 3rd stage, I didnt know what else to say / ask?

So, what sort of things should I be considoring?

Plus, re pain relief, I havent bought a tens or a pool - should I? which ones?

I have a large bath that I thought I could use to labour in, but I probably wont be able to deliver in it as MW wouldnt be able to access the vital areas, so shall I get a pool?

gallicgirl - I had a HB with dd1 and am planning another for dd2, and definitely found at least thinking about our preferences to be very useful. EG what we wanted to be done if I had to transfer to hospital (would you rather an epidural or GA if you had to have an EMCS? that sort of thing). You may not feel up to making big decisions like that in the middle of labour so it's good to have discussed things with your DH in advance, and to write them down if you think he might forget or find it hard to speak up.

I'd also said no VE's if possible, and the MW totally respected that - by the time she arrived things were going pretty quickly anyway so there wasn't much need for any, I was pretty much ready to push anyway!

I hadnt even thought about VE or things if transfered to hospital

I think I may write a few things down and chat about it with my MW at my 38 week appt.

I had DD in four hours, start to finish - but had my waters broken at 6cm and then begged for drugs.
I was hoping this time round at home, to not have my waters broken (ARM) and to try and keep as calm and active as possible - with DP around

I also have stipulated before that I DO NOT WANT FORCEPS and I would prefer a C section... I shall write a few notes and then kindly would you mind having a read?

This is a really good thread thanks for starting it. I am 20 weeks pregnant with 2nd baby (am also student mw) and planning a hb.

I will put on birth plan-

No v.e's unless I ask/or agree one would be necessary.

I want to be left alone with partner to labour, (plan on calling mw as late as possible)

I don't want to be offered pain relief I know my options and will ask if needed.

Do not tell me how to push (This is a real bugbear of mine, I see it all the time)

Physiological which of course entails delayed cord clamping/cutting (I was surprised to see on placement how many mws do not know how to 'manage' a many a natural 3rd stage) however I think community mws should be more familiar with it)

I am undecided on vitamin K though will prob have it orally.

I just want a hands off normal birth and to be left alone to get on with it.

ahhhh hadnt even thought of oral vit K!!!

i didn't write one

but..

you don't need a pool. I thought one would be a hassle, and not a hassle i needed whilst in labour. walking was enough to relieve pain between cont-x, and massage during on my back(and i think this will progress the birth as fast as possible, help baby wiggle down the birth canal)

if i did it again, i'd send husband on a massage course first though.

the one thing i did was tidy obsessively before giving birth. that made me feel ready.

Onlywantsone - I would certainly recommend a birthing pool. It gives the husband something to do and keeps them out the way!!

I bought a pool from Birth Pool in a Box but you can just as easily hire one. Took 10 minutes to inflate and 30 minutes to fill by a hose from the kitchen tap. (you need a combi boiler to ensure lots of hot water) I was in mine for 6 hours and it only needed topping up with hot water from the kettle a coule of times. Was lovely and relaxing and I felt quite contained.

Don't get too hung up on the mess! The midwife takes the worst of it with her in a big yellow sack! My DP simply drained the water straight down the outside drain and threw the pool liner in the bin. Took him about 30 mins including deflating the pool.

But worth getting Pampers Bed Mats or similar for afterwards e.g. if you need to lie on the sofa for stitches.

If you have a decent midwife they shouldn't need to keep doing internals. I was dreading getting in and out the water for them but my MW didn't do one. Quote "I can see you're in labour. Who cares how dilated you are? Just keep doing what you're doing."! All she did was check baby's heartbeat using a stethoscope under the water.

If there's one thing you absolutely need at a home birth it is someone who can stand their ground against the NHS. I was refused a midwife due to staff shortages and told to come in. My best friend told them we weren't coming in to hospital and if they didn't send a midwife we'd go it alone. After several conversations along these lines, the midwife finally turned up. If DP had been there alone, I'm sure he'd have loaded me in the car as soon as they told him to!

Sorry for long post but I can't recommend homebirthing enough. I had a fantastic time having DS2 at home because I used hypnobirthing too. Good luck with it all. x

Absolutely. I have a very stroppy mum who performed this role very well indeed.

The NHS have to look after you regardless of where you are, so if you don't budge, they'll deal with it. In fact, you should also be aware that if you feel unsupported or uncomfortable laboring in presence of a particular midwife, said Stroppy can ask them to be replaced. And they will be.

And to add to the above post, I sadly didn't get my homebirth, but I can't reccommend home-laboring enough either :-)

I am aware that a MW has a legal obligation to attend you when you are in labour, and I would be happy infact for my SIL who is a MW and will be my doulla to be that stroppy person to get a community MW here

Just waiting now

in box I have

bed mats
lucozade drink
energy tablets (glucose ones as I get low blood sugar and get shakes)
towels (big dark ones)
weaty heat pillow thing
tens machine

plus my bags packed incase of hospital transfer - clothes, tooth brushes etc