Planning home birth but a bit worried - any advice?

[KatBat]

Hi, I'm new to mumsnet so sorry if this thread should be somewhere else. I'm pregnant with my 2nd baby, my first was unexpectadly born at home on the bathroom floor, but was fairly easy so I'd like to have a planned home birth this time. The difference is though, that this time the baby seems HUGE compared to my last (6lb 3oz), the 20 week scan for 1st baby estimated his weight at the time as 9oz, this baby is estimated at 14oz!! I know at this stage it's impossible to say how big the baby will be at birth, but my tummy is already A LOT bigger than last time and I'm worried that a bigger baby will cause complications that would make a home birth a lot less pleasant than expected. Has anyone been in a similar situation and do you have any advice you could give me??

Hi there. I had a home birth with my second. Dd was born very not long after reaching hospital. She was 6lb having been born a bit early. Ds was born at home, which was fantastic. He was 8lb 7oz. I tore badly with dd, not at all with dd.

Obviously not all births are the same, but bigger baby doesn't have to mean complications. I was also HUGE second time around.

Good luck if you do go for hb. I was so happy to have had the experience.

It's normal to have a bigger bump in subsequent pregnancies so don't take that alone as a sign of a bigger baby.

Also no reason why a bigger baby should be a worse delivery. My sisters 1st was 7lb 14oz and 2nd 9lb 7oz she says she would much rather have the second labour again. Much quicker and easier apparently.

If you plan for a homebirth but find out the baby really is huge and are worried you can always change to a hospital delivery.Likewise if the babies size seems to be a problem then the midwife would send you in anyway.

It sounds like you had a quick and straight forward delivery with your first. No reason not to think this one will be the same.

Talk to your midwife and check out www.homebirth.org.uk

Definitely don't stress too much about scan-predicted size - they seem to be notoriously inaccurate.
And subsequent bumps do seem to be bigger as your body knows what to do (or is it all the chocolate?! ).

I'm planning a HB(AC) for a few weeks time (well from next weekend is fine by me lol), had a HB with DS1 and it was lovely.

Your first was probably a little stressful being unexpected? WIth a a planned one it would be much calmer and you'd know you were planning on staying at home so would have stuff ready.

I agree, the scans are rubbish at estimating baby's size, but that's all the advise I have, hope it all goes well for you

You managed a first birth without pain relief or complications, and tbh, a second birth is likely to be easier. There is no reason why a larger than average baby should cause complications, and as your labour first time was fast, it makes total sense to plan for a home birth this time

I had my second at home and he was 8lb 9oz compared to my first who was 6lb 9oz. Was much easier even though he was bigger, as I was calmer and more relaxed at home. Managed in the pool using hypnobirthing and no pain relief.

I'm sure you'll be fine. No reason why bigger baby should equal harder labour.

Thank you all so much for the great advice, I feel so much better already :). I'm particularly interested in what you said girlynut re the pool. How did you source one and when you got it was it clean and hygenic??

I've had my pool since pg with DS1 (nearly 5) - got it from here
and have just received my new liner for this planned HB :)

(I'm 5,4 so got the Mini pool and it's plenty big enough)