home birth- so many questions!

[ilianora]

I am struggling to find out all the info I need about homebirth! I know there are one or two websites which I have come across but a lot of it seems to be american. Nhs website has a single paragraph that I can find to do with home birth which is surprising considering I'd be under the care of an nhs midwife during the birth.
This is something which I would really like to do after horrific hospital experience last time round but I would like to be completely prepared and fully informed first!
Any links, books or forums you can point me in the direction of would be greatly appreciated

xx

homebirth.org is a fabulous site

what kind of stuff do you want to know? I've had one hospital birth (ds1) followed by 2 homebirths (ds2 and ds3) and would recommend it to anyone!

consier signing up for this one? here

I had a HB and it was absolutely right for me, and I was right to think I would not make hospital anyway (very fast birth) so safest option; equally I know people for whome a HB has had very severe consequences so my advice is research fully, consider your decisions and always be prepared to change them if needed.

Ask away on here - I found asking people who've already had them was the best way to find out anything!

I had DS1 in hospital not horrific but after DS2's homebirth I would definately recommend homebirth to anyone!

In the hospital no-one seemed to listen to me "it's your first so xyz should be happening" it wasn't & if I'd had listened to them would have given birth in the labour reception bit. At the homebirth I was in charge which in my opinion when you are giving birth that's how it should be

I want to know about what pain relief they provide for homebirth in my area. Obviously I know it wont be as much as there is in hospital but i still want to know just what I could have should i want it.
I want to know about birth pools and if they are worth the money if i dont really want to deliver in the pool just sit in it for pain relief of contractions etc.
And then there are more simple things like what on earth do i need to buy etc to prepare. I know it can be very simple but i remember so much advice on things you may want to take to hospital for a hospital labour, but cant find much to do with practical things i might need or like to have at home.

My reasons for wanting home birth are simply because i want to be at home and comfortable, i dont want to be left in hospital after the birth without my partner, and i think as long as there are no complications i can easily handle the pain with a lot of concentration and positive thinking, as pain was not too much of an issue last time. A lot of the resources i find are to do with women that want it for different reasons such as a very natural experience, they dont want much assistance from a midwife etc, which i think may be slightly different to what I want.

I have many more questions but cant seem to find a brilliant resource which will answer many of them.

midwife is a bit standoffish so dont feel comfortable asking her too much... she always makes me feel like shes in a rush and i feel guilty taking up too much time and completely forget all of my questions!

will check out the links youve posted thanks xx

If your midwife isn't helpful, could you ask at your ante natal class or find your local NCT group?

my local nct is completely dead on the website, they dont meet in my area and the meeting in the next county is once a month at someones house. and antenatal class isnt offered until later on. im only 20weeks but want to find out about it all to be prepared and not have any surprises that i need to consider later on x

reading back my last post seems im in a bit of a rubbish area to be considering home birth to be honest! will keep trying though x

what pain relief they provide for homebirth in my area.
Ask your MW! Probably only gas and air and limited time on it (1-1.5 hours).

birth pools and if they are worth the money
ime, yes, they help a lot with pain relief. You could just hope to labour in the house bath (I did). ymmv.

what on earth do i need to buy etc to prepare
Very little, the same stuff you'd need in hospital. Just have a conventional bag all packed by about 34 weeks in case of unexpected transfer.

Think about possible mess; if you bleed a fair bit could be spots of blood all about (was a bit like a blood bath post birth of DC2). Does your husband mind mopping? I recommend planning the birth in a room with easy to clean floor, at least.

This is the best website going, as well as various posts on here and the Yahoo!Homebirth Group.

Pain relief at a homebirth can include Entonox, Pethidine, a pool, TENS, massage, keeping active...anything apart from the first two on the list is provided by you. Generally the only pain relief you can get in a MLU or hospital which you can't get at home is an epidural.

Most maternity units will provide you with a homebirth 'pack' from about 37 weeks which contains all sorts of stuff like inco mats and all the stuff the MWs will need (apart from any medication) I was gutted to send my unopened bag back with the midwife that came to do my first at-home check after DD was born, she was an induced labour.

You do need to ask though

No pethidine where I am in S E WAles: this is becuase they can't carry antidotwe and some addicts were lying about having used incomptitble emds and causing emergencies (well, probbaly one addict not some who knows?)

I did have oxygen canisters delivered though and that was enough at home. Wasn't in my previous hospital births.

entonox not oxygen doh

I'm in SE Wales and I was offered pethidine (no advance prescription needed but would have had to call a 3rd mw to bring it during labour), gas and air (they brought 3 canisters which last 60-90mins each. I made them call for more when I finished the second one but it arrived after DS and I didn't need it anyway, but there was no restriction, just takes bloody ages to get to you (even though I only live 10 mins from the hospital, the free CMWs to deliver it were on call the other side of the city))

MW asked me to provide old sheets and towels and a lamp. They mostly used the towels for wrapping me and ds post birth and the sheets to create a walkway to the shower to protect my carpets.

I didn't have a birth pool but did have a bath (thought i'd better shave my legs!) and it was lovely. Baths never took away my aches and pains when pg so I was sceptical about pools for labour but I think it would be nice. Not essential if you have a bath though unless you want to give birth in water.

I also did a hypnobirthing course, which is mostly what I used, with G&A for the last 90mins. I even managed to have a little nap during active labour.

If everything is ok with your pg, I highly recommend a homebirth. Its lovely curling up in your own bed with a new baby, and having a shower at home!

Ilianora our local hospital does Home Birth information sessions which was useful to us when trying to first decide. Have a look and see if yours does too.

After that the best source of information is, of course, MN!

Really Peety? I am near Newport (Amphitheatre land ) and was told it was a no-no!

thank you everybody its nice to know there is some support. have joined a few forums and checked out the website i was sent. I live in north east wales and although wales is very good with homebirth (so i hear) we have the lowest rate in our area for the whole of wales (oops!) which is perhaps why there is no support group etc. few months still to go so im sure i will be posting back here with more questions!

[[http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?www.birthchoiceuk.com/HomeBirthRates.htmthis has the rates of homebirths around the country.

remember, they can't stop you having a homebirth.

You can have gas & air, and the Tens machine, as well as the pool.

And there's a lot of talk about hypnobirthing ,so it's worth lookign to that.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?www.birthchoiceuk.com/HomeBirthRates.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?www.birthchoiceuk.com/HomeBirthRates.htm

I had an absolutely wonderful homebirth and in turn had a really chilled and happy baby.
I can't advise you on the pain relief as I didn't use any but midwife did bring a tens for me to use (free of charge) and brought the gas and air for me to use as much as I needed but I didn't use that either. Some areas will offer pethidine too.
A warm bath can help relax you too, I found this really helped.
As for what you'll need- decide where you think you'll give birth, for me it was on my knees in the living room (I have really steep stairs and didn't want everybody running up and down them! And my bathroom is downstairs too). I bought a shower curtain and used an old duvet padded with cushions etc to make a sort of nest with the shower curtain underneath as a barrier to protect the carpet. Then this was all just rolled up afterwards and the midwives took it away.
Towels to wrap the baby and clean you up.
You'll need a lamp or torch too in case you need stitches. The mw didn't want to turn the lights on as she didn't want to upset the baby.
It was a really lovely experience, totally different to being in the hospital. My ds was born at 8pm and we watched a bit of telly afterwards and all went to bed! Simple as that. Good luck to you! x

I have had 3 home water births and am hoping for another in late April!

I found listening to hypnotherapy CDs very relaxing during pregnancy, and probably good birth preparation for you if you're worried about being tense after last times experience. By Maggie someone

I bought a TENS machine (have used it 3 times now so cheaper than hiring!) but boots hire them I think. I don't know how effective it is as my labours have all been fairly fast but its all I've used (am hoping to have a go on the g+a this time!). Take tens off before you get in the pool!

I bought my birth pool in a box from ebay, and I cannot tell you how nice getting in it is, the bath just isn't deep/big enough, esp for delivery - buying isn't much more than hiring, and you can sell on again if you aren't having more. If you deliver in the pool it makes tidy up after a bit easier, but DH has always done that. I had to get out to deliver the placenta last time.

For a pool you need to think about your hot water - if you have a hot water tank is it big enough to fill the pool in one go?

A friend got a prescription for meptid/pethidine from her GP so she could have it at the house but I've never done this. I have been offered the injection for the placenta (syntocin?) but never had it personally

I have always packed 2 bags - a me bag and a baby bag, so nappies,vest,babygros are easy to get to, and ditto for big sanitary towels (although I think MWs bring a couple, and some huge disposable absorbent mats) The MWs will take the placenta away with them.

My friend was v jealous of me having a glass of champagne when baby was 1hr old where as all she got was 'a plastic cup of anonymous brown liquid which may or may not have been tea' after her hospital delivery And you can't beat being in your own clean comfy bed with a tiny brand new person snuffling in your arms [need a mushy emoticon!!]

Don't know if you're on facebook but there's a friendly group on there called homebirth UK

Thanks for your stories etc everyone its nice to know about other peoples experience and makes me want a homebirth even more.

Does anyone know anything about using a paddle pool as a birth pool?

yorky I am on facebook but cant find the group!

there's no reason you couldn't, but i think that birth pools are deeper, and more sturdy, and they'll be easier to fill up again with hot water.

birth pools are a lot deeper, and the sides are thicker and made of heavier duty plastic I think - they are expected to cope with you leaning on them or bracing against them - I don't think a paddling pool would do

I recommend the birth pool. DS1 was born in mine, I laboured in it with DS2 until I transferred and now I use it as a ball pool. Well worth the money.

I had DS2 at home in a birth pool and would thoroughly recommend it. I'd also recommend hypno-birthing for a really relaxed and calm experience.

I don't think a paddling pool would do the job as it's too shallow really. The birthing pools are much sturdier so you can lean on the side and they have an inflatable floor so you don't get numb knees and an inflatable seat if you want to sit. If you're not looking to deliver in the water, a warm soothing bath might do just as well?

As far as what you need -
The same stuff you'd take to hospital e.g. clothes for baby, maternity pads, etc
Clean towels
A plastic sheet / shower curtain - to put on the bed / sofa

Don't worry about any mess. My midwife put all the mucky stuff in a huge yellow plastic sack and took it with her.