Anyone been in labour and had a baby without a birthing partner?

[sweetkitty]

I suppose theres loads of people on here who have laboured and given birth on their own but how did you find it?

I have a 18 mo DD and DP will have to look after her when I go into be induced on Saturday, he will take me in then go home with her then whne it all kicks off hopefully he will just be outside when the baby is born will be able to come in for a cuddle etc then will leave while then do the placenta bits etc.

The thing is apart from not seeing his daughter being born I am worried about not having another voice for me in labour. Last time I was in so much pain and it was so fast that I was out of it so to speak. I will take in a birth plan detailing what I want but I think I will feel very vunerable being in labour with only strangers. I want specific things like baby delivered onto my chest and basically left there if all is well, a physiological third stage etc and wonder if I'm so out of it with the pain the MWs might just go ahead and take over.

So I was wondering how others who did it alone felt about it afterwards?

Oh, SK, am so sorry you've still not had DD2

Is there any way you can have a friend with you? Or can a friend come to the hospital to look after DD1 and call your DP if there's a problem with her?

DH wasn't with me when I had DS2 because he had (a poorly) DS1 to look after and my labour was so fast, but I had my mum with me - he was trying to get back when my mum rang him to tell him DS2 had been born!

I hav'nt but i am thinking abount it for the same reasons as you are, i have a 23 month old dd and i am due in 7 weeks, i dont realy want to leave her with anyone else apart from dh and dh would rather not be there.

Afraid not HM, we've only moved here a few months and it's quite a drive away from friends etc. My mother is the last person I would want with me (not that she would offer, who would let her dogs out or cook her DP's dinner?)

OH SK! You are having a bit of a rough time of it arent you!

Whereabouts are you hun?

Think it's a bit late for a doula though.

I'm near Glasgow.

Saga is that SIL was due to look after DD, have planned a homebirth but the MWs are only on call from 39-42 weeks. As DD1 was 15 days early we never expected me to go this long. Anyway SIL is away at a works thing from Weds to Sunday night this week. My options are:

1. Wait for SIL to get back and go in to be induced at 16 days over on Monday morning with DP. Have consulant appointment on Friday and I know he will not agree to this even though I can go in for monitoring Sat and Sun. He's a complete ass and is totally against homebirths as it is so I will have a real fight to get him to agree to 16 days. Also if I go into labour on the Sat/Sun the MWs will bot be on call so will have to go to hospital anyway (that would be my luck)!

2. Go in on Saturday and be induced minus DP, I'm not happy with this (see below) really but at the same time I'm worried if anything were to happen would those 48 hours make a difference?

or 3) keep hoping I go into labour before Saturday (getting DP on the case tonight)!

i was alone (dh abroad) and it was fine,although hard work and painful.

Don't regret it at all.

I had dd3 on my own. Got an ambulance to hospital and was only there for an our before she made her appearance but midwife was nice and I managed fine. In fact it was quite nice not to be worrying about dh and just concentrate on the birth-was more relaxed I think. I also liked having dd3 to myself for a bit before I had to share her. We have a very close bond and I think that's why.

-an hour

I have known someone whose dh stayed at home to look after their ds - and her expereince was fine.

SK - really, really hope you go into labour before Saturday [hugs icon]

Sk, ihope it all works out for you, be ready with your very detailed plan, remembering to cover absolutely everything, inluding things you dont want to think about. Do you have a regular childminder you trust that could take the little one over night? Or one her playmates moms?

How near Glasgow are you Sweetkitty? Which hospital will you be going to?

Remember this is ONLY wednesday. Are you mentally talking to this baby and telling it to appear before Saturday? If not, then get started

SK get sitting on a birthing ball now and she will be out (quickly) before Saturday, honest, DD2 was 9lb1oz arrived on due date after 2hrs 35 mins of labour from first contraction and I am sure sitting on a birthing ball all week helped.

Mears, I think SK is in North lanarkshire so possibly Wishaw General

Agree about birthing ball BTW. The gym ball they have in ARGOS is perfect.

tHEY DO A GYM BALL IN tESCO FOR JUST UNDER £4 TOO - Oh caps. Sorry.