What to expect from a homebirth

[flagnogbagnog]

After much thought, I've decided I would really like to try for a home birth for dc4. I'll be honest, I have always been in the hospital is best camp. As much as I loved the idea of giving birth at home i always felt if anything went wrong, I'd be immediately seen to in hospital. I have always had a fear that should anything happen to the baby at home, I'd never be able to live with the guilt.

Anyway, when dc3 was born it was a truly horrendous experience. It was very dangerous with both myself and my baby at risk. It was totally 100% down to a dreadful midwife and doctor.

I am terrified of going through that again. My community midwife suggested a home birth at my booking in app and I dismissed it really, but now as the time is coming a bit closer I've changed my mind.

Can anyone give me any home birth advice? How much notice do I have to give to have it all prepared. What will actually happen on the day? What do I need to buy in and what will be supplied for me? How much time are the Midwifes likely to put with me at home? When I gave birth to dc3 in hospital, we actually only spent about 5 minutes with the midwife before the actual pushing stage (we'd been at the hospital for a couple of hours). And lastly, I know you can have gas and air at home. But can you have anything else, like pethidine?

I'm really trying to get all my thoughts together because if this is what I want to go for I know I need to be resolute. I think my mum and dad etc will have a fit. (I know it's nothing to do with them really). My dsis thinks people who have home-births are selfish and irresponsible. DH was really, really not keen for the first 3 dc's but after our last experience is really on board for a change this time. I suppose I could just not tell the wider family what my plans are eek.

Any advice or stories of your experiences would be really appreciated.

I had a hospital birth with DD1 and a HB with DD2, both very straightfoward and both had plusses and minuses.

On the day, I phoned the MW to let her know I was in labour. I had a very long latent phase so she came and went a couple of times but she only lived around the corner so it was no big deal for her. I don't know how it works in other areas but here I had one MW when I was in active labour and she called for another when she thought she needed back-up (not long before I started pushing).

It was very relaxed and jokey and the MWs were there constantly, not running off to see someone else. I would have preferred it if they took a back seat a bit, I think they got bored so I was subjected to a lot of prodding and poking. This is something you can put in your birthplan though if it would bother you.

I wasn't allowed anything other than G&A but I think this might vary from MW to MW. I know a woman who lives in the same area as me that was allowed meptid (sp?) for a HB.

Afterwards it was utter bliss to get in my own shower and the MWs tucked me up in my own bed (literally they tucked me in!) with my new baby and gave me a massive hug It was lovely. I would do it again in a shot if I have another low risk pregnancy.

This is a really good website that I used a lot.

Don't forget you can change your mind at any time, even when you go into labour, so you could plan for a homebirth and see how you feel closer to the time.

Thank you for your reply. All sounds very positive. That's the bit that sounds the best for me - actually being in your own home immediately after the birth! Bliss.

Join this

Read all of this

And get your DH to read this

I had my first at home 7m ago

I knew i wanted a home birth from before even getting pg.... the fact i was at least a 45min journey away from the hospital made me really really want a home birth and not a long stressful journey!

It was great... the midwife came at about 37 weeks and we discussed the (exact) location of my pool, birth plan and other stuff that i cant remember.

I then went to my midwife unit to collect my homebirth pack, and got a prescription for pethidine from my GP..... midwife brings G&A here

you dont need much, the only thing i can remember being asked to have avaliable was towels.

On the day the procedure is to call the midwife unit and they arrange the midwives to come...
I was doing natal hypnotherapy and wasnt sure if i was in labour.... midwife chose to come a few hours labour when i thought i was but wondered if it was just early stages...
long story short, she arrived, I was 7cm... she immediately called midwife 2, 20mins after she arrived i was a mummy and midwife 2 arrived about 5mins after the birth.
I didnt need any pain relief, though i had G&A for the 2 small stitches which were done on my sofa.

My birth plan and plans for after the birth were followed to the letter.... the only peice of paper the midwife had time to read was my birth plan... I had exactly no notes, other than what was written afterwards as midwife was unloading car and had no time to write any.

I Maintain that my care was fantastic... i was the focus of the midwives... i had a lovely bath in my bath (for a whole hour with a midwife), then into my bed with OH and baby in moses basket.

it was fantastic and i couldnt have wished for an easier birth

My experience of homebirth is similar to the other posters.

I told my midwife at a routine appointment at about 32 weeks that I wanted a homebirth. At 36 weeks another midwife came out to my house to 'assess' my suitability (did we have hot running water and central heating??) and talk it through with myself and DH. I think pethidine was an option but only if I specified that I wanted before hand as the GP had to write a prescription.

I had a pool, sieve, mirror, torch and lamp (useful for the stitching bit) lots of towels and some plastic sheeting (B&Q decorators sheets) ready. There was no mess at all and my towels ended up in the washing machine for me!

On the day I kept OH busy sorting out the birth pool, I got high on gas and air, had a rather lovely small baby, showered in my own shower and again was literally tucked up in my own bed. I had to have an episiotomy and the midwives had local anaesthetic as well as more gas and air for the stitching up.

Midwives visited regularly over next 48 and were exceptionally helpful when DS temp dropped and got him feeding again, spending lots of time with us to avoid us having to go into the hospital.

I had a lovely homebirth three years ago (tomorrow!) I just used tens. I found I was far more relaxed and I did not experience the extreme pain that I had with my first birth. It did hurt, but it was bareable.

The midwives cleared up the mess and I still had a cream carpet. The only evidence of a homebirth was the cute baby.

You need a thick tarpaulin to protect the carpet, a torch. It is also worth having something for the midwives or yourself to kneel on. We are also asked to provide a small table for the midwives kit.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience last time, well done for recognising it was a staff issue and not your fault. I hope everythig goes smoothly this time

I have had 3 HBs in 3 different counties, and 4th due sometime in the next month

They have all been lovely.
I haven't had to sit in a car having contractions, over speedbumps etc.
I have gone to bed in my own bed, washed in my own shower, not got hospital infections
Older DCs have met their new younger siblings when they were minutes old
I didn't have to worry about 'music for labour' to pack - still don't know if I prefer 'wake you up' music, or relaxing music!
I didn't have to worry if someone else would be in the hospital pool before me so I couldn't use it
I could eat/drink anything in the kitchen rather than what the vending machines had in
Saved us a fortune in hospital parking fees
I have never torn (giving credit to the water births for that bit)
No-one has touched my DC before me (again, may be more to do with waterbirth than HB but still nice)
I have only used TENS and the pool for pain relief, my labours have been short enough not to need more, or I have been relaxed enough through being at home not to need more - I don't know which

I once read that humans are the only creatures who build a nest, then leave it to give birth

1. Call MW. you may have to argue to get one out (i did, they kept on stalling me on my first labour telling me 'call back in half an hour'..)
2. Mw arrives and takes vitals. (obv you do not have to consent to any of this: blood pressure, VE )
3. Mw decided to stay as i was well on
4. MW sits quietly whilst i walk up and down. occasionally making encouraging noises.
5. takes FHB occasionally
6. baby pops out. 7)baby wiped and wrapped in towel - put to breast 8)placenta delivered (plop)
7. stitches done with local (fine, couldn't feel a thing until the next day..)
8. MW finishes PPwork and leaves.

i also didn't need stitches with the last two :) if i'd pushed less hard at the end with first one, i might have avoided it there...

my DC were touched by other people, but that's because i didn't want to touch them whilst they were covered in Gak and attached by a cord from my fanjo..

been a while since I had my 2 HB's but nearly DS1's birthday (18.04.04)
called hospital as per instructions on my notes.
about 15 minutes later I had a call from the community midwife on call and she arranged to come round and see me.
I watched DVD's. Listened to music, plonked around, sat in the garden on a birthing ball
Midwife came back all was well.
watched more DVD's had a shower
DH filled pool
Midwife returned and stayed
DS1 was born in the water.
placenta delivered in the water
Fed DS1 snuggled for a bit
Had bath got into PJ's and snuggled and snuggled till the midwife came back the next morning.
Was great.

the evidence is OP that both you and your child are safer at home if you are a low risk mother on your second or further child. your DSIS is wrong.

every time i have been attended by a fully qualified MW the whole way through. they didn't leave the room.

Don't tell your parents or your sister what you are planning. Just let them assume you are going to hospital as usual, until afterwards. You don't need their negative judgements - it is a choice for you and your husband.

My reason for having a homebirth was the same as yours - awful hospital experience. So as well as planning a HB for DS2 I also hired a doula, which I would really recommend even if you decide to go into hospital after all.

So...on the night I woke up at 2.30am in labour, went downstairs to pay a few bills online and kept company with a few very kind mumsnetters until I felt too sleepy and in labour to carry on so I woke up my husband at about 3.30. He filled the birth pool and phoned the doula. She arrived about half an hour later and told DH to be quick and phone the MW. MW arrived very quickly and immediately asked me to get out of the pool to have an internal examination which I declined and the doula suggested she read my birth plan which specifically said no internals unless medically indicated Even I knew I was about to give birth very soon and there was no point. Anyway, the MW rang for her backup MW who arrived in 5 minutes, just in time for DS2 to arrive at 6.30am. The only bit that really hurt was crowning, everything else just felt like hard work which was a massive difference from my first labour which was total agony.

The placenta took a while to arrive which was a pain, and the MW made it clear that they had not been thrilled to be at a home birth (WHY would you become a community MW if you don't like home births?). I had been blissfully unaware duing the birth though and the doula handled them very well. They cheered up when it was time to run me a bath and tuck me up in bed, and it was great to see the back of them It was so nice not to be in hospital with someone checking blood pressure every 5 minutes, phones going, babies crying and people emptying the bins etc etc. I would definitely do it again.

I had a hospital birth with DC1 and it was fine, positive even, but something in me had always wanted to have a home birth so with DC2 I tentatively mentioned it to MW at booking in appt - she was fantastic, it turns out I am lucky to live in an area where the community midwives LOVE HB and every MW I saw during my pregnancy was very encouraging. So you might find your MWs are also all for it when you ask.

• MW came out at 36 weeks with home birth box stayed for 1.5 hours to go over everything and answer all our questions (DH was there too and it was great for him to have all his concerns listened to a put at rest). She gave us a list of everything we needed to provide: towels, space on a table, a strong light - we borrowed an anglepoise lamp, protective covers we bought a couple of cheap waterproof covers (her suggestion was shower curtains).

• On the day phoned MW hotline after about an hour of active labour who contacted duty community MW for me. Community MW had been VERY clear that we must let them know asap when in labour.

• Told duty MW I thought it was early doors and she didn't need to come out yet but just letting her know (it was about 9pm at this point). She told me to phone again in an hour NO MATTER WHAT.

• Thanks goodness she was clear with her advice because an hour latter I wouldn't otherwise have bothered but rang and she arrived 20 mins later. I asked for internal and was 9cm!

• She said push when you like but I didn't reach that point for about an hour and it was all of a sudden when it happened, she rang for 2nd MW who arrived 5 mins after baby. In between times we chatted, drank tea, ate jaffa cakes and I paced where-ever I wanted and moved about however I liked.

• Had a couple of stitches, fed baby, MW finished paperwork (and they can't leave until you've done a wee) then left about 2 hours after birth. DH and I had tea and toast in bed snuggled with new baby. BLISS.

Am definitely planning HB for DC3 due in Oct. Have no doubt that had I wanted her to MW would have come at 9pm and stayed. Having one to one care is so much better than the chance you take in hospital that there will be a MW available just for you. It was relaxed, I used TENS, no G&A though she had 2 cannisters, think I could have had Meptid but not necessary, didn't have a pool though many HB women do.

Hope all goes well for you :)

I'm planning a hb for dc1, had my assessment visit yesterday (36 wks today) and have complete faith as my dsis has had dcs2,3 &4 at my mum & dad's (she lives in Italy where births are much more medicalised than here), although my mum delivered her dc3 as she progressed so fast! I chose hb as our local hospital often redirects women in labour to other hospitals (at least 30 mins drive away) plus you're not supposed to call until contractions are 3-4 mins apart & I think that's a bit close! However there are always community MWs on call & as it's an underutilized service you get more support than in hospital.

As others have said assessment is to make sure ur home is suitable for giving birth in (we're rennovating a bed & bathroom which isn't an issue as there's 4 other rooms we could use). Mw told me I could buy a tent & have the baby in the garden if a wanted ( :s ) so as you can tell community MWs here are very pro hb! I need to provide appropriate coverings to protect furnishings (plastic dust sheet under cheapo bed sheet and you can buy protective mats from boots like they have in OBEM) which MWs dispose of, refreshment & toilet facilities for MWs (so if you're in the bath & she needs a wee u may need to get out or have a 2nd loo available, or a cup of tea for her if it's all taking a while!). I have to buy or hire pool & tens machine if I want to use them, and make sure suitable lighting is available for stitching if required.

My mw will bring gas & air plus aromatherapy kit with her (plus pethidine if I don't get prescription from gp before, but I need to remind them when I call during labour). I told them I wanted hb from booking in appt, and have been really well supported, mw has always stressed that safety of me & baby is her main priority & I will be transferred to hospital if she has concerns (she went through a list of possible scenarios with me). She also pointed out if I change my mind at the last minute it doesn't matter & can chose to deliver in hospital.

If my family wasn't supportive of my choice I wouldn't tell them (no intention of letting them know when I'm in labour, don't want mum turning up just as I'm about to start pushing :o ). Good luck with it all!

Thank you all for your replies. Everyone who has posted a story of their home birth has made it sound fantastic. I love the idea of curling up with my new baby in my big bed straight after delivery and not being stuck in an uncomfortable and noisy ward!

I really do think im going to go for it now. I have my next midwife app in a couple of weeks so will bring it up then. My community Midwifes are very pro homebirth and as this is my fourth pregnancy I feel like I know them all pretty well now. I expect this will be my last baby so would love the last birth to be the best experience. I know you can't plan it all but if it goes like my first three, it should be really good at home.

Alwaysanaunt, you said your midwife went through some of the complications your midwife would atomically transfer you to hospital for. Can I ask what she said?

for us they were clear that we woudl be transfered for all sorts of different things

if labour wasn't progressing in a "textbook" fashion (the example they gave was if we got to 5cm and stopped dialting)

if there were any concerns about my or babies heartrate
if THEY thought I wasn't coping

adding to that at anytime I could change my mind.

all of those things, are of course, circumstances in which they would advise you transfer....

When are you due flagnog?

I'm due towards the end of July. So still plenty of time to put stuff in place.

On my homebirth checklist the mw left with me the reasons for transfer to hospital are as follows (mw's explanation why in brackets):

Prolonged rupture of membranes (ie no contractions after waters break)
Meconium stained waters (possible sign of fetal distress)
Failure to progress in labour
Fetal distress (would be recognised by monitoring heart rate)
Excessive vaginal bleeding (lots of red blood rather than a bloody show)
Further analgesia (pain relief, ie: epidural. I picked up my prescription for Pethidine today from GP :) )
Retained placenta (can only be removed in theatre)
Neonatal complications (low APGAR score or other issues)
Third degree tear (hard for MW to stitch these without appropriate pain relief and equipment/lighting)
Babies who are below 10th centile (as low birth weight may indicate other issues)

As she kept saying - it's all about keeping you and baby safe!

Similarly good experience from me in London. I had no birthing pool so spent much of my labour in the bath. Mum downstairs entertained the midwives, my husband was up with me in the bathroom. I used hypnotherapy and gas and air. My waters broke very late in the bath and they had me get out to deliver (very cramped bathroom). There was meconium in the waters; they called the EMTs for transfer but she was being born as they arrived 10 mins later and was fine. We were offered the option to go to hospital for further checks but decided not to. Doctor came round that night to examine, and the next morning as well.

My mum offered me homemade soup to drink soon after my girl was born (about 6pm). By 8:30 my husband and baby and I were alone and in bed. What a lovely day!

I gave birth on the bed; we'd bought a plastic sheet for under and the midwives threw everything in the washer - no muss no fuss. I had a tear that they stitched. Everything was no big deal somehow! Anyway I felt safe and looked after, and can attest that the EMTs come quickly.