if you had a home birrh did you...

[soandsosmum]

...have to go to hospital for the post birth checks for baby? If so, when did you go?

Was told to take DD2 in to hospital the day after she was born. I had no idea there were areas where MWs/GPs do the checks at home. Everything else about ante and post natal care here was excellent. We had to hang around for ages for the paed who eventually arrived to give her a cursory once over in a matter of minutes, luckily my parents were staying and looked after DD1. DD2 also had hearing check same day and one ear had to be repeated as it was too soon after birth and her little ears were still a bit blocked, we had to go back a week later for this, which was also a pain.

Reading about others' experiences I think with DC3 I'll refuse to go in so soon after the birth (as long as no concerns).

My GP came to the house to do it.

Bless him - he's a tall, stooped Indian doctor with trousers 3 inches two short flapping around his skinny ankles and a very bad hair cut.

He looked so happy when he arrived. He confessed he hadn't been out to do a newborn check at a home birth in decades. I think it made his week!

(should add that he was lovely with all my children - some doctors have a beautiful way with babies. Made the birth even more special for me that the baby check was done by him).

GP did mine at home. Apparantly they normally make you go to the surgery but he was new and agreed to come out. Did have to go to hospital for hearing check.

Shagmund the GP who came out to do DD's check was a locum and was absolutely lovely. He was coming up to retirement age and said that he hadn't been to a home 'confinement' for ages

it was my GP who came to my house

i had been to her a year before to tell her i was having a baby then (ie 1 year from now).... she basically said it can take months to fall pg... I said maybe, but i will have a baby then

went to her a few months later 5w pg and very very sick (HG pregnancy).... she was supportive throughout... my horrendous pregnancy... i was HG until birth!

as soon as she saw I had had a home-birth she took it... told the other Drs in the practice that "this one was hers"

I was so pleased to see her... she is the most wonderful Dr, and to see her face the next morning was the cherry on the icing on the cake!

I had my homebirth assessment visit with midwife yesterday & apparently I will get a home visit from midwife trained in newborn checks (exact timing depends on labour, but within 24 hours). We have community based midwife care here, so they are posted to a children's centre (easier to park & appointments are more/less on time compared to hospital - still grrr about 3 hr wait for 20wk scan in boiling hot waiting room with no food/drinks!). She didn't mention about hearing test so will have to check notes or remember to ask next time. Good luck! :)

All done at home here too. My own GP did the newborn check day after, the hearing test was done by my health visitor rather than fhe MW, about day ten I think? Although I think with DS1 we had that done at the GP surgery.

Thanks. Sounds it depends on where you live. As with all nhs stuff it seems! I'll try and rem to ask about this at my 16 week appointment. And remember I can postpone by a few days if I have to go to hosp.(I'm also rural and will have an 18m old too)

That's if I get the consultant to agree a homebirth after third degree tear ... but that's another thread