Home birth - do or don't?

[MelCGox]

Hi ladies,
I am in the early days of my first pregnancy and I'm considering home birth. I was wondering if anyone has any tips/ideas how to approach this with partner/midwives/docs/friends+family?!
I would love to hear your stories if you decided to go for home birth and what your experiences were like!!
Thanks, Mel x

I had a homebirth with my DD, my first baby, and it was amazing. I was lucky enough to have an independent midwife though ao had brilliant post natal care too to support BFing etc. Not sure how that bit would with with community midwives. TBH though I think if you're havin any problems BFing, finding an NHS lactation consultant rather than a midwife is the way forward anyway.

Ive had two homebirths myself although I had the first in a midwife led unit (my choice due to slight bleeding a month or two before birth and slightly raised blood pressure) Many of my friends have had homebirths for first and subsequent babies and only one was transferred in for a few minor baby prob after birth all solved after a few days in hospital. She went on to have two more home births. I would definitely recommend it if your pregnancy goes well, keep an open mind though as you never know how things will be towards the end.

Thanks so much everyone for your stories and advice! It makes me feel more confident that a home birth is right for me and that, evidently, there are real success stories!
Your right...it's my body and I'm the one who needs to make the call and feel comfortable.
But I will also keep an open mind and understand the health and safety of me and the baby are paramount and if I/we do have to change the plan and head to the hospital then so be it! xx

I wouldn't for my first. I found my first birth very very painful and didn't cope well with the pain. with dd2 I felt much more in control and had a much easier Birth in hospital with just gas and air. I could have had dd2 at home in retrospect but I would not have wanted to be at home with my first. Ds1 had to be delivered by ventouse, I wouldn't have coped and I think t is so hard to predict how your body will react the first time.