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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

What happens immediately after a normal homebirth?

16 replies

Jojobump1986 · 10/04/2013 15:22

I had a homebirth last time but had to transfer in afterwards due to a small pph & a bad 2nd degree tear. I'm now writing my birthplan for DS2 & it's just occurred to me that I don't really know what I want to happen after the birth, assuming everything goes to plan this time!

Will the midwives need to hang around to fill in paperwork etc. for any length of time or will they more-or-less pack up & go once they're sure we're healthy?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

D0G · 10/04/2013 15:25

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GerrardWinstanley · 10/04/2013 15:37

similair story here - once baby and placenta delivered, and baby on my breast, the midwives went downstairs for tea, biscuits and paperwork for an hour or two. Once they were sure everything was OK, off they went. There'll be a protocol that they have to stay a minimum time but they should be really good at leaving you to your own devices. They may stay a little longer for you as you've had PPH before? My MW sewed up a second degree tear at home by the way.

Hope it goes well this time!

MoonHare · 10/04/2013 17:20

They have to stay at least as long as it takes for you to do a wee.

mayhew · 10/04/2013 18:21

As a HB mw. Pretty much as above. I remember once packing up my kit and putting it in the car and then going upstairs to check on mum with 4th babe. 45 mins after birth, she was snoring like a train! i put the baby in the basket and crept out?.

PickleSarnie · 10/04/2013 18:27

Mine waited until I did a wee.

BeehavingBaby · 10/04/2013 18:32

Mine have tucked me up in bed pretty quick and popped back at tea time to check on me and / or perform baby check but obviously if I had had babies pm they would have waited til the day after. Was lovely, they didn't do much but I felt very pampered and well cared for.

thepartysover · 10/04/2013 19:50

Marking my place. Snoring away 45 minutes after giving birth sounds blissful (as does pasties and champagne, D0G)!

D0G · 10/04/2013 19:52

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squidkid · 14/04/2013 17:48

Mine stayed about 1.5 hours. Paperwork, I think they cleaned up, sorted out placenta, checked for tears, helped with breastfeeding, checked I was weeing ok, ate cake. I think they would have left earlier if I'd wanted them too but it felt like we'd all been through a marathon and they'd been lovely so I was in no rush to kick them out.

They left at around 7am and another midwife came back at about 2pm to check on me. I could have called them any time though.

I had a full breakfast, shower, went to bed to cuddle my little one, took photos, phoned my family, champagne and soft cheese and loads of pasta for lunch. Oh what a day it was....

StiffyByng · 14/04/2013 19:25

Mine did placenta delivery, checked my tear, watched first feed, ate bacon sandwiches (my husband revealed that he had baked some bread while I was in labour), got my other half to dress the baby, saw me have a shower, did paperwork and told me if I hadn't weed by the afternoon I would have to have a catheter, so get moving! They were pretty speedy about it all and it was only reading a recent thread on here that made me realise it was shift change, so I imagine they were keen to get going! They were lovely though.

Airwalk79 · 14/04/2013 23:06

First time stayed a couple of hours, dress baby help with feeding, paperwork my dad changed her break pads :-)) then rang later to check we were ok.

Second time, was somehow very lucky and got the same lovely lady, pretty much the same, but we all sat at the table and ate hotpot and fudge cake I'd made whilst in labour! Very good distraction cooking... And lovely afterwards!

seriouscakeeater · 15/04/2013 08:51

Oh what lovely experiences! I wanted a home birth but dh has begged me not to (after watching too many Obem episodes!)

thepartysover · 15/04/2013 09:02

I agree seriouscakeeater - what fantastic experiences! Completely what I'm hoping for. Is your DH really that set against it? Mine was sceptical to begin with but soon came around to the idea once I pointed out the pros (continuity of antenatal care, two dedicated midwives at the birth, the fact that he can have a glass of wine at home). If you live relatively close to a hospital, I say go for it!

seriouscakeeater · 15/04/2013 09:13

theparty he is dead set against it, we watch a program where babys shoulder got stuck and dh was in tears! HE found it very traumatic lol
Even though I'm very low risk and I would love one due to the care of midwifes ect our dd is an ivf baby and dh is treating her as a gift from the gods lol bless. He would be beside him self with worry!

Some one up thread talked pies sms champers afterwards, ooooh that would be lovey! How long left now?

nannyl · 18/04/2013 14:33

My baby was born at 2237, we were home alone (and all tucked up in bed) by 0100

in the mean time my baby had a super long breastfeed.
I had a stitch (lieing on the sofa)
I spent an hour in the bath (while OH had an hour of skin to skin with baby)

midwife 1 had only been there 19mins at the point DD was born and midwife 2 arrived after the birth
Midwife 1 was soon called to another home birth, so left about an hour (max) after my birth.

MrsJLS85 · 18/04/2013 17:10

seriouscakeeater my husband is also worried about home birth because of shoulder dystocia - but I do wonder what they can do at a hospital that the midwives can't do at home to fix it? Isn't it all about changing position, etc? Do hospitals have a special tool that they would use?

I love the idea of champers in bed after the birth, sigh... how lovely

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