homebirthers - tell me your lovely stories

[littlemonkeychops]

Hi
I'm planning a homebirth for DC2, 38 weeks now. Had a straightforward birth with DC1 at MLU and only 5 mins from hospital if i need to transfer.

So, about 90% of the time i am excited and positive but for the last couple of days i've felt wobbly, not about the homebirth side of things i'm confident it's shat i want. Just suddenly nervous about the "argh i actually havd to go through labour again" aspect! I guess this is normal for a second birth?!

So please shard your positive homebirth stories, for some reason reading positive stories makes me feel less wobbly!

Thanks

Stupid typos, sorry!

I've had 2 hb's and had wobbles before both of them. I used to go to the homebirth.org site and read the birth stories to banish the wobbles, and if you google homebirth diaries, the series may be on YouTube.

Ds2 & 3 were both VBAC hb's in water.

Ds2 arrived very quickly - much quicker than expected. The MW arrived to see two pushes before he crowned. The labour was fast, but great. Very peaceful and pretty easy really. After the birth it was lovely to have the home comforts around us.

Ds3 took a bit longer to arrive, but the labour wasn't so furious. Ds2 saw his brother being born, as did my sister. It was lovely for all of us to be at home together. Ds3's arrival into the family just flowed because it wasn't interrupted by going into hospital.

Good luck with your HB, it will be one of your best experiences ever

Aw thanks ILikeTo, i am very excited, just have moments of feeling "eek". Thanks i'll have a look at the homebirths site.

Marking place

Hello theparty, are you in the same boat??

Hiya,

Am 37+3 today and so happy to have made it this far after a couple of hairy braxton hicks filled days as now I am sure to get my HB! DS1 was born at home on Boxing Day and it was really great - not a short or particularly easy labour, especially the delivery bit, but so wonderful to be relaxed and at home. I was remembering it yesterday and the MW arrived at about 4 am and just literally sat and quietly watched me labour in/out of the pool most of the time she was there - amazing to think I got such personal and high quality service the whole time. It was so much better than the London hospital births I had been terrified by in my pregnancy. The MW was due to go off shift at 8 am but stayed until I delivered at 12 and for a bit afterwards and for 4 hours I had two wonderful MWs encouraging, helping and reassuring me. They said if I had been in hospital I would have had a snip and forceps or ventouse because the pushing was so slow, but as it was they monitored baby's heart every contraction as I was pushing and I got off with some very minor grazing that didn't need stitches.

They left me in bed with my gorgeous boy and hubby... had to sit at table for a 3 course dinner with MIL 3 hours after but that's a different story...

Oh and we sat by the Christmas tree watching the twinkly lights as I gave him his first breastfeed - bliss!

Me me! Marking place so I can type properly when I get home, currently standing in line at the back!

I mean bank!

Have had two home births and hoping to have a third in the next month. I love stayin at home. No stress. Really relaxing. It's almost as if the birth fits in with your day. Both have been evening labours and last time ds slept through it all and woke up to a new baby sister.

I love being able to have a shower or bath before jumping into your own bed straight after. Bliss

Fingers crossed for both of us it all goes to plan this time too.

I had 2 births at our local MLU and then a HB.

The HB was brilliant, the mws were great and it didn't seem to matter that I hadn't got much ready (all I had was a groundsheet, dc3 caught us on the hop arriving a few weeks early, in fact I was only technically far enough along to have a hb half way through labour lol. The mws wrapped dc3 up in my best towel but I have to say I didn't care at that point! and it washed up nicely afterwards.) I can't tell you how wonderful it was to sink into my own bed afterwards and in the morning dc1 came and jumped into bed with me as he did every morning with a sideways glance at the crib and a very nonchalant "oh the baby came then"

My 2nd birth was totally amazing. It was fast and furious and dc2 arrived with literally the first push (think it took 2 pushes to get his head fully out, and 2 more for the rest of him) I can't even describe how I felt - so empowered and totally in control of my body - I am Woman, Hear me ROAR!

My experience was certainly that I felt like I knew what I was doing 2nd and 3rd time around - dc3 was a little trickier as he was in a funny position but I knew it didn't feel right and felt quite confident to say that and the mws helped me sort it out.

Aw I feel quite emotional now, I know giving birth is no picnic OP but it is an amazing experience - I almost feel sad that I will never do it again.

I have had four homebirths, all of which went pretty much the same way, though DS2 here was born like this -

1. labour starts (and not a day too soon, at +13)
2. England commences game with Italy
3. MW called - they ask if I am Definitely In Labour and I assure them that I Definitely Am.
4. They arrive fresh from another HB, get set up, measure pulse, foetal HB etc, check dilation and find at 8cm..
5. DH checks match to find England have scored
6. waters go and out pops DS2 at 9'10 - to me he looks like a 3 monther he's that big
7. Dh goes to watch penalty shootout.
8. tidy up (bloody gacky mess goes with MWs in big sack), have a bath, load pictures of little one to FB.

I am very happy to have had a Hb this time, had we been going to the CLu we wouldn't have been admitted as they were on divert to other units they were that busy.

as a second timer your chances of transfer would be very low, and second deliveries are usually easier, hope all goes well whatever :)

Me, 2 lovely home waterbirths - can't type in full now but will later!

I can recommend "Stand and Deliver" as a positivity boost while getting cold feet about labour.

I have had 4 hb, and am hoping for another with dc6 due 7th Oct

I had ds 1 in hosp, and had a straightforward and easy labour, and everything was fine, but My mum had had my brother at home when I was 4 and I am really close with him, and helped to wash him and dress him afterwards and I have always wanted that for my dc.

So dd1 I was 1 day overdue, mw called round just to check up on me..... my mum was also round (luckily!) Did a few checks on me and was about to leave when I mentioned that my back really hurt today. Cue my Mum jumping in and saying that with one of her labours that was all she had had, and that the mw ought to check me out. mw laughed and said no way was I in labour as I was far too relaxed. Mum was really insistent to the point where I snapped at her for being embarrassing! Mw said no harm in checking so we went upstairs.... she checked and I was 7cms! went to go get her bag and dd was born about 15 mins later! lol She was back to back, which I always thought was supposed to make it harder, but the mw said that was why all the pain had been in my back.

ds2 was 37+1 - 40 mins from first twinge to birth and dh had to catch him!

after that was reccommended I had future babies at home!

ds3 was about a 2 hr labour and mw arrived just before he was born (4mins before on the notes) and he was born at 3am and the other dc didn't wake up so had a lovely surprise in the morning.

dd2 was born in the bath - I couldn't get out in time!
The mw rang (on the day she was due) and said she had to pass the end of my road on her way to work and did i want her to call in. I said I'm just in the bath, I feel a bit funny! She said she was on her way! You would think i would know I was in labour with my 5th but was only having tightenings about every 20 mins and they didn't really hurt - however I had gotten into the bath as my legs were killing me ! they literally felt like someone was twisting them - like wringing out a dishcloth!

Anyway dd2 was born just as the mw was coming up the stairs

Good Luck with your HB

can't reccommend it enough - and there's nothing like snuggling up in your own bed afterwards

Thanks everyone, this is exactly what i needed, i will keep re-reading this thread to give me inspiration :-)

Love thd idea of DD waking up in thd morning to meet her new sibling.

At the MLU with DD it felt more like the MWs were running the birth and i was just a participant (they were really lovely though!) whereas hoping having a homebirth will enable me and DH to feel like we're the ones in control if that makes sense? And having bath in my osn bathroom and sleeping in my own bed sounds like bliss!!

Right I'm back from town now! DD was a water birth at the lovely MLU 20 miles away but as it was all quite fast, I decided to have a home birth second time round and I'm glad I did as DS was born just 40 minutes after the midwives arrived.

He was a big boy at 9 lbs 3 but I didn't have a scratch, again delivered in water. The whole experience was lovely, really low key and relaxed. The midwives hung about for a cup of tea and a chat then they took a taxi back to the maternity ward taking my placenta away in a plastic bag....I wonder if the cab driver knew!

The whole experience was really lovely and DD slept through it all, waking to meet her new baby brother the next morning, DS just fell straight into family life and we had friends round for breakfast that first morning to meet him.

Good luck, hope it all goes well.

I had a lovely home birth with DS. He was my first but the midwives were really really supportive of my choice and I ws so glad I'd done it that way. I was really relaxed all the way through - midwife said she'd never seen a first-timer so chilled out! I hoovered and watched Laurel and Hardy DVDs, both my best friends popped in at various times during the day, DH was dispatched to the chippy at lunchtime and it all felt like a totally normal thing to be doing. Yes, it still blooming hurt at times, and it was a long labour (19 hours from start to finish), but being able to have a long hot shower in my own bathroom and sleep in my own bed afterwards was wonderful. DS was incredibly chilled out and content from the very start: a friend's mum who's a GP in Denmark saw a photo of him at a few hours old and her first comment was 'That baby was born at home, wasn't he?' because he looked so relaxed.

littlemonkey - exactly the same! I'm 39+5 now, with my second baby. Planning a homebirth, 5 minutes from hospital if it comes to it. I've been feeling really excited (impatient) lately but when I thought I was having actual contractions this morning, I started to panic. Didn't have a great time of it with DS and really hoping that being in my own environment this time will help me to feel more in control.

Mine went like this:

5pm at +12 refuse sweep, MW says baby not at all engaged and free.

10pm do own internal, still no cervix.

3:30am wake up with curry tummy ache (it's was my 3rd and I was +12 - you'd think I'd recognise labour).

Ran and got in bath with ipad on the side to play with MN and the contraction timer.

Lay on my tum in the bath to help positioning.

6:30 call dh and ask for TENS and doula. Do self-internal to find bouncy trampoline (bulging waters).

7:00 Doula turns up and calls midwife. MW asks if I want her to come out. I definately don't. I'm leaning over bed waiting for the children to be taken out for breakfast and school.

7:30 waters break on loo (excellently convenient) come downstairs and lean over sofa whilst dh fills the pool. Doula calls MW again who ask if we can wait until shift changeover and doula says 'nope'.

7:45 transition. Didn't vocalise but in my head thought 'I've well had enough' so got into the pool.

7:55 Midwife turns up with 7 cans of gas and air, but no mouthpiece. She goes outside to get reception for her phone and I never see her again.

8:05 Another two midwives turn up, say hello and then go and manouvre their cars whilst dh runs after them asking for the gas and air.

8:10 Heads out

8:14 shoulders out MWs return just in time and give me gas and air for the 3rd stage which I do in the pool with cord uncut.

I had ds at home. My dd was was born in hospital. Very short and easy labour and the mw actually said to me on the delivery bed" you should go for a home birth next time" so I did! Ds was born in less than 2.5 hrs(to quick!!) but was lovely having dd wake up the next morning and her little brother had just magically appeared. I was worried about what we would so with dd but she slept thru everything. Good luck. I would definitely do it again.

My home birth boy is 18 now. A water birth with two community midwives, quick, easy and more discomfort than pain from contractions.
DS1 was present for his brother's birth ( he just came downstairs and we couldn't send him away) and I think that is one reason they are so very close. The delivery was followed by a hearty cooked breakfast, a long sleep for us all and I was up and about cooking dinner - because I wanted to - later in the day. One of the best days of my life.

Yay, feeling much less wobbly now some lovely stories :-)

Oooo theparty how exciting, let us know how it goes!

The most euphoric day of my life. Ds 2 born in the bath with three fantastic midwives attending. Could not have felt more in control and empowered, like my body just knew what to do. Big baby but no stitches this time, according to dh I was in another world and made no noise what to ever in stark contrast to ds 1, if it wasn't for having another child would happily have that day again! Good luck.

You know what the best thing about my homebirth was?

I had the confidence to tell the midwives exactly what I was doing, and then ask for their advice if and when I needed some help.

So, in the pool, I said 'Now the heads out, I'm going to sit back, so you might want to go round the other side of the pool'

and then

'I think I'll stay in a bit and cuddle my baby'

and then

'My membranes are all tangled up inside me with the cord, what do you suggest?'

and then, on request to check me internally after I had got out

'no thanks, I'll feed my baby now and after that you can check me'.

Loving these stories! I'm not due till end of August, but planning hb. Only thing is DH doesn't fully know about my hb aspirations yet and might have a bit of a worry - the sort of "shouldn't we be where all the expert help is" kind of worry - is there stuff to reassure him on homebirth.org.uk? It's not that I haven't mentioned it, I have, but he doesn't like to think about things like that till it's actually time to make those decisions/choices.

DS was 9lbs 5 born at 42 weeks in the MLU, VB but took hours and hours and seemed quite difficult but was probably well within 'textbook' definition. I just don't fancy all the logistics of having someone come and look after him, would love it if he just woke up in the morning to a new baby brother or sister.