Two fast labours, advised home birth for third...

[littleraysofsunshine]

Please tell me the benefits/disadvantages! I would think it's lovely being at Home, ideally in a warm birthing pool. But what if something does go wrong, and hospital equipment isn't there to hand slightly nervous thinking about it. But I don't am want to risk giving birth in the hospital car park either as dd2 was born 20mins since arriving at the hospital!

I had DD in hospital (after a long labour stalled at home) and DS at home (after a much faster labour) and I can really recommend the home birth experience. Obviously you will have midwives present (there are usually two with you for the delivery) and they carry lots of kit, including baby resuscitation equipment so it's very safe. Also, they will monitor you throughout and, if there was anything amiss, you would transfer to hospital (as I did for my first delivery). In my opinion, given your history of speedy labour, a planned home birth would be less fraught than a dash to hospital and you would have all the benefits of being in your own home. Hope this helps.

Hello, during your labour your midwife will be constantly assessing you and your baby's condition, reviewing your on-going suitability to remain at home - any concerns & she won't hesitate to transfer you to hospital. She'll also have all the necessary equipment to start emergency treatment, if needed. Hope that puts your mind at rest!

For subsequent babies, being at home is just as safe as being in hospital. And in your case I think you'd be much safer being at home rather than trying to beat the clock and make it to the hospital in time.

if you look at all the stats you are actually LESS (not equally) likely to die at home. as is baby. You are LESS likely to get an infection and need intervention. less likely to have a severe PP heamorage

You are MORE likely to feel happier about your birth, more likely to breastfeed successfully, and babies apgar score is typicall higher at home.

Obvioulsy these are stats and no one has a crystal ball to see what "will" happen.

Giving birth on the road side / in a car is much much more dangerous than a home (or hospital etc) so by staying at home you dont take that risk either.

If you are low risk then home is the safest place for you...

real blue light emergancy transfers are unusual.... midwives normally see problems and advise transfer before they get to life threatening emergancy.

I live a LONG way from hospital (too long for me to consider travelling there)
The midwives bring all the equipment that they would have in the midwife unit, and people dont seem to bat an eye lid about people who choose to go there.....

Lots of people assume that home-birth is some how dangerous, where as the studies show this is really not the case

(im 37+ weeks now and waiting for my 2nd home birth for number 2)

Also regardless of the fact its safer, it is also positively nice to sleep in your own bed, have your own clean bathroom, and your kitchen full of food for you to help yourself too avaliable too.

What if baby arrives before midwives?

I had pph with dd1 in hospital( due to low iron, big baby and fast delivery.)

2nd was great. Back to back but I didn't realise. Intense but I found it easy.. Only one puff on g&a.

I would like a home water birth. It's just if this baby wants to be even more super fast. (Faster than 1hr from waters breaking - to holding baby) lol

I have mixed feelings about this. First was born in hospital after 4 hrs labour. Second was at home after 30 mins labour. One midwife only who arrived ad he was emerging. Third was at home. 7 hours back to back. No mouthpiece for gas and air.... And for some reason i wasnt able to articulate that maybe they could get one from elsewhere. I bled a.lot afterwards the midwife flapped quite a lot and tore badly and had to be transferred in. On reflection it was scary.
My first homebirth was great my second not, but i know i vould have had even worse experiences in hospital.

this is an interesting BBC article from today basically low risk second time mothers who choose to birth in hospital are basically doubley likely to have a complication than those low risk mothers who choose to plan a home birth

if baby arrives before the midwives (mine did) then it is likely to be a very easy, very straight forward birth (as otherwise it wouldn't be so quick) and you just cuddle up with your baby until the midwives arrive.

If its going to be too fast for the mw to get to you then it will be too fast for you to get to hospital. I would much prefer an unassisted birth at home than in a layby!

DC2 was born 5 minutes after arrival at the hospital. I was aware I had potentially put my baby at risk (I had spent the morning thinking ouch, this smarts a bit, must be warmups - and when my waters went at around lunchtime there was meconium and it was a mad rush to hospital). With DC3 when I realised I had twinges around 10 minutes apart and was possibly in labour, I went to hospital immediately. on the phone they said they would probably send me home. DC3 was born a comfortable 1h 40 after arrival.
However, I have absolutely no interest in having a home birth, so just to give you a different perspective. Different if a HB is up your street!

OP I was in the same situation with ds3. Was terrified I might end up giving birth on top of a moor so I opted for the home birth.

What's the situation with your mws? I knew I'd be attended by local team of v experienced mws, so I felt very confident.
I knew both of my mws very well - in fact when I called up she said as its you I'm coming straight over

Most very fast births are straightforward - if this one turns out to be slower then you'd have plenty of time to transfer.

I loved my hb. Good luck with deciding what's right for you.

Positive story here...

A good friend of mine has very quick labours and since she lives 20 mins drive from the hospital she decided with DC4 she will have a home birth.

Her baby girl was born very safely at 6am this morning in the comfort of her own home with no intervention needed.

I think it has swayed my future decisions : )

Good luck in making yours x

My 2nd was born at home, with a paramedic jogging up the stairs as she was crowning. Ambulance came a few minutes later and midwife came about three quarters of an hour after DD was born! If I had planned a homebirth, I wouldn't have been transferred to hospital afterwards (we didn't have a strong enough light to be examined properly, but we would have thought about that for a planned HB.

If they offered homebirth here (I've since moved to a country where homebirth is not an option except in major cities) I would be opting for one, as I don't really fancy giving birth on the side of the road in the snow between home and hospital.