Tell me what happened just before, during & just after your home birth !

[littleraysofsunshine]

I am ten weeks pregnant with dc3, highly advised for home birth as I had two super fast labours.

I think it'll be lovely. But can't help but feel anxious as its something I've never done before, and that I have two small children already.

Ideally I will go into labour at night (again) where they will be asleep.. I will be calm again but a bit more calmer.. Birth pool will be filled as required and it'll go smoothly and midwives will be here!

Ok shall I stop dreaming now? Lol

My homebirth was wonderful! I also have a history of fast labour which is what swayed my decision. I went into labour, called mw then had a nice bath and put towels down in bedroom. Mw arrived and checked me over then I got started on the gas and air. Baby arrived fairly quickly on the bedroom floor then we had a lovely snuggle and feed in bed while the mw checked us both over, stitched me and cleaned up. It was exactly what I would have wished for from a hospital birth with all the extra comforts of home plus I didn't have to travel during labour

I had my third at home, 1st 2 babies at hospital, hated it, very long labours, 3rd long also but enjoyed being at home. Didnt have pool, kids were at school during, they left in the morning as labour was really kicking off. Had her at 2.30 pm. I had 4th baby at local small hospital as wanted pool, 50 mins within arriving at hosp he was born. i personally would go for small midwife unit again as i felt in control more.

Before: Sunday morning, 9am got up, ate breakfast, broke waters about 11.30am, started filling pool (having done a test run about 3 weeks previously to find out just how long we needed). Rang midwife, rang MIL to look after DS1.

MIL arrived about 12.30, pool full around 1pm. Got in. Midwife arrived about 1.15pm, baby arrived at 2.34pm.

After: cord cut after pulsating stopped, got out of pool as it was murky due to a bit of blood loss. Had injection to deliver the placenta as bleeding still trickling away. Had to go to hospital for a synto injection to stop it in the end but no problem, ambulance came, all calm. Discharged home next morning.

Before, walked about three miles in laps round the house. During, BP went up, paramedic called, told him to fuck off, baby born a VERY few minutes later.

After, toast, pâté, shower and bed :D

Hoping for another one any day now.

Btw I had loads of niggles and twinges during the day but nothing really happened until dc1 was tucked up asleep in bed. The mw told me it is very common for labour to wait until the other children are safely out of the way

I had a home birth recently. I had twinges all afternoon, went into proper labour in early evening, made dinner, sent DS1 to stay at his grandparents', the midwife came and checked me over, then called for her second. I had the baby on my living room sofa a bit before midnight, the midwives did all the clearing up and making tea for us while DH and I cuddled DS2, one of the midwives went home and the other one stuck around until I'd fed DS2 and got up and had a shower and was feeling okay, and then she left us all tucked up in bed around 2am. The next morning another midwife came for another check, and so on in the usual post-natal visits. It was all fairly straightforward and trouble-free. I had an episiotomy and it was stitched up at home (much less painfully than the episiotomy I had with DS1 - he was born in hospital). I didn't use a birth pool, so filling it up and so forth wasn't an issue. I was a bit worried about what would happen with DS1 when I was in labour, but he was very happy off at his grandparents' house. My midwife said she thought I wouldn't start labouring really full-on until he was out from underfoot, and she was right.

Had #2 at home, DS.

Before: 9am ish DTD , 30mins later contraction. After a couple of hrs, called my DM & DF as they were due to look after DD when the time came. Tried to get things together (had various bags of stuff prepped in the cupboard under the stairs). DH was still decorating DS's room (I was 38+6 so hardly early...). Called MW when waters started leaking. Suddenly had 3 strong contractions in 15mins so called them back & MW was sent out.

During; DD was taken out, I started labouring quite hard in our bedroom. Had a bit of gas & air, MW sat quite relaxed on the end of the bed. This was around 3pm, she called another MW to come as usual but to bring a 3rd as she was off at 5pm. She sent me to the loo, nothing happened, except I thought I might need a poo... Suddenly its time!! The other 2 MWs had arrived thankfully & were trying to eat lunch downstairs!! 20mins or so later, DS was born (just after 4pm).

After; lots & lots of skin to skin, first feed etc, before they weighed him. Felt very calm & relaxed compared to my DD's birth. Was wonderful having hot tea & biscuits in my own bed & DD being brought home to meet him that evening (along with a Sunday roast "doggy bag" from my parents) and being able to sleep in my own bed. Felt serene.

Definitely recommend.

Second DC at home like others due to quick labour. Woke up 2 am niggly pains,wander a while upstairs,woke DH & went downstairs had brew,toast etc. called MW 4 am. Had DD 7 am in my bed upstairs with gas & air. 7.45 DS woke up, joined us in bed for cuddles. As well as it could have gone

My first was contractions at 4:05pm, waters didn't break until she was coming out. Born at 8:33pm. But pushing wasn't long at all. Was just walking a lot to help.

Dd2 I went to bed at 10:15pm, waters broke at 10:53pm, contractions immediately started 5mins apart, got to hospital at around 11:25, check in, got on the bed and tried o not open my legs as dp was on his way... MW left room, I opened legs started pushing little did I know she was back to back. She was out at 11:53pm. So an hour exactly..

So not sure what to think this time!

Make sure you call them at the first twinge then! You call the hospital, who calls the midwife on duty (at least in our area) and it can take a while to get out to you. Especially if it it the middle of the night and they need to get up and dressed!

My home birth was lovely, but I could have done without the paramedic storming the room (long latent stage suddenly went very active and the midwife didn't make it). It was fine, but perhaps not the most relaxed and dimly lit few minutes.

Contractions started about 10.30pm just after I'd gone to bed. I showered and washed my hair before phoning for a midwife, then covered the bed and woke DD1 (then age 10). Midwife arrived at about 2am and another about 3.30pm. DD2 (then age 6) woke up and came into the bedroom. Used one canister of gas and air but the others wouldn't work :( DD3 born at 5am and DD1 cut the cord. Midwives ran a bath for me, made me a cup of tea and cleaned up the bedroom. They left about 8am.

I had hb on edd, three days after some lovely acupuncture. Twinges/early labour about 6 a.m, called mw about 10 a.m, she came to check me before eleven, I was in the bath. I think she might have went away for an hour then both mw's arrived about 12noon. Nothing happening. My PFB went to be with my dm. The MW's had lunch in my back garden, much to the surprise of some neighbours - they thought I had visitors whilst I was in labour lol. I was bored, decided to start baking, weighed some flour then first strong contraction came about 1.45p.m.

My dm arrived as I was on the landing going up to my bedroom mid contraction, I had forgotten to give her dd's party dress and they were going to a party at 2p.m. I was quite grumpy, but dress handed over and just after 2p.m ds was born, I had some G&A for about 15 minutes before and then possibly for the afterbirth (vague after 9 years). It was lovely, would do it again if that was my guaranteed labour.

Woke up at 4am, thought I'd had a contraction but decided I must've dreamt it. Lay awake for 20 mins then just as I was drifting off to sleep I felt a pop and my waters broke!

Got up, wandered into bathroom and stood in bath (!) and contractions started. Told DH to get phone so I could call midwife, by end of phone call the contractions were less than 2mins apart.

Got DH to lay duvet out on living room floor and I knelt on that and leaned over my birthing ball. Contractions very painful. Midwife took 40mins to arrive as was finishing up at another home birth first!

By time she got there I was in a lot of pain. She sent DH straight out to her car to get gas and air but then realised there wasn't a mouthpiece in her kitbag. So no pain relief for me.

Labour progressed very quickly, 2nd midwife arrived and DD was born exactly 2hrs after my waters had broken. As she was born she turned and it was then they realised she had been back to back. They declared me a hero for having no pain relief haha!

DD was my 3rd baby, my eldest two were then 12 & 8. They had woken up about 30mins before she was born - think it was when 2nd midwife arrived - but spent the time making me cards to welcome the baby and were actually playing darts in playroom as DD was delivered! With them being the ages they were they didn't need any supervision, DH just popped out a few times to reassure them that all was ok and to ignore my shouting!

Anyway, DD born, placenta delivered, DCs came in to see baby and then I had a bath while midwives cleared everything away. 30 mins after dd had been born you wouldn't have known I'd delivered her on living room floor, the room was spotless.

Tea and toast on sofa, kids went off to school all excited and DH and I spent the day slightly bewildered trying to get our heads around having a new baby without having left the house (other DCs were hospital births).

Worst part was probably waiting for gp to come round, was supposed to be at lunchtime but didn't arrive until 7pm. He then trod on my bare foot with his shoes on so had a bruised foot to add to my grazed bits and horrific piles

Was gutted when I had to have dc4 in hospital 2yrs later due to complications though, I loved my home birth and can't recommend it enough. Good luck!