homebirth with my 3rd

[princesscupcakemummyb]

hello everyone im expecting my 3rd baby and have planned a home birth this time i was wondering if anyone else has had their children present/in the same house while giving birth not got a great deal of childcare network around this was one of my reasons for wanting a homebirth also i dont like my local hospital is the main reason :/ my daughters are young still oldest 4 younguest will be just nearly 2 any homebirth feedback appreciated thanks all

I had DS3 at home but his big brothers were asleep by the time he was born
I should think you do need to have some sort of childcare available just in case you get rushed in to hospital or something - and to entertain them or whatever if it take a long time

I had a homebirth with my 3rd.

PLan was that they would go to my mother's house if during day.

Waters broke at 9pm, so both older ones in bed. I rang my mother so she could be on standby (she lives 10 mins away). Midwife arrived at 10.45 and ds2 5 or 10 minutes later.

Older dcs slept through the delivery. DD woke up about an hour later, after the placenta had been delivered and I'd had a shower. She came up to our bedroom for about 10 minutes, had a chat with the midwives (one of whom had delivered her, 6 years earlier) and then went back to bed. DS1 (4) slept through the whole thing.

Was brilliant!

DD1 slept through DD2's home birth and walked in wben she was 3 minutes old (ignoring me delivering the placenta completely).

I did have a DF on standby to baby sit. I rang her at sbout 11pm ssying I'd need her in the morning. However, DD2 took 7 hrs not 28 hrs like her sister.

DF appeared after lunch with her DH and two small children. We had a lovely chat and mert the baby (which of course her DDs couldnt have done in hospital), then she took DD1 off for tea and we slept

If my mother hadn't been available and I needed to go into hospital, I would have gone with the midwives and DH would have called someone (from work or postnatal group from 1st dc) to come and sit with kids.

I had DS at home. For some of the labour my DD (then 2.9) was around, either in bed or with DH - age stayed with a friend during the daytimes (labour was 2 days) and came back to ours at night.

Honestly I could not really have dealt with her properly while I was in labour, she wasn't scared or alarmed but she was her normal self - so while it was fine that she was around and awake it basically meant DH couldn't be with me while she was present and awake. So if you rely on your partner during labour I wouldn't really recommend having such young kids present.

For this baby, DD will be 4 and DS will be nearly 2. The arrangements will be similar, in that my sister will be watching them - but in our house and won't be able to make it for a few hours after labour starts. I know that I don't really kind labouring with DH in another room, and I am intending on tucking myself away from the kids so I can have some privacy and concentrate on what I'm doing.

I had a homebirth with DC3 with my other two DC at home. When the midwife arrived I was putting DC1 & 2 to bed (while trying not to show my pain!) and they were fast asleep by the time I was at the pushing stage. My DH came home in the last hour and the older DC slept through the whole thing. Perfect timing all around. But I would suggest that you have back up available, even if it's a neighbour, just in case. My home birth was lovely and I recommend it highly! Good luck

I forgot to say, if I had given birth during the day when my older DC were awake I would have needed someone in the house looking after them as they may have got scared or unsettled during the final stage. The midwife will be focused on you and will not get involved with children in the house at all.

I had a home birth with my third. I would've been OK with the older two being around if the baby was born during the night, but was not very happy with the thought of them being around when I was giving birth.

I didn't have family nearby so had arranged with a close friend to take the older DC (aged almost 4 & 2) if I needed her to.

We ended up calling her at 6.30 am (fortunately she is an early riser!). She came straight over, collected the boys & took them off to her house to spend the day with her DC.

DS3 was born an hour later. I was able to relax knowing the older two weren't going to wake up any minute!

My friend brought the boys home after lunch to meet their new brother. All in all it was a perfect experience.

Had homebirth for 2nd. Dd slept through whole thing. Did have sis in house & bil on standby..

apologies for my awful typing, I was cooking and not concentrating

hi all thanks for the replies myself and hubby have discussed in the event of having to go to hospital id likely go alone we dont have family close enough to look after the children but the hospital is close to us like 10 mins away hoping im lucky as you other home births and children are asleep if baby arrives during the day then someone we know has offored to have the oldest im considoring childminders but my younguest is very clingy she wont even stay with dh without crying for me so not great :/ good to hear others homebirths :)