Homebirth advice please x

[Jenninlw]

I had a very straight forward first birth, got through first stages of labour no probs at home then water broke and labour went up a huge notch, got to hospital in agony and 9cm dilated and my dd was born 1.5 hours later.

I'm now stressing as I've heard it can be much quicker second time round so am considering a home birth.

Can I ask some daft questions please?

1. should I do it upstairs or downstairs? I'm thinking of the shuffle I had to do to have a shower last time and don't know of I want to tackle the stairs or not
2. what do I need to buy for the birth
3. will they stitch me at home if I need stitches
4. do I still need to go in hospital for all the checks?

Thanks mums!!

J x

1. Wherever you feel comfortable - and if you want a pool, you'll probably be best downstairs on a solid floor due to the weight of the water. I stayed downstairs and went up a few hours after the birth for a nice hot bath.

2. Depends what your local midwives provide - ours provide a pool and liner for free, but you may need to hire one if you want one. A couple of cheap shower curtains are helpful, you should get pads etc to protect the floor/bed in the home birth pack supplied by your midwife, but check with them. A bucket to birth your placenta in (or a washing up bowl!)

3. I think they do stitch you at home as long as it's not very serious - I do know someone who had to go to hospital for stitching as she had a very bad tear, but generally yes they can do stitching at home.

4. I had a choice of being visited at home for the newborn health check for a midwife trained to do this type of check to do it (which is what I chose) or to go to hospital for a doctor to do it. I don't think this is a universal service in all areas though, best to check with your local midwife. I had to take DD2 to hospital for the newborn hearing screening about a week after she was born as they don't offer this at home.

Hiya,
I'm planning a home birth for similar reasons - due July. The more iv researched it the more amazing it sounds.
If your on Facebook there's a brilliant group called home birth chat group / it's worth joining I ask a million questions every day and get immediate answers .

With regards to where you birth it depends - would you be hiring / buying a birthing pool? If so it's recommended that the pool be downstairs - to stop it falling through the ceiling I guess lol. If not you can do it where ever your most comfortable at the time, your house your rules. I plan to be downstairs as I'm having a pool, but also because if it's nighttime DS sleeps upstairs. Also our upstairs is hotter than down so thinking if be more comfortable in general. I also have more space downstairs than up, but really is up to you, it's nothing you will need to have set in stone pre birth.
A midwife will come and do a home visit at 36/7 weeks so may advise you on which room is easiest I guess - mines coming Tuesday so I'll let you know.

What to buy: iv been told all I really need is floor coverings in the form of dust sheets or very cheap shower curtains apparently work best and have old towels available. Midwife is bringing a birth pack on Tuesday with all the bits she will need.
Iv also been told (by mums who have had homebirths) that a torch is useful, snacks for midwife a sick bowl, kitchen roll and an old quilt.

If you need they will be done at home - that's the reason for the torch,
And as far as I'm aware all the checks will also be at home so unless there's a problem or you simply change your mind during labour there's no need to go to hospital at all.
Good Luck - when are you due?

I've had two home births - my dc's are now 18 and 20. When I had them I stayed in the garden until mw suggested we go upstairs (where I had chosen to give birth). The only things I bought were a waterproof mattress cover and a bunch of yellow roses! The midwifes brought everything else needed including incontinence sheets to protect the bed. Luckily I never needed stitches with these two (did with my first dd). I never needed to go into hospital except when dd developed jaundice the day after she was born. I absolutely loved my home births and wish you good luck with yours.

Just remembered, I arranged for the community midwives to pop in to introduce themselves to me in the couple of weeks before I was due as obviously they couldn't guarantee who would be on call when I was ready to deliver.

Home births are really common where I come from, so I thought to put in my two cents.

1. Where you are most comfortable. However, over here, if you are heavier than 100 kilos, you need to be downstairs. This is in case something goes wrong and the ambulance people need to come and carry you out. Lifting someone above a 100 is hard enough, so imagine trying to carry that person down the stairs as well.

2. Towels and shower curtains (or any other waterproofs) are usual, but ask you midwife.

3. Midwifes will do stitches if they aren't too bad.

4. I don't know. Again, ask your midwife.

Thanks for this really good advice - really appreciate it! I'm only 15 weeks but think it may take the next 5 months to convince dh it's a good idea as he's worried that something will go wrong. I keep telling him if we don't do it he could be delivering the baby himself on the motorway or the bathroom floor ha ha!

Oh and I hadn't really thought about a pool as it didn't really hurt until my waters broke last time do don't know if I'll have the time to get in a pool!

Any ideas on how much they cost???

Pools can be bought or hired. To hire the one I have (or will have arriving next week) was £90 and you get it from 37-42 weeks pregnant. Although they are happy to allow a few days either way give or take. That seems what every company charge.
To buy need they range from £150-£250, however on eBay you probably get the best deals there are loads. I only really went down the hire route as I thought it would be easier after the birth as the company just come and collect it, and I can't see myself wanting to store it anywhere (got enough crap in the house lol) and won't have the motivation to sell. By hiring it's just gone even if it's not the cheapest way. Local Facebook selling sites are worth trying, also a few people have had ones they are happy to give away free on the homebirth Facebook, but they need collecting and I don't drive and they have all been a bit far, but you have more time than me to keep an eye out.

Time wise I plan to have mine already inflated (i also birth quickly) and then as soon as I get a slight twinge start filling it. Although apparently obviously depending what size you get they don't take too long to fill.
They are not an essential part of having a home birth - even if you wanted to be in water you could get in the bath.

I bought 3 shower curtains today £2.50 each my next step is to dig out old towels see how many I have and then start asking family and friends if I can have theirs as well lol.

As others said, give birth where you want but pools should really be downstairs.

Don't buy anything without speaking to the mw and getting a good idea of what they provide. It varies by area. My mw provided a pool and liner and could give me a list of what I needed to buy.

I had a second degree tear and was stitched by the mw.

I had a newborn check by a mw at home and a hearing check at a local clinic when ds was two weeks old. I was perfectly happy with this.