OK I know that this has been done before but...... Homebirth questions, advice/experiences apreciated...

[bubblez]

Ok so midwife is coming tomorrow and I want to ask about a homebirth.

This is my second baby first labour was spontanious and I went from two centimetres to delivering in 3 and a half hours. Midwives and docs have said that this labour may be as fast as 1 hour. [fear]

I have been told I can opt for a homebirth and would rather this then a rush to hospital in an ambulance panic, but I have so many questions like.....

For those who have had one, how much mess was there?
What happened to the placenta?
How long did it take the midwife to reach you?
How did you find it?
How many people were with you?
What should I ask the midwife? (sad i know but got pg brain)
How much are the sheets etc? (maybe i could ask her that)
And
Who would recomend it/do it again?

TIA
XXXXXXXX

I've had four home births and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

For those who have had one, how much mess was there?

Minimise mess. Have ready ... decorators sheets to cover whole room (sofa or bed depending where you intend to labour) and have sheets to put on top of those to soften. You won't be clearning up the mess. You'll be resting while others do it so don't worry.

What happened to the placenta?

Each time DH dug a hole and bought a tree/bush in readiness. The day after birth, when the children (and I) had had a good old poke, we put the placenta in the hole and planted on top of it. (Big hole needed to guard against fox recovery

How long did it take the midwife to reach you?

Ten minutes first time round. An hour and a half second time round (But I had booked a London indie mw even though I was in Brighton because I know and love her). You can slow labour down yourself by lying with your head on the floor and your bum in the air. It worked for me anyway

How did you find it?

Very good to be in control. I could move freely and make as many mad noises as I wanted without anyone trying to sedate me against my will. Also you give birth then go to bed. Lovely. Your own bed. If there are any germs, they are your germs not some nasty scary hospital germs. Also your kids don't miss you and can be involved in the whole birthing process. I woke up the morning after birth 4, in my own bed, with my other three standing in a line singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to thier new brother. Lump in throat. A real cut out and keep memory of the event. Gorgeous!!!
I can recommend some good homebirth books if you like.

How many people were with you?
Two MWs and my DH. Once I invited my mum (for number two) but that was a MASSIVE mistake and I had to get rid of her negative vibe half way through labour as she was so horrible. For number three I wanted no-one but me and dh. He fought this idea and sort of won, though I tricked him about how far along I was and the MW finally arrived with just ten minutes before he came out. I had just started to push. She rushed here in an emergency with no kit. It was as close to an unassisted birth as I'll ever get. Not that I'm mad or anything.
What should I ask the midwife? (sad i know but got pg brain)
How much are the sheets etc? (maybe i could ask her that)

And
Who would recomend it/do it again?

BIG time.

My friend got caught out having a home birth with her first. Dh was at the airport, ambulance came, but she was too far gone to go hospital, so they all came in! Her sis was round to help.
They kept mobile contact with her Dh and he told me all he could hear was terrible screaming .. my friend said they ran out of air and gas!!
Despite it all, she liked it enough to have another homebirth with her 2nd ..
downside is, she wants to get a bigger place, but she's emotionally attached to the house now as that's where her 2 kids were born

Bloody hormones... Your post made me bawl spidermama when I read about your eldest three singing to the new baby. Awwwhhh.

Also planning a homebirth in May, so all these lovely stories are just what I want to hear.

Thanks ladies.

Mess - not much, MW cleaned up afterwards...house was spotless!
PLacenta - they take it away
MW - 15 mins
Find it? - brilliant!!
No. of people - DH and two MWs
Definitely recommend it again

my homebirth went wrong - too big baby and was transferred at 10cms and pushing.
Would I go for a homebirth again after it went wrong? - Absolutely. It was private, on my turf, relaxed and in control.
Little mess (altho did break my towel rail during particularly bad contraction!)
MW there in 10 mins. Just Dh and 2 mws
Much easier and less stressful so less painful than DD1
Sheets etc? i bought a mega cheap duvet from Asda for the floor to save my knees and put a decorating plastic sheet for a couple of quid under it.
If you are in good health, DH is supportive, good mws - Go for it
Good luck

Message withdrawn

Forgot - I delivered the placenta in the pool too so all the mess bar post birth bleeding (and all that was on the care mat thingies) was contained. I would highly recommend a pool because I was really worried about my waters going all over my floor. Once in the pool I could relax, safe in the knowledge all would be contained.

For those who have had one, how much mess was there? PRETTY MUCH NONE, THERE WERE SHEETS EVERYWHERE, OLD TOWELS, WAS NO SIGN ID HAD A BABY IN THERE 60 MINS LATER!

What happened to the placenta? THE MIDWIVES TAKE IT - UNLESS YOU WANT IT

How long did it take the midwife to reach you? 30 MINS FOR THE FIRST - THE 2ND ARRIVED ABOUT 4 MINUTES BEFORE I GAVE BIRTH

How did you find it? WNDERFUL, AMAZING, THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

How many people were with you? ME, 2 MIDWIVES, MUM AMD DF - WAS GONNA BE MORE BUT THEY CHICKENED OUT!

What should I ask the midwife? (sad i know but got pg brain) UMM DUNNO - GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT ONE

How much are the sheets etc? (maybe i could ask her that) JUST USE OLD ONES! - THEY BRING HUGE CONTIPADS FOR YOU TO LIE ON TOO

And
Who would recomend it/do it again? YES, YES AND YES,

ill post my birthstory for yoy later xx

As said below by someone else I too would do it again even though twin 1 born at home and we went to hospital for twin 2 because I felt completely in control. I was the one who decided it was time to go to hospital etc. It was my house, my money paying them, my births.

On mess they did say next twin birth they shoudl double the plastic sheet numbers as we ran out but that was because I had two separate labours in a day which must surely be rare for twins - we had number 1 at home of about 5 or 6 hours and then all stopped; then twin two born about 7 hours later. No one ever said you'd do the whole birth thing and then have to go through it all again from start to finish. I never read that in a single baby book on twins, even a specialist twins book.

What happened to the placenta?

The midwives took it away after we all had a good look and she showed us the bag and how it all works

How long did it take the midwife to reach you?

10 mins she lives over the road

How did you find it?
She and all the others knew in advance where we live as we were booked for a homebirth.

How many people were with you?
DH and 2 midwives. DS was at a friends

What should I ask the midwife? (sad i know but got pg brain)

Will there be 2 midwives present. DD got stuck with shoulder dystophia and the 2nd midwife put on abdominal pressure to release her shoulder while the first delivered her and looked after the head .

How much are the sheets etc? (maybe i could ask her that)

We bought some plastic sheeting and used some old sheets the midwives brought everything else for free.

And
Who would recomend it/do it again?

Yes absolutely, I found it the most amazing and positive experience even with the problems the midwives handled everything so calmly. However I would not be able to as there is a risk of another shoulder dystophia so I would have to give birth in hospital just incase

well I bled like a front liner at the Somme

but the midwives and dh cleared it all up while I was in the shower (with bf outside with bottle of champagne)

hi bubblez
Last January i had a planned h/b for 2nd baby i gave birth in 1 hr.
As i put the phone down to maternity ward i started pushing. My dh phoned 999 as the ambulance would get here quicker (it was 3am).
The girl on phone talked my husband through it and he delivered our dd 2 mins before the ambulance arrived and 5 mins before midwife arrived.
The decorating sheets were lifted by the midwife along with our old towels and my old nightshirt (used in delivery)all taken to be incinerated along with the placenta.
i had covered our sofa the day before with a waterproof bed sheet and a sheet just in case.
There was no mess at all.
I had a bath then got back into bed by 4.30 with hubby and baby in moses at the end of the bed.
My ds slept through it all when he got up next day he came in and looked as usual in the moses and said "wow it's magic! it's just like christmas"
The best part was we got a write up in the local rag with our first family photo taken at 6 days old.
And last week in the Year review they printed the story again.
So yes i would recommend it and so would my dh.
He is a proud father who still enjoys telling people he delivered her just there on the lounge floor!
What a talking point and one we will never forget even at her wedding.

Here is the january review from our local rag.

Things that made the news in 2006
January
? Dad turns midwife for special delivery: A proud dad from Worle delivered his baby daughter in the front room of the family home as he had no time to take his wife to hospital. Barry was given instructions by medical staff over the phone as he helped his wife Nicky give birth to their daughter.

See i'm just as proud

kidsrus - dh had to deliver ds2 while being talked through it by the ambulance control as well - he still loves telling the story - but didn't volunteer to deliver ds3!