Home birth & neighbours

[milpool]

Those of you who have given birth at home in a house with thin walls... did you warn your neighbours in advance?

I live in a back to back terrace. The walls are paper thin. I have never spoken to our neighbours at the back but noise carries a lot from their house so I'd imagine it goes both ways. Any kind of raised voice, running up and down stairs, even light switches if the house is quiet enough.

I don't really want to interact with them tbh 🙈 but I also don't want any awkwardness! My husband thinks we should pre-warn, I think we should just leave it because they're pretty noisy themselves sometimes...

I've had three home births, in terraces. I don't think the neighbours noticed. In fact, one lot were quite surprised to see a baby. And I made a lot of swears.

Good. That's good to know.

I mean, we already have a toddler, the neighbours have two noisy older kids and the mum is pretty shouty... I really doubt they'd notice. And if they do I kind of don't think I'll care at the time!

I did not prewarn my neighbours. I never really thought about it. If you do decide to let neighbours know could you partner go to the neighbours your not comfortable with?

Pop a note through their door letting them know that a home birth is imminent.
You don't want them to call the police if you get a bit screamy and sweary!

I didn't pre warn my neighbours either.

We aren't stay up late shouty screamy types so was pretty sure that given they knew I was pregnant they'd either figure out that was what was going on or expect a bit of commotion at some point.

Plus no one in their right minds objects to provide gets pissed off if an ambulance has to show up on a quiet residential street in the middle of the night (if that's what you are worried about aswell)

Being home is so lovely and it's so much easier to get comfortable and pain is less so don't go worrying your going to be screaming fir hours on end that may well not be the case

Oh and please don't panic just cos I mentioned ambulance.

Midwives aren't insured to transport you if you can't get to hospital yourself they may need to call one however doesn't mean it's a life threatening blue light situation sorry if I worried you

Didn't warn our neighbours- a few days later they asked if baby had arrived mid-morning. Turned out she'd been working from home that day! I was a bit embarrassed when I realised, but planning another home birth this time around

I have warned my neighbours here. But I'm in a Victorian conversion block of flats. One was grateful as he is a lovely chap albeit a dead ringer for Thor!! And said he would of come straight over and called the police if he heard me screaming incase it was OH attacking me.

We will see how much noise I make!! I have also said if it happens in the daytime or sociable hours we will go and give them the heads up its started. If it's in the night we won't. All the neighbours seemed grateful that we have told them.

My midwife said to let my neighbours know, on account of possible extra noise, extra parking/visitors and also if they do a transfer (for any reason, including "hey, can we transfer to hospital, actually? I want an epidural") it'll be by ambulance.