Homebirth - has anyone had one?

[stevie74]

I'm 17 wks & have x2 DD's both born in hospital. I finally had my booking in appointment this morning & the midwife receommended a homebirth after the awful hospital expereince I've had.
Has anyone had one? Hospital vs Home - which is best?

I had a homebirth 17 months ago and am planning another with baby 2 in September. Would recommend it to anyone (and often do!!) only caveat is do your homework....I did a lot of reading about different pain management techniques (active birth etc) and it all came in very useful. Dh who was abit sceptical in the beginning became a total convert and now preaches (at length!!) to anyone who will listen about the wonders of homebirth!!!

Have a look here for some really good info:
homebirth

I have had 3 home births. All a fantastic experience.
I had pethadine with DS2. And gas and air with DD1 and DD2.
I would recommend it to anyone!

Not had experience but after two dc's born in hospital, under the care of midwives run ragged looking after too many women, i would seriously consider it if i am lucky enough to do it again. Let us know how it goes.

well i have had 1 hospital birth with ds1 and a home birth with ds2. both were fine but it was lovely noot having to travel when in labour with ds2, and nothing beats getting into your own bath and your own bed after giving birth!! good luck

oh btw i am now expecting no 3 and will deffo be having a home birth!

I had 2 hospital births and then a home waterbirt. Home waterbirth wins hands down.

And as I'm very fond of saying, the best bit for me was that DD got our home address as "place of birth" on her birth certificate. Shallow? Absolutely!

I had a birth centre birth and then a home birth and am planning another home birth with this one.

Home birth rocked.
Amazing, amazing, amazing.

DP was all worried at first when I told him I was going for it with DD2 but straight after he was going round telling everyone how great it was and it so up for this one being at home.

DD1 watched the final stage of DD2 beng born, as did my best mate and an hour later my mum and mil were round. Getting in my bath with DD2 after and curling up in bed after that with a cup of tea followed by more tea etc was all amazing. My own bed, my things, no journey home, my friends and family there. Amazing. I massively reccommend home births.

Soupie - I loved that birth cert thing too. I hadn't even thought about it till the woman asked me where she was born and she wrote the home adress down on the certificate. I thought oh how lovley is that!

I only realised when I read the draft print out of the birth certificate Of course, I can never move house now.

Planned it, but it didn't happen Was going to do Pepa's link too! Also, some local NCT branches/similar with have a local home birth group/support worker you could talk to - we had a lovely one where they always have 1/2 couples who have HAD a homebirth come back & talk about it - inc people who planned home birth & didn't manage it (like me!). DH went to one without me, & came back totally converted!

If your m/w is supporting it, that's a great startpoint - mine was very pro home birth too - it was her idea initially

For me, my homebirth was loads better than the hosp one. As someone on here once said, you don't tend to hear people say 'I had a terrible homebirth', although to right the balance I seem to remember that there is one person (among many) on that homebirth site who had a rotten time. What I mean is, if someone has a crappy birth it tends to have happened in a hosp, whereas at home the woman tends not to lose control of things going a bit closer to her plan.

I have had two (dd1, dd2) and it is definitely one of the best things I have ever done. Wonderful, and much better care than if I had been in hospital. Mind, it was an easy decision to make as we live a 10 minute walk from hospital (London).
(also good for that 'eewww' factor when you tell single friends that you gave birth to your children on that futon they are sitting on right now)

I can't rate a home birth high enough. Its fab. Had DS1 in hospital, next 2 at home and no 4 due to be HB too. V supportive MV, no shift changes, relaxing, easier on DCs as I didn't disappear. Much better food. Own mug
Only thing is I wasn't told to get prescription for Pethedine beforehand, so just had gas & air, which was fine.
There's something so much more pleasant about your own bathroom!
I can't honestly think of one thing a hospital birth has over a homebirth when its gone to plan.

Well I've had an emCS in hospital with ds and then a VBAC with forceps in hospital with dd so next time I'm having a HWBAC. I'm sooooo staying at home!

Stevie74 as you have laboured twice already that's great so the pain aspect hopefully won't be quite so bad. I had a homebirth for my third dc and like all these others it was bloomin' fantastic. I was on a high for days afterwards. So many pros, as mentioned here and the one I would add is that your children will meet their new sibling whenever it suits your family ie maybe not 4am, or maybe, but it won't be in some noisy ward during visiting hours but probably in your bed in your own bedroom. Lovely. I agree about the relaxation aspect, I was SO much more relaxed at home.

Thank-you all for your comments. I talked to DP about it last night & he's a bit sceptical & worried incase of complications but I'm all for it. I just have to convince him now...
Thanks Pepa for this link, i'm going to take a peek now (only have access to IE at work at the minute!)

I hope you get your homebirth Stevie74!