First baby homebirth- experiences?

[charlij91]

I'm due at the end of August with my first baby and really want a home birth. I feel like everyone I tell is so shocked and I'm having to convince people and justify my reasons as to why I want one- which is getting rather frustrating and starting to make me reconsider! Am I being selfish by choosing a home birth for myself and not thinking about the baby being in the safest place? In my head I think it's safer at home in that relaxing environment but I'm starting to doubt that thought and feel guilty.
I understand the risks and if I have to be transferred in to help me & baby that's fine- we live around 25mins from the hospital so on blue light it's not the worst journey in the world.
I'd love if people could share their stories of home births, both good and bad, where they went to plan and maybe not so much & included a transfer to hospital?

Hi, first off, midwives would be advising you against a home birth if they thought it was too risky, so don't worry about that.

I planned a home birth with my first, was in early stages for ages ( at least a day) hadn't called midwives out yet as was very obviously latent stage. My waters went and there was meconium, which I knew meant I had to go in and home birth was off the cards. phoned labour ward and went in.

My midwife went through all the reasons they would advise transferring in when they booked me in for a home birth ( fairly late on in pregnancy), so it wasn't a shock and I wasn't disappointed, was very accepting of it ( maybe because I was fed up of latent phase going in for ever - was a back to back baby which explains it, but turned during labour)

Since had 2 planned hospital births and now planning a home birth for 4th. (Read into that what you will!)

Hope that helps...

My first was a planned homebirth that ended up in assisted delivery in hospital. No regrets about being at home as long as i was (until well into a long second stage) though. It was my safe space to labour and we were well supplied with community midwives.

Second baby was a textbook perfect homebirth.

Whatever sort of birth you want, people will want to criticise you. I was at the opposite end of the spectrum, choosing an elective section, and plenty of people voiced their opinions!

Whatever choice you make has to be one that you and you alone (and your partner to some extent) are happy with. Think about the worst case scenarios and whether you could live with your choice if that happened.

Statistically speaking, what you're proposing is as safe as being in hospital.

I had both of mine at home against DH's wishes. First one was v straight forward and easy ( had him in our bath) whilst 2nd one was v painful and she had the cord around her neck ( she was ok).

For me it was a natural choice and I just wanted to be by myself. Felt hospital would interfere and hated the wards when we did a tour. No privacy& dirty.

Go with what you feel comfortable with and be flexible. Births rarely go to.plan

I had a perfect pregnancy and I really considered a HB.

i went to hospital in the end and I'm glad I did. I didn't have any drugs (as desired) which was a major motivation for a HB for me. I'm glad I did, despite my perfectly 'normal' delivery, you just don't know how it is going to affect you, and me, personally, had I been at home I think I probably would have screamed for an ambulance before the sun came up. i think for DC2 I would again go to hospital.

Not sure if my experience is of any use .. but my first DC was a home birth - but was unplanned! I thought I was in labour but no one believed me! Rang and spoke to midwife at hospital who said didn't think I was in labour?! She told me to stay home as if I came in I'd have to stay at least overnight - baby or no baby - it was 10am! I hate hospitals!
I 'practised' the 'breathing' from ante natal classes and tried to get comfortable - walked around etc. DH ran a bath for me and I as I got in I asked him to 'check' as I was sure I could 'feel something'! DH (who wasn't going to be at the birth) went a bit pale and said he could see the head! Ran out of bathroom - he rang hospital and explained position - came back in to the bathroom (was like Pike from Dad's Army 'don't panic' etc). I asked him what he was doing and he said packing my bag as an ambulance was on its way. I could now see baby too and said I'm going nowhere. He grabbed some scissors - short row ensues and well ... anyway ambulance arrives (two men one stays away - very young!) other very experienced and lovely - then on-call midwife (lived very near!) arrives in time to cut cord as was stuck twice around his neck and he was a bit blue - (though she did not enough time to take coat off!) - he then came out fine with her there ( I was still standing in the bath) - even a little whimper! So all over by 13:30 and straight to bed - everyone fine! Young ambulance man cleaned the bathroom up beautifully!

I actually loved having DS1 at home so I arranged a planned home delivery for DS2 - and I have to say it was even better with two midwifes and no one else - everyone believed me when I said DS2 on his way - midwifes arrived at 8:00 - gave lovely guidance and support - baby born at 09:30 - though this time in the bedroom! Again straight into bed!

My first baby was due at the end of August (years ago) and I had planned a home birth. I had a pool ready in my dining room. I was determined. He arrived in the middle of September via emergency c section at 9.5cm dilated. Please remember that your wishes often don't really have much bearing on what actually happens.

I've had a hospital birth and three home births, the last unattended... not on purpose.

Hospital was induction and not nice. Home was lovely and I felt safer because of the constant presence of the midwives.

I had raised eyebrows for even the third planned homebirth, people always have something to say!

I had a homebirth for my first delivery and loved it - well, as much as is possible to love giving birth I guess! My antenatal classmates and I grilled the midwife who ran our sessions about intervention rates at our local hospital, and the correspondence between increasing pain relief and increasing intervention really swayed my decision. I really wanted to avoid an epidural because of this, and was keen to put it beyond reach as an option IYSWIM?!

On a more positive note, I really felt like I would be more relaxed and happy giving birth in my own home and that would result in a less stressful labour and delivery and that's exactly what happened. Put a birthing pool in the kitchen, had as much support as I wanted from 2 lovely midwives, one of whom was the community mw who I'd seen throughout my pregnancy so that was extra nice.

I did have a 2nd degree tear which they were concerned about stitching at home so went to hospital to have that sewn up but was back home again, eating pizza on the couch within two hours!

I too felt a bit crazy about the homebirth decision at times, esp with comments from family members (grandmothers who were both nurses and remembered home births in the first half of the 20th century as commonplace thought I was particularly nuts!), but was reassured by lots of positive stories from my colleagues - nearly all of them had had at least one homebirth and were evangelical about their experiences.

Hope that helps - good luck with your decision!

To correct a previous poster, as a first time mother, your baby has double the risk of death or serious injury at a home birth in UK v hospital birth.

25 minutes from hospital would terrify me. You can bleed out from a PPH in under ten minutes.

I had ds (first and only child) at home with lots of support from the community midwives. I had quite a fast labour and whem his HR dipped an ambulance was called, but he was born at home (with 2 MWs and 2 paramedics present) before transfer to hospital (10 minutes away) for stitches for me and warming up for him. I wish I'd been encouraged to be prepared for a hospital transfer as I can't remember it ever being raised by any of the MWs.

I planned a homebirth. DD wouldn't descend after hours at 10cm so I transferred. Had a lot of intervention and then a crash cs and haemorrhage.

I don't regret giving it a go. My only advice is to have an open mind. If you need to transfer, you have NOT failed.

I planned a HB for DS. My main reason was I didn't fancy the bright lights and hospital beds of delivery suite and our midwife led unit wasn't due to open until 2 weeks after DS's due date. I also got a fair amount of disapproval, but not from the midwives.

I did transfer in after about 8 hours of active labour as I felt stuck in one position, had been pushing for a couple of hours, very painful (back to back) and was starting to despair. Was really glad to have spent that time at home, but in the end I needed to be in hospital, baby was unexpectedly large and I agreed to an episiotomy. It wasn't an emergency and I don't have any regrets.

Preparing for number 2 in a few weeks and planning to go to the midwife led unit, as it's the best of both worlds and this time I know baby will be big so I think episiotomy or stitching is inevitable.

I say go for it. The risks are very low. Though the risk of adverse outcome is double it is still very low, and if midwives support this decision then you can trust it's a good one. You may have to transfer in but you probably won't regret it.

Hi,
Like you I a due with first in august. I have HB planned. Midwives consider me low risk and I made the decision after reading lots of research and trying not to be influenced by people's subjective views. Have you read the birthplace study? It found 9/1000 poor outcomes with HB compared to 5/1000 with Hosp births. So yes slight increase but given over 50% transfer the increase could have been due to all manner of variables. I have noticed that the strongest reactions I have had are from women who've all had awful Hosp births and who never thought that the location may have been reason for ubiquitous induction rates which all experts agree are abnormally high in UK compared to other developed countries. Its interesting to read about oxytocin release also which stops when stress hormones take over and can be reason for lack of progress - being at home in known environment seems to promote feelings of security which lowers stress. I think if you go into it with open mind prepared to be transferred if need be then its a great option for low risk women. Regarding negative reactions, you are going against culturally ingrained beliefs about birth which can threaten many women and men. The other thing I found helpful was to remember that I could change my mind whenever. I don't know how I'll feel till it all kicks off so have planned HB but nay decide the opposite anyway. Hosp bag packed and tens machine plus birthing pool at the ready!

I planned a hb as it felt like the most natural place to have our (1st and only) baby and we live opposite hospital!

Labour started around midnight and I stayed in bed dozing in between contractions. By morning I Moved downstairs and tried out stretches then got in bath whilst hubby set pool up. Midwife came round to check on me, all fine. Then I had to go in to hospital to be checked coz of blood (just mucous plug). They gave me a sweep sent back home. Labour ramped up! Waters went, suspected meconium so had to go in. It was meconium so had to stay in.

She was born midday after a quick episiotomy and ventouse. Only had gas and air. Skin to skin and breast feed immediately whilst hubby cut cord. Healthy and happy :)

That was 8 weeks ago today

Good luck op. Just prepare what you can and be flexible :)

I have had both. A hospital birth with my first and a home birth with my second.

I'm going to be totally honest...... I loved my home birth. It was amazing (if somewhat quick at 1 hour 42 mins) but things did go wrong for me. I lost 6.5 pints of blood in a pph and had a severe cervical tear. I had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance without my baby (She was left with her dad to follow in the car). I had emergency surgery and 2 blood transfusions and was discharged a few days later after being in high dependency all that time.

Would I change my home birth if I were to have another one (I won't be having another one due to my age) not at all. I probably wouldn't be advised to have a home birth but I would dearly love to have another home birth.

I got all the comments including how irresponsible I was and how I am literally killing my baby. And many other comments.

Ignore them if you truly want a home birth. I felt so relaxed and comfortable being in my own home. I went where I wanted. And wandered around the house etc..... I felt stifled in my first birth in hospital. I gave birth where I felt comfortable. Himself kept asking where I wanted to actually push baby out was it in bed or where. I had no idea I just went with the flow. I ended up on the lounge floor leaning over the sofa cushions. It was magical until it went all a bit to shit.

I would advise anyone to have a home birth if you are low risk.

Also had a planned home birth with DS1. Very relaxing environment only hiccup was midwife 1s gas and air didn't work and had to wait for Midwife2. It was lovely when they left and we were all in our own bed. I did tons of research and convinced my husband and so pleased I did. Good luck

Another lovely homebirth experience here. Did Hypnobabies which worked a treat and was also way way happier and able to go into myself than I would have been in hospital - I have bad experiences with hospitals!