Talk to me about your homebirth

[rasmusklump]

I'm 19 weeks with DC and really want a homebirth. Previous deliveries were 7 hours and then 50 minutes so I'm worried if ta another quick one I won't have time to get to the hospital. I live 30/40 mins away and DP doesn't drive.

If you had a home birth how was it? If there were complications were you transferred quickly? How did you overcome your fear of something going wrong?

TIA!

DC3 that should say

Hi I have had home births for both of mine. First labour was around 20 hours, second labour was about 4 hours. Had both babies in the birth pool. I don't have any experience of a hospital birth so I can't compare but I felt very safe and relaxed and well looked after by the midwives.

#1 - birth centre water birth - 12 hr labour. 6 at home and 6 at BC. Gas and air only. 10.2lb baby!! No tears...

#2- home water birth - 6 hours.gas and air only. 8lb baby....

Two totally perfect births thanks to 2:1 Care throughout my labour.

Dc1 was a hospital birth. Had a HWB with DC2 - he was back to back (as was dc1) but delivery was fine. Whole thing recorded as 3hrs including 10min second stage.

The mw and Dh cleared up so well that within an hour or so it was like it never happened.

I had 4 mw in attendance as it was a 9am shift changeover and I delivered bang on 9am but they were fantastic and some who delivered Dc1.

Both were 8lb 0.5oz

High risk but still home birthed.

Challenged everything. Researched alot.

On the day i nearly lost my nerve but a very supportive midwife saw me through. Quite amazing.

Did have to transfer in postnatally as I had an injection to deliver placenta and my blood pressure rocketed. All fine though .

I've had three homebirths. Increasingly fast labours and my last was unattended so DH delivered the baby. MW arrived ten minutes later, ambulance (called on hospital advice) 40 minutes later.

In my case, I said if I couldn't have a HB for him they would have to admit me from my due date! I really didn't think the midwives wouldn't make it!

The two where there were midwives there were great. Much more attentive than in hospital with my first. I was induced and nobody believed I was in labour until I was pushing. I'd got stuck in the bath alone which was horrible, and then DD was distressed there were about fifteen people in the room!

My first homebirth was lovely, DH caught the baby and it was a nice normal Labour. The second was a bit quick but I had a lovely feel of baby's head before her body came out. She had a lovely perfect round head!

Anyway, I could go on for ever. But having a shower and getting in your own bed is wonderful!

One point, I was quite keen on a physiological 3rd stage but in all honesty it got really boring and the MWs obviously have a timescale so I ended up fannying around hovering over a bucket which isn't easy to do when you've pushed out a baby in 6/3/2 minutes.

Buy cheap bath sheets and fleece blankets!

Dc1 hospital, fine and great care by MW but hated having to go out of the room to shower and use loo as no ensuite.
Dc 2 and 3 home births, both lovely and great care from MW's. Both times delivered around change over so had 4 MW's. So nice to shower and get into ones own bed. By the time I'd showered the clean up was done by the MW's. I just used plastic sheet on floor with old bed sheet over. Highly recommend!

I had a home water birth with dd2. Third stage, I tore a but so had to go into hospital to be stitched. They were great - really supportive. One thing which helped is that we are only a few miles from the hospital so I wasn't worried about a long transfer.

I had my first as an induction in hospital due to hypertension. All the machines that go ping were there, but I had a healthy baby at the end of it, so fair do's. (But he still has a scar on his scalp from the fetal elecrode)

My second was at at home, a totally different experience. I used gas and air until the last half hour when I'd used or all up, so had to push her out with will power alone, but because I felt in control, I was able to do that. Within an hour, we were snuggled up in bed together after a bath in my own bathroom, leaving the midwives to scrub the carpet where my waters popped at the last moment, missing the carefully placed towels...

I had a home birth with number 3 like you my labours got increasingly quicker and I really didn't want a baby in the back of a car plus I get a lot of Braxton Hicks that are strong, regular and uncomfortable so with all of them I wasn't sure I was in labour until it had progressed a bit.
My husband wasn't keen as he worried but I went through all the information with him.

It was a good call I would have had my son in the car which I can imagine would have been stressful so may have resulted in problems.

I bought a 2nd hand (not used) birthing pool we had enough time to fill it up ( a good combi boiler is vital) and used it.for the final stages of labour.

I can't remember how long I was I think about 1 1/4 - 1/2 hours but I wasn't sure I was in labour until about 45 mins before I had him.

It was that quick that the midwife wasn't there when I started to push so they advice you to call an ambulance...they got there for the last 2 pushes the midwife arrived for the final push.

I was knelt leaning on the side in a way that meant I could put my hands down as I was delivering which meant I lifted my son to my chest which felt very natural. I will always cherish the fact that I got to hold him/ touch him before anyone else.

It was such a relaxed atmosphere 1/2 an hour after his birth the lounge was tidied up and I was eating a bacon sandwich cuddling my newborn and the older 2 kids whilst the paramedics had a cuppa and told to me how seeing a birth had made their day
OP You are welcome to PM with questions.

My midwife suggested I have a homebirth with DC3 as I'd had two straightforward hospital births and three textbook uncomplicated pregnancies.

It was one of the best experiences of my life. It wasn't particularly quick for a third birth, about five hours, but it was great. I had two fantastic midwives who arrived with lots of much needed gas & air, and the whole labour & birth was so relaxed apart from a few minutes during transition where I felt out of control and started wailing that I wanted to go home but that passed quickly & the delivery itself was very quick.

I had no complications, didn't need stitches, and there was no need to go to hospital afterwards. DS was born at breakfast time and our lovely GP popped round a few hours later to check on us.

I did a lot of research before deciding on the homebirth. I think I was about 34 weeks before I fully decided to go for it. It was important to me that DH was on board, that the midwife was confident I was a good candidate for a homebirth and that we lived quite close to the hospital so I could be transferred quickly if necessary. Oh, and I made arrangements for a close friend to have DC1 & 2 so they weren't in the house when I gave birth.

This is bringing back lovely memories - DS3 turned 20 a few weeks ago

I was strongly dissuaded by having one by hospital consultants, their main objection being if you or your baby need urgent attention for a serious situation that arises (rare) having to transfer to hospital could endanger you/cause worst case outcomes.

In my case, I chose to go ahead because having looked at all the options I felt it was the best possible option and I had a great home birth team. I bought a couple of books and joined a fb group on Homebirth which was v helpful.

The midwives took about 45 minutes to arrive. I didn't want a pool. They briefed us about how to deliver the baby ourselves and gave us a sheet of instructions in case we forgot! Was able to have family round to look after older kids/cook food/make cups of tea etc and midwives just sat in the corner and checked home every 15 mins, then helped me with the pushing bit and caught the baby. They stitched me at home, and then left once I'd done the first feed. The gas and air did run out though, which was a bit . Also I wanted to labour in my own bed but went on the sofa as there was more room in the living room and no carpets. But I wish I'd gone where I felt more comfy and that I'd been on the same floor as the bathroom!