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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Home birth with first baby

115 replies

Didi1994 · 30/04/2018 10:00

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone had any advice for home birth with my first? Lots of people look at you like you're a bit mad when you say that's what you're planning! We live 5 miles from hospital but hoping to hypnobirth and have water birth at home. I have heard that quite often the NHS will okay you for a home birth but try and back out very last minute saying there will be problems providing two midwives because of their rota etc... anyone had any experience of this? Thanks :)

OP posts:
littlemissalwaystired · 30/04/2018 10:03

It's nothing to do with the NHS 'trying to back out', but sadly units are often so badly understaffed as it is, that there just aren't the midwives physically available to send out. All the best if you decide to go ahead and have a homebirth. Smile

Original poster
Didi1994 · 30/04/2018 10:07

Okay, thanks, the doula who told me said in her experience it was used as an excuse because they would much rather you didn't have a home birth, but well aware that they are understaffed too sadly 😥

OP posts:
Tamingoftheglue · 30/04/2018 10:09

I tried to have a home birth with my 5th baby. It didn't work out and I had to go into the maternity unit with a stalled labour. I had 2 midwives which is standard practice. Fortunately, I lived less than a mile away and it takes 10 minutes to get there. My husband took me in the car but lots of trusts insist on an ambulance coming out to you.

I was warned in the run up to due date that sadly understaffing can mean there just aren't enough midwives available. Particularly if everyone is already out in the community. They aren't 'backing out'.

Bojangles33 · 30/04/2018 10:13

I'm contemplating having my first baby at a home from home unit in the community hospital - no overnight stay and basically like a homebirth, everyone else seems to think I'm mad which is making me a bit anxious! No advice but fingers crossed for you!

EffRam · 30/04/2018 10:16

I'm hoping to have a home birth with my first. In London so close to three hospitals! Midwife was really enthusiastic and supportive when I said it. Said she would recommend more if she could! Did say that 50/50 chance of ending up in hospital as ftm for lots of reasons, but not because of staffing unless someone else happens to be home birthing at the same time and so midwives already busy! However there's a risk of that happening on midwife unit so you have to go to labour ward anyway!

mrspicklepants27 · 30/04/2018 10:17

Bit naïve and selfish really. NHS already massively stretched and with a first the chances medical intervention are much higher. Don't be silly.

mustbemad17 · 30/04/2018 10:19

Not my first, but 2nd was an unplanned homebirth & am planning home birth this time. I was worried about staffing, i only just had a midwife for the 2nd & the second midwife arrived 20 minuted after birth. I've signed up with one to one now so have my assigned midwife & buddy so am guaranteed one midwife i know. We live nearly 30 minutes from hospital so always get told i'm bonkers

userabcname · 30/04/2018 10:19

I knew a couple of women who had successful homebirths recently (within the last year). They didn't have issues with feeling pressured to deliver elsewhere and both had very positive experiences. Good luck if you do decide to go for it.

Rikalaily · 30/04/2018 10:20

I had the midwives who had bee sat in my livingroom for just 30 minutes calling an ambulance to transfer me in without properly checking me or without consulting me with my 3rd. I passed some brown discharge (totally normal to spot or bleed a bit in labour), they immediately said 'oh no, meconium' and called an ambulance, it wasn't mec, my waters hadn't even broken, they broke my waters in a fluster on my couch before the ambulance arrived then lied on my notes to say they broke by themselves and were like 'pea soup' with mec. It was 3 days before Christmas and they had been trying to bully me out of a homebirth for months. I ended up so petrified by the transfer in my labour stalled and I ended up on a drip for 7 hours to get the last 3cm! Also ended up with PND (only time and I've got 5 kids) and needed councilling for birth trauma. I had the next one in the MLU then my 5th at home, expecting no.6 now and have a homeborth booked. It will have to be life or death to get me into that hospital again.

mustbemad17 · 30/04/2018 10:20

mrs round here if you have a routine pregnancy the midwives recommend a home birth, regardless what number baby you are on...obviously they don't think it is naive or selfish!

LadyCassandra · 30/04/2018 10:22

IT depends on the area you are in and the community midwife situation. I had my first at home and I was looked after by community midwives (a team of about 15) who were on a rota for homebirths. They only did 8ish a year and they weren’t connected to a hospital as such.
So it was easy. We were 5 miles from nearest hospital.
My midwife (who was a Supervisory Kidwife) suggested it to me.
Mine went really smoothly and I loved it. I’m now pregnant with DC3 and looking forward to a hospital birth and hopefully a rest!

Flicketyflack · 30/04/2018 10:24

I had a home birth for my first child and agree everyone thinks you are nuts!

Although my local midwives support home birth they would not commit so I paid for an independent midwife.

Dd was born at home in a birthing pool (i bought from NCT).

It was thirteen years ago now but would recommend going with your plans. Read around it as it empowers you! Good luck Smile

Miranda15110 · 30/04/2018 10:25

Are you mad, this is said in a jokey way btw. I planned to have a water birth with gas and air (if required). Long story short, 5 days in labour. Knackered, in agony and eventually had a section. I had every drug available and an epidural. I don't feel cheated in the slightest just grateful to the NHS. I kind of understood after this why all the ladies I spoke to that had given birth before had a look in their eyes when I told them my plans that suggested they were about to burst out laughing. Seriously though, do your thing but be prepared for it all to change x

fairgroundsnack · 30/04/2018 10:26

I had home births with my second and third babies. Each time I had two midwives plus a student and wasn’t put under any pressure to go to hospital instead. I was offered a home birth with my first and nearly went for it but decided to go to the MLU instead. With hindsight a home birth would have been better as the care at the MLU wasn’t great! I’d definitely go for it, home birth is fantastic and IMO you get much better care than in hospital. You’ll be transferred quickly if they think there are any problems.

Original poster
Didi1994 · 30/04/2018 10:28

Thanks so much, nice to hear some positivity! I don't think I'm being naive or selfish wanting to birth in a comfortable home environment with potentially more midwife attention than in a MLU 😊

OP posts:
fairgroundsnack · 30/04/2018 10:28

@miranda - I had #1 with a bit of G&A, #2 with water and G&A for the last push, and #3 with just water... so it does work out for some people although totally appreciate that I was lucky. I’d say hope for the best but be prepared for the worst!

Herewegoagain56 · 30/04/2018 10:29

The midwives in my area actively promote home birth for low risk mothers. I had a home birth with my first and had a great experience. Had a midwife I had already met during my prenatal care and 1:1 attention the whole time. They have drugs and medical equipment if something goes wrong and will do a quick transfer to the hospital if needed but I was told that rarely happens (most transfers from homebirth to hospital are when women either want an epidural or if the labour fails to progress).

GummyGoddess · 30/04/2018 10:30

I had one with my first and will be having one with my second shortly, birth pool is arriving this week in preparation. They do warn you because if they didn't you would be rather upset if they turned around on the day and told you to come in.

Our trust are really encouraging home births now as they're as safe as a MLU and cheaper than going in. The homebirth team has doubled in size since I had DC1 18 months ago, and now if you had an uncomplicated first birth they are sending letters once they know you're pregnant asking if you would consider a home birth. If the trust was so stretched they wouldn't be encouraging it or have a very large dedicated team in our case, so I don't think it's selfish (and it's cheaper as mentioned above). You are most likely to transfer in for pain relief during a first birth rather than anything going wrong.

idontknow54789 · 30/04/2018 10:36

I had my little boy at home and it was lovely, my midwives really encouraged it and they were great. I'd really recommend but have everything prepared to go in last minute, there's a lot of luck involved for everything to go right but so worth it if it does. As long as you can get to a hospital within half an hour it's no more risky than being in hospital

GummyGoddess · 30/04/2018 10:39

Yes @idontknow54789 is right, you still need to pack. It's useful after you've had baby at home to know that everything you need is in that bag too and you can just point DH/midwives at it. I really must pack that this week, baby is 37 weeks in a few days so thanks for the reminder.

NotUmbongoUnchained · 30/04/2018 10:40

Are you really absolutely aware of all the risks? If I had given birth at home both me and my child would be dead. When things go wrong they go wrong very fast.

Pickleshickles · 30/04/2018 10:41

Ignore picklepants, she's ill informed. A home birth is far cheaper for the nhs.

All of my children were born at home, my third birth was fortunately very long as the midwives were out delivering another baby but they made it in plenty of time.

Do it, I will never think anything other than wonderful thoughts about my births.

BroomstickOfLove · 30/04/2018 10:45

I had both mine at home. With my first, I called the hospital in the morning I went into labour to give them advanced warning. At first they couldn't send anyone out, but I stayed at home and waited and they sent out a midwife in the end. Because of the staging problems, I saved up before having DC2 and his an independent midwife, which was very much money well spent in my case.

GinIsIn · 30/04/2018 10:46

I would be dead too. Even a mile from hospital would have been too far for us.

mrbob · 30/04/2018 10:47

I am not a huge fan of home births because I am a medical person and we get the fear too easily BUT I totally get why people want them and if you are low risk then they are great. Just be aware that if you use an independent midwife they are not insured. If the NHS will let you have a home birth then you are usually REALLY low risk because they won't take chances with anyone with even a hint of risk about them (not that you can ever be zero risk but you know what I mean)