Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Home birth - noise disturbing the neighbours

54 replies

bafty · 14/06/2007 12:05

Hi there

I'm planning to have a home birth for my second baby. Our small flat isnt the best for sound proofing.... Has anyone any experience/advice on how to handle the fact that your neighbours are likely to hear load 'primal' moans and possibly screams coming through their walls/floors?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

JennsterFrogLover · 14/06/2007 21:24

I woke my neighbours (also best friends) up in the early hours. They made a cup of tea and sat in bed listening. They thought the baby had arrived, but it was still me grunting. They only realised I was still in labour when they heard the midwives encouraging me. They were also our first visitors before they went to work that morning.

Tinker · 14/06/2007 21:28

If they were neighbours you get on with/ares neutral about I wouldn't have let it bother you. Since my ex-neighbours were neither it swayed me into giving birth in hospital

Tamdin · 14/06/2007 21:28

have no experience of home birth but just read an interesting article in grazia about 'freebirthing'.A women in america who decided to have her baby totally alone at home with no medical intervention. Great success story and well worth a read but not sure if i'd be that brave. Bets of luck bafty

jennifersofia · 14/06/2007 21:34

Well, in our terrace house (modern and cheaply built) we can hear people next door switch lights on, cough up in the morning etc to say nothing of telly, music and arguments, so I was a bit concerned, though we do have great neighbours. Anyhow, my neighbour was astonished the day after the birth of my first dd when I told her that I had had her at home because she said she didn't hear anything! I thought I would be a screamer, but wasn't - but I definitely did make some noise!
Wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you. But might be neighbourly to mention your plans.

Original poster

bafty · 14/06/2007 21:39

Crikey - I saw that same artical. Dont think I could quite handle that. Prefer a bit of company and tlc.

Tinker, we are friendly to our neighbour to one side of us (she is well up for us having a home birth) and we dont know the others on our right side. But what has slightly dented my confidence is that the neighbour below us once came to talk to me about DS1 crying in the night. He usually is a good sleeper but we had just moved him from a cot to a bed and he was taking time getting used to it. Honestly he really is a good sleeper she has no idea how it could be. Needless to say she doesnt have kids. Cant wait to tell her about the homebirth! Because of this I nearly opted for the hosptital again but then I thought sod it, I dont even know her and this is what I want to do. We are very considerate neighbours and I deserve the birth I want.

OP posts:

Tinker · 14/06/2007 21:41

Oh do it then bafty. The noise from giving birth may be the quiet bit compared to what is to come

Original poster

bafty · 14/06/2007 21:42

Thats really reasurring. It sounds like you have the same 'lack of' sound proofing as we do. Hey and you never know what time of day it will be or whether people are away. We are due the last bank holiday in August - everyone could be on hols?

OP posts:

Original poster

bafty · 14/06/2007 21:45

yes you're quite right. there will be many wakeful nights. the birth is the calm before the storm - tee hee!

OP posts:

cheritongirl · 14/06/2007 23:03

i did mean to get around to warning the neighbours but never did - we live in a terrace house with houses close behind too. And i REALLY howled at about dawn time - remember dimly thinking that someone was probably calling the police but really really didn't care at all. And after the event the neighbours said they didn't hear anything - can't imagine how but there we go

TheMoistWorldOfSeptimusQuench · 14/06/2007 23:12

My mother went up to the hosptial to get some more gas & air during DDs birth. She parked at the end of our 500 yd long road, & could hear me braying, swearing & screaming loud & clear.

Immediate next door neighbour enquired diplomatically the next day whether anything had happenend as she "thought I might have heard something...?" First time I went out afterwards, the guy in the house opposite was putting his rubbish out & gave me a round of applause!

I think people are always happy - or at least tolerant - to hear of a child coming into the world. It's not the same as living next door to teenagers with a drum & bass habit.

bagsundereyes · 15/06/2007 08:31

We live in a flat, and the neighbours could hear - but they were very excited for me, and came to see me off into the ambulance when I had to transfer to the hospital.

DivaSkyChick · 15/06/2007 08:43

oh geez, we can hear key jingling in our neighbors' pockets here. It will be the dead heat of summer when I deliver so the windows most definitely will be open!

On the bright side, I was hoping eventually to meet my neighbors so I guess this will be an icebreaker!

Original poster

Bafty · 15/06/2007 15:51

Well I just had the community midwife round for a check up and to discuss homebirth. she said that I have to consider a couple of risk factors. Firstly, as I had a 3rd degree tear the last time, if this happened again I would have to be transferred to hosp to be fixed up. Also as i currently have a broken foot we have to be sure its completely mended before the labour as it could cause problems. so more to think about..

OP posts:

Loopymumsy · 15/06/2007 19:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

agnesnitt · 15/06/2007 21:24

I didn't give birth at home, but I laboured long and hard for 48 hours there in a rather noisy fashion. Neighbours didn't give a jot once they figured out what was happening.

Go for what you want

Agnes

sep1712 · 15/06/2007 21:31

Are neighbours didn't hear anything, the midwifes cars just gave it away as are neighbours are our in-laws!

ronshar · 15/06/2007 21:42

I had home birth with dd2. I didnt think about the noise issue. But my dh did as he got locked out the front door while closing the window. He couldnt do it from inside because I was on my knees making a very loud kinda groaning sound. He did hear me shout "if you dont get your arse in here I will kill you" ok mind you! He only got let in when 2nd midwife turned up and she had to be let in too!!
Why are men sometimes so stupid?

Hallgerda · 16/06/2007 20:49

I have had 2 home births. The noise issue did worry me the first time, but I actually didn't make very much - not everyone does. (I'm not a Scientologist, in case you're wondering ).

Even looking on the really bad side, if you do get a noise abatement order served on you, it's only really a problem if you do the same again within a year. You weren't planning to do that, were you???

Original poster

Bafty · 16/06/2007 21:00

Thanks everyone such fantasict views, advice and just so god damn funny. It's been worth posting my query just so I could read your stories.

Loopymumsy, I think they are worried that if they have to transfer me to hosp (we have a fair few stairs) it may be tricky. Also the midwife mentioned a worry about me being able to get into certain positions. But both of these issues I would have to face if I go to hospital anyway? I just dont want to be made to lie on my back in a hosp bed like the last time, not allowed to squat or move about. Hopefully if I stay home I'll avoid this.

OP posts:

DaisyMOO · 16/06/2007 21:09

Apparently our neighbours (whom we don't know very well) thought we were having an orgy when I was in labour because of the noises and all the cars parked outside and considered knocking on the door to see if they could join in

Beauregard · 16/06/2007 21:18

I had an unplanned unassisted homebirth which unfortunately happened on a Sunday morning.I had screeched at dp to open a f*** window(as was so hot) whilst i lay screaming on the bathroom floor(just picture the acoustics)so i imagine the whole bloody street heard me.My neighbour later told me she was looking through the letterbox to see what was happening (although she sort of knew)i thank god i had crawled upstairs at that point ,it would not have made pleasant viewing.After the screaming the ambulance screeched up blue light going etc so by then everyone had noticed

Original poster

Bafty · 16/06/2007 21:19

My god my mind boggles at the kind of sex life everyone must be enjoying/partaking in if they think labour sounds like an orgy??!!

Well at least you know your neighbours better now!

OP posts:

Meglet · 17/06/2007 19:56

if anyone wants to come round to mine for a noisy homebirth they are most welcome. i'd like to give my rubbish loud saxophone playing neighbour a taste of his own medicine .

i can provide cakes afterwards .

Loopymumsy · 17/06/2007 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

treacletart · 17/06/2007 20:06

DS was an unplanned home birth, early morning and very hot summer with all the windows open, Victorian end of terrace. I screamed and screamed with a voice that didn't even sound like mine - God knows where that noise came from but trust me it was very loud and very scary I'm sure. All 3 neighbours - 2 flats next door and one below us - claim to have heard nothing at all! Best of luck to you. I'm due another in August and wish I could have home birth again - cant for boring medical reasons - but I wager the maternity ward will be even less soundproofed than our flat - I'm planning on powerscreaming through labour again but I'm a bit worried I might put people off!

Flip

1 2 3