Home birth - question about doctor examining the newborn

[insywinsyspider]

a question for all you experienced people out there (I've kind of asked it before but still not sure about the answer!)

am planning a home birth for number 2 - for ds was out of hosp in 6 hours, but was told I couldn't leave until doc had examined him so what happens in a home birth? do I have to take dc to hosp at some point or does GP visit asap after birth? am asking as well because thinking if I do transfer and want to go home asap after the birth how much attention do I have to pay to MW insisting baby is examined?? ie can I discharge at 2am and get GP to call by the next day like in a home birth? Hope that makes sense, I'm trying to work out all my options as determined not to have to say in hosp if all goes well, obviously a home birth is my first choice...

Finally - anyone had a Doula? I'm considering some having some continuity to my home care but have no idea, how do I find one? and how much do they cost?

I was booked to ahve the GP come out but ended up being a hosp transfer due to stop start stop labour
AS it turned out ds2 popped out minutes after arriving
I went home straight away as GP had been booked to see me at home. I missed the GP when she called as I was picking up dd from pre school (they never ring they just assume that you'll be home FFS)

So I tok ds in for his easy as you like.

72 hrs insisting
FFS that's awful

Ds2 was 8 days old when he got his...

I think it does depend on where you live so ask your midwife. I had a homebirth last Thursday which was great but was told that our village gp doesn't come out, so had to go to hospital for it the next day. I could barely walk but actually I feel quite proud we managed it as the next trip out we do should be a doddle in comparison...

After my homebirth the midwife arranged for a GP to visit, the day after birth. I requested she asked for the handsome one. He came ( I was glad I applied lipstick). He was thrilled to come out to do this, having never done it before. The checks he did were fairly basic, counting fingers and toes, checking for hip problems and correct formation of anus!
My midwife had warned me that some doctors may be funny about coming out and request you to go to them. In this event she told me to be firm that I was not taking my baby out of the house until I felt up to it and that he had built up sufficient immunity to be taken into a new environment where he would be exposed to sick people. I think she said that doctors have a legal duty to come out ater home births - I don't know whether this is right.
However, I had no problems but I live in London about a 5 minute walk from my GP practice.