What exactly ARE the advantages of a home birth?

[backonthedecaff]

I'm pg with my 3rd. Shoulder dystocia and pph with 1st. then a v v straightforward delivery with 2nd. Midwife is trying to persuade me of the advantages of a homebirth but I honestly can't think of any - apart from avoiding contracting c-diff in hospital! So, what are the advantages and why is she so keen for me to do it?

well the chances of avoiding infection are pretty convincing tbh.
much better chance of a straightforward birth, avoiding interventions, better chance of a good experience for you and for the baby.

Hmm, first birth was a long, drawn-out nightmare that I try hard to forget; second birth: although it was quick, vividly remember thinking 'Thank God I never have to do this again' (hadn't planned on a third )

Plus all the stuff that others have said - having a cup of tea with the midwives on my own sofa, having a hot shower in my own bathroom, snoozing with brand new DD in my own bed. Also nice to be able to deal with immediate post-birth stuff in private. Think about it - the biggest thing I would emphasise is that you are in control in your own home - not in a control-freak way, but in a calm, relaxed way.

Funny, but out of everyone I know who had hospital births, not a single one had a good time - shocking, really. I strongly believe that hospitals intervene when it isn't actually necessary, for the sake of speed and keeping people moving through the doors - midwives are much more free to use their skills at a homebirth and they can deal with most complications. Can't speak from vast experience - only have one DD - but can't help thinking home and water were the reasons why I had no intervention, no stitches and needed no pain relief.

Bedroom??? - giving birth????? My DH loves pointing to a corner by the TV and saying to DD 'that's where you were born':O
advantages:
you can eat,drink,wander up the garden
you can do anything you feel like
You get 2 midwives
you aren't at risk of getting infections from outsiders
you can take a shower without having to rinse someone elses blood out of it first
you don't have to travel in labour
no one will be hovering outside waiting for you to deviate from the norm so they can interfere
no one can send your OH home after an hour
Lisa x

Backonthedecaff - I think a lot depends on the quality of the hospital birth you can expect. I would rather have given birth in a frozen food aisle in Tesco that go back to the hospital I had DD1 in (and there would probably have been a smaller and more sympathetic audience as well).

I loved the fact that I had one midwife all the way through my hb - she just pottered about watching the telly and making tea, waiting for the main event - while in hospital I endured numerous shift changes lurching between horrid/ lovely mw's.

At home I was so relaxed things went much more smoothly and I did not have too clean up or anything, mw does all that. I was happy to have gone w/out drugs for the homebirth as well, with th hospitL BIRTH I FELT OUT OF IT FOR DAYS, sorry caps lock! I recovered much more quickly from the homebirth despite having torn both times. Though that could also be down too the fact it was a 2nd birthso not such a shock too the system.

Ultimately the ideal is to give birth in a place where you feel safe etc. sometimes you don't get too choose of course.

whoops too many o's oh well

backonthedecaff - it sounds like you would be a good candidate for hb, but reading your posts, it sounds like you are not allowing yourself to be convinced that there are huge positives to having your baby at home instead of hospital.

If you are looking for people to say 'it was awful, you are better off in hospital' - its not going to happen on this site. If you want support and encouragement, keep posting on mumsnet and also look here as suzi suggested.

The advantages and benefits are well documented even if you just google for info, and you really will never know just how much better it is until you have a hb.

On the other hand, if you had a good experience in hospital last time and were happy with this, then maybe you should consider another hospital birth, maybe in a birth centre, or MLU instead.

Whatever you decide, I hope it goes well for you

I had forgotten the answer to the OP completely, I had no idea why I was having a home birth even while I was having it, or when I was pregnant before it, but when I saw that thread the other day about inappropriate things happening on labour wards, it reminded me exactly why I had a home birth the second time. Worth a read, it honestly made me feel rather sick to think back to how I was treated in hospital

I would definitely advocate a home birth to anyone who lives within easy reach of a hospital, just in case anything were to go wrong - I could have died from PPH and our nearest is 45 mins away, but I was Ok and would still advocate HB despite being in danger. (The baby was fine, if he hadn't been I might have changed my mind on that basis)

But I sent Ds off with Grandma, if he had seen it he would have been totally traumatised I think. I've never screamed before in my life but suddenly I knew how it was very distressing to witness, I imagine...

Do the two hyphens around EACH word with a space in between, I think?

Agree with Loopymummy. I had both DS1 and DS2 at home (DS2 born at night and his brother came down in the morning to see him there, v sweet).
You get more MW attention (if you want/need it), but less interference as you're in your own home and MWs seem less likely to boss/hassle you in your own environment, own clean bathroom/loo (no risk of infection and no need to clean up before you use it), own bed afterwards, own kitchen and you can eat/drink when (and what) you want, access to your own music/TV (early on if needed).
I had a water birth for DS2 which was fab and not guaranteed in the local hospital.
Also as fishie says "hospitals are for ill people". Couldnt agree more!

Dh didnt have to leave after baby born

My own bath after delivery

Snuggling up after birth in my bed with baby and DH

Only have to pack bare minimum in case of going to hosp

You know where everything is so not worrying about where things/rooms/midwives are

You can have a water birth - brill - with candles, music, chocs as you want it

It fulfils specific aims for famillies as well.

if I go ito labour and its not slow, my only chance of having DH with me is if I deliver at home- as the only poeple who can care for the ds's (bearing in mind their SN0 live in another OCunty, and by the time Dh is called form work, goes to drop kids and back- could be easily 3 hours plus, and this is a 4th baby.

The only otehr option is SS care for the night- no chance!

So I have arrnaged a Doula, and plan to deliver at home, where I know I will be far more relaxed (previous hospital experiences not stunning) and won't be worryinga bout where the kidsare- they'll either be upstairs, if night, a friend will drive over and take them to Mum if daytime, or if a weekend and thinsg are quick then a neighbour can take them to the park for an hour.

Homebirth will put me back in control- I ownt be fearinga transfer so much as I will have my doula with me, but Dh desperately want (as do I want him- we're very close) to be present for the birth so I want to maximise the chances of that happening. Its something I am having to fight for, but well worth it.

Not having to attempt to get to hospital while having continual contractions and throwing up about 5 mins after waking up with a few niggles.

2 MW of your very own, one of whom will not leave until you are showered, have fed your baby and are all snuggled up together in your very own comfy bed.

And I suppose the whole walking around thing and being able to eat etc but if you read the first paragraph you'll probably realise that I didn't really take advantage of that!

Wanted to add that DS2 was born in the birth pool in our conservatory at dawn, with just fairy lights on for lighting so a very peaceful setting (candles not allowed eith G&A!).
Was pretty special/romantic (pain aside) and am very sure it would not have been like this at my local hospital.

My midwife very wisely suggested I didn't give birth in my bedroom. I put the pool in the spare room and we could close the door on the pool and the wet towels and what have you and get into lovely clean sheets in my own bed. Midwives take away the "mess", but DH didn't have to worry about tidying up until he was ready because the bedroom was pristine.

Whatever you would do with the children when going to hospital, can be done with a homebirth. My 12yo DD slept through me giving birth though. DH woke her up at 6.30am to tell her her sister was born.

Can't recommend it highly enough, but if you're not comfortable with it, then it's not for you. It is worth considering, is all I'll say.

The only disadvantage for me, was that I'm a bit shy about phoning and "bothering" people, so when I could have done with some breastfeeding support, I was afraid to phone the on-call midwife to come back and help. I was being very silly, I should have just done it - it's their job after all. Also DH went out for a while (to sort out some work stuff) in the evening of the day she was born and I know now that I wouldn't let him do that again, because despite being able to cope just fine, I did feel a bit alone.

That said, you do hear lots of stories about women not getting any post-natal support in hospital even though they ask and being left alone without support...

my midwife sat and knitted during my labour at home

backonthedecaff - if your labour was 2.5 hours last time, will you get to hospital in time?

I had a 2.5 hour labour this time (well I suppose 1.5-2 hours of actually realising it was labour) and DD2 was born in the car because by the time we'd got ready and dropped DD1 off, it was too late! If I had another, I would definitely go for homebirth as my labours seem to be speeding up!

that must have been scarey Bramshot - was it just you and your dh to deliver the baby in the car?

I must say you all make it sound absolutely wonderful. I am however inclined to think like backonthecaff. probably because I had a great experience in hosp. i did most of my labour in the confort of my own home only a few hours in hosp to push and home same day, lovely midwife.
yes I might not have the same again but I am very worried of possible complications and I know I would panic because of it.
also I am not sure I'd want DD around. I don't want to worry about her and I want DH all for me. selfish I know.

It's nto selfish, the whole point si that women are entitled to a choice.

I have to admit, at one point in my laour, I was telling the midwife to phone for an ambulance - I had visions of me being rushing to hospital with a baby half stuck out of me - that was scarey.

Everything worked out well in the end, and I would probably have a home birth again next time.

I also didn't want my dd1 around when I was giving birth - that would have been very off putting.