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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Home birth for the first baby - did you manage it?

33 replies

walkingwomb · 02/11/2007 14:06

I am only 13 weeks and very much at the early stages of considering what is out there. I had my scan on Wed and talked to the midwife about it a bit. My local midwife is going to go into it in more detail with me, but when I mentioned I was considering a home birth (because i don't like the idea of being interfered with) she said that the local midwives would be supportive, but with first timers they have a very high rate of transfer, so to be aware of that.

SO - any first time HB stories?

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LoveAndSqualor · 02/11/2007 14:08

No experience but I'll be watching with interest - 20 weeks' pregnant with my first, and thinking about a home birth, too ...

Lulumama · 02/11/2007 14:10

have a look at the homebirth site
more firstimers do transfer in, but not for anything sinister, just for more pain relief on teh whole

you might be able to get meptid / pethidine for a home birth, also, you can have gas and air and use a birth pool.

being free to mobilise, vocalise, eat and drink, and do what you feel you need to is a big help in itself.

stripeymama · 02/11/2007 14:12

I had a home birth with my first, and according to my midwife the high transfer rate for first timers is largely due to "failure to progress".

I was in labour for 24 hours and the on-call midwife wanted me to transfer after about 18, but we refused as there was no medical reason, just their own clockwatching.

I would recommend home birth to anyone, first baby or not.

Lulumama · 02/11/2007 14:15

for a low risk pregnancy, home birth is just as safe as hospital birth

also, you can give it a go, and if you do ahve to transfer, then so be it, you cannot start at hospital and go back home, so you have nothing to lose by giving it a go !

Original poster

walkingwomb · 02/11/2007 14:17

I don't think she was being horrible or anything about this, but she did emphasis the logistics involved for the midwives and us in having a home birth, so she wanted me to be sure so it wasn't a big waste of time.

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LoveAndSqualor · 02/11/2007 14:26

Lulumama, could you poss post that link again? It doesn't seem to be working - and I'd definitely like to take a look ...

coby · 02/11/2007 14:28

Where I live they really push for a home birth as the hospital is nearly 50 miles away down a pretty rough road .

I tried for my first and second but was transferred due to a 'lack of progress' - 24 hours after my waters broke they took me in to administer the usual antibiotics.

I have several friends who have had a homebirth for their first and highly recommended it.

I'd agree with what others have said, give it a go if you want to. I'm sure the midwife is going to understand if you have given it a go but have to transfer in the end so don't let what she said put you under pressure to stay at home if you have had enough.

susie100 · 02/11/2007 14:29

Hi Walking Womb I managed it with my first dd 12 weeks ago and would highly recommend it. I think the stats on the homebirth link Lulu sent you say 40% of first timers transfer in so that means that the majority still don't! As mentioned, first labours can be a bit longer as your body has never done it before. That was actually part of the reason I think a homebirth for your 1st is very important. At home you are more likely to be able wait it out if you and your baby are well, there are less protocols about failure to progress (horrible phrase!) My labout was 24hrs and was tough. I was stuck at 5cm for 10 hrs and would have had a c-section in hospital. In reality it was just how my body laboured, baby was find throughout and I was relaxed and comfortable.
With your first I think it is more important than ever to have a supportive birth team and an experienced team in homebirth. There is no point doing it with reluctant or inexperienced midwives as it will be stressful for all involved.
Do look into having a doula or even better, if you can afford it, an independent midwife who you can get to know and build a relationship with.

The other benefit to you will be with NHS or independent you have 1/2 midwives constantly in labour, watching you like a hawk. Unfortunately this is often not the case in busy maternity wards with stretched midwives. I actually felt that any potential problems would be spotted much earlier at home and than in the local hospital where the midwife to patient ratio was sometimes 1 to 7!

skidaddle · 02/11/2007 14:30

hi walking, I planned a hb with my first but didn't get it due to high bp and low platelets and hb in later pg - but I'd plan it anyway if I were you - it was no problem - we just went to the hospital instead and someone came and picked up all the hb stuff a few days later

ImBarryScott · 02/11/2007 14:31

I wanted a home birth for my first. I didn't manage it, but still had a positive experience. I was at home for a long while, and had a much longer second stage than would be "allowed" in hospital. My DD was presenting at a peculiar angle, and the midwives calmly explained to me that this was probably why I was struggling to push her out. We agreed that I would transfer, and this was quite calm and normal - everyone waited for me to gather myself and my things before nipping off in the ambulance. DD was born by ventouse minutes after arrival at the hospital. I was really glad I was at home in my own environment for so long, and would definitely try for HB again.

Original poster

walkingwomb · 02/11/2007 14:31

susie100 - you are really selling it!

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ib · 02/11/2007 14:37

I had a home birth for my first. If I'd been in hospital they would probably have intervened as labour was quite slow, but we held on and had a lovely water birth. I thoroughly recommend it.

I think it's also worth familiarising yourself with the guidelines and being very clear with your birth partner under what circumstances you would want to transfer and under which you definitely wouldn't, in case you get a midwife that's not so supportive.

Original poster

walkingwomb · 02/11/2007 14:37

skidaddle and barry - you sound positive about it not happening, which is nice to hear. Thanks for posting.

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lailasmum · 02/11/2007 14:41

I had a home birth for my first. It was lovely to be able to have a bath with my new baby and get into my own bed afterwards. I had a really quick birth too at just 3 hrs. I had two midwives with me for about the last 2 hrs (by the time they arrived) so felt very well cared for.

Hope to repeat the experience in February.

Lulumama · 02/11/2007 14:45

homebirth site this one should work!

susie100 · 02/11/2007 14:49

Yes sorry, I get very militant passionate about it!

susie100 · 02/11/2007 14:51

If you search for a thread called Bad experience of homebirth? which I started a while back you will see that even when peopl have transferred in, they speak quite highly of the experience overall - taht really helped me to decide to go for it!

Original poster

walkingwomb · 02/11/2007 14:53

No its great.

Sorry if i haven't name checked everyone. Lulumama - you are a font of knowledge as always

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mcnoodle · 02/11/2007 15:04

I had hb with my first - like others have said, my labour didn't progress neatly (quick but 2 hours pushing) and I guess in hospital they would have been thinking about intervening. My 2 midwives and student (3 women focussing all their attention on me, ds and dh) were amazing and let me carry on.

The attention and support you get at home are invaluable, and being at home gives you a sense of control that I know I would have lost in hospital (am terribly polite and british).

Get all your pain relief options sorted, get a pool if possible (would have been begging for general anaesthetic without it) and be prepared to have to transfer. Open mind is the best policy.

Good luck

Lulumama · 02/11/2007 16:00

welcome, although i think suzie100 has given a great pro homebith post there !

susie100 · 02/11/2007 16:10

claraenglish · 02/11/2007 18:27

Message withdrawn

Indith · 02/11/2007 18:49

I had a homebirth almost 10 months ago. It was great to just be able to get on with it at home and get into my own clean bed afterwards. Go for it, it is the best thing!

Tangle · 02/11/2007 19:11

I had a homebirth in April this year with two wonderful independent midwives. For me, knowing the midwives and therefore having developed trust in them made it very easy to relax into the birth - and my 9lb 12 breech baby appeared 7 hours after I went into active labour.

I did then have to transfer (didn't react well to the blood loss and needed some stitching that would have been tricky at home), but it was very calm and relaxed. Spending time on the labour ward really reinforced how right we had been to birth at home - I was very VERY quiet during my labour, and I think I'd have found hearing other women being vocal very distracting.

Go for it - just planning a homebirth halves your chance of needing major intervention. If/when DC2 comes along we'll have no hesitation in doing it again

Tangle · 02/11/2007 19:12

sorry - meant to say that she was my first child. think I got a bit carried away

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