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Childbirth

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Original poster

Anyone homebirthed?

112 replies

JuniperDewdrop · 04/11/2004 18:06

My friend is hoping to with her second and is getting a bit of stick from some people. Has anyone got any really happy stories I could pass on?

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Ameriscot2004 · 04/11/2004 18:22

I had #2, #3 and #4 at home (#1 and #5 in hospital). I loved my homebirths - it just felt right. I was happy with my hospital birth for the first, and given that it went well, I knew that I didn't need to be there. I hated being in hospital with the fifth (no choice as it was in the USA).

There's not much to say about the homebirths - mainly no frantic rush to get to hospital (and the packing of the bags etc.) No babysitters needed for my overnight birth, and the daytime births were very convenient for the childminder I already had. It is so nice to get back into your own bed after having a shower.

Titania · 04/11/2004 18:24

Had 3rd at home.....wonderful!!! 4 and a half hours from start to finish.....6 hours after it all started we were all cleaned up and tucked up together!!! the midwives changed the bed and sorted all the mess (we were surprised how little there was!!!!) I would have the next one at home defo!!!! First 2 were bad births so wouldn't have been able to have them at home anyway. I just knew this one would be ok and it was.........

tortoiseshell · 04/11/2004 18:47

had 2nd at home - was fantastic. midwives in house less than an hour, lovely to be in own home, esp with ds to consider, wouldn't change it for world. Dd was 10lb2, and had no pain relief/stitches, which I put down to the home atmosphere and fantastic midwife.

Avalon · 04/11/2004 19:11

Had first and third at home. Fantastic lying in bed afterwards, bf dd and drinking champagne (not too much)! Much better experience than I had in hospital for the second (overdue).

MarmaladeSun · 05/11/2004 11:41

Absolutely wonderful! I had a managed first birth in hospital, a hospital water birth with 2nd and a home birth with third and I would recommend it to anyone. It was relaxed, lots of laughter (lots of yelling too) and the midwives ran a bath, sat with me whilst me and the baby bathed, and then made the bed. My 2 children were present and it was a fantastic experience. It was also the only time I didn't need stitches even though she was the biggest of them all at 9lb 6oz. Also no drugs were needed, just gas and air.

secur · 05/11/2004 11:51

Message withdrawn

mckenzie · 05/11/2004 12:07

please keep these massages coming. I'm trying very hard to persuade DH that we should have ahome birth for baby no 2 due in february but he is totally against it. Any mumsnetters whose DH or DP would be prepared to do a short post would be fantastic for me to show my DH.

secur · 05/11/2004 12:08

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Original poster
JuniperDewdrop · 05/11/2004 12:14

Cheers for all of these, hope they do keep coming then I'll print it all off and let her read them.

OP posts:
Original poster
JuniperDewdrop · 05/11/2004 12:15

mckenzie, my mate has a book that her dh is reading at the moment as he was unsure. He's coming round to the idea now. I'll ask her the name of it.

OP posts:
Blu · 05/11/2004 12:50

JuniperD, there are loads and loads of v happy positive homebirth stories on MN - have a trawl or search through some of the threads on the Childbirth board - Beetroot has had all her 4 at home, MotherInferior will be along soon, no doubt....

hannahken180 · 05/11/2004 13:03

We had our second dd 3 weeks ago at home. My wife had relatively mild contractions all day, but it all was going rather slowly. At 5pm I went to cut the grass. 5 mins later my wife said I should come in as contractions were getting stronger. 20 mins later we phoned the Labour ward and got midwifes on the way. 5 mins later my wife said she wanted to push and the Labour ward said to phone an ambulance. DD arrived 3 mins after it arrived and DD2 was delivered by me (DH) and ambulance bloke. 15 mins later midwifes arrived...

Albeit it all happened rather fast, but we all agree that it was so much better than in the hospital. If there is a next time it will be at home for sure.

securDH · 05/11/2004 13:20

Just popped in to see Secur and she asked me to reply to this, hope my thoughts help!

I found it amasing, in hospital I would have been sidelined by midwives and would have felt useless. Everybody else would be looking after my wife-not me! At home it was really calm and in the end I delivered my baby, I was calm, I checked the cord wasn't around her neck and she gave a lusty scream seconds after birth. The midwives appeared a few minutes later.

I am quite squeamish and thought I would panic, but I didn't, my wife was calm and happy and I was involved in something really important to me. I couldn't have asked for a better start to my relationship with my baby.

I would really say give it a try, if you don't like it you don't have to do it next time round!

SecurDH

mckenzie · 05/11/2004 18:56

thanks very much guys. I shall show this to DH tonight and see if I cant change his mind.
DH worries because with DS although we planned on a very natural water birth at the hospital I did eventually have intervention. I gave birth in the operating theatre in the end while they waited for some team member who was still scrubing up. Another 60 seconds and would have been a c section. DS was OP and was struggling to get over the 'bridge' so no reason at all why second one should be the same but DH's argument is "if DS had been a home birth we'd have been in trouble."
You and I know that it's not necessarily the case at all as the whole thing could have been different but DH wont budge from that view. Please help me to change his mind.

Tommy · 05/11/2004 19:16

DS1 was born in hospital after being induced, 24 hours labour, epidural, forceps etc. DS2 born in hospital (just) 2 hours labour and only used TENS. If we ever get around to conceiving number 3 I am definitely going for a home birth - I'm already looking forward to getting into my own bed after having a bath in my own bathroom and having a decent mug of tea! Good luck JD - get your midwife on your side too and I'm sure your DH will come round soon

unicorn · 05/11/2004 19:27

hi mckenzie (+jd's pal!)

2nd births are more often than not NOTHING like number 1 (as indeed the children who are produced!)

I had emergency C after induction with number 1 (dd)... wanted a non intervention for number 2 - hospital would rather have me sectioned (!!)...
as it turned out I had an emergency Homebirth.. (emergency only as there was no way I could get to hospital.. it was all too quick)

We had 2 ambulance crews, and a midwife (who arrived just in time).. my pal who was helping 'look after' dd, ended up virtually delivering ds!

The whole experience was seriously fabulous for me.. as it was MY HOME,and I was in charge... I made as much noise as I liked - and told the ambulance crew that I was not moving into the only room that had a new carpet - I gave birth on hall landing!!

My dd had chickenpox at the time- so there would have been no way she would have been able to see her little brother in hospital.
As it was, the whole lot of us were cuddling, in our bed, in our home straight after delivery....
I can honestly say it has been the best experience I have ever had.

If you can, and really want to, Go for it... just get some help (like a pal who's had kids) to take the stress off dh...
Personally having my pal there meant I didn't need to worry about dh - who was scared stiff!!!

emmatmg · 05/11/2004 19:32

Mckensie, my Dh was not happy with the idea of DS3 being born at home (even though DS2 was, but delivered by paramedics because I hadn't planned on a HB)

I was on the domino scheme and the MW suggested another HB but I explained that DH wasn't too keen. She arranged to come to our house to talk to him about all the equipment that they have in the HB kit and all the safety issues. By the end of it DH was happy to go along with it because he had had this "lesson" in home births from a midwife.

Could you talk to your MW about it, maybe they'll do the same for your DH as they did for mine.

BTW Juniperdewdrop, both my homebirths were fantasic (even the uplanned one with DS2) and I would without a doubt have another homebirth if we were to have any more children. I am incredibley proud of myself for it and love being a homebirther!

emmatmg · 05/11/2004 19:34

you and me both unicorn with the the emergency HB.

Midwife arrived after the event for me though

zebra · 05/11/2004 19:38

My 2nd was at home and it was the best childbirth of the lot. Very fast and (relatively) relaxed. Mine is one of many homebirth stories here (search for "stories" and click on that link}.

midden · 05/11/2004 19:50

I had both mine at home, the first was born in 6 hours and the second in 2. Amazing. Both times I couldn't possibly have contemplated getting in a moving vehicle to go anywhere and it was lovely to snuggle up in my own bed afterwards with dh knowing nobody was going anywhere and we could do things at our own pace.

yurtgirl · 05/11/2004 19:57

Message withdrawn

winterdolly · 05/11/2004 19:58

For anyone "getting stick" or trying to persuade dh this might help:

Risks of a Hospital Birth

MRSA
Unnecessary interventions
Increased risk of caesarean section
Less likely to labour well
Loss of privacy/control
Mental trauma
Partner being treated like a surplus idiot
Harder time bonding with baby
Harder to establish breastfeeding
Infection
Cascade of intervention
Having to labour against the clock
More likely to need pain relief
Risk of being left unattended while overworked midwife deals with six other
women
Lack of support

zebra · 05/11/2004 20:22

YG: Yes, Sun is a bit mad (but then, aren't we all?). I'll give you a hint about which is mine, try to figure out who is such a geek that they got their story in soonest after the birth.

oxocube · 05/11/2004 20:25

Had 1 and 3 at home and was lovely; very cosy and just what I wanted. DD #2 was born in Switzerland where they don't 'do' home births so do have experience of both and much, much, much preferred being at home. Just felt right

Heathcliffscathy · 05/11/2004 20:27

i tried for a homebirth for ds (first one) and spent 2 1/2 days at home and then four hours in hospital...don't regret a thing, was amazing experience and if we have another one i will try for a homebirth again...very relaxed safe environment, you can always go to hospital if you feel you want/need to, but not the other way round, think that's always worth remembering!