Hospital vs home birth

Albgo · 23/02/2022 20:17

I was my mum's third child and was a planned home birth. My mum said it was a lovely experience.
I also have a friend who has had both her children at home.
The only thing that would worry me would be how quickly I could get to a maternity unit if something went wrong - but I know my view here is clouded as I had an emergency c-section.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 23/02/2022 20:25

@Albgo

I was my mum's third child and was a planned home birth. My mum said it was a lovely experience. I also have a friend who has had both her children at home. The only thing that would worry me would be how quickly I could get to a maternity unit if something went wrong - but I know my view here is clouded as I had an emergency c-section.

Our nearest hospital is less than 10 minutes away so feel reassured if I ever needed could change my mind at any point. How was your friends experience?

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Molehillfromamountain · 23/02/2022 20:53

I had DC2 at home. Planned mainly because we live quite far away from family and had nobody to look after DC1 when I went into labour.
My first birth was without issue, we are less than 10 minutes from hospital and the community midwives were really encouraging about home births which helped make the decision.
In the end my labour was very fast, one midwife made it to the birth with 10 minutes to spare, the second didn't make it until after the delivery. I didn't make it into the birthing pool we had hired and didn't get chance for any pain relief. DH almost missed the birth because he was rushing about the house trying to get the midwifes equipment from her van to the room I was in.
It wasn't exactly the relaxing experience I had hoped for but DS and I were both healthy and the midwife was unflappable. (Or at least she appeared to be!)

Fifthtimelucky · 23/02/2022 20:57

I had my second at home because I wanted a water birth and the hospital didn't allow it.

It's perhaps unfair to compare a first and second birth as presumably most second births are easier than most first births (and my first was back to back which didn't help), but the whole experience was better second time around and I'd definitely recommend it.

It was 22 years ago when I had mine so things might have changed but you had to decide in advance if you wanted pethidine. I didn't want it but I wouldn't have been able to change my mind half way through, which might be a disadvantage for some people.

It was very well organised. I had a rota covering a 2 week period so I knew exactly who to call depending on what time and day it was. One of the midwives came round about ten days before my due date with a box full of goodies which lived in my garage until needed. I think it included gas and air, but it may be that the midwife brought them on the day.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Duracellbunnywannabe · 23/02/2022 21:01

My only concern would be the current pressure on ambulance service and how quickly they would be able tom come and take you to hospital if you needed one. I mention it because I had to call 999 due to my toddler sudden laboured fast breathing and they told us she needed to be hospital asap but they didn’t have an ambulance and to get their ourselves.

daniellewayne · 23/02/2022 21:06

@springbaby22

The birthing Centre I was planing on giving birth at has closed due to staffing issues. Now considering a home birth as opposed to going to hospital, I'm low risk and on dc3. First 2 were born in hospital. Has anyone had experience on home births? Hearing so many positive things. I'll have a risk assessment next week. Baby measuring slightly bigger (91st centile) but the hospital said this shouldn't be an issue for a home birth.

I had an unexpected home birth loved every minute of it I'm now expecting again and planning on a home birth

FavouriteFortnight · 23/02/2022 21:11

I really envy people who have the courage to opt for home birth. I really wanted the reassurance of having hospital staff and facilities available, and I am very glad I did as everything switched from all pretty fine to a full on emergency in about 60 seconds. I have no idea what would have happened if we had been at home.

OldTinHat · 23/02/2022 21:35

I had DS2 at home. However it didn't go quite to plan and I was minutes away from being called an ambulance but it was still the most wonderful experience.

I was told afterwards that if I'd been in hospital the monitoring would have been better and the problem diagnosed. It would have been an emergency CSec. So I was so happy to have avoided that and we were both safe and well in the end.

AHobbyaweek · 23/02/2022 21:45

If you want stories and loads of experiences of both times it goes really well and when plans have to change then the Home birth Support Group on Facebook is good.
I had a homebirth in September last year after an emergency c section in 2015.
Was the best thing I ever did and was beautiful compared to my first experience in hospital.

Hadenough21 · 23/02/2022 23:00

I haven’t had a home birth myself - can totally see the appeal of one but ultimately I’d rather be in hospital in case anything went wrong quite suddenly. I’ve had a PPH before and that was quite out of the blue. I think it depends how far you live from the hospital as to how confident I’d feel, but just to echo a pp it’s worth thinking about the ambulance service at the moment as I had to call an ambulance recently and I couldn’t even get through. I was put in a queue just to speak to someone and gave up after 10 minutes and drove to hospital instead. I think it’d be worth just discussing with your midwife how this would work if things went wrong quickly and you needed to get to hospital asap - do they have special access to getting an ambulance there or is it a case of call 999 like everyone else and hope the service isn’t too busy? That’s what I’d want to know before deciding what to do personally.

CassieJumped · 23/02/2022 23:07

@springbaby22

The birthing Centre I was planing on giving birth at has closed due to staffing issues. Now considering a home birth as opposed to going to hospital, I'm low risk and on dc3. First 2 were born in hospital. Has anyone had experience on home births? Hearing so many positive things. I'll have a risk assessment next week. Baby measuring slightly bigger (91st centile) but the hospital said this shouldn't be an issue for a home birth.

I had two hospital births due to pre eclampsia. By the third pregnancy I knew I wanted more control and decided on a hb. Honestly the best decision I ever made. I won't have any more children but I'd love to homebirth again. Older two children were around and about during the labour but chose to stay away for the actual birth. Very relaxed experience and Dh didn't feel like a spare part!

CassieJumped · 23/02/2022 23:08

Also despite Dh being a bit apprehensive he ended up being converted! We even did two talks at local homebirth meetings.

Mossstitch · 23/02/2022 23:30

I had middle one at home, was the calmest/easiest birth but did ruin the mattress and new cream carpet as midwife wasn't ready but baby was😉 I did have few moments when I worried about something going wrong but only 10 mins from hospital. third I had in a midwife led unit attached to local hospital to save the carpet and the worry of something going wrong as older then. Went in middle of night in midwife's car, had him few hours later and home at lunchtime. Both better than induction in hospital with first as overdue.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 24/02/2022 18:27

@Mossstitch

I had middle one at home, was the calmest/easiest birth but did ruin the mattress and new cream carpet as midwife wasn't ready but baby was😉 I did have few moments when I worried about something going wrong but only 10 mins from hospital. third I had in a midwife led unit attached to local hospital to save the carpet and the worry of something going wrong as older then. Went in middle of night in midwife's car, had him few hours later and home at lunchtime. Both better than induction in hospital with first as overdue.

What did you use for your pain relief at home? Did you hire a pool?

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ItsSnowJokes · 24/02/2022 18:34

I have had a hospital and home birth. I am a massive advocate for home births even though I got blue lighted in due to a PPH. The actual birth I felt so in control and at peace as it was my own space. My labour was quick 1hr 42mins and midwife wasn't here that long but them when I started bleeding (lost 6 pints in total) she was so calm, ambulance came within 5 minutes, I was blue lighted in and in the operating theatre in 30 minutes. I stayed in ICU for 3 days and then discharged (I had 2 blood transfusions). I was gutted I missed out on my planned Chinese with my new baby and my eldest (an adult who was also at the birth).

ItsSnowJokes · 24/02/2022 18:35

What did you use for your pain relief at home? Did you hire a pool?

Paracetamol, a small amount of gas and air.

I didn't have a pool as then I was in a first floor flat and didn't know if the floor would take it 🤣

CanIJustHaveAWord · 24/02/2022 18:36

You can get a meptid prescription from your doctors and you just keep it in the fridge. The midwife brings the gas and air. I also had a birthing ball i bounced on and I used a tens machine too. I didn't end up needing the meptid. I was lucky that I had a friend who loaned me her birth pool. Locally you can hire them.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 24/02/2022 21:40

@CanIJustHaveAWord

You can get a meptid prescription from your doctors and you just keep it in the fridge. The midwife brings the gas and air. I also had a birthing ball i bounced on and I used a tens machine too. I didn't end up needing the meptid. I was lucky that I had a friend who loaned me her birth pool. Locally you can hire them.

Wow first time hearing about meptid. Was the pool setup ok at home? Was this first birth? Seems like a positive possible option with home birth.

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JemimaTiggywinkle · 24/02/2022 21:45

I started my labour in a birth centre, but when my waters broke there was meconium so I had to be transferred to labour ward. I found it stressful enough being wheeled down the corridor and up in the lift - I wouldn’t have wanted to travel to hospital at that stage - my DS was born 30 mins later.

However, it was my first baby, you may feel more relaxed.

CanIJustHaveAWord · 24/02/2022 21:56

Hi, sorry I've name changed. I replied as @CassieJumped above x

CanIJustHaveAWord · 24/02/2022 22:00

Search for your local hb group on fb.

AHobbyaweek · 25/02/2022 08:57

Some trusts allow you pethedine (as above) and some don't. I just had gas and air.
There is growing evidence that paracetamol slows down your labour so I didn't take the risk.
Re the pool weight, we are first floor flat too. If your pool can take 8/9 adults in the room it can take the filled pool.

DappledThings · 02/03/2022 20:46

Midwife at my booking appt for DC2 strongly encouraged me to have a homebirth as DC1 had come so quickly. I refused outright. Cannot see the attraction in having all that mess and disruption at home.

It was all very straightforward, less than 3 hours active labour, just gas and air for pain and no tearing. So would have been fine from that point of view at home but I was still very pleased to have been where I needed to be in case anything went wrong and where I could have a shower in a big easy to access wet room and get into a bed someone else was changing.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 02/03/2022 21:58

@DappledThings

Midwife at my booking appt for DC2 strongly encouraged me to have a homebirth as DC1 had come so quickly. I refused outright. Cannot see the attraction in having all that mess and disruption at home.

It was all very straightforward, less than 3 hours active labour, just gas and air for pain and no tearing. So would have been fine from that point of view at home but I was still very pleased to have been where I needed to be in case anything went wrong and where I could have a shower in a big easy to access wet room and get into a bed someone else was changing.

Interesting point of view lol especially the sheets part.

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CanIJustHaveAWord · 03/03/2022 11:39

Re the message above we didn't have much in the way of mess. Had a tarp covered in blankets over the sofa in the conservatory and towels down round the pool. Pool was drained down the outside drain and just needed a wipe out. Towels were shoved into the machine on a hot wash and I was in bed at this point with the baby and the older two.
For me it was more relaxing being at home