Has anyone had a domino birth?

[Lilliput]

I initially wanted a home birth for my second time around but it has been suggested I go for a domino birth as I live 45 minutes from the hospital. Has anyone had an experience of a domino birth and did you really get home from hospital within a few hours of the birth as my midwife has promised?

What is a domino birth?

It's when the midwife is with you at home for the majority of the labour, you then go in for the actual birth and then are home as soon as possible after the birth, sometimes within a couple of hours of delivery. It's a way of spending the maximum time at home and not in hospital but with midwife assistance.

Sounds like a good idea. Is this available only in certain areas?

I live in SW scotland with a fantastic community midwife team. Not sure if it is offered everywhere and in fact I had heard nothing about domino deliveries until it was suggested by the MW. I thought it was either hospital or home rather than a good balance of both. I just wanted to find someone who found it worked for them. I hate hospitals and felt so low when I had to spend three nights there when dd was born.

lilliput I would be really interested to know where you are as I have not heard of many areas in scotland offering this service. Could you CAT me if you don't want to put it on here?

My initial thoughts are:

Why would you want to have the advantage of labouring at home but then possibily suffer the consequences of the risks that hospital births carry?

If you are low risk (obvious you are if they are offering domino) and your'e labour is progressing well why would you then want to travel for 45 minutes to birth when you could do that at home?

I do think the domino system is great for women who don't feel safe birthing at home but would like to labour there and who don't want to stay over in hospital, but if you were considering home birth initially then it would seem that you would feel safe birthing in your own envoironment. It is really about being where you feel safe and it is your choice. It is great that you have been offered another option but don't let anyone "suggest" where you should be to have your baby!

In theory, the idea is to take the risk out of home birth by being in hospital when the potential problems may arise. What are the risks of a hospital birth exactly, do you mean intervention?

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

Lilliput I am not totally slating hospital birth, it is the only viable option for many women for whom fear would get in the way of birthing at home, and of course it is possible to have a natural and very lovely birth in hospital. Just wondering why you would not follow your initial instinct.
Evidence is mounting to say that home birth can actually be safer, NICE guidelines (clinical excellence)state a woman who is low risk should be informed that birthing at home will lessen the likelyhood of c-section.

Lilliput,

I had domino births for ds2 and ds3 (last one just 12 wks ago) and I thought it was fantastic.

It meant that I could call a midwife out whenever I had concern - did this a few times in the days running up to ds3's birth as ds2 had arrived so quickly that I was worried about giving birth at home with 2 ds's around (3 and 2 yrs old!).

And yes, I went into hospital to give birth and was out very quickly. I went straight to delivery suite and straight home - didn't go on the wards at all.

With ds2 I got to hospital and he arrived 40 minutes later. I got up, showered and went home 3 hours later.

With ds3 I got to hospital, went straight to delivery room, ds3 born 2 hours later. Showered and went home 3 hours later.

Also, don't know what it's like at your designated hospital but if you are on domino at my hospital you get a marvellously large delivery room that is very homely, nicely decorated and with an en-suite wet room/shower room!! Really lovely and I had the same room for both ds2 and ds3.

I had no intervention at all for either of these births. A tiny bit of gas and air at the end and just used the birthing ball for ds3. Midwives were bloody brilliant!

Homebirth was considered for ds3 but we only live 10 mins from the hospital and I would rather have been there 'just in case' there were complications, plus I was concerned about ds1 and ds2 being around as they are still very little - I know that isn't a concern for everyone but it was for me.

This way, I got the best of both worlds I felt - on hand midwives on call pre-birth, security of being in hospital for actual birth plus fab facilities, home in next to no time.

BTW, ds1 was a different kettle of fish altogether because I was induced and had an epidural. Despite that, because there were no particular complications with that, I was still allowed to have domino for ds2.

HTH and good luck!!

wow gobbldigook sounds good! Do you think you would have travelled (assuming you did not have to worry about your other ds's) 45 minutes? 10 mins is not too bad but 45 mins is a long time to be labouring in a car. I am assuming they wait until you are fairly near full dilation before transferring you in? I would be worried about delivering in transit!!

Would you have to wait till you're nearly fully dilated? Couldn't you go into the hospital at the same time as you would if you were having a "normal" hospital birth, and then leave as soon afterwards as you felt ready?

Yes, you can go in whenever you feel ready so you could always go when you think something is happening.

45 mins is a long time though, hmmm, perhaps if it were a 45 min trip I'd have opted for home, merely due to the fantastic speed of ds2 - I too, did not want to be birthing in transit!!!

Why are they suggesting domino instead of homebirth with you so far away from hospital? Wouldn't it be easier for someone to come to you?

Gobledoggok, your experiences sound great and exactly what I want. I was induced with dd so had total lack of freedom during that labour and I want to get it right this time. I plan to avoid induction and hold out until labour starts naturally ( presuming that there are no problems).
I think the midwives have suggested domino because we are quite far from hospital, the so called risky part happening in hospital. However my dh reminded me today that I hated being moved or examined during my last labour so now I really don't know what to do.
The maternity hospital is very very new with private rooms, great staff etc but I was just so miserable last time. I hated people coming in and out of my room - midwives, tea lady, lunch, physio etc. I missed my dh and mum terribly, I really wanted to get home and get on with it. I also know that although my dd has lots of people to fuss and look after her, I will really miss her even if it is just for 24 hours.
Help me make a decision!

Is the Domino system only available in Scotland or can it be had in Surrey as well? I'm too frightened of a home birth as it's my first but I absolutely hate the hospital and fear being treated badly by MW's/doctors.

Domino would be perfect for me. Any advice?

I can't recommend domino enough - it's the nearest thing to homebirth I suppose without actually being at home. I basically laboured for the majority at home, went to hospital and delivered quickly and was home in a few hours. The midwives were fab, left us to it after ds was born, just brought us lots of toast and tea - it was honestly like being in a hotel!! They were brilliant. There was no coming and going at all. I'd go for it if you'd rather be in hospital for the birth but want to be home in quick smart time!

Artyjoe - domino isn't done everywhere - I think it depends on funding and staffing levels. For example in the borough of Trafford where I live, they don't do it anymore but because my GP surgery is down the road a bit over the border into Manchester I was offered it since they still do it there. You'd need to check with your midwives.

From what I've heard, it's sometimes available somewhere but not 'advertised' very well!!!

Gbdk,
I have been following this thread with interest because I am signed in for a domino in Manchester. I still sometimes keep wondering if it wouldn't be better to have a homebirth, but since I have a dd that will be 2.5 when baby comes I might stick with going to the hospital when things get loud....
Anyway, any chance your wonderful experience was in connection with the Wythenshawe hospital? That's where I am supposed to go, and your experience sound a really ggod one!

I had domino births for all three children and my experiences are similar to Gobbledigook. I really appreciated the continuity of care from antenatal appointments to birth and post natal care - you see the same people and feel that they know you. One of the highlights for me was that the midwife who came to do the booking appointment for my second baby was the one who had delivered number 1 and she was genuinely interested in her (either that or she was an exceptionally good actress).

Forgot to mention in my last post that one of the main advantages for me of hospital over home for the actual birth (apart from availability of specialist medical care if needed) was the fact that birth is quite a messy process and I didn't fancy dealing with it in my own bedroom - and my husband would have needed a fair amount of persuading as well on this point

i would just like to say, that planning labour and births is wonderful, but remember that when it happens it is unpredictable. anything can happen! be flexible. don't be disappointed if you cant have the birth you want. Remember its about having a healthy baby more than it is about where or how they arrive.

i personally like to be in hospital, where all available help is on hand. my labours have been very short (3 babies in less than 7 hrs in total) and have not had time to wait at home. midwives had suggested for nomber 2 and 3 home births but i said no.

goodluck mums to be. and relax as much as you can.

Lua - Wythenshawe indeed! You want room 1 or 2! Fab!! I was in room 1 in Aug. If you are on domino you automatically get those rooms (as long as they are free of course!). Cannot fault Wythenshawe - midwives are fantastic.

Mrs Wobble - same here about the midwives. I had the same team (4 midwives) for all my babies so they were like friends to me by the time I got to ds2 and ds3. I think it makes a HUGE difference - although the midwife that delivered ds3 was not one I knew she was absolutely lovely - the perfect midwife and I couldn't have asked for more.

Oooh, I think I've been really lucky

Gbdk,

Thank you! You just made me really happy!

Good luck with it Lua and come back and tell me which midwives you had!!!