Preparing for a home birth.

[Lizbiz89]

I'm planning on having a home birth for my 3rd baby. Obviously that is if everything runs smoothly. Just wondering what people's experiences were like with their home births? Did you feel more in control of your labour? Also what advice would give in terms of preparing for a home birth? Looking forward to hearing peoples advice.

How far are you from the hospital?

I planned for a home birth but ended up having to go to hospital which I was absolutely gutted about. If I had a 2nd I'd plan for another though! There is a really useful group on Facebook called 'home birth support group UK'. There are absolutely loads of resources and files to read so I'd recommend joining that and doing some reading. Also lots of info on birth pools you can hire for your house.

I'm 10 mins away from the hospital. My second was in a birth centre and the second stage was very fast so I barely made it to the birth pool before I started pushing. I was hoping to have my third at home, especially if this labour is also fast.

I had a wonderful dry land homebirth with my youngest. It was messy but I didn't clean it up haha! I'd had a quick first labour so thought I would give it a go. I felt more in control (although I was more informed generally than my first birth, tethered to a bed on my back for no good reason) and my husband definitely felt more empowered and useful, making teas for the midwifes etc.

I'm 28 weeks with number 3 and fingers crossed planning another home birth.

@ILookAtTheFloor your first birth sounds very similar to mine! Strapped to a bed and induced, it was horrible. How did you manage the pain at home? Did you find the pain more bearable? Also what did you use to control the mess? Did you buy plastic sheets or anything?

I had a home birth and loved it. I felt so much more in control. I could go where I wanted to and the midwives just sort of followed me. I ended up in thevlounge bent over the sofa. I used plastic backed dust sheets for the mess and there was nothing on the sofas or carpets.

I did have a PPH and I was blue lighted in to hospital, but I am still a massive advocate for home births. I loved the experience.

We had a shower curtain on the bed, but I delivered crouching next to the bed, the floor is wooden but there was a rug on it that did get a bit messy!

I used gas and air, had done the first time as well, was manageable. This time I'm going to invest in a comb that you hold in your hand for accupressure, they have them on Etsy. Also going to use some aromatherapy, low lights etc. I didn't last time, we just had the tv on in the background, she was born during the Apprentice 😂we watched it properly on iPlayer a couple of hours after as the adrenaline meant we stayed up late!

@OhhhhhhhhBiscuits sounds like a really positive appearance. And good idea with plastic dust sheets!

@ILookAtTheFloor thank you for the advice. I had my second with barely no pain relief as we arrived too late and I didn't know how to use the G&A. I've got a tens machine I'll use and look into the acupuncture comb.

I had a homebirth with my second and absolutely loved it. It was a very quick birth. The midwife made it 30 minutes before the birth, the second midwife missed it.
The pool we hired didn't fill up in time so that was a waste of £140.
The midwives are excellent, I gave birth on my brand new cream sofa (I can't believe I did this looking back!) But there wasn't one mark on my sofa.
I bought a cheap shower curtain and a pack of puppy pads. Had a bag packed just incase of transfer. Don't think I did much else 😊

Pain relief I tried gas and Air but made me throw up so I just had some paracetamol. According to husband it took the edge off 😒 it still hurt like hell but I wouldn't change it.

Annoyingly due to the PPH I ended up having an epidural and then general anaesthetic so that sucked!

I had two homebirths DC2 and 3. Our midwife team gave us a list of useful things to have. I chose to give birth in the living room, kneeling on a big floor cushion and leaning over the sofa. I do feel you end up with more choice of position at home.

We had the disposable decorating sheets covering all surfaces, no mess anywhere other than them. Midwives cleaned up everything afterwards. They also suggested an anglepoise lamp so they could see for checks, and plenty of towels. I can't remember much else on the the list as it was quite a few years ago. Oh, but a big box of biscuits for the midwives was essential.

For pain relief I had gas and air, for DC2, but laboured too quickly for the midwife to get there with DC3 so no pain relief. Still loved both experiences.

I absolutely loved my home birth. It was planned but DS decided to make an appearance three weeks early and our birth pool was still in the box, having only arrived the day before. We had a bit of a palaver with that, as the hose attachment didn't fit our taps (cue lovely friend driving around hardware stores with a photo of our tap on his phone until he found the right one, which DH immediately broke), and then we didn't have enough hot water to get it deep and hot enough, so I couldn't deliver in it anyway. Other than that, it was a lovely day with a lot of laughter. I was able to walk/eat/rest as I felt I needed to, I spent a lot of time walking up and down the stairs because it really helped with the pain, and I was much more relaxed than I would ever have been in a hospital environment. We had a very pro-birth midwifery team, which helped tremendously.

*pro-home-birth, that should say! I would imagine most midwives are pro-birth!!

I had home births for both of mine. I bought shower curtains (big mistake, very slippery even before it's all started! Shower curtains are big and cheap but perhaps cover in old towels or unwanted sheets), had tonnes of spare sheets that all my family had donated, all to be gathered up and thrown afterwards.

I did hire a pool for my first but we didn't fill it in time so I wouldn't really recommend that.

I had both mine in the living room, my longish hallway was perfect for pacing between contractions, and I stared at my mat notes folder whilst doing window breathing for the actual waves. I had read smth by Ina May Gaskin about natural homebirth, and Juju Sundin, both of which I found really helpful. I am not a hippie type so read them both with a pinch of salt, but found some useful tips to help me through it.

I used a TENS for both, which I highly rate (couldn't turn it up to max as it was more powerful than the contractions!) and I still use for back pain.

Midwife only turned up 15 mins before birth of first (she didn't believe I was in labour) so I didn't get much g&a, and survived on two paracetamol.

I gave birth with both standing up, I really credit gravity with a lot of it all.

Like a pp I also got blue lighted to hospital after my second home birth as the placenta wasn't coming out, but it was still very manageable home experience and I would absolutely do it again.

Good luck all, very doable and so worth it to be in your own home and in control.

Oh thanks for this thread.

Ive decided to go for a homebirth with my 2nd, due in 5 weeks ish.

Im worried the amount of people who get blue lighted in! I’m about 20/30 mins away but MW wasn’t concerned. I’m more concerned if my 2nd will be quicker will I get to hospital in time for the MLU, I was induced first time but was 6 hours from start of induction to birth so not sure what to expect this time!

Frankie My wonky placenta was I think due to an ERPC procedure I had following loads of MCs so I think there was a genuine reason for it. Most women deliver that pretty straightforward. I did my first over a big orange bucket from B&Q!

Had a wonderful home water birth with No1 and planning on doing it again in a few weeks with no2.

I obviously don't have a hospital birth to compare it to but I was totally in my zone, in control, it was really fast.

No midwives talked to me or touched me until I was pushing - then they started listening to the baby every 5 mins, but that was for all of 20mins!

Literally the best thing you'll ever do.

I highly recommend a birth pool, tens machine, a birth ball and a hypnobirthing course. In terms of pain relief you will obviously only have Gas&air available so you need to have those extra comfort measures just in case.

It's not actually very messy at all but towels and incontinence pads.

Ice lollies and a big cup with a straw.

So good to hear all these positive homebirth stories! I'm planning one too, currently 39+3 so could happen any day!
My first was a ventouse delivery in hospital. I had coped absolutely fine until I left the house, was already 7cm when I arrived at the hospital, but the bright lights, car journey etc just threw me right out of the zone and it was horrible from then on. I really hope second time round will be calm and straightforward. And I love the idea of snuggling up in my own bed afterwards rather than being in a room with several other women and their babies.
Good luck OP for you own homebirth! Hope it all goes well for you x

@UnicornRainbowSky good luck to you too! Hope you get your dream birth this time 🤞. My first was similar. Second was much more straightforward and I definitely would have had him at home as well if I hadn't had been staying at my mums due to renovations. Only 20 weeks with this baby so some time to go yet but I completely agree with you. Would be so lovely to be snuggled up with baby in your own bed after rather than in hospital. Hoping everything runs really smoothly for you.

I just had a home birth with my second two weeks ago and absolutely loved it! I hired a pool which was amazing I felt instant relief when I got in it. It was a lot messier that I was expecting, not sure if I bled more than in the hospital or wether I just didn't see the mess as they were cleaning it away! We had a massive old table cloth covering the floor and a pack of puppy pads and old towels. I would say just cover everything!!

The midwives were amazing and even drained the pool for us so everything was cleared away when they left. They were in and out in 3.5 hours!

Very positive and helpful…

I had one for DC2 and planning one for DC3. It was lush, so calm and easy going. Was in the pub for a giant breakfast and a pint four hours later.

mess wise was minimal, I covered the room in disposable puppy training pads. Brought a pool as was a similar cost to hire for us and it was really ideal. Placenta did fall out as I climbed out the pool and a small leak got onto the rug but I ordered a new one and it arrived next day so no harm done.

our area currently only offers homebirth between 8am&8pm due to shortages but I’m
not going in so baby needs to adhere to the rules/hope it changes by then!

Thanks for the replies! @1992H I didn't realise some areas only offered it in certain hours now! My MW didn't mention that so hopefully my area is a bit more lenient. My mw was very keen for me to have one as my 2nd birth was very straightforward and fast. Obviously happy as long as baby is born safe and well but I know I would be much happier in my own environment.

4 children 3 of which born in last 2 years single and twins...had them all at home by choice and personally loved every minute of it. Didn't particularly prepare just wandered about the house, watched tv even continued to do housework. Hubby was with me first one labour was 8 hours second one hubby from work and midwife got home 15mins before son was born labour was 2 hours and twins well they were little monkeys even surprised me. I literally had just had a midwife drop some gear off and I said I'd had a bit discomfort but was still 3 weeks off having them nothing major pain wise so we discussed getting checked the next day. Literally as I walked her to the front door I suddenly yelled there coming and 13 mins later there was 2 baby girls on the living room floor 1 unprepared midwife and one surprised dog. So ye that was a fun day. I didnt have any pain relief for any of them but in all fairness my threshold is high pain wise. So now we have a teen and twin 1 nearly 2 yr olds and a nearly 3. Love it and I wouldn't change having them at home either. Hope all goes well for you to 🙂

@Lizbiz89 fingers crossed! Apparently they are in the process of establishing a separate homebirth team, where they do all home visits for midwife appointments etc, which sounds perfect. But there’s no timeframe yet! Fingers crossed all goes okay.
luckily I have the same midwife that I saw for 1&2 (first baby was a failed HB-I had to go in unfortunately) so she knows that I’m set on having another and that there would be a very real risk I would refuse to go in if no provision available.
I haven’t heard of it elsewhere so I’m hoping it’s not widespread.