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.

I had a homebirth for my third which was wonderfully comfortable and easy. Much better than being in the hospital. It happened just like the midwife said it would - right after the older 2 has gone to bed. One thing I would say is it was a waste of time hiring the birthing pool since she arrived before my husband even had the chance to fill it up. We were all curled up on the sofa in time for match of the day and the kids couldn’t believe their eyes when they walked into our room in the morning to find their new baby sister. Good luck!

I would check the current ambulance delay on callout times for your hospital, OP. (Especially during rush hour.)
Many of them are stuck in a queue outside A and E, waiting to hand over patients, which could be a problem if you have a placental abruption and a massive intrapartum haemorrhage.
Also think about which room you plan to deliver in - an upstairs bedroom can be a nightmare trying to transfer a heavily bleeding, term pregnant patient down a staircase.
No labour is safe or uneventful until it’s over, and no midwife has a crystal ball.
You need to make sure you have a sensible emergency plan to deal with severe fetal distress or a major bleed - your midwife cannot even do a forceps lift out, let alone a crash Caesarean section.

@1992H fingers crossed it all goes well for you too. Have to make sure the kids are out of the house between 8am-8pm so you're relaxed enough to go into labour 🤣.

@Flitter123 sounds like a beautiful birth. And how wonderful they were able to wake up to such a magical moment. So nice to be in your own bed after as well!

@Lizbiz89 thats the goal! Though I’m due 13th, have ds1’s birthday on 10th, ds2’s on 3rd, mine on the 21st and we will have 50 odd kids at a inflatable & trampoline joint birthday party on the 14th-not sure the poor kid has much of a window they can arrive left 😂😂
least they know they’re destined to fit in around family life from the start….