Home Birth

[daisybe]

Hi all,
First time poster here.
Am due in a few months and first choice is birth centre.

I am however considering a home birth, too. It's a 50/50 decision at the moment.
My midwife said that's ok but to really read up about the statistics and what to expect etc.
I'd also need to re register to my local birth centre as my chosen hospital is slightly out of area for midwifes to visit, meaning new midwife.
My midwife also said that there's a 50% chance I'll need to go into hospital so to also think about that.

May I ask, as a first time mother, did anyone do a home birth and was it OK?

Did you regret it? End up having to go hospital anyway?

While I'd imagine labour would be far more relaxing and natural, I'd probably only be able to use gas and air, which is fine, I'd hire a birthing pool, too, however should an emergency arise I'm wondering if the pros and cons are worth it.
You then lose control over where you go hospital wise (my 2 local ones are not amazing), and it could end up stressful.

Any positive and negative stories as ftms out there willing to share?

Thank you

I had a lovely homebirth with my first baby, no regrets. I didn't hire a pool as the thought of having to empty it was too much! Had DS on my sofa was a very positive experience. Transferred in afterwards as there was some mec in the waters so they wanted to keep an eye on him for 24 hours but all very calm.

Both mine were born at home and I would truly recommend it to anyone who feels called to it.

I transferred in for a 3rd degree tear repair the first time, oh well - it was still amazing.

Second time I got to stay at home and climb in to bed. And it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

The 50% transfer rate for first time mums is mostly for reasons like mine, non-emergencies.

Midwives bring all resuscitation equipment and can usually manage pph at home and if not then enough to get you to hospital.

There is risk to everything but the pros of home birth is that you lower the risk of an emergency or unnecessary intervention by having one.

Do lots of reading (like Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth!) and a hypnobirthing course and you'll be grand.

No one can say.

How far from the hospital are if if something didn't go well?

I was dead set on a home birth and a perfect candidate, ended up insisting on going to into hospital to check all ok as having contractions but not progressing and the midwife at my home was very much 'there's nothing wrong,your just a first time mum and this is labour, but I can't stop you going to hospital', she rolled her eyes at me and was actually quite rude.

I went to hospital and was rushed in for a c section CAT 1. I had sepsis, so did my baby, my baby had meningitis, the cord around their neck and body, and deprived of oxygen. The consultants said had I even waited a few more minutes then the outcome would not have been a good one. Weeks and weeks in NICU. It was hell.

Not trying to scare you but theres risks at home birth ( and yes there are risks in hospital too, no birth is risk free)

Yes, I had home births for both of my DC and all went smoothly. I hired a birthing pool which worked well for pain relief.

I prepared a double sided birthing plan - one side for if all went OK at home, and the other side for if I needed to transfer to hospital. So if things hadn't have gone to plan, I still had some control over the next steps.

DD1 was so fast that she arrived before the G&A did! So the only pain relief I got was a couple of paracetamol and the birthing pool - but I coped ok. For DD2 the G&A arrived in time for the last few minutes, which was nice.

I tore both times and there was a debate both times on whether to send me to hospital for the stitches, but they managed to do them at home in the end.

It was much nicer to get snuggled in my own bed with a newborn, instead of a busy ward. 😊 DH then brought me my favourite foods to enjoy, and I had Midwives stopping by regularly to check all was fine and to help me get started with breastfeeding.

If you're low risk and would be happiest at home, then plan for that. You being comfortable is a big part of hopefully getting the labour and birth you want.

I did. I loved it so much and will be doing it again.

I had an emergency situation arise, nothing to do with the birth and all was fine and we transferred in. Everything was still well handled.

My friend did for both hers and absolutely loved it.
I didn't for my first but in hindsight I could have and I did with my 2nd and it was amazing.

My friend would've died if she'd had her first at home and it was a low risk pregnancy with no warning signs that anything would go wrong. Please think carefully.

With my first although I technically gave birth at hospital I spent the first 12 hours of a 16 hour labour at home labouring peacefully. I think it's easy to forget that even with a hospital birth it is sometimes possible to get plenty of the 'at home' experience, it's not like tv when you go rushing in. It's not like 'home OR hospital'. I actually really loved my first birth and would do it again tomorrow if I could.

My home birth was a lot safer than my hospital birth. I was left alone as they didn't think labour was advanced... I gave birth alone. Whereas my home birth I had two midwives and a student midwife!

I was advised to have a home birth second time around due to my quick first labour.

I tried for a home birth, I did end up going to hospital but it was a very short stay, the ride to hospital got DD moving. I popped her out, and back home same evening.

When I arrived at hospital, Im afraid I did shout very loudly 'fuck the NHS and its rules' when I was told to get on my back on the bed. Which was a little embarrassing as I was a nurse at the same hospital, which was one of my reasons for wanting a home birth.

My feeling is that if you try it and you have to go to hospital, you know. If you don't try it and go to hospital straightaway, you might always wonder. Either way, all going well, your baby will arrive and that will be all that matters.

I wish you the very best if you do decide to go with a home birth and at least one of my friends had an amazing experience with it.

However, I really wouldn’t do it and I would worry about anyone I cared about doing it. I had a low risk pregnancy, no warnings at all and then a major haemorrhage. If I hadn’t been in the hospital I may have got there in time but I lost a lot of blood very, very fast and could have left my newborn without a mother. Of course there is risk whether you are at home or in the hospital but personally I wouldn’t do it.

I do think it’s worth bearing in mind how rare maternal death is for both hospital births and ones at home. I far preferred to go into hospital - I’m a complete wimp with pain - but if there is one thing I feel strongly about it is that choice should be the deciding factor.

Had my third at home - loved it and would recommend.
I had pethidine in the house - doctor prescribed it in advance. Didn’t end up needing/using it as the relaxed setting seemed to make it all much more manageable.

I had a home birth with my first, it did not go well and is one of the biggest regrets of my life, it has had lasting repercussions. But I appreciate that I am in the minority.

For second and subsequent births, if first birth straightforward, then I can see why the statistics sway people into considering it. For a first baby though, not in a million years!

Go and give birth in a nice midwife led unit in a hospital with an obs unit on site. If all goes well you'll be home 6 hours after giving birth. If things don't go smoothly then you're on site.

Current ambulance wait times are horrific. In an emergency you could still be waiting well over an hour for an ambulance to turn up. That's enough time for both of you to be dead.

A home birth is a lovely thing in retrospect...

Midwife recommended a homebirth to me for DC2 as DC1 was fast. I was very clear I couldn't be less interested. I don't want all that mess in my home and I definitely wouldn't have found it more relaxing knowing I was further away from doctors and equipment if it was needed. You couldn't pay me to do it.

Hello 👋

I had my DD at home during covid, first time mum, didn't have any mum friends and knew nothing about birth (except the horror stories people love to tell)

Yes it was absolutely fine

Look at the statistics yourself because 50% sounds like nonsense to me. I know that most FTM transfer because they decide they want some pain relief not because there's an actual problem

I recommend reading

Anything by Dr Sara Wickham, Dr Rachel Reed and Milly Hill

All the statistics for Homebirth are better, less intervention, less likely to tear, better birth better life, better outcomes for breastfeeding. You also get 2 midwives watching you the whole time but in the hospital they're popping in and out.

I don't actually know anyone else IRL who has had a Homebirth (and I didn't before until I did it) but I know loads of women who have had interventions which have cascaded into more serious interference. It's the same stories over and over and over.

I can see the appeal of a birth centre if I'd had one nearer to me id have thought about that, but now having done labour, home is the best place to be.

So many women want to have a baby at home but they think they can't for one reason or another, but you can if you want to. It's your body and you can do anything you want.

Oh and I had a pool and I would say it's is worth the hassle 1000000% recommend

The midwives have a different number to ring for an ambulance. It's not the same as calling 999 and being triaged.

And if there is an ambulance shortage, they suspend home births accordingly.

Im asking simply out of curiosity as part of the decision making process, not with judgement, did you feel bad using an ambulance which could have been used to save a life in an emergency? Was it an emergency ambulance even? How does it work?

I signed up for a homebirth,laboured at home for 12ish hours and then transferred in (in the car) as I just had a feeling things weren't progressing. Ended up with a c section which was completely fine and straightforward recovery. Always recommend being under the homebirth team as you get a midwife at home, you can labour in your own environment and hopefully give birth there but if you're near enough you can transfer in, as 50% of mums do! Follow a few accounts on Instagram, the positive birthing company has some homebirth stories, also badassmotherbirther I think. Just make sure you pack a hospital bag just in case!

No I didn't feel guilty in the slightest, the health service is there to be used if and when necessary. If you want to think about it in terms of resources, then I also wasn't taking up a bed during either of my labours.

I don't make any other decisions in my life based on whether I might need an ambulance. Like whether I climb scafell pike or go surfing or ride a motorbike - all much riskier, all pretty normal activities. And giving birth is one of most important things you ever do.

I make decisions everyday to make sure myself and my family are going to be healthy today and in the future. For me, a home birth was part of that.

I don't think women should be made to feel guilty for giving birth in the way they want, just in case they might need an ambulance. The majority don't.

Sorry if that was a slightly discombulated ramble but I hope you see what I'm saying.

Tried for HB with first, laboured at home for 40odd hrs before agreed I should go in due to the lack of progress. I was then given syntocin and everything became more stressful, I wonder what would have been if I’d stayed at home longer, but with your first you don’t know what to expect. Also worth noting that poor DH had to faff about with the pool filling and emptying several times to keep the temp in the right range, and I never got in the thing as never got to advanced enough labour!

Lovely HB with second. Much faster and more connected to my body. Tucked up in bed together a few hrs later, perfect. That time pool couldn’t be filled fast enough to get in! If I manage to conceive a third I probably won’t bother!

Ps I meant to give a bit of advice that if you do decide to HB, be sparing with who you tell. I found many people wanting to share their anxieties about it with me and it was not easy. Of course research and consider all statistics but I found many people projected their own feelings and worries on to me which didn’t add anything other than stress.

Totally agree with @Beginningless, don't tell anyone if you can help it, they'll just project their anxieties onto you. I had a home birth and it was lovely, would recommend to anyone. And the statistics show it's safer for you and just as safe for your baby.