Home birth success stories? (Or disasters)

[Brooomhilda]

I'm considering a home birth. I am not interested in a birthing pool, so am thinking of getting a blow up mattress for the living room floor, some waterproof sheets and use some old bedding.

Any success stories? I'm trying to avoid hospitals if I can as they make me nervous. If it comes to it, then so be it but avoiding would be good!!

My second baby was born at home. I didn't go near the bed, it didn't cross my mind to go in the bedroom. I was kneeling on the floor leaning over the sofa. I wouldn't get a blow up bed, sounds like a pain.

I had a planned home birth 9 years ago after a terrible hospital birth with my first. I also have very quick labours. Set up birth pool when contractions started at 6am, cracked on then called the midwives who turned up very quickly. Checked me over, dilation etc then I got in the pool.

Within 10 minutes my waters went while in the pool and there was loads of meconium in the water so I had to get out. When examining me they realised that I had a prolapsed cord and we needed to get him out asap as he was receiving no oxygen. Ambulance called and told to lay on my side and try and get him out. Lucky for him my births are quick and he was out before the ambulance arrived (he was out before 9:30 - quite proud of that!)

He was fine but I’d received a 3b tear due to my panic and pushing to get him out fast. We went in the ambulance to get me patched up in theatre and baby checked over. Didn’t stay overnight so was lovely to spend first night in my own bed!

They told me he may have learning difficulties due to the time he didn’t have oxygen but glad to say he doesn’t have any whatsoever. I had my third child in hospital via elective c section to try and avoid tearing into my rectum (nice!)

If planning a home birth I would look at lots of factors, what the local service is like, speak to other local mums who have had a home birth in your area. How close the nearest hospital is should you need to be blue light transferred due to complication. If you’ve given birth before, how that went, how long in labour etc.

When researching home births they said there was only two things that could go terribly wrong in a home birth scenario, what happened to me and the shoulder getting stuck. I thought that was pretty good odds, but it still means that could be you. I had a very long time afterwards quite unwell with ptsd, intrusive thoughts ‘what if’ and how I’d never have been able to forgive myself if he hadn’t made it that day.

Home births can be wonderful - my neighbour had 3 no issues. In hindsight would I have made a different decision? Yes I would but that’s hindsight for you. Congratulations and best wishes whichever birthing choice you make.

Just for transparency these were free births, some with very misguided doulas very wrongly assuming the role of healthcare professional. OP hasn't said she's planning a free birth, hopefully she's not.

It’s hard isn’t it? When they go well they sound lovely. My only knowledge of anyone having one is my sil. My nephew is now brain damaged after the cord snapped before he was born. He’d have likely been ok in a hospital setting with getting him out quicker and immediate hospital care. I could never risk it

I had a home birth with DC3 because DC2 arrived very quickly and I had an alarming high speed drive to hospital. My midwife agreed it would be safer to give birth at home than to repeat it. I had a last minute scan a couple of days before my due date to double check the baby's position so we knew it would be low risk.

The whole experience was very relaxing and positive and I didn't need any pain relief. At one point during labour I went for a walk in woods next to our house which was magical.

I specifically wanted to labour by myself for as long as possible and the attending midwives left me alone in my bedroom until close to the end when they came in to assist with the actual birth. I gave birth leaning over a large inflatable pilates ball which we already had. The midwives dropped off all the supplies they might need in advance including waterproof sheets to cover the floor.

There was no need for a particular bed. At the time DH and I slept on a mattress on the floor and it was irrelevant as I wasn't in or on it at any point.

Our local hospital had a MLU and I'd had very positive experiences there with DC1 and DC2 so I don't have any objections to hospital births but I didn't want to risk the journey again and wanted to try something different as I knew DC3 would be my last baby.

I think they sound lovely. I've had friends have great home births. My only concern would be if there was an emergency. Having rung 999 for an ambulance in the past and not even speaking to an operator, instead being put straight on hold.... I couldn't rely on that.

I had two. You don't need to be on a bed. I walked a lot and did have a pool. Cover your floors well though I did ruin a carpet.

My third was a home birth. I laboured on the floor leaning on the sofa on a shower mat and maybe towels or absorbent mats.

It was really calm and relaxed, as much as that much pain can be! Plenty of fa's and air.

Midwives cleaned everything away quickly. We were having tea and toast before I knew it.

My other two DC got up in the morning to a new sister having slept through it all.

I had a home birth last feb with ds2.

Incredible experience!

After an awful first birth in Hospital and so much went wrong I wanted to do it completely different this time and it was honestly so calm and peaceful. (Still painful of course but feeling calm helped me get through it)

Went into labour at 9pm, had a bath in the middle of the night and spent the next day pottering at home and getting final bits ready. Things ramped up at 6pm so we called the midwifery unit and they sent out two lovely midwife's who were really respectful and just stood back and let me do my thing because I was really in the zone!

Got into the birthing pool at 8pm ish and ds was born at 11pm! I delivered him myself and he was born in his sac which was very strange🤣 but an amazing thing to see!

Had a 2nd degree tear which was a bit painful but manageable, so got stitched up on my sofa🤣

Midwives stayed for about 2 hours after taking notes and weighing DS etc. when they left we got into bed with baby, chilled for a bit then went to sleep!

Would do it again in a heart beat.

I had a homebirth with my first and I’m planning to do so again with my second. Had a very long first labour at 48 hours but wasn’t under pressure to transfer in at any stage of that. I didn’t have any pain relief, not through design, I just never felt like I needed it. I had a pool and was in it for a couple of hours of active labour but actually gave birth on my sofa. No mess at all - midwives cleared everything up afterwards. It was the absolute best experience and I am so hoping to repeat it this time.

Plenty of people will tell you you’re taking a risk, they’d have died etc etc - do your own research, understand the risks and benefits, speak to the homebirth team and find out all the answers to your questions. You’ll know if it’s right for you.

I've had 3!
2 water births.
All went perfectly.

During my obstetrics job I saw several dead and brain damaged babies who would have been fine if their mothers had chosen to give birth with medical facilities to hand. They were all thought to be low risk, but that's a retrospective diagnosis. Do you want to flip that coin?

It's one or two days for the safety of your child. No one loves being in hospital. Needs must.

I had a home birth for my 2nd. And even though I was blue lighted in for a massive PPH after the birth (6.5 pints lost) I still love home births and would recommend them to anyone who wanted one.

I felt so relaxed, so in control that my birth felt like a dream. The ambulance came for me very quickly, midwife stayed with me in the ambulance and I was whisked into theatre straight from the ambulance.

If you want a home birth go for it.

My 2nd was a home birth. (1st was a really lovely birthing centre.) My memories are of relaxing at home with my new baby almost straight after. I'd do it again.

I decided after hearing of other people's experiences in the hospital and not wanting those 1st memories with my baby. Few things that happen during labour that actually need immediate intervention and, even in a hospital, it takes time to get into surgery anyway. I trusted my midwife to make an early call to transfer to hospital if needed.

My close relative is a doctor and was sceptical about homebirths but she actually had one after mine went so well. She was transferred to hospital after hers (I can't remember what for exactly). A friend also asked me about my homebirth and then had one herself with no issues.

Not sure I would risk it nowadays because of the long wait for ambulances if needed. Being in hospital sucks but if all is well you will be discharged quickly. If it isn't then I guess you're in the right place.

I had one hospital birth (terrible care), and two home births (one brilliant care and one where the baby arrived before the midwife).

Disgusting thing to say.

And how many women or babies did you see injured, maimed, traumatised or worse due to interventions and/ or poor care?

Women have to make decisions based on evidence and risk. There are risks associated with inductions and interventions, medical professionals should be good at explaining the risks of ALL decisions and procedures, interventions and none.

In my job, I deal with disputes between landlord and tenants every day. If you asked me if it’s a good idea to be a landlord I’d say hell no, because I only see the tiny fraction that goes to hell in a handcart. I’m aware that I see the worst of the worst, and that gives me a skewed perception. There are millions of landlord and tenant relationships that are just fine. I just never get to see those.

Why? It's true.

The Dutch have criteria, I think, for how to have a safe home birth. It's very common (but in a sensible way) there, from what I understand. (I am not Dutch.)

A blow-up mattress is such a terrible idea though it makes me wonder how realistic the rest of your plans are...

https://deverloskundige.nl/bevalling/subtekstpagina/72/thuis/

Have a look at this (via Google Translate), it's a very neutral website discussing that giving birth at home is a safe way of giving birth [in the Netherlands, where the medical sector is used to it].

Note that this website mentions that 63% of home births of first-time mums require a hospital transfer, because the midwife deems that to be medically necessary on an ad hoc basis.

Do you trust the NHS ambulance service to be ready for this and your midwife to be experienced enough to make that call?

I'm a home birth midwife.
Statistically if you're having a straightforward pregnancy without medical issues you are as safe if not safer at home than hospital.
Check out big research study of 500k women, google rietsma home birth.
its a really good choice for many women and research shows much higher satisfaction scores for women who birth at home.
you will however face some strong opinions from those who are anti home birth. lots of 'well i needed x y z', but with a critical eye many of those difficult birth situations are extremely unlikely in a low risk birth where the physiology is uninterrupted.

Most women give birth on their living room floor, something soft like a big squishy kids plastic rug, pillows, etc are ideal.

I had two. My first was quick for a first born, MW didn't actually believe I was going into labour.
Contractions started at around 5pm and I called at around 5.30, 8ish, 10ish, and 11ish.
MW came at 8.30 when she measured me and said 'get some sleep and I'll be back in the morning', and when I called the last time saying my waters had gone and 'I think I can feel the baby's head' she got there pretty sharpish. She arrived 12 minutes before baby came out so I didn't get much gas and air.
Tens machine saved the day.

Second baby took a bit longer, contractions started at 3ish and baby was born at around 4am. Placenta wouldn't come out so I needed to go to hospital for that, but had two midwives for that one and generally felt very secure.
I live about 5 minute ambo drive to hospital and 15 mins in normal traffic.

I'd definitely do it again.
I was in control, felt comfortable, felt safe and had everything I needed. Everyone I spoke to (MWs etc) in the run up to them were really positive and supportive.
My family had all had very straightforward births and I felt prepared and positive about it all.

Good luck!