Low intervention - homebirth

[thismonthsfad]

Hi. Just wondering if any ladies are currently pregnant and planning a homebirth?

I have self referred and noted on my form that I’ll be having a homebirth. I have my first booking appointment in 2 weeks.

Just looking for some positive stories on the process so far and how to navigate avoiding landing on the intervention conveyor belt.

not looking for opinions from people who are against homebirth/haven’t experienced it

I have had all 3 of my children at home. Also decided before conception.

First one laboured on and off for 2 days didn't really believe I was in labour as it has stopped and started the day before and no experience. I sent my husband to bed and laboured on my own through the night until transition, when I had the common 'I can't do this anymore' and woke my husband to called the midwife, she arrived 30 minutes later and 10 minutes before baby was born. Was amazing, felt like super woman.

2nd called the midwives way too early as I though I'd left it too late with the first, that was a mistake felt very much observed and on the clock as I knew they had a shift change coming. Baby did come at home but wasn't as nice as the first.

With my third I thought a lot about my first and second during pregnancy and realised I loved my first so much because I was on my own. So I went through the NHS care and had a home birth planned but ultimately decided to free birth as I felt it was a better decision for me/us. I had the midwives as a back up in case I felt I needed them but I didn't and it was awesome. Again laboured on my own through the night, husband caught baby in the shower in the morning and we dealt with the placenta/cord ourselves (having bought cord clamps) and called the midwives that night and they came over the next day. Mostly because its easier to register/get an NHS number via the midwives, didn't feel like I needed them though.

I just like to be on my own, I don't even want my husband around until go time.

I listened to a lot of home birth story podcasts during pregnancy to psych myself up but also I am very strong/fit and healthy so felt confident in my body. Let me know if you want any recommendations. You can totally do this!

Thank you - I am open to the use of a doppler if I feel it's needed.

Another unnecessary and horrible post. Not even related to home births, just being horrible to a stranger for the sake of it.

Do you know what the absolute risk of placenta praevia is?

Do you mean how common? Or what is the risk if you do have it?

Thank you so much! This is great advice x

@SoIMO Just fucking wow

OP- no need to say ‘I’m sorry about your c-section’. Sounds like without one that poster might have had a poor outcome. You really do seem very inflexible in your views of what birth should look like.

Yes stiches after the birth obviously. Sorry, thought the whole thing had to be no touching but it is just the birth. All examinations pre and post birth are OK. ?

You know that is going to be touching you don’t you?

im just concerned that what you want isn’t safe or particularly realistic.

you need to have scans and checks throughout pregnancy. Not just in labour but the whole way through.

sorry my quote didn’t work. Was meant to quote the open to Doppler post

It's about 2-4% in people of OPs age I think, more if she has smoked or had CSections in past (guessing latter unlikely)

Not sure why you've had so many anti-homebirth people on your thread OP! Actually I kind of suspect it's because when women have had awful experiences of hospital birth, the idea of someone planning and hoping for a good birth really gets their backs up 🤔

Anyway, I had planned a home birth and had a really good, long, minimally invasive labour at home in a birth pool.
Unfortunately there were some issues that meant I transferred to hospital for the actual delivery but the labour at home was still a good experience.

Just because I didn't state in my initial OP that I am flexible, doesn't mean that I am not. Yes I am planning on a homebirth, I didn't realise that many of you would interpret this message as complete inflexibility to anything other than a homebirth. Of course things may not go to plan, I know this! I am however asking for stories about other women's homebirth experiences. I didn't think I would have to detail every single thought and feeling to you lot because you have assumed that I have not considered every single worst case scenario and taken it upon yourself to tell me this! 🫠

She just doesn't want midwives sticking their hands in her vagina every 5 minutes which is perfectly reasonable 😂

That’s no vaginal examinations. No internals. That isn’t what she wants which is no one touching her.

I think at 38 you need to see how your pregnancy plays out before you make and rash decisions! I think at 38 you will naturally not be low risk ?

Honestly just ignore the unhelpful comments!

I have had 5 homebirths and each was amazing in its own way, though all very different.
Best of luck OP
I know currently my NHS trust and a couple of others have suspended them due to low staffing rates.
you tend to have 2 midwives at a home birth.
Wherever you have your baby, the most important outcome is a happy, healthy mum and baby.

i think OP that you came across very evangelical about homebirth in your first few posts and that is why you have received the responses you have!

I also ticked the homebirth option at 8 weeks and was with the home birth team throughout. It was lovely having midwife appointments in my own home. They were clear that they would listen to the baby’s heartbeat every 5 mins which I was very happy with as, after growing the baby for 9 months, all I really wanted was a safe delivery. After getting to know my midwife and the HB over the course of the pregnancy, I felt very confident with her and would have no problem having checks, both internal and external. I hope you change your mind on this point, the midwives are trying to help you to delivery your baby safely! They are on the homebirth team because they want you to be able to have a lovely home birth.

As it turned out, my baby was overdue so went in for induction at 42 weeks. He was back to back and big and got stuck, leading to an EMCS. I was very grateful for the continuous monitoring in the end as it alerted the doctors ASAP that there was a problem.

Long story short, plan for a home birth, please accept the midwife listening to the heartbeat during labour, and hope you have a wonderful pregnancy and birth.

I didn't say that midwives won't be in the room, I said that I am happy to be observed, meaning that I want handsoff care! And I very much doubt this article mentions the study that was conducted that shows that homebirthing is just as safe as hospital births.

I agree, but in countries that have little intervention death of the baby and mother is more common. birthing is a risky business so needs respect.

I’m not suggesting that this means it should be in hospital, not at all, but just be sensible. e.g a low lying placenta is not safe. A very large baby is not safe. Listen and decide, don’t just decide.

Good luck with your pregnancy. Home birth is very supported in my area and lots of friends had one. Unfortunately I was very high risk so no chance of being at home, but I would have loved to.

Also hypno birthing was worth the investment of time