have neighbours ever complained about noisy homebirths?

[minouminou]

Just after reading the "homebirths with DCs in the house" thread.
Has anyone ever stormed round, knocked on the door, etc when they've heard the labour going on?

that would be exceptionally mean! not likely to be a frequent event.

i did worry about this when i was planning a home birth.

no! My labour was during the day, and the neighbours were home doing some DIY. They were probably making more noise then I was!

maybe they were doing diy to drown out the noise?

I never thought of that

Yes, it would be really mean-spirited, but I wonder iof anyone ever has had hassle....like "why aren't you doing this in hospital, rather than disturbing everyone?"

We didn't tell our neighbours beforehand. But they did notice the midwife's car and realised something was happening.

I "vocalised" throughout my labour and the first time my neighbours knew we had another baby was when he was 6 weeks old and they saw me with him in the garden!

I heard someone having a homebirth once! I knew what it was, because it was very recent after mine and I recognised the sounds.

I don't think many other people would have realised what it was, just some odd noise, - and unless you're planning to do it every week then I don't think people would bother to complain.

I never complain about someone having a one-off noisy party, or noisy music playing, - but if they did it a lot, then I'd be having words.

One-offs, you just put up with don't you? I think most other people do too!

A friend of mine had a very short labour at home (straight into transition) and was I suspect very noisy. Apparently everyone knew (she lived in a sort of posh apartment block) and commented about it afterwards (not in a mean way, just gentle teasing I think). Anyway she had a home birth second time around too, so I don't think any of the comments can have upset her (she had moved into a house by then though).

I think most people would be HUGELY excited to know a baby was being born next door!

I'd be sitting there with a glass pressed up against the wall waiting to hear the baby cry!

Well, yeah....I'd be there at the door with a few towels..."Do you need hot water? No? Are you sure?", craning my neck round.

Next door neighbour has had 2 home births and we didn't hear anything. I thought it was lovely that 2 babies were born next door. Mind you, she labours very quickly so the midwives just missed it both times . But she speaks of both births very favourably.

My neighbours didn't complain but felt compelled to comment in an awestruck sort of a way. 'I've never heard anything like it' etc.

During my sister's labour the police were called to what they thought was an awful disturbance.

Apparently I was very polite!

with DS I didnt utter a word but with DD I screamed the place down and was pleased that it was during the day so thought nobody would have hear it but friend who lives 2 houses down said. I crossed my legs at 2.45-3pm ish when hanging out the wash as couldhear you scream (she fell preggers within 3 months so couldnt have been that off putting)

The morning after my first daughter was born my neighbour looked surprised and told me he though we had been having sex. (All night?! I thought to myself?)

Just had the MW come for the homebirth visit and she said to warnt he neighbours because they have been disturbed by the police in the past, making sure that everyone was ok

I have no worries about this - unless I actually decide to give birth in the fishpond the walls are two feet thick stone. However I have heard our neighbours shagging in their garage after a drunken evening in the garden (they are nearly 70). I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or grossed out by this! So I doubt they'd complain anyway.