The thread for first time home birthers (or thinking about it) - over here!

[Boobz]

I only just found out I was pregnant 10 days ago, and it is of course early days, but I have been doing a lot of research and am seriously thinking of having a home birth.

I'm a member of my Due March '09 ante natal club thread, but I don't want to go on about home birthing there where the majority will be planning a hospital birth (don't want to bore them!) I'd like to start this thread for all those people who'd like to talk about the pros and cons, planning, expectations and realities of home births, especially if it is your first baby, or first home birth.

Has everyone else's other halves been fine at the thought of a first baby HB? Or did you have to do some convincing?

A

Just a quick note to let you know that Amelia Caitlyn was born at home at 8.15 this morning after 2 days of latent and 12 hours of stop/start active labour. She weighs 7lb 2oz

Congratulationa ajm and welcome to the world Amelia (beautiful name)!! I can't wait to hear about it in more detail!

Rhian, How exciting!! Keep us posted! It gives me a bit of hope then as due on the 29th. LOL about the sex, I am sure it was the first thing that sprang to your mind

Congratulations Ajm and welcome to Amelia So pleased you got your home birth and look forward to hearing the details when you have a moment. Did you get to use your pool?
Rhian Good luck! OMG it will be me soon too - I'm due on 1 November.
HM2J Race ya!

cricri You're on! LOL, have to make passing the time fun right?!

Hurrah! Great news ajm, congratulations

and good luck Rhian, keep us updated

congratulations ajm

good luck rhian

4days overdue today for me...been having niggles the last 2days but as im writing now they are getting alot more painful and unconfortable..midwife just left she did some reflexology to get me started it might have just worked..

Do it! I did - and I was in labour for 5 days and it was still the best decision I made. I wouldn't say I had a straightforward delivery (very long labour, 2nd degree tear etc) BUT I had a wonderful doula, and it took a lot of pressure off my husband because we had 2 midwives with us all the time (who were brilliant). There would definitely been intervention if I'd gone to hospital (I was demanding an epidural at one point and they told me it was too late ;o) ). We had a pool set up in the kitchen and now I can't remember the labour, I just remember what a lovely start DD had (I delivered her myself from the bottom of the pool), all relaxed in her own home. We have some lovely photos of us still in the pool looking SOO happy with the cat looking on and the midwives eating bacon sandwiches!

I did a whole heap of research beforehand and if I have another one I will DEFINITELY do it again.

Congratulations and good luck xx

congrats ajm! so pleased you got your home birth and can't wait to hear the details - you've been my guru on this and the october thread! really hope everything's going ok for Rhian

Just had a brilliant meeting with a new midwife as I've transferred midwife teams at the last minute, she came to my home and was so lovely, baby is now 3/5ths engaged and in the perfect position - no reason at all at this stage not to continue with plans for homebirth, which is guaranteed so long as I don't go into labour next friday (short staffed so nobody on call that day!)....due tuesday and would really like to meet my baby this weekend - labour vibes please!

AJM Congratulations on the arrival of Amelia!! Fantastic news!!!
Good luck Rhian. Keep us posted!
MouseyHair sending labour vibes. Maybe you should try the aerobics video which worked for ajm?

had a lovely home water birth baby boy born today at 12.47am no cuts or bruses and he weighed 10lb...

already congradulated you on october thread but YAY!!! huge congrats - you're all giving me hope with the positive hb stories recently...am miserable and lonely tonight and want my baby!

Congratulations YumMum22!!! Wonderful news!

I hope all is well with Rhian.

I also hope things start soon for you GWMH.

Congratulations YumMum, so pleased you got your HWB!
GWMH Sending lots of positive labour vibes your way and hope things get started soon.

i'm joining in now

everything booked and ready, midwife due round in about 10 days to drop off homebirth pack.

have been told to get waterproof sheeting for floor/soft furnishing etc, where is the best place to get some?

Misdee I've ordered some from here as recommended by someone else from this thread:-
www.samanthajaynebirthingpools.co.uk/floor-sheet-non-slip-to-buy-11-p.asp

fab MM, thanks!

how many do you think i'll need?

HI Misdee - I've ordered 2, but I also have an old roll of normal plastic sheeting. I'm hoping that this will be enough!!

don't spend tons of money cos you get LOADS of inco pads in your birthing kit - I bought 5 metres of that cheap kitchen table covering which is waterproof on one side and fabric on the othr (so not slippery and a bit more comfy) for about £2/m

Hello all,
Just dropping in to say I had a homebirth which was arranged with only 4 hours to go!

There was a comedy moment when I was sat on my birthing ball, pre midwife turning up, whilst DH read (swearing softly) from our pregnancy book about what was needed for a homebirth.
In the end, the only thing we had that we might not normally have had was a clean plastic dust sheet from Homebase. A bed sheet was sacrificed in the process and the midwife brought the rest.

It was great- good luck all!

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to let anyone planning a home birth know that we have a competition on Mama to be Goodies to win a birthing pool. Follow this link: www.mamatobegoodies.co.uk/win-la-bassine-birthing-pool-essentials-kit/

Cheers,

Kat x

I get my homebirth kit delivered on tuesday which is also the beginning of the time frame within which I can have LO at home. Very excited as you can well imagine!

One question, I have yet to get a waterproof sheet for the birth but was disposing of my old duvet (already have a new one ready to replace it) so wouldn't it be fine just to give birth on that? and a lot comfier?

congrats rinkydinky! how exciting - you going to post your story in the announcements page?

nothing exciting to report here - got a damn good night's sleep last night but have to say that it's utter rubbish about prostogladins bringing on labour, I'm due tomorrow, had sex three times yesterday and nada - think this baby is far too comfy! sorry for moaning, just a bit bored...really hope it isn't another 2 weeks!

btw pistachio's birth story is amazing!!!

To answer my own question....yes that's fine!

Hello all - its fantastic to hear about all these succesful homebirths - well done to AJM, YumMum and RinkyDinky.

Any news from Rhian??

I am 38+3 today and all ready for my HB - birthing pool is blown up in the nursery (only space for it) and the house is tidy. I really hope all goes to plan and will of course let you know when it does.

November ladies - HM2J, Misdee, Cricri and Monkey - Race you!!!

will be so jealous if you november girls give birth ebfore I do! Now 2 days overdue - booked in for a sweep next Tuesday when I'll be a week over.

my midwife team are short staffed so they won't have someone on duty this friday, saturday or sunday between 5pm and 9am - my old midwife team are on duty so I could still get my homebirth but the new team seem so much more on the ball and frankly better! so, baby has until 5pm tomorrow to appear then 10 hour windows over the weekend, then from Monday onwards...getting to the point where I just want it out now though!