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

Thanks Heartmum, the sweep just involves the midwife prodding your cervix right? So guess that's fine at home. I guess at the end of the day you want to avoid proper induction as that baby isn't ready to come out hence would make for a longer labour.

Hi everyone - sudden silence means the sweep worked! First time I've managed to get online but Ethan Christopher was born AT HOME on Friday at 3:41pm. Homebirth was amazing so will def write up a full birthstory when I'm sure he isn't about to wake at a given second.

My midwife was just amazing and so supportive, it all went very quickly at the end and she kept us both calm and I know it's down to her that I've managed to escape wiht only a bit of grazing (thanks to Ethan escaping with his hand by his head!).

Heartmum2Jamie hope things are going for you now.

Congratulations GWTMH and welcome to Ethan (lovely name btw!)
I was hoping that your silence meant that something was happening and I'm so pleased you got your hb and that it went well. Look forward to reading your story when you get a chance!
40+1 for me today and mw came to give me a sweep (although she couldn't locate my cervix) so fingers crossed things start moving for me too! And also for Heartmum because she's even more overdue than I am

Congrats GWTMH - fabulous news! Welcome to baby Ethan (cool name!)
I hope Cricri won't mind me adding that things have started for her tonight - so fingers crossed another happy HB to report soon!

Congratulations GWTMH and welcome Ethan! I can't wait to hear all about it!!

Cricri, best of luck from me, you lucky, lucky thing!!

Mind you, I have a midwife appt tomorrow and was told last week they would offer a sweep. I can't keep having nights/days like I have the last 24 hours, so will take them up on it I think. I am 40+5 tomorrow.

Just a quick update from me - nothing happened overnight last night so the community mw came round to see me this morning and suggested I go to the hospital for monitoring, which I did this afternoon. All is well and... I've managed to get to 4cm dilation and 75% cervix effacement somehow The registrar was ready to whip me up to the labour ward there and then! Told him I was having a home delivery and got the hell out of there! Baby had better come quickly because they've booked me for an induction at 9am tomorrow if not. Hopefully it won't come to that. I was surprised because the trace only registered one contraction during the half hour I was being monitored which is weird. Community mw popped round a short while ago to see how I was doing after being informed of the situation by the hospital and was just amazed Let's hope it carries on like this! Doula is on standby. DH will be able to start filling the pool as soon as he gets in Will keep you updated - lots of positive labour vibes please as would like to avoid induction!

Lots of labour vibes from me cricri. Do you mind me asking why they are in such a hurry to induce, you are only 40+2 today right?! At my appt today I am allowed to get to 42 weeks.

Anyway, thought I should update on my midwife appt:

I am back from the midwife, this is what I copied from another board I use:

Seems I am not making much progress with this baby. He is way too comfy. The boring bits are clear urine, measuring 45cm (PMSL!), baby only 4/5 engaged, meaning his head is sitting at the pelvic brim and just not engaging. One weird thing is my BP, it is on the increase slightly. At 36+5 it was 104/68, last week it was 120/70 (which is my normal) and today it was 130/80 (although measured by a student). I have actually heard that a slight increase in BP can be indicative that things are on the move. I can only hope so.

The midwife said she wasn't going to do much of a sweep as his head is sitting so high still, although it came down a little further after I went to pee. So, she did the exam and said I am still posterior (tell me something I don't already know) but that she could easily reach & feel the top of his head. How is that possible considering how high up he is?? At least everything is very "squidgy" and ripe, so could be anytime, but could make it to inducement next week too. I did like the woman I saw today, she recommended Wednesday night to go as she is on call then, lol! If not, I am booked in to be seen again at the local hospital for another exam/sweep on Friday. By then I will be the most pregnant I have ever been....oh joy!

I guess I should order a fresh pineapple to arrive with my shopping tomorrow, lol!

Good luck Cricrii! You're on your way...so cool that you've reached 4cm without even knowing it! Long may it continue.
HM2J Lets hope your raised BP is a sign things are moving for you.
P.S. off to see Bond movie tonight - hoping it fires things up for me!

good luck girls - cricri really hope the hb happens, htjm fingers crossed for you it starts to happen soon...on another board i use there's been a real sudden rush of babies so sending you all our labour vibes

Congratulations GWTMH - wonderful news and v pleased to hear your homebirth was successful! Best of luck to everyone else - hope there are some more announcements on here before long

I am getting homebirth kit delivered on Monday - can't believe that any day from then (which will be 37 wks) it could happen (although hope my little one gives me a couple more weeks at least to get the house sorted!) Am crossing fingers, toes and everything that all goes ok and I don't have to use the back up hospital bag which I am currently putting together!

Hi all, I had a homebirth with my first on 4th Sept - best of luck to all.

I was 41 + 1 when it happened - I refused a sweep, I felt the baby would come when ready not thanks to interference.

Used TENS for most of it - not sure when labour started but I think it was on afternoon of the 3rd for real so i am really glad I Was not going to hospital as DS was born at 11.40pm on the 4th and I'm sure I would not have been 'allowed' to labour that long in hospital. Got in my bath with gas and air for the last bit before pushing stage - lovely and relaxing.

Good luck ladies!!

Hi all,

My first baby is due on April 18th and I am becoming more and more convinced I would like a HB. I have lots of questions for you lovely wise women and would really appreciate your time in answering any of them.

Any advice on convincing DP? He is not totally anti (I think - I hope) but will need to be worked on a bit - I want him to be totally pro.

If you have a home water birth, how do you dispose of the water afterwards?

The NCT classes are pricey but I have a gut feeling they will be worth it for the extra confidence in doing this. Agree / disagree?

Anything else I should think about?

I get the feeling I am lucky with my local midwives on this issue and will have their support. So I am getting quite excited about this.

Thanks for any replies!

Hi Ginger,

Welcome to the thread - it's quite an active one with loads of good advice. It might be worth trawling through the old posts as there are loads of web links and book recommendations on here somewhere which are helpful.

In terms of your questions:

1. If I were you, I would get him to read some of the birth stories on www.homebirth.org.uk/ -- this where I started with my DH. He was intrigued but still not 100% convinced as he was worried about all the "what if" scenarios, but there is a good section on that site that deals with all the what ifs as well, and makes you realise you are as safe at home (more safe even, due to not being surrounded by hospital germs) as you are in the hospital. I then got a couple of books (see the book list somewhere on this thread) which he read and by that time he was totally up for it and even he now goes on about why he thinks it's such a better idea than the alternatives, when friends ask him why we chose this route. Finally, I sold it to him as "well, if we have a HB, you can sit on the sofa and watch the rugby with a beer and the dog all cuddled up and I'll come and get you for the last bit where I might need some help"... and he seems to think that's a better deal than wandering around the hospital for hours, feeling like a spare part.

2. I don't really know about the disposal of water as I am a first timer, but I think it just gets pumped back to the water source where it came from (sink?)

3. I haven't done NCT classes yet, as I have been told they are mostly good for making friends rather than anything else, and I have managed to find a group of 8 or so other Mumsnetters in Streatham where I live and we now meet up regularly. But I might still join - not decided yet...

How far along are you? What made you decide on a HB? One of my Streatham mums just had her first baby at home (Girlwiththemouseyhair - she's a regular on this thread) and it all went very well I gather, so she is a poster child for first time home birthers if you want to ask her any questions!

Best - Ali xx

Ok ladies, I am 41+1 and finally had a bloody show this morning and it seems baby has dropped a little bit as I have some pressure downstairs, front and back, lol!

I am trying very hard not to get excited as I know you can have a bloody show 3 days before labour kicks off fully, but I went from bloody show to ds being in my arms in 7 hours and the contractions didn't kick in for 5 hours after the show. I am having the odd contraction but they are irregular. Have been bouncing and walking around. Just trying to entice the boys to want to go for a walk after lunch.

Hi Boobz,

Thanks for the replies - I am not far from Streatham and it was the Streatham NCT classes I was considering - the saturday morning ones in Feb! When is your baby due?

I'd love to hear more from girlwiththemouseyhair - I'll go through the thread properly and see if I can find her posts.

Hey Ginger. If you're close to Streatham, you should come and join our merry gang. There are about 8 regulars and a few people who pop in now and again, and we meet every couple of weeks at Perfect Blend on the high road. We're meeting tomorrow actually, at 3pm in 19 (another cafe on the high road, just down from PB) to meet GWTMH's little one (if she can make it!) and a few others with their recent arrivals. Crazycatlady is also hoping for a HB, and she'll be there too. We all go to a ante natal yoga class together which is very homebirth / active birth orientated which is also fun.

Anyway, the Streatham thread is here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/383840-antenatal-classes-near-streatham

and the next official meet up is on Weds 19th, but do come along tomorrow if you can.

Ali xxx

Hey Ginger. If you're close to Streatham, you should come and join our merry gang. There are about 8 regulars and a few people who pop in now and again, and we meet every couple of weeks at Perfect Blend on the high road. We're meeting tomorrow actually, at 3pm in 19 (another cafe on the high road, just down from PB) to meet GWTMH's little one (if she can make it!) and a few others with their recent arrivals. Crazycatlady is also hoping for a HB, and she'll be there too. We all go to a ante natal yoga class together which is very homebirth / active birth orientated which is also fun.

Anyway, the Streatham thread is here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/383840-antenatal-classes-near-streatham

and the next official meet up is on Weds 19th, but do come along tomorrow if you can.

Ali xxx

Boobz - thanks so much for that! I was hoping you would invite me, but wasn't sure what the etiquette is about barging in / dropping hints so hoped that wasn't out of order. I will get me to the streatham thread now. Thank you!

Crikey, don't feel there is etiquette to follow! The more the merrier, especially now that most of the original girls have popped and I'm still only half way through - I need the company! I see you've already made your way over to the other thread so I hope to see you soon on either the 12th or 19th depending on when you can get away from work.

In the meantime, which hospital are you registered with? If you can swing St Thomas's and the Valley midwife team, then you will be in good hands. I had my 20 week scan yesterday and am feeling very happy with everything - did you say you are also about 20 weeks?

Oh, is your DH coming round??

coming round to the idea of a HB I meant.... not my house or anything, that would be weird.

A

Any news Heartmum? Thinking of you! xxx

Hi Ginger - will go check up on our streatham thread in a second, boobz is very kind calling me a poster girl for homebirth but I'm sure a lot of it was down to luck at the time! If you live in Lambeth do try to swing the Valley midwife team who are based at St Thomas, I only managed to get onto their books once I was 38 weeks but they were and are amazing in every possible way, even had a text from my midwife today as I haven't seen her for a few days just checking how we were doing.

In terms of convincing DH - mine was totally against it at the start but we ended up talking to each other "through" other people if that makes sense, starting with a friend who is really pro-homebirth. I would drop in pieces of info I'd picked up and slowly he came around to the idea of considering it and started researching with me - the more he know the more convinced he was that it was the best way and after my DS's birth he totally rates it! I keep saying he ought to write HIS birth story!

I didn't have a pool so no idea about water I'm afraid

I didn't do NCT justbecause they were sooooooo expensive and I'd heard they were best for meeting people - which I've managed to do through mumsnet like (and with) boobz. I found that this forum and two others I'm on provided me with all the answers to questions about pregnancy and birth that I had and even didn't know I had so don't feel like I've missed out. Instead we used the money to do a baby and child first aid course, a yoga birth rehearsal weekend, and weekly yoga classes. I think it's down to personal choice really...

good luck with it all and hope to meet you soon!

Hi everyone! I am a pround new mummy of a gorgous 3rd boy, Zack William. He was born last night at 7.11pm. I almost got my dream delivery, but ended with an emergency transfer to hospital as Zack had opened his bowels in utero due to a tight cord around the neck, causing distress. I was tranfered at fully dilated and had pushed enough for the head to be visible, lol. Zack was born less than 15 minutes after arriving at hospital. He weighed 8lb 11oz, was 55cm long, had apgars of 9 & 10, not bad for a distressed baby! We were kept in until the paed could check him over this afternoon. I am very tired, but all is well and we are glad to be home. Have 2 pics of him at the top of my profile, were in such a hurry we forgot the camera, so had to settle for camera phone pics.

I am a little disappointed but so greatful for my 4 (lol!) supportive midewives.

Much love to all, will catch up properly tomoorow.

Well done HeartMum! Have been thinking of you these last few days. Sorry to hear your hb didn't go according to plan, but fabulous news about little Zack William (great name btw - DH and I love Zach too). Come back and tell us all about it when you have more time!

huge congrats heartmum!! great name and good weight and agpar score!

have finally done my birth story - warning, it's a bit epic!
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/birth_announcements/643971-GirlWithTheMouseyHair-39-s-epic-homebirth-story