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

Tupperwife - There shouldn't be any "cut-off" point so I wouldn't worry too much about that, someone on my Due Dec thread booked a homebirth about a week before she had it, you just need to make sure you're not fobbed off. Not sure what questions you need to ask, but if they give any reasons why you shouldn't have one question them and make it clear you are going to make the final decision.

I have missed out on my home birth, I am now 42 weeks and going in for monitoring tomorrow so guess I will start to come under pressure to be induced. Not sure baby is quite cooked yet (scan brought my dates forward by 7 days) but I'm hoping a sweep might be possible (wasn't favourable enough at 11 days over).

Keeping this thread alive until I pop! Am 30 weeks today and have started to get everything ready for the babe's arrival. My list is crazy long but have got nearly everything off it (just a baby monitor and the cot to go - am bidding on both items on Ebay as I type).

Have also got my list for the homebirth - not got all of these yet but got the pool which is the most important thing!

Labour (Homebirth)
Waterproof sheets
Hot water bottle
Snacks, drinks, bendy straws
Bin liners
Champagne
Seive
Paracetemol
Flannels
big towel
Tens machine
Birthing pool

Hospital bag (just in case)
nursing bra (x2)
nursing PJ's/nightie
make up/hairbrush/toiletries
camera
nipple cream
breast pads
maternity pads (+tea tree & lavender oil)
cheap knickers
babygros (newborn and 0-3)
baby hat
newborn nappies
going home clothes for me and baby
Big fluffy dressing gown
mobile phone
Ear plugs
Maternity notes
Flip flops

Nursery
Cot
Mattress
Bedding (2 fitted sheets, one waterproof sheet)
Moses basket
Moses basket stand
Moses basket sheets
Sleeping bags / grobags
Room thermometer
Storage for clothes
Baby monitor
Mobile
Swaddling sheets
Bucket with lid
Laundry basket

Changing
Changing table
Changing mat (49 cm x 80 cm)
Initial disposable newborn nappies
Changing bag w/ mat
Tons of Cotton wool

Feeding
Nursing bras
(reusable) Breast pads
Bottles and teats
Bibs
Breast pump
Nursing pillow
Muslin squares (lots)

Clothing
6 vests
6 babygros
6 sleep suits
5 cardigans
2 hats

Out and about
Pram
Car seat
Baby sling
Bush Baby Cocoon

Toiletries and health
Cotton wool balls
Nappy rash cream

Over the top or what?!

Oh god it looks huge when posted on here! OTT city!

Icecube - what happened in the end? Were you induced??

That's a really long list. And probably more worrying is that I've got most of the things on it! (apart from the champagne...)

Just had my booking in for my homebirth with a lovely midwife , and have been reassured that they're not protocol driven i.e. I won't be timed rigidly once in labour. She also said that they really encourage home water births so I'll be ordering that birthing pool today. Hoorah!

I'm the only one of my antenatal class of 10 even to consider a non-hospital birth. I just hope it doesn't kick off till after Saturday; the magic 37 week milestone.

Hi Tupper - it is a long list isn't it. But there's a homebirth part to it AND a hospital bag, where most people have hospital bag, and I've doubled up in some parts (clothes for baby coming home from hospital and in the clothing general part).

Or that's what I'm telling myself. The only things I think I could probably cross off are changing table / laundry basket / bucket with lid / nursing pillow and sling, but hardly seems worth skimping on those when I'm getting everything else.

Hmm.

In my yoga class, you are generally the odd one out if you're not at least planning a home birth, and more likely still a home water birth (but then it is a bit hippyish). Haven't got an ante natal group, but there are about 10 of us Streatham Mums who met here on Mumsnet, and a good 4 out of 10 are all homebirthers (or intended to be until complications set in) so there must be something in the water around here.

Sure baby is far too comfortable to move before Saturday

xxx

ha ha Boobz that list is fantastic!
Where did you get the pool from?
Which hospital are your midwives at?

This is all feeling much more real now -I didn't take it all that seriously till "after Christmas" or "next year" which is NOW!

I am really hoping for a HB and I think I have DP onside, yay!

I won the pool online in a competition! It's the La Bassine one which is pretty popular.

Am at St Thomas's hospital with the Valley midwife team, who I see at the Gracefield Gardens NHS centre.

Have you got a list? Please say you have a list and that's longer than mine.

sorry, no list here yet but I think I may be working from yours!

So far this week I've had:

• home visit from very nice midwife who said we're basically GO for homebirth
• NCT homebirth support group meeting with lots of great advice and nice cups of tea
• and just ordered my la bassine which should be dispatched tomorrow!

Considering that I regularly forget I'm pregnant (turning onto belly in bed at least once every night, trying to put on socks whilst standing up etc etc) it's still a bit strange planning the birth...

That all sounds fab Tupper - well on your way. Less than 3 weeks to go before D-day! I am 9 weeks away - and I hope it flies by so I can start my blimmin maternity leave.

Changing table and cot arrive today.

I seem to have scared everyone off! Are there any homebirthers still out there? I have my "birth chat" 3 weeks tomorrow, which is when they also deliver the kit. Must get on and right that birth plan (and the in-case-I-go-to-hospital-birth-plan).

Any positive stories of late? A couple of my new mum friends who were in my yoga class and planning a homebirth ended up not getting theirs (induced because overdue and a too-much-fluid problem making a hospital birth necessary), and of course they have beautiful, amazing babies at the end of it, but it has made me realise how fragile this HWB dream is.

Anyway, fingers crossed!

write, not right. Jesus.

Here's a positive story, I had a homebirth last week and it was an amazing experience. DD1 was born in hospital, the birth was straight forward, but I felt quite restricted and unabl to cope witht he pain and ended up having an epidural. This time around was completely different...

So..here it is?sorry if its a bit of a ramble...I'd get yourself a cup of tea and a biscuit.....

Took DD off swimming and felt periody and crampy all day. By the evening I was getting mild contractions, but wasn?t sure if they were BH or not, had a nice clary sage (will not be missing that smell) bath to keep things going and polished off the last of the raspberry leaf tea (will not miss that either). Got DP to blow up the birth pool anyway and put BIL on standby for babysitting duties should they arise.

Went to bed having mild contractions 6/7 mins apart, by 1a.m. they were 5 mins apart but n ot really painful. Managed to get some sleep, but by 4a.m. could no longer sleep through them.

I rang the delivery suite and the lovely community midwife rang back and said she?d be round soon. Got DP to fill up the birth pool, stuck the tens machine on and BIL turned up and went off to sleep in spare room.

When the midwife turned up she did an internal and couldn?t work out how much I was dialated as I was completely constipated?(TMI), when the second MW arrived shortly afterwards she found I was 4-5cm and did another sweep to keep things going.

So I bounced on my birthing ball, chatted to the MWs and DP and used the tens machine to full effect. It really took the edge off the contractions and I think I only got up to the top of the first level out of 3. Found kneeling over the back of the sofa with my arse in the air helped too! Had completely forgotton about the gas and air until the midwife mentioned it, hated it last time?.loved it this time.

Got really into focusing on my breathing this time around and mooed my way through the contractions whilst sucking away on g and a!

Things were getting pretty painful by about 8am, so I got into the birthing pool, which was amazing, it just took all the weight away. DP went off to give DD breakfast and pack her off to playgroup. I was completely zoned out, and so in my own space, I didn?t really notice he wasn?t there.

The midwives sat in the background, a student mw turned up at some point. They monitored the baby?s heartbeat regularly, but were really non intrusive.

By 9am was finding it hard to cope, DP was holding my hand as I mooed and mooed and tried to keep focused on the task in hand, my waters burst in the pool and I began to feel the urge to push..

The second stage was really intense, but not as painful. I just felt the power of the contractions surging through me as I pushed, the water really took the edge off, and the mw told me to look down, there was my baby boy coming up between my legs! I was aware of the incredible animal noises I was making but it didn?t seem like they were coming from me iyswim.

DS cried straight away and we had a cuddle in the birthpool and I handed him over to DP as I got checked out. Ended up with 2nd degree tear as I pushed him out quite quickly, got stitched up as I fed DS. MWs cleared up and did all the checks. I scuttled off to our bed with DS and a cup of tea, not quite believing what had just happened.

DP went and got DD from playgroup, she popped up, jumped up and down on the bed, said ?Hello baby!? and ran off downstairs like it was an everyday occurrence to have a new baby in the house.

Hi all,

Can I join? I'm 31 weeks with second DC, first was born in hospital, very long labour with epidural, synotocin, baby OP, but all went fine in the end.

I'm in Holland where homebirth is the norm (30%) and they positively encourage almost everyone to have one. Even if you are set on a hospital birth you are obliged to get your homebirth kit and raise your bed, and your hospital birth is officially called a 'transferred home birth'. They take a very relaxed, almost blase attitude to the whole thing which is kind of refreshing after giving birth in Belgium and fighting not to have to lie on your back for the whole thing, but kind of scary as they are that bit too relaxed here. For example I was positive for Group B strep in last pregnancy and they won't even test me for it this time. You only get one midwife here to attend the birth and she only stays with you after 7 cm, so I've hired a doula. Haven't got the pool yet. Have got TENS after it being brilliant last time. You also get a maternity care assistant (called kraamzorg) here for 8 days after the birth, who comes in for a few hours to help you. Not sure what they actually do though. At the minimum I think they clean the loo, put the washing on and change the bed. I want them to make some dinner!

Can we make some kind of list to remember everyone, like on the antenatal threads?

hkz, congratulations and thanks for your lovely birth story!

Boobz, I don't think your list is too long, all these things are needed! How many weeks are you?

OK, if you want, add yourself to the list (copy and paste):

Gemzooks, 31 weeks pregnant, 1 DS 2.5, planning first home birth with pool

hello - i am a serial lurker on this thread. due late may - been reading my ina may gaskin and mary mongan . get v jealous of all the streatham girls as moved out of streatham when dd was four months old (last summer) and would love to have had a MN group of buddies locally.

Gemzooks, 31 weeks pregnant, 1 DS 2.5, planning first home birth with pool

Swottybetty. 29/05/09. 1 DD (march 08). croydon surrey

Hi can I join in. I'm 28 weeks tomorrow, due 23/4/09 with a little boy, first child and am seeing midwife tomorrow to request a home water birth.

Gemzooks, 31 weeks pregnant, 1 DS 2.5, planning first home birth with pool

Swottybetty. 29/05/09. 1 DD (march 08). croydon surrey

CEB80 28 weeks, Due 23/4/09, planning 1st home water birth

Hi Gemzooks,

I thought I would join in after finding this thread today and having been on mums net for the past 5 months! ooppss
I'm 39 weeks today and sitting on my arse waiting for this baby to make an appearance! It's my first btw and I have everything prepared for a homebirth!
Currently going through different stages of how I'm feeling...one minute really worrying about the pain of labour and then the next feeling exicted that I'm going to have a LO anytime soon!

Just finished my antenatal classes last week and all 17 couples there were pretty when me and DP told them we were having a HB!

I'm pretty organised with what I can use to keep me relaxed, like aromatherapy oils, birthing ball, rescue remedy spray, tens machine and LOADS of DVDs for the early stage and then the birthing pool which I'm going to try and hold off until things really get going.

Would be great to hear from others who are sitting waiting for the big event and have a HB organised!

x

OOhh I wish I was 39 weeks, time seems to be dragging for me, everyone says to just enjoy it but I'm impatient .
Sounds like you have everything sorted though so I hope it all goes well for you.

The last couple of weeks have gone quick for me cos I only left work 2 weeks ago! Not sure I would recommended that, but it kept me out of trouble.
All I'm praying for now is to not go over due! Got fingers and toes crossed, but you hear so many people saying that first babies are always late!
Midwife has already booked me in for a possible sweep at next appt which is on the 9th Feb.....nice!

Well hello everyone! Where did you all pop out of the woodwork from?! I started this thread in July last year and I can't believe I am still pregnant - seems like forever ago. And 21 pages now! There is loads of good advice on here if people can be bothered to wade back through and read it all - books, lists, advice, stories etc.

Gemzooks - are you on my Due March thread? I think I recognise your name but there are only a few regular posters on there now... anyway, I think it's fab that the Dutch are so pro homebirth -- I lived there for 6 years in my teens (Voorschoten - do you know it? nr Leiden) and I still think of Holland as my first proper home (was an oil brat growing up all over the shop as my dad moved with Shell) and have lots of fond memories of the country. The Dutch are pretty zany, so I can imagine what they're like when it comes to childbirth - all very matter of fact and relaxed... and very..... Dutch!

Thanks for the birth story hkz - sounds like it couldn't really have gone more perfect! Really is a stark contrast to most of the hospital stories you hear..

Swottybetty - have you also lurked on the Streatham thread then? There seems to be a baby boom in this neck of the woods. We've got 20 people on our email list now, but I would say there are about 8 of us who are quite close now, and I am the last one of those still pregnant! They've already started talking about weaning at our Perfect Blend meet ups and I'm still 7 weeks away from getting my baps out! Argh!

Not long for you now Helley - here's hoping LO arrives on time for a change (am also convinced I am going to be massively late as this is my first).

And lastly hello Ceb80 - where abouts are you based?

Updated list:
Gemzooks, 31 weeks pregnant, 1 DS 2.5, planning first home birth with pool
Swottybetty. 29/05/09. 1 DD (march 08). croydon surrey
CEB80 28 weeks, Due 23/4/09, planning 1st home water birth
Boobz, 33 weeks, due 19th March, planning 1st home water birth, Streatham London

Is anyone thinking of using a birth pool?

Because I have one for sale ... here on the mumsnet forsale boards

Used once, but completely sterilised and liners are available online, although I was told they arent actually needed

Hi Boobz thanks for the welcome, I'm from Suffolk.

Disenchanted3 have posted on your for sale thread!

Hi Girls, Can i join you all (although i think i have posted here before pg brain lol)

I am 36wks (tomorrow) and due on the 25th of Feb, and am hoping for DC3 to be born at home. I have already had one HB but this was unplanned and DD2 was delivered by paramedics after a 2.5 hour labour.

My MW is coming out to see my on friday for my HB chat and is also bringing my HB kit with her .

I had a show on Sunday, but i have been fine since, so fingers crossed i get to 37wks and get my HB!!, my gut instinct is that i will still be here at 40wks + LOL, but we shall see.

Hello, I'm also popping out of the woodwork.

I'm 33 weeks pg (or thereabouts) with #2, and problems with getting anyone to look after my DS are pushing me more and more towards a homebirth. As in, if I go into labour and no-one else is around, it's going to be a lot better to have people coming to me than to try and get me and a nearly-3-year-old to the labour ward! Plus I've got some SPD, and a waterbirth in our maternity hospital is a vain hope...

So, a quick question - does anyone know what the latest I can book a homebirth is? I registered an interest at my booking in appt, but there is nothing at all in my notes about it, so as far as the midwives are concerned it will be a first time of asking tomorrow.

And disenchanted, I have also posted on your birthpool thread, but it's OK Ceb, I'm not trying to shove in, you were there first!