can someone tell me about the practicalities of a home birth?

[mad4mybaby]

Am pg with number 2 and not sure if im wanting a home birth or birth centre (providing everything goes ok of course). At a home birth what do you actually need? Obviously towels, but how many. Also where did you actually give birth? I like the idea of giving birth in water but worried about needing stitches as they wait for your bits to dry off before they do it all (ive been told) and i think thats horrible, i had it all done straight away after ds was born but my sister says they waited over an hour for her stitches and she said it was awful as at that point your getting over the birth and enjoying new baby.

If you do have a birthing pool what are the general circumference? Also do you fill it up with a hose pipe? And how do you empty it??

Just trying to decide one way or the other and its worrying me already and i have a long way left and feel silly worrying about it now...

I bought the La Bassine / Made in Water pool, as I was planning on using it more than once, which meant it was most cost effective than hiring one.

As others have said, hiring is more expensive but the pools tend to be more top-end, ie they have heaters and covers so the water only has to be changed every few days.

If you labour quite quickly I would suggest you hire one as it can be ready straight away. Although from memory my blow up one only took 1/2 hr or so to fill.

I know some people have bought and used paddling pools - a new one of course, not one that's been sitting around outside!

ha ha yeah birthing along side watering cans and the like! I think iread somewhere you want the water to at least cover the top of your bump to be effective? Not sure ive seen paddling pools deep enough just those on ground swimming pools and certainly not enough room for that!

Has anyone else birthed in the bath and found it good/bad?

No personal experience, sorry, but I have read a couple of accounts of birth in the bath - seems that it isn't really deep enough and depends on the layout/size of your bathroom as to whether there is room for the MWs, but can be possible.

I found an amazing hypno/water birth the other day on youtube which seems to be in a corner bath - we are moving in the next few weeks so somewhere with a corner bath might be nice! Video clicky (you might need to log in, sorry): www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSsaJ0Zno9s