Diary of a planned homebirth

[ChocOrange05]

While I am waiting for my HB I thought I would write this thread for all those other first timers who are planning HB's. I am a first timer and I have no idea whats going to happen or whether it will result in a successful HB but I thought this could be useful to others in my position...

Just seen pics of bump and nursery....lovely!

How much stair walking do i have to do?? Just went up and down about 5 times and am knackered. Will rocking on my birth ball help???

dont over do it, u will exhaust ur self, typical first births i think are 12 hours plus, so u got a long way to go! bouncing on ur birth ball will prob help lol..
personally i watched telly.. but there you go!

not sure!

but do it slowly, think about the shape of your pelvis as you step up and down, if that helps?

but have a rest if you're tired, you could have a long way to go yet.

Birthball great - maybe circling hips or bouncing slightly?

I remember something from NCT classes about going up/downstairs sideways to make your hips rock to help head down.
Or just do step aerobics on bottom step rather than running up and down full flight each time.
Active is good - it snowed the morning DS was born and I decided I needed to go for a walk around the block - we got half way round before contraction hit!

i watched tv from birthball a LOT. once i got tired and upset so sure nowt was happening, I laid down on bed in bizarre position as so uncomforatable. 20 mins later, rocketed off when contractions started. Got down 3 soreys in record time, got in birth pool, stayed there til birth!

Try and have a nap? It could be a long night x

You're doing brilliantly choc - and you're whipping my sorry ass at Scrabble aswell! LOL at your sweet DH singing....ahh.
Wow - it's all moving for you now. Hope your DH is filling up the pool and has put the hot water on .
Go choco!

Nothing is happening.... is this normal???

When was your last contraction?

At 7.15pm

I had a long long waiting ('latent'?)phase when I was in labour with DD ChocO, painful but I was still very perky and functional and everything was fairly irregular on the contractions front. They kept on 'going off'.
But when things got going they were fast and DD was out in 3 hours. Sometimes your body just takes a long time to get used to the idea of getting the baby out but then it can all happen really quickly when it decides to get on with it!
So what I'm trying to say is you're doing brilliantly and please don't worry. That baby will come when it's ready!
[breaks open chocolate bar and offers it to ChocOrange to pass the time for her]

bu**er (and i was so hoping for a quick arrival so i could go to bed ).

Have you tried things like clary sage? don't know enough about it myself, just seen it mentioned on other threads.

Choc Just popping in to say good luck and hope you get your hb. I don't regret trying for mine last week one bit even though I had to transfer to hospital- the CMWs were fantastic.
My waters went spectacularly at 8pm and then nothing happened for 2 hours. My doula sent me upstairs to relax for a bit and the first contraction hit me out of nowhere (had had nothing until then). After that they were very regular and close together. Try to get a bit of rest - you'll need it later!
Good luck and will check back in the morning - so exciting

Hi ChocO - just popping in to say hi and good luck

Really wish I could stay up and follow this but am totally knackered today and need an early night

Wishing you all the luck in the world and hope things get going for you soon - and maybe I will log on tomorrow morning to some more baby news

x

Hi Choco - so glad you pointed to this thread from the Home Birthers' thread - fabulous! I want true dedication though - even if you have to type one handed whilst crowning...

xx

Just checking in...anything?

i had stages in my looong (first) labour where nothing happened for really quite a while - i was at home ans had a pool too and actually my mw told me i could get in it (even tho i probably wasn't very dilated) just to try and relax myself which did in the end get the contractions going properly (i was getting pretty anxious)
As someone else said - if you can manage it REST, as you will need all your energy in the coming hours! Aaah its my ds's birthday on tuesday and i feel like i am re-living my long labour with you, although i do hope for your sake your baby arrives before tuesday! Anyway sounds like you are doing great - just keep reminding yourself you will be meeting your baby soon..

i'm still here busy on other tabs, checking you loads

I had a half hour gap between contractions and they came back all in one go and I was ready to push!

Start to read a book and its bound to start things off again

Ooh, and can you come and design and decorate my nursery for me? Yours is just too tasteful it's not funny. Where did you get that chair and dinky little stool thing?

GOing to have to sign off and go to bed.
All the very best to you and your dh ChocO
Hopefully sign in tomorrow to baby news, enjoy....

Choco I have to go to bed too as I've got early start for work tomoro but I AM THINKING OF YOU!! I will be back on first thing to check for news but big pats and rubs on the back and good luck, you will meet your baby soon!
And I agree with the others, rest if you can. It might be the last time you get to rest when you choose to for months!
Good luck

Thanks for all the nice comments on the nursery - it was actually a bit of a rush job - we had the room redecorated in December as a "posh guest room" and then found out I was expecting (completely unplanned) in March so had to rethink the room but as we had paid quite a bit for the decorations we decided to keep the wallpaper / paint - luckily it was yellow which fits in with our "surprise version".

Boobz the chair and stool are proper nursing ones by Cosatto - they cost about £350 new but we managed to pick one up for £150 second hand - bargain!! They are soooo comfy!

Ok - going to try to watch Brokeback Mountain again now, that kicked things off with the waters so maybe it will help with the ctx.