I gave birth in my bathroom so why...

[foxytocin]

good one

LOLOL at "Armed with all this information and eight months pregnant, I made my decision. I would try for a home birth. I was so surprised by my findings I also decided to let a BBC London film crew follow my experience."

I have been surprised at a few things in my life, but it has never made me want to invite the BBC to film me giving birth

I wonder how her MIL feels about being slagged off in the national press.

Is that normal to give birth in the bathroom then? I had visions of home births being in the marital bed, with soft lighting and music in the background.

I spent a significant amount of my attempted homebirth on the toilet, cackling like a witch with my head swivelling round. Bit more Channel 5 than BBC.

my hb was downstairs in the living room but it was fast, the kids were asleep upstairs and I thought it best to be close to the downstairs bathroom (no upstairs one)

no tv crew, gawd above no!

It doesn't exactly sound like a relaxing environment with two midwives, a friend, her husband, anxious MIL and a BBC film crew attending the birth. She must have a very big bathroom

A couple of weeks ago my baby stopped moving and I had to go to triage at my local maternity hospital for a scan (all was well). There were women arriving, plainly in labour and in agony, who were kept waiting for what seemed like hours. They were left alone in the reception area as their DPs helped them in and then dashed back out to find a parking space. I guess they were then moved to a maternity ward and eventually a delivery suite, but can't be sure since the hospital does not allow tours and I have no idea what the set up is. For sure it is not designed to minimise stress.

interesting article. I find it explains the benefits of home births very clearly.

I gave birth both times in my bedroom, in a birthing pool. Our bathroom is way too small.

I gave birth in my living room but am rather glad there wasn't a tv crew there especially as I spent my time from 8cm onwards slagging off Amanda Lamb. She has never even bothered me before but when panting like a dog in agony with her on tv in the background I became strongly aware of an irrational hatred for her! I also didn't appreciate having to explain the rules of Deal or No deal (the following program)in between contractions to the second mw who'd come as back up as I was about to start pushing.

Isn't it amazing how negative so many of the comments on the article are?

I've given birth twice on my bed, last time curled up in a little ball around the gas and air tube, MWs very hands off left me too it, only just managed to turn and open my legs as she came out (in 2 pushes).

I've had 2 homebirths and one hospital birth and I definitely know which I prefer.

yes some of the comments are very negetive, but most people do believe that home births are risky. I've had to counter many negetive comments recently following my second home birth, even though my babies were born with no problems at home.

If ~I ever have another baby (unlikely as I'm on my own now ) I want a home birth - has a CS, followed by a heavily medicalised VBAC (induced, constant monitoring, ventouse etc) , followed by a fantastically natural VBAC - the next step for me is a homebirth.........

Now I just need to find a man

"Available statistics show it's as safe to have a planned baby at home as in hospital"

I was under the impression it was statically safer, not as safe

BabyDragon was born in a paddling pool in my playroom Both SmallDragons were hospital births. I also know which I preferred.

had 1 hosp birth and one home birth. after the hosp birth not even wild horses could make me labour in a hospital again.

I think many people just don't realise how much medical attention you recieve in a planned home birth. My midwife is highly skilled with many years experience and various medical equipment to hand. She monitored the baby's heart rate between every contraction, and any hint of a problem we would have gone directly to hospital. I felt far safer with her then I would have done in some hospitals.

I like the idea of a home birth but I am a bit of a hypochondriac so I would not have gone for one.

Very good of the midwife to suggest a home birth, I wonder if that happens often.

Those of you who chose a HB, did your MW recommend one?

Love the comment from the so-called 'Dr' about human anatomy not being well-designed for birth It's not even worth trying to argue against that kind of fuckwittery...

I thought it was a good, realistic article. It's just a shame that so many (ill-informed) people feel the need to shriek and scaremonger on the subject of homebirth. There is so much ignorance and misinformation in some of those comments it almost beggars belief.

Of course a hospital birth is always going to be the best option for some, either through choice or necessity. But homebirth is a SAFE option for many women and babies and anyone who tries to argue differently needs to make friends with the facts...

my MW with DS1 suggested a home birth to me - thought I would be "perfect candidate for it".......however she didn't bargain on my waters gushing at 37+5 and being told I had to stay in hospital (had I known better I would have gone home and waited.........) once I was in there. My CS was (imo) totally unnecessary I'm 100% certain that DS1's heartrate "dropped" as they inserted the cannula not because he was in distress - but because I knocked the bleeding monitor as I flinched...........

my madwife actively discouraged lied to me about home births when i requested one. once i found out the facts, I wrote a stroppy letter to the SOM asking for a different MW.

The first intervention IMO is a woman leaving her house and going to a hospital. It is more a wonder that so many women actually give birth safely, without further intervention when they do arrive there.

As foxy over there knows, I am in love with my fantastic, pro HB community team.

I live about 30-45 mins drive from foxytocin and her anti HB lot. Madness.

The article presents the basic facts pretty well, the comments from people are not great to say the least.

at indith's midwives.

I had two HBs, both in my bedroom. My first experience of giving birth, in hospital, was hell, and I know would have been better and safer at home.

I had DD1 in hospital, it was a dreadful experience, so I decided to have DD2 at home. Birth is never pleasant, let's be honest, but DD2's birth was about as good as a birth can be, even though she was back-to-back. People say I was brave to have her at home, but I reckon folks who trust themselves to understaffed hospitals are the ones who are brave.

What a shame people aren't more aware of the facts and how safe a homebirth really is. The comments on that article, especially those about women who hb selfishly putting comfort before baby's safety, made me very sad.

DH was finally convinced hb was the way to go by the argument that things don't usually go wrong all at once during labour - there's plenty of warning that you might need a CS, and it takes just as long to get the theatre set up/find a surgeon etc whether you're in hospital or at home, and by the time the ambulance gets you there, they should just about be ready for you. The term 'emergecy' CS is a bit of a misnomer since you don't get operated on within 2 minutes of the decision being made!

HB is wonderful and I wish more people knew the benefits and how low the risks are.

I have no intention of having anymore but i do know that if i ever do it will be a natural birth at home.

"The term 'emergecy' CS is a bit of a misnomer since you don't get operated on within 2 minutes of the decision being made!"

Hmm - I'm a doula and I was with someone on Friday who was in theatre having a crash section within 3 minutes of the decision being made to do it.

But a crash section is very, very rare. It's really bloody bad luck if things go so badly wrong at home. And I think the increased risk that comes from not having super quick access to an operating theatre or intensive resus facilities must be compensated for in statistical terms by the reduced risks that come with being at home and not having unnecessary interventions. Must be so, otherwise you'd consistently see higher mortality and morbidity in babies born at home.

I had my second at home, and transferred in with my third for augmentation following failure to progress. Everytime I go into a hospital it strikes me as completely insane that we expect low risk women to go into these environments and labour normally.

Belgo, I can't remember, did you have to transfer? I only ask because I gave birth in the bedroom at home, lost a lot of blood, and they didn't make me go to hospital but it sure as heck scared me about doing it again - we're 45 mins from nearest.