*Calling all homebirthers!!* ....(Past and present )

[BadgerBadger]

Can we help her run the gauntlet ?!

Hi! Please help if you can . A friend of a friends daughter has just found out she is 35 weeks pregnant. She would like a natural, homebirth, lives in EIRE and has just turned 15.

Bearing in mind the preparation that goes into planning a birth, particularly fighting the odds of reluctant healthcare workers and the sheer time usually involved, this could possibly be quite an undertaking!

Though, I'm sure that with a little of the right advice and lots of support, she will enjoy the possibility of the birth she'd like.

Can you offer any tips or advice about the following:

*Rights
*Birth Plan additions
*Suggestions on how to converse effectively with reluctant healthcare staff....
*Anything, anything at all that may help!

Many thanks!
Badger (Levanna)

Don't know about Eire but my midwives have been positively postive (!) about suggesting a homebirth. Am now 36.5 weeks and I can still decide to do it if want to, no real time limit on when to decide (well, some limits obviously but...)

Are the healthcare workers reluctant or are you just anticpitating that they will be? Thye may surprise you.

whereabouts in Eire?

Hi Tinker, (through several friends previous experinece) they tend to be edgy about first time births at home, generally not very pro choice. In fact, one homebirther I know who lives in the same area as this girl had to let solicitors battle for her right to a homebirth. As it was her first, they fought her all the way . But she succeeded!
Unfortunately I'm not in touch with her to ask her advice.

Chipmonkey, she lives in Co.Galway. Are you in EIRE? Do you know of any organisations that support homebirth and choice?

Tinker, sorry, I meant to say good wishes for your birth, whatever you decide! I had a fantastic homebirth over here (UK) very supportive midwives, but I did have lots of time to prepare (them! ).
I am trying to dredge helpful advice I received from my memory, but can recall only some of the most pertinent points (Maybe going to bed at an earthly hour would help! )

I had my first at home in London. In the UK it's every woman's right to give birth at home no idea about Eire though. My midwives were supportive though and we agreed I'd transfer if I needed to (which I didn't). I'd say AIMS are the people to talk to. Or maybe The Brook since she's young. HTH

Try Irish Childbirth Trust? .

Also try HomebirthUK mailing list . Bound to be someone who can help on there, even it is mainly centred on UK. There was an American living in America asking for help the other day iirc.

hi bb, well it is a womans right to have the choice. i have spoken with some of my doula colleuges.we recomend you get intouch with some of the following.

irish association for improvements in maternity

service. co wiicklow 01-286 4584

homebirth support groups baile bhlainseir 01-826940 galway 091-528201

www.doulaireland.com

www.homebirthassociationireland.com

as for birth plan and questions if you dont get what your looking for (im sure you will) leave another post and ill help you.
good luck and dont be bullied its a womans right first child or not.

I had both my babies at home. I would recommend that your friend does as much reading about home/hospital births as possible. Also, she should tell the midwives of her intentions as soon as possible, ideally with the support of her family/dp. When I was asked if I really wanted a homebirth, did I understand all the risks etc, I just replied "will you now tell me about all the risks associated with hospital birth?" It seemed to me that once they had realised that I wasn't just saying i wanted a home birth because I didn't want to go into hospital, but was actually making an informed choice, they respected that. We also did what www did, in that we agreed that at the first sign of any problems, we would be transferred to hospital. HTH.

www.homebirth.org.uk/

A great source of information

Tinker, not sure about Galway, I know people who've had home births in Wiclow but thats a different healthboard . I woud suggest posting your question on this website orthis one the Irish equivalents of mumsnet.

Do try the UK yahoo mailing list/group because they know everything... and remember that medical people are only there to 'advise' and that she and her family can do whatever they feel is right for her. Younger women are proven to have easier labours.

Best of luck to her!!

Thank you all so much! I have passed on these links and numbers and I'm sure she'll find them really useful

BtB, thanks for those numbers, they could prove to be particularly relevent!