First time home birthers and their support squad

[jollyjoanne]

Not a homebirther personally but wanting to offer support to Boobz and others who are going for a home birth . . .

Hi Boobz can I put my name on the list?
JenniL - pg1, due 17/08/11

Would appreciate a "what I need for a homebirth" list! Everyone's talking about their hospital bags, and it means nothing to me!

Hi Jenni I had a homebirth and I packed a "hospital bag" just so that everything was in one place for my dh immediately after the birth and he wouldn't have to rummage around finding baby clothes, maternity pads, my pyjamas etc.... (as it happens dh missed the birth and the bag meant that my bff found everything easily instead)

I also used LOADS of towels (all over the bed, under my feet to walk to bathroom post shower), a plastic sheet/shower curtain under my bedding and an anglepoise lamp.

Post birth i used bed pads in bed and sitting on the sofa

Hi Jenni - of course you can come on the list. Hopefully it will be a very long one by the time I pop!

DUE

Motherofsnortpigs, due June, DC2
JenniL, due 17th August, DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

I have a list of what I had around the house, somwhere on this thread - I will go back and find it and post it tomorrow when I have more time. But yes, the same as petty, I had a just in case hospital bag and that did mean everything was in one place which was very useful..

Welcome to the HBing club.

ooh I'm so jealous of you all due to have home births! Ds is only 13wks old but I can't wait to do it all again

Can I join you please? Planning a HB for DC2 due 28th Oct.

We're having an independent MW and I gave a BPIAB on it's way hopefully (although bit worried it's going to be too big).

I'm 23 weeks now, not really prepared anything else.

Off to read the rest of the thread.

I can't copy & paste the list sorry, my iPhone wont let me.

Not being lazy! I will do it from a pc eventually...

Hey HappyHolldays - welcome to the thread. I'll add you now. And I'll take off Motherofsnortpigs as I think she's had the baby already. Hopefully she'll come this way and update us with the birth story and add herself to the arrivals list.

JenniL, due 17th August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

What does BPIAB mean?

Can I join you? I'm hoping for a HBAC due 2nd December. Got to see a consultant in 2 weeks though who I'm sure will try and talk me out of it but I'm otherwise low risk and I'm not far from the hospital in an ambulance (10mins in a normal car) and I'm happy to have intermittent monitoring....

So fingers (and toes and anything else) crossed I might be able to birth at home :)

I'm 36+1 and just had my final growth scan and baby is growing fine so have the "official" ok for a home birth. Have been having our kitchen done so not prepared anything for baby yet, but can now get down to it big time. Going to order a birth pool - any recommendations? And will look through this thread for other ideas of what we might need to have ready, but got midwife coming on Thursday to do the homebirth chat so will be able to finalise then. Think she mentioned the only thing I'd need is a shower curtain as they provide everything else. But would rather not assume that is actually the case and be prepared.
Anyway, just wanted to say hi and add myself to the list

Hey Jenni - here is that list I was talking about:

-- Spotify
-- Tens machine
-- Aromatherapy oils (for massage and for burning - I still can't smell lavender without it giving me phantom contractions)
-- The Killing / Dexter box sets
-- Swiss ball to lean on
-- Big towel to put under my knees for each contraction - I could only cope with them on all fours
-- Sweet tea and chopped fruit (not together)
-- Big sheets for actually delivering on so I didn't get blood anyway (not that there was that much blood)
-- Clean bed with crisp sheets to climb into with baby after birth (post shower, of course)
-- Champagne in fridge.

And then the neatly packed hospital bag with baby's clothes, maternity pads, cheap knickers etc - there is another list somewhere for that one)..

Hello Emsies - the list is growing already - good good. Fingers crossed indeed. I read your other thread - I think you should be fine given what you've said. Let us know how the consultant appt goes. Adding to you to the list, as well as minicorrect. I had a birth-pool-in-a-box (think it was called Made in Water?), and it was cheap but did the job perfectly - can highly recommend.

DUE

minicorrect, due 31 July, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC1
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Oooh may I join ze list as well?

Am due on 12 August 2011, so am just over 34 weeks - he/she is my first baby. Planning a lovely home water birth with a pool. DH and I have been doing hypnobirthing classes and have hired a lovely doula as well, so am hoping this will help me manage :)

Very excited, although the nerves are slowly starting to kick in now - more relaxation/affirmation practice is in order...!

Hi gogo, mini & emmsies!

It's actually my 2nd dc. DD was born in hospital, augmented labour, epidural, episiotomy, forceps, 3rd degree tear - the works.

DD will be 2.9 when dc2 arrives and I'm hoping she will be in the house throughout ( if she's upset she'll go to my mums).. I have an independent midwife, mainly because my community midwives were so unsupportive of me giving birth at home - I've been pressured to have a CS following the 3rd degree tear. At one point I was told it would be the consultants decision and even if I got my HB if they said transfer I couldn't refuse - "your baby is more important than a nice birth". I felt patronised and as though they were treating me like an idiot. Who wouldn't transfer if their baby was in danger anyway?

So my MW is lovely. I still see my NHS MW for tests but that's it.

BPIAB = Birth Pool In A Box

The reviews for it are great and it has a good resale value on eBay

I am so excited about having my baby at home though!

Mine is DC2 as well after lots of intervention in hospital for the first birth - having planned to use pool in birth centre, spent 20 hours on my back with constant monitoring in labour ward and had to have epidural, legs in stirrups, etc. And back to back labour which wasn't realised till the end. No way I'm going that route again! DD1 will be 2.4 when this one arrives - not sure about what to do with her, but will cross that bridge when it comes - would like her here, but then might not need the stress of her tantrums!
Spent the afternoon researching birth pools and pretty much set on BPIAB too - will be going for a mini as only 5'1" so seems best option. Not seen any on ebay for the bargains I keep reading about so will have to pay full price, but for something like this I'm sure it's worth every penny. Will probably buy the kit stuff separately as I'm sure I can get it cheaper locally.
Got to read through this thread and the original one for other tips now. So much to do and running out of time now!

Sorry for assumptions that they were first babies! Will change the list now.

Glad you have a supportive midwife under your belt now HappyHollydays - will make the world of difference in terms of the outcome of birth I think. Having babies at home is the best thing in the world. Of course labour is hard (I didn't find the birth bit particularly difficult, just the 80 hours before hand with DD1 and the 5 or 6 hours before DD2!) but to be honest, I would say that having my 2 girls at home has been up there with the best experiences of my life (along with diving in Indonesia and finding DH). I know a lot of people can't say that, and I do believe that having had homebirths with both of them has made the experiences the absolute amazing events that they were. Can't wait to do it again with #3!

Updated list:

DUE

minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

(me thinks I am going to be at the end of this list for a loooooong time!

Hi All,
I'm joining in too. I'm due on July 28th with my second DC. I planned a HB with DD but had hypertension from 34 weeks and was advised against having her at home, had PROM 2 weeks early, induced with gel and constantly monitored, had a long OP labour and she was born persistant OP after 4 hours of pushing and an extended episiotomy.
I've been running a homebirth support group for 7 years and trained as a Doulsa, attended about 30 births.
So far this pregnancy has been healthy, kept active and BP is fine at 36 weeks.
I got my pool yesterday (MW here are much more supportive than when I was PG last time, all community teams now have pools they hire to homebirthers)
Only slight problem is that DP lives 3 hours away and has no transport, so I plan to be there and get him to drive me home in labour (fingers crossed I et some warning and its not a really quick labour!)

DUE

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

thanks Boobz for the list :)
Is this link any good for anyone? Cheapest (new) pool in a box I've found [http://www.homebirthsupplies.co.uk/?gclid=CJ6bnIiWoqkCFUEa4QodxSmNtA here]
Would type more but IPhone being a right trauma on hotel Internet connection, grrr, will update with my plans when I get home on Friday.

here
linked properly :)

Hi Jenni! Just ordered my birth pool from them - decided to buy the mini BPIAB with cover and basic kit (hose, connectors and thermometer) and then pick up waterproof sheet, etc elsewhere. Also comes with a free electric pump at the moment so seems like a good deal (well assuming I get to use it of course!). Also liked that they offer next day delivery with one hour time slot for just £2.29 - better than waiting in all day!
Got midwife home birth chat visit tomorrow so can check what she already has and then pick up anything missing afterwards. Going to start a birth corner in our front room which we tidied up yesterday - going up in the loft to see what we have from DD1 - know I've got a couple of boxes of maternity pads at the least plus the TENS machine. Getting excited now!!
Hi Selina - also remember you from the August antenatal thread - I started off over there then shifted to July as I figured baby 2 was more likely to be July than August really - although it's a bit depressing when all the other ladies on there are already having their babies!!

Can I join in. I am due a homebirth on the 3rd August. Really desparate to have one as had a vile time in hospital with DS in January 2006!!

Hello all, can I join too [waves at Selina and Jenni from Augugst board]

I'm due on 20th August with my third and this will be my third attempt at homebirth. I ended up going in with both the other two (for entirely different reasons). I'm not planning a waterbirth so would be interested in what, if anything, I need to protect carpets etc. I've got an appointment with the consultant midwives on 1 August to discuss my options as DD1 had shoulder dystocia, although as I'll be 37 weeks by then I'm assuming they won't put up any barriers otherwise I might have to get boshy

Hi,

Can I join you too?

I'm due on 22 December and this will be number 4. I've never had a homebirth before but our lovely mw led birth centre has closed and I didn't like the hospital births I had with ds1 & 2, so all the local mw's are recommending a home birth as it'll be pretty much the same as the birth unit just at home!!

I think dh is a little freaked out by it,tbh .

Hello, I wrote my birth story following my successful first baby homebirth - link below. Wishing each of you all the best x

www.thebabywife.com/2011/07/homebirth-of-baby-camille.html

Selina I noticed on another thread you mention going to Mayan massage. Can you tell me where you go? I'm in Cheshire but my nearest therapist seems to be Sheffield which is do-able I suppose but not on a regular basis.

Hi HappyHollydays
I ran a retreat for Doulas where we had a practitioner do a workshop. She did a short massage on me, but I haven't been seeing a practitioner reguruly.
The nearest one I could find is Sheffield-
thebabymaker.co.uk/arvigo_therapy.html
S x

Hello all! Can I join in? Due 25th October, DC1 - all healthy so far, although I really need to get off my arse and take a bit more exercise!

Haven't really given enough thought yet to whether to try for a water birth - for those who have decided either way, what influenced your decision? We're on the third floor, in a rented flat, and I'm slightly concerned about the floor giving way, but reluctant to approach our crappy landlord for information about how secure it is.