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 . . .

Hello Bab the reason I'm not having a waterbirth is that I'm squeemish! I just cant cope with the idea of the mw going round with a sieve [hgrin]

Bab Structures are built with a safety factor of at least 2, so if you multiply the weight of a party of people plus furniture in your room by 2, and work out the weight of the pool filled with water, as long as it's less than that (almost certainly will be) it should be safe.

KT, that seems like a perfectly valid reason! [hgrin]

sc2987, I'd probably be looking at this or something like it, so I'd guess that would be OK?

I'm a no for a water birth too.

I tried at the birth centre with dd, and hated it. Got out after 5 mins, I expect the mw's weren't best pleased .

Has anybody tried/trying hypnobirthing?? Looking for some cd/podcast recommendations.

Selina thank you! I am going to Sheffield to give it a try. I just need to get dh to take day off work to watch DD and take me to Sheffield...

p.s. You were going to be my doula but I had a mmc last Dec, we also have a mutual friend :o) (CJ).

Good luck with your birth, not long now. So exciting!

harrassed I did hypnobirthing with DD and it was brilliant for helping me to relax and then sleep between contractions.

I can't comment on a CD because we saw a practitioner but I think a CD would have been enough. I had mine on in labour and felt that was what helped, having listened to it so much whilst relaxing in pregnancy. I'd made an association with the CD and being relaxed.

Natalhypnotherapy gets good reviews. We went with the Mongan method. Not sure if you have to attend class for that though.

Hi I'm joining this thread rather late, as dc4's due date is this Sunday (17th). Not a first timer either, having had ds2 and ds3 at home. But wanted to comment on the hypnobirthing stuff. Our local library had a few CDs and books which I've borrowed. I copied the tracks onto my Macbook so I can listen to them regularly. I have Calm Birth, Hypnobirthing - The Mongan Method (which was a book with CD) and Hypnoactive Visualisations and Breathing for Childbirth by Julia Sundin. I take bits from each of them. No doubt there would have been more if dp and I had done a course but I didn't feel that was necessary for number four!

Oooh, can I join? Mind you, I tend to be crap at keeping up with group threads, but still. DC1 born in hospital, but 'twas v low intervention and unmedicated, so am feeling confident this time. This was always the deal with DH; I agreed to a hospital the first time because his family has a history of v high risk pregnancy and he was a bit freaked, on the condition that he would support a home birth this time.

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
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Well ladies, 2 mw's round today to check over the house and me and all is go go for the hb! Placenta bucket sat in the corner, all my notes up to date, g&a being delivered tomorrow... Shit, it's all real now. I'm going to be a mum, and pretty fecking soon!!!
Got to get my ass in gear and get some stuff done round the house - pack a just-in-case bag, wash the baby's stuff, find out where my nesting instinct is...

Hey ladies,

Just popping on to announce the arrival of our son, Franklin Keaton, who was born on 17 July 2011 at 11.26pm - at 36 weeks and 2 days. He weighed in at 4lb 13oz.

We unfortunately didn't have quite the birth experience that we had been planning, but he is here, happy, healthy and perfect and that is the only thing that matters. Our hospital care was excellent despite my concerns about the place we were booked into - spent four nights in there with him while they made sure he was okay and felt really looked after.

Now we're home, and already I can't imagine life without him. I will write a proper birth story when I have more time.

Good luck to all who are nearing their birthing day and to all of you who are just starting or are mid-journey. I hope you have wonderful labours and births.

I'm a mummy. I just can't stop grinning!

Congratulations GoGo

Congratulations Gogo, brilliants news and good that you were looked after in hospital. Can I join please?

DUE

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
Ohanotherone, due 3rd August DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Hello everyone, I'd like to join too please I'm so happy to have found this thread - all lovely positive people looking forward to HB and no-one telling me I'm being an idiot for even thinking about it!

We're having our first at home with a lovely doula who provides a water pool too. That list is great Boobz - I'm DEFINITELY getting some box sets and champagne prepared!!

Good luck everyone, and congratulations gogo

DUE

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
Ohanotherone, due 3rd August DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
HappyHollydays, due 28 Oct, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Just reposting for my name change:

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
Ohanotherone, due 3rd August DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
KellyKettle, due 28 Oct, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Welcome Red

Hello Red

Just realised I'm not on the list either, so have added myself:

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
Ohanotherone, due 3rd August DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 Augst, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
KTisPG, due 20 August, DC3
KellyKettle, due 28 Oct, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

Hello everyone- have only just found this thread. Can I join?
I have only just decided to try for a home birth, been toying with the idea for months but DH a bit apprehensive. He has come round to the idea though after our NHS parenting classes.
Can I be added to the list? I am due sept 9th with my first.
Am hoping for a water birth, looking at pools. Am thinking pool in a box looks good- but does anyone think paying for the heated option is worth it. It is looking like £300 ish for 4 weeks hire. Sounds a lot.
Anyway, just wanted to say hi!!

Hey MissTriangle

My doula is bringing her own pool so I don't know whether it's heated or not!! I guess you can always put hot water in if it's getting cool..? So what I'm saying is I think I probably wouldn't bother with a heated one. Gotta give the DP/DH something to do to make themselves useful!

Anyone else got any ideas?

And how you doing SelinaDoula? Any news????

SelinaDoula, due 28th July, DC2
minicorrect, due 31 July, DC2
Ohanotherone, due 3rd August DC2
gogoNagano, due 12 August, DC1
JenniL, due 17 August, DC1
KTisPG, due 20 August, DC3
MissTriangle, due 9th Sept, DC1
KellyKettle, due 28 Oct, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2
emsies, due 2 Dec, DC2
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

oh and also MissTriangle I'm pretty sure you can get 2nd hand pools much cheaper than that hire rate I think too, if you don't mind having a 2nd hand one.

Hi, don't worry about this being your first, my friend had both her babies at home and said it was wonderful,

Thanks girls-
I don't think I'll bother with the heated pool, unless someone tells me they are the bees knees. Am thinking hubby can top up with hot water regularly... I agree he will need something to do, or he might just end up getting on my nerves!
Glad you think it is okay being my first. Everyone is looking at me like I am mad when I mention it, but i know I will be so so much more relaxed at home. X

Hi, I was just browsing and saw this thread. I'm due tomorrow (29th July) and I'm planning a home birth. I've got a gentle water pool set up in the front room from Barefoot Birth Pools and it seems great. I was really worried about setting it up and flooding the house etc... but it's been very easy to fill. I'm definitely glad I've gone for the heated option as it just means less to worry about, if I do want to deliver in the pool I know it'll be the right temperature. I also wanted a solid frame so I can cling onto the side as I remember holding on for dear life last time! We've emptied and re-filled it once already and all went ok. (my other worry was spending the first few hours post birth faffing around emptying a pool but it seems quite straightforward).

I had my first baby in a birth centre and delivered in the pool but I just wonder whether this contributed to tearing because it must be harder for the midwife to see what's going on. On the other hand, the prospect of getting out of the pool during the second stage is pretty terrifying! Just wondered if anyone has any experience of this?

Happy due date SelinaDoula

Hello all! Have been away on holiday for 3 weeks hence the radio silence... so glad the list has grown so much already! Will post more later when kids are in bed...

Thanks Kellykettle, now 3 days overdue, as DD was 10 days early, this is all new to me!
Just waiting...
After feeling like he would arrive for the last three weeks, I think I'm starting to think it will never happen!

Had a good appointment with the consultant midwife today and she is fully supportive of me having a homebirth (Horrah) so all systems go now. Need to have a growth scan on Friday as measurements seem to indicate that baby's growth has slowed. I'm sure this is down to the inaccuracies of the measurements though so not worrried. Baby is posterior at the moment so need to encourage it to turn before the birth. Just ordered a new bigger birthing ball so hoping that will help.