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 peeps! Have been without the web for a while and on holiday before that. But have just caught up on everything and am now keeping a watchful eye on this thread as girlwiththemousyhair is about to pop... hello lovely! Live labour updates please.

Congratulations to Elgoldenflower on Lincoln ? any photos yet? Sorry to hear it didn?t go according to plan but glad to hear you felt well looked after.
And well done Collieandpup on the arrival on Isaac. Birth story please!
Have I missed some arrivals? What happened to 2blackcats, Jammyscone and KateetheBump? Did you all have your babies?

Sorry to hear there is no news yet MrsArch - will keep checking in on you.

Everything is go go go here in Sudan ? about to move to Kenya (3 weeks today) and before that I have a trip to the UK for two interviews to study my midwifery degree at King?s College London and Middlesex uni respectively. And meet the gorgeous Mini GWTMH ? Happy due date for tomorrow darling!

Myself, I am only 26 weeks on Friday ? hurrumpf.

Updated list!:

DUE
LoveBeingAtHomeOnMyOwn, due 8 September
RealityVonCrapp , due 19 September, DC3
Jammyscone, due 21 September, DC1
2blackcats, due 22 September, DC2
KateeTheBump, due 16 October, DC1
MrsArchchancellorRidcully, due 16 November, DC2
GirlWithTheMouseyHair, due 24 November, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2;
usingapseudonym, due 2 Dec, DC2
HoneyLovesCake, due 2 Dec, DC1
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3

ARRIVED
SelinaDoula, Baby boy Finn arrived 5 days overdue Aug 3, quick homebirth but transfer due to tear.
JenniL, Baby girl Elise Olivia arrived 28 Aug, crash section due to placental abruption.
KtisPG, Baby boy Edwin James arrived very overdue on 10 Sept, fab hospital waterbirth.
Nannyl, Baby girl born 14 Sept, amazing hypnobirth at home.
MissTriangle, Baby girl Eva born 19 Sept, long labour with transfer to hospital for C-section.
KellyKettle, Baby girl born 15 October, lovely home waterbirth.
Elgoldenflower, Baby boy Lincoln born 3 Nov, c-section but well looked after.
Collieandpup, Baby boy Isaac born 21 Nov, lovely homebirth.

Had a lovely meeting with SoM today :) :) Feeling ever so positive (finally) about being supported in a homebirth, just need it not to start before saturday so they are properly staffed. (Apparently no they don't use bank staff but rely on paramedics if a woman refuses to come in. It's also apparently rare they cancel the service).

My EDD according to scans is next monday (28th November) but as you have above I made it 2nd december - hope it comes closer to "their" dates!!

I'm so excited - looking forwards to hearing everyone's stories (and going into labour myself!) x

Congrats Collie! Yes please post your story...

Sorry you had a down day yesterday Honey, hope today is better. Didn't realise that about paramedics but either way don't worry Using....

Where's MrsArch? Laying bets on her popping before me!

Due date today, had a sweep yesterday because my midwife is away again next week and she really wants to deliver this baby! Strong and painful BH along with expected mucus etc yesterday evening. All quiet overnight, this morning I've had infrequent but painful BH again and lower back pain has kicked in. It's not labour yet nut has potential to turn into it I guess. Am assuming i'll know when they turn from BH to real contractions, I just woke up in labour with ds so not sure what to expect if it kicks off in the middle of the day....better be sooner rather than later though! Hmmm, also experiencing a lot of pressure in my lower back.....

Still here girl nothing doing, though some painful BHs which almost became regular but then tailed off. Am quite fearful of a sweep as with DD they broke my waters by accident and I ended up with a failed induction. I'd love to go into labour tonight...pretty please!!

right, I'm in labour - wasn't sure if it was BH or real contractions, midwife arrived at about 8pm and confirmed 3cm dilated. My mum is on her way to get DS, should be here in half an hour or so.

We're watching the Princess Bride, drinking wine - DS keeps fighting for his turn on the ball so I think DH will have to get massaging once DS has gone. Shame really, I quite like him being here all cosy in his PJ's after his bath.

MrsArch hoping maybe it's all kicked off for you too!!

Woooohoooo! Yay Mousey! How exciting...hope you don't mind I have to go tell the other ladies on the December thread.

do it - don't mind at all!! DS has now gone with his Nana, contractions shorter together but aren't lasting any longer or intensifying, yet, I don't think......

Oooh I'm so excited mousey!!!! Does a happy dance of joy.

I think its a sign we should all go into labour tonight. grin.

Baby Girl Loy arrived at 2.54am, weighing a mahooosive 8lb 9oz. Name to follow...

Well done darling!

Thought this may interest those of you still waiting for baby to arrive, copied the link posted on the homebirth uk fb group
hackneydoula.co.uk/?p=492

Ah, I was going to come on and post this for anyone feeling anxious but Yorky beat me to it. Thanks for sharing *Yorky"!

Can't pretend not to be biassed (hb#4 due next May ), but glad someone else thought it would be a useful read

Well, I'm biased too - I wrote it ;-)

Do we have a name for Mousey's DD yet?

Think I've been in latent phase since yesterday...could go on for days yet though I suppose as contractions seem less frequent & longer today...they were every 10 mins yesterday but I can't be bothered to time them now too much to do :)

Had MW appt yesterday & my lead MW has been transferred. She was very pro HB, had been through my birth plan thoroughly & although I knew I might not see her for the birth it was nice knowing I'd have her for any A/N & P/N appts. Feel a bit irritated now; if I don't have LO before next Wednesday I know they'll be talking about sweeps etc & my MW knew I wasn't going to agree to any VE's & my reasons. :( I'm hoping baby will come on Saturday as I have things to do on Friday...sending stay put for now vibes to LO :)

Still no news from me. I'm 41 weeks today and waiting for IM to turn up for ususal appt. She said she'd do a sweep today if I want one. I just don't know - I'm afraid of waters breaking. Had mild period pains on and off for past 4 weeks and lots of tightening but nothing regular. Thoroughly pissed off now and just don't know what to do.

honey sorry your having an unsettled time.

I've tried 3 lots of acupuncture but no results. I have no childcare for dd till Sat so perhaps I'm mentally hanging on...

MrsArch Relax :) You're not really overdue until you're 42+1 after all & since (if I remember rightly) your first was born by emcs you don't even know what normal is for your body...maybe you're a Ten Month Mama I've heard sweeps only really work if you were going to go into labour soon anyway but I'm very anti-VE & inductions for myself so I'm biased.

Acupuncture sounds like a good idea; I found these vids on youtube which I plan on giving a go if I get fed up of being pregnant, maybe your OH could help?

Have to admit I went into a complete panic yesterday when BH didn't stop & I realised this might actually be the latent phase 42-44 week pregnancies are the norm in my family & I certainly hadn't considered anything less than 40 weeks...all my hypnobirthing went out the window as I flapped about shouting no, no, no I'm not ready yet DP was very amused Much calmer now I've sorted all the baby clothes out & got some cleaning one.

Thanks for the support Honey. i know you're right - I just didn't expect to still be pg now and didn't expect to have a December baby.
Tbh, my IM is just lovely and I'm under no pressure at all. We discussed having a sweep and I've said no until Friday.
You are right, DD arrived by EMCS and i was induced before 40 weeks so i have no clue how long I cook them for and I also have no clue what early labour feels like for me.

All vital signs are good but I think I'm the sort of person who would like to know, so I've said I'll have a VE on Friday and if it looks favourable, I'll go for a full sweep. Once we get/if we get to next Wed, then we will talk about having a scan to check placenta/fluid. I won't have an induction unless things look really worrying.
Of course, hoping it doesn't get to that point!

Haven't looked at your links but my acupuncturist has given me a great DVD by Debra Bretts and DP and I are using pressure points every day now.

I really hope I have the baby before we need a new thread!

Good luck Honey and MrsArch - this bit is the tough part, when you are MORE than ready and you're just waiting waiting waiting. I had a sweep for DD2 as was on a clock for getting her out (DH only back in the country for 2 weeks so needed her to be on time!) and that, couple with vigorous date night did bring her on her due date. But I know it doesn't work for everyone...

I'm not sure if Mousey is going to come on and announce her DD's name and birth story on her own yet, so don't want to steal her thunder... suffice to say they are both doing very well, she looks just like her older brother did when he was born and has a full head of luscious dark locks! And I get to meet her on Sunday when I fly in from Sudan! Hooray!

Myself, I am 27 weeks tomorrow. I think. Or is it 26? And I should really be prepping for my interviews and not wasting time on here...

Sending labour vibes ladies..

hello!! Sorry I've only been online using my phone which is a pain, promise to write up birth story soon, but Maggie Juliet was born at home at 2:54am on 25th Nov. Established labour was 1.5hours, 2nd stage 4mins. She was 8lb 9oz and 59 cm (!!!)

I had a sweep on 23rd and waters didn't break til just before DD's head popped out...oh and we gave her her middle name after our wonderful midwife who delivered DS at home 3years ago as well as Maggie.

Good luck honey and MrsArch, will keep coming back to check on you!

girl sounds good, congrats! - hoping things are hotting up for me!

Saw IM today and whilst she couldn't sweep as the top bit of my cervix is closed, it is opening up and thin and I've had painful BH all day plus loads of pressure downwards. Not sure whether I'll know when bh turn into real contrx but im has taken a hotel room nearby just in case and will do another sweep on sunday if I've not popped by then. Feeling hopeful that we'll avoid Wed when I'm the dreaded 42 weeks.

Here's hoping!!

Oh wow. I'm 3cm and midwife is here. DP filling pool. Had a show around 5am and now things hotting up. Hoping to be cuddling baby by x factor time, all being well. Being at home rocks!

Ohhhh, Arch - exciting! Keep us updated!

MrsArch - when you give birth, can yo uadd your details to the advent babies thread?

sorry you missed out by 2 days GirlwiththeMousyHair :(

Congrats Mousey can't wait to read the full birth story, sounds really fast!

Good luck MrsArch! I'm hoping things will hot up here soon too. Having really strong crampy contractions or are they BH??? Can't decide as they get super-strong when I'm moving about & are easily manageable when sitting down Really looking forward to my second pregnancy when hopefully all this will be much easier to decipher I hate feeling this out of control!!!

god honey don't bet on it - I was convinced I was still having BH til the midwife told me otherwise!!

Hope the silence means all is going well MrsArch sounds like baby's on the way!

We went to a homebirth talk today held by our community midwife team and another mum turned up who'd had a homebirth a few weeks ago - she was pregnant and skeptocal with a reluctant partner at the last one we went to, so pleased they went for it - she said it was such an utterly positive experience after her previous hospital birth. I think I'm fast becoming a homebirth fanatic (not quite to the same extent as boobz!)