So - come tell me what you did with your DC1 whilst home birthing your DC2 ?

[puffylovett]

I sort of thought that DS1 (2.6) might be around and about, not entirely sure how it's going to pan out. I'm 29 weeks btw. I have this vision in my head of my homebirth being like that lovely spanish mattress add that's been posted on here a few times ! Except maybe in water..

However practically my whole family disagree and think he should be removed from the scene of the crime as it may be too traumatic for him.

What do you think ?

DS 2.5yrs was fast asleep and didnt hear a thing. I do, however, remember being worried that he might wake up and was very aware of this, even in the middle of labour as I know he would have been upset (the type of child he is). Fortunately he strolled into the front room after the drama and the clear up to meet his new brother. Then off he went to nursery for the day, great for us to have a rest and stare at the new arrival, then be able to give DS1 loads of attention when he came back from nursery.
Best to have as many back ups as you can for different times if you feel your little one won't cope with the birth.

When my friends DD saw the baby's head crowning she said; "what's that?" and as he emerged she said, full of wonder; "oooh, it's a baby!"

I kinda wish DD1 had been awake for DD2's birth, she would have loved it I think, it was all very quick, calm and quiet, wouldn't have traumatised her at all, never mind!

Next time, eh, greenmonkies

So -

1. Get my mum to be flexible
2. have a back up plan just in case
3. try and maximise daytime sleep in the run up to the birth - cos it's likely to happen at night !!
4. If it does happen at night, have a plan in place for someone to take DS1 the following day for a few hours so we can get a few hours rest
5. Don't underestimate the probable emotional need to spend lots of time baby gazing without the distration of DS1 being there !!

there won't be a next time, I'm too old and knackered to do it again!!

With you on that one!!

but BunnyRabbit shouldn't you be breeding like, um, eeerrr........

LOL not at 42! No reason to stop 'practising' though

Ahem bunnyrabbit, never say never: I'm 42 and had a lovely home birth on Monday morning. .

oh please do tell ermintrude, if you've the time. or have you posted stories on another thread ?

puffylovett: I had DD (11) at a birth centre, DS1 (6) at home in London and both were v straightforward so despite the doctor's raised eyebrows (I'm in the Midlands now and HBs are less common here, though growing) I requested a home birth for DC#3 too. Problem-free pregnancy (apart from the usual indignities: nausea, vomiting all the way through, rampant indigestion) but then went overdue and was told that they only allow +12 days and then induce, which I wanted to avoid. I had to go to the hosp to be monitered and even though all bloods, urine, BP etc were perfect, a registrar who didn't even see me wanted me to stay in for induction 'because of her age' . Instead, the lovely MW gave me my 3rd sweep in 5 days (ouch) and at 4am the following morning, at 40+12, contractions began. I woke DH at 4.30, woke DC at 5.30 and a neighbour fetched them at 6.00 when the MWs arrived. I laboured with TENS over a gymball while DH recorded contractions on his i-phone (!) and all progressed well. Second stage lasted 5 mins, wonderful advice on breathing from MWs meant that my 10lb baby boy was born at 8.29am without me needing a stitch, despite his head circ of 38cm and having to 'birth' his beefy shoulders as well as the head.

I waited 40 mins for the placenta but it stayed put even when putting baby to the breast, so had syntometrin injection and it came out with a bit of help from MW and me pushing again. Quick shower, then hopped into clean sheets and breastfed baby while DH made tea and toast for everyone and then phoned the DC's schools to tell them about new baby bro and arrange to pick them up a bit early to meet him.

It was a lovely experience - painful towards the end of course, but not unbearable - and I felt like I was in very good hands. Even though it was my 3rd I still appreciated the MW's calm advice, and am making a very quick recovery.

If baby or I had been ill or in need of emergency care I'd have been off to hospital like a shot, but short of that I'd far rather labour in my own home and be able to spend those first hours of baby's life with DH and DC

Ah, it sounds wonderful, lucky you and lucky that you didn't have to put up with tons of grief and daily monitoring (I had that with DS1 - went +18)

Thats exactly what I want (AND WILL HAVE IT - ) from my homebirth

you tell 'em puffy and good luck

Oooh congrate ermintrude, that sounds lovely, I know exactly how you feel and was so please I had DS2 at home and could get into my own bed to BF in peace.

I have a 15m DS2, and won't even contemplate an age gap of less that 4 years, so I think I'm all done now!

Puffy, put both feet down and stick to your guns girl!! Good lick.

BR

LOL Good luck even!!

DS was 22mths when his little sister arrived in the dining room, and he very considerately went to bed before she got here and waited till 1am to meet her!
birth thread
Even though I was told by MW at AN checkup that afternoon when I asked for a sweep that I was 5cms I was impressed by my body's ability to wait until DS was out of the way(upstairs being bathed by bf) before anything major happened

dd1 slept through our unplannes homebirth!

My husband brought my dd1 (2.2yrs) home from nursery when I was just starting labour. My mother came over to take her away to hers half hr later. The pain wasn't so bad at that point but found she wanted to play catch/football with the exercise ball I was trying to lean on. So would have found it very distracting to have had her there for any length of time. Conviently dd2 was born 4hrs later at home by 5pm so dd1 was home, had met new sister and in bed by 7.30pm.

aaaggghhhh - unplanned?

love it rumple - your DD1 home at 5, met sis, in bed for 7.30 - LOL ! So new arrival barely alters anything although please tell me you didn't have to cook tea and put her to bed yourself

completely unplanned

Well don't just leave it there!! I crave more details!

Luckily, my mum (a star!) biked over about 6am before dd2 born at 9.15. She took eldest to school and looked after my 2 year old. The daddy was away watching the football abroad. DD2 was 10 days early... Could have turned out so much worse!

i woke up for a wee and my waters broke on the loo about 1.40am. Once i stopped dribbling and told DH it would be sooner rather than later. I decided i would take a bath to pass the time . I was just getting in when contraction number 1 came, approx 2.10. DH rang midwife and inlaws with contraction 2, he rang ambulance on number 3 when i said i needed to push. DH insisted on puling the plug out of the bath on contraction number 4 when DD was crowning. DD was born on contraction number 5 at 2.20am and caught by a rather shellshocked DH- still in the bath!

In a nutshell there it is- and such a fantastic experience!

wow !! Slipped out like an eel..

Tell me it was your 2nd ?

Doh, I see it was. Tell me you had an 18 hr easy labour with your first and the second was that easy, despite not staying fit and eating lots of chocolate and crisps