booking a last minute homebirth + which is better home birth or hospital?

[SevernTrentWater]

I don't actaully have a midwife, mine has gone on leave and as i'm due i've just been told to ring the hospital...! anyway, i've decided last minute i want a home birth, or at least, i want to book one because i would like the option of a home birth - which i'm thinking is a sensible idea as i can then always go to hospital if it doesn't feel right?
Questions:
Can the hospital arrange to send me out a midwife?
What if i go into labour tomorrow since i'm due? Can i ring the hospital and say i don't want to come in because i'm cosy at home, please send me a midwife? Or will i get in trouble (i'm thinking social services - this woman is neglecting the welfare of her child tactics! eek).
Also, what is the process? Will they need to inspect my home (my old midwife has already been to my home for antenatal appointments),
Will they want to make sure i have certain equipment?
Will they want to meet my partner since he's going to be with me?

My second question:
Did you prefer hospital or home birth?
I'd like to relax in my own environment, but at the same time going to hospital somehow seems a little more exciting and getting to meet other mums in the ward sounds like a nice experience(first child for me). On the other hand, my partner really really doesn't like hospitals and is fainting at the thought of having to accompany me in there, lol!

If you have it at home, where is the most comfortable place? Bed? Hard Floor? Bath?

Thank you for your help!

Just get onto it NOW! Call head of midwifery at the hospital or find out if there is a specific homebirth team, say you want a homebirth and see if they can send someone out to do the homebirth chat or whatever they do. I don't think they are able to refuse to send you a midwife, but I think it will all go a bit more smoothly if you give them a bit of forewarning.
Be stubborn about it though, as maybe they would try to fobb you off. Home birth is lovely, and you are right, it's easier to transfer to hospital should you need it rather than the other way round.
midwife might drop off a pack and maybe even gas and air beforehand. she might ask you to get some stuff like old towels, plastic coverings etc.
i had my ds squatting hanging off the bathroom sink, i don't know if it was most comfortable but it worked and it was just where i got to at the time!
i wish you luck.

You'll need to ask the hospital about how they'll arrange cover for you to have a homebirth, but you have a right to one, however late you book it. Obviously it makes it easier for them to organise cover etc. if they know in advance.

They can't send social services around just because you want a home birth - don't worry about that.

No, they do not need to inspect your home or make sure you have certain equipment or meet your partner.

I had all mine at home but transferred in after having DD1 for stitching of a 3rd degree tear. Spending the first night in hospital made me very glad I'd actually given birth at home.

I had mine all in a birth pool - first two in a gentle water heated pool and second two in an inflatable birth pool in a box. If you don't have a pool, you'll find where is most comfortable when you get to that point.

if they give you any trouble, have a look at

www.aims.org.uk/

www.homebirth.org.uk/

the best thing i found when i was transferring to a home birth team at 36 weeks was the 'broken record' routine. whatever they said you just say something like:

"my due date is [x] and i will call you when i go into labour and expect that you will send a midwife"

they actually can't refuse to send someone.

There will be a midwife contactable though your is on holiday.

Let the midwives know so that they can get their oncall team organised.

In my area there are no oncall midwives except for planned homebirths. Sadly if you phoned up looking for a midwife you would not get one because there would not be one to be had.

agree, you NEED to let them know your intentions.