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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Homebirth help

32 replies

tiggz · 21/03/2010 18:21

Hi as im now 9days overdue and im booked in to be induced on thursday, but iv only just recently found out my dp probably wont be able to stay with me after baby is born. So iv started to think about a last minute homebirth.
do you think its possible to plan one this late?
what would i need to think about?
and how do i go about planning it?
I havnt looked into atall so i would just like some help please.

OP posts:

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LynetteScavo · 21/03/2010 18:34

Very possible.

Just inform your midwife that you intend to have a home birth. ASAP would be a a good idea.

All I was told to get was shower curtains to limit the mess and a bucket. I'm not sure what the bucket was for, but I puked into it. .

LynetteScavo · 21/03/2010 18:37

The midwife would usually visit you at home to make sure the environment was suitable. My midwife said she couldn't work with dogs around, but didn't mid cats.

Did you mention on another thread your midwife wasnt' keen on home births for first time mums?

Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 18:39

hey thanku. yes i did, she's not, but surly my needs and wants would come first? atleast im hoping, surly she cant refuse? Do i just need to ask her for one? how do i go about it?

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chegirlWILLbeserene · 21/03/2010 18:54

I have been told you cannot have a HB if you are being induced. This is due to the extra monitoring.

Not sure if its general policy or in my area only.

Would you be willing to forgo the inducing if it meant you could have a HB?

Give your MW a ring tommorrow and tell her that you are thinking of a HB and see what she says.

You will need a hb kit that she can drop off and you will need to talk about your pain relief options (you need a prescription from your GP for pethadine if you want it)

You will need lots of towels (yes really! For walking on and putting on chairs beds etc)

A waterproof sheet for bed.

Good luck.

Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 18:57

chegirlwillbeserene Thankyou, il have to ask the fill in mw tomorow, or i could call my mw if shes not too ill and dosent mind chating! i think i would be willing to do that but how long would they leave you? before they HAVE to induce you?

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heth1980 · 21/03/2010 18:58

You need to call your midwife asap and tell her you would like a homebirth. If she is totally against it and won't support you, you can go over her head to a Supervisor of Midwives at the hospital you attend. At 9 days over due though, they are pretty likely to try to talk you out of it (if you even manage to get an appointment with them before you go into labour) as they would probably want to induce your labour in the next 5 days or so........you don't have to agree to that but it does have to be done in hospital.

To answer your question, they cannot refuse to let you have a home birth - you can have your baby wherever you choose. They can give you their opinion and advice, but the choice is ultimately yours. You should make sure you research it thoroughly before you make your choice though. You need to take into account any complications in your pregancy and how long it would take to get to hospital if you needed to in an emergency. Emergency situations are rare, but they do happen.

They wouldn't throw your DP out of the hospital immediately after the baby is born......you will get a good couple of hours together on the delivery ward before they take you to the postnatal ward, and even then he would probably only have to leave if it was night time. To be honest, by that point you will be exhausted from your labour and will just want to sleep so won't even notice if he's not there! I know it's daunting with your first baby (I'd never even held a baby before DD1 was born and was completely clueless!!) but you will get help and support from the midwives on the ward......you really don't need to be anxious.

Babieseverywhere · 21/03/2010 18:59

Legally all you need to do is ring and ask for a midwife to attend you at home whilst you are in labour.

However it would be prudent to chat to your local midwife and see how things go. Better to have her support if at all possible.

If she is not supportive, ring the 'Supervisor of Midwives' at the local hospital. There are several midwifes holding this position at every hospital and there is always one on duty 24 hours a day.

The 'Supervisor of Midwives' (SOM) will help you get the support you need. It might be sensible to write to the SOM just to give them notice of your intent to have a home birth, so they have chance to sort out rotas etc.

Short answer, you don't have to do anything but it would be sensible to chat to your midwife and/or SOM and get a letter in to the SOM.

Babieseverywhere · 21/03/2010 19:00

cross posted with Heth

ThatVikRinA22 · 21/03/2010 19:01

i had a homebirth and wasnt told to plan anything special at all. my mw was fab and just brought everything with her. totally relaxed. i loved it.

Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 19:09

thanku all. its encourging to hear good experiences. I will phone her as soon as iv had my tea

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chegirlWILLbeserene · 21/03/2010 19:12

tigzz as far as I know they dont like you to go over 10 days (I think it can depend on your age as well).

You dont have to be induced though. I can imagine they will try and convince you its a good idea though.

I have heard several women being offered induction on their due date recently. What on earth for?

Back to the point - I think you need to get this sorted or at least dicussed asap so you can see how much resistance you are likely to get.

I loved my last HB and am going for one this time too.

LynetteScavo · 21/03/2010 19:15

heth1980, tiggz had another thread, which pretty much concluded her DH would be thrown out at most hostpitals. It certainly happened to me.

I didn't get a home birth kit. What is in it? The midwife just turned up with G&A.

Some people are prescribed meptide by their GP for pain relief, but mine wouldn't.

You don't ever have to be induced. But you do need to weigh up the risks of going very over due. I wouldn't have considered being induced until 14 days overdue, although they asked me to go in at 10 days over. Luckily DD was born at 11 days over due. .

NonnoMum · 21/03/2010 19:15

tiggz, given the amount of medication you are on, your high blood pressure and how late you are, I feel it is unlikely you will be an ideal candidate for a homebirth.

Please relax, spend precious time with dp, give yourself a treat (manicure, pedicure etc) and just concentrate on getting the baby out.

Don't fret too much about your dp not being able to be tucked up in bed with you afterwards, try and get home as soon as you can and please please relax.

LynetteScavo · 21/03/2010 19:17

Although most woman are offered induction at 10 days over due, I think they Royal College of Midwives recommend it should be 14. My consultant and midwife were surprised to hear this, but looked it up and sure enough agree to go along with it. I would have had to go to be monitored every day, though.

LynetteScavo · 21/03/2010 19:19

And remember, even if you say you want a home birth, you can change your mind at any time and go into hospital.

MumNWLondon · 21/03/2010 19:24

Tiggz - as others have said all you need to do is call when you are in labour and say you don't want to go to hospital... but as others have said it would be best to call your midwife first thing in the morning and tell her you want to try for a homebirth. She'll probably want to come round and see your home eg to check for ambulance access etc.

re: induction its your choice but they will advise an induction by 40+14, and might not recommend a homebirth after this time. But its your choice you can have daily monitoring at the hospital instead.

I know you are concerned about being left on your own afterwards, well, many hospital induce women in the evening on the ante-natal and they have to labour by themselves all night until they are ready onto the labour ward ...although I don't mind being left afterwards on post natal ward with a b baby even I would be very upset by this. You should be able to push an induction off until at least 40+14.

Best to get a tens machine ASAP (and a pethidine prescription from GP - although pethidine can affect baby which might increase chances of transfer to hospital)

Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 19:25

Thanks all, i was afraid i wouldnt be the "ideal candidate" for it! i will enquire about it though, you dont know until you try. i got a date to be induced thursday, il be 13days overdue by then! I just can not wait until its all over with. Im sure many people feel that way!

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MumNWLondon · 21/03/2010 19:31

Tiggz - I just read your thread about your high blood pressure and medication so I suspect they will try and talk you out of a homebirth.

Loopymumsy · 21/03/2010 19:32

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Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 19:35

Yes thankyou, my induction is 8.30am so hopefully things will move fast, wishful thinking i know, i was also convinced they will try stop me having a homebirth, but theres no harm in asking i suppose.

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JollyPirate · 21/03/2010 19:47

Hope it goes well for you tiggz. I've read through your other thread too although didn't get round to posting on it.

I felt so fed up by 8/9 days over and ended up being induced on Day 13 over. I watched the homebirth box come into the house...... and out again a few days after birth in hospital .

I know as an ex-midwife that postnatal care can be a bit hit and miss but generally hospitals do try to make it as easy as possible.

If you go with a homebirth check out Angela Horn's Homebirth site here for info about raised blood pressure and going overdue.

Legally the hospital has to send a midwife if you say "I am staying at home" but do take note of their concerns if there are any.

Look after yourself - get some sleep (not easy at this stage I know) and conserve as much energy as you can for labour and welcoming your lovely baby. Oh and make sure you report back ...... I love seeing the birth announcements here.

Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 19:52

oh thankyou, and i will be sure to report back, hopefully itl be sooner than thursday! il check that link out, im sure it'l help me.

OP posts:

Loopymumsy · 21/03/2010 19:54

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster

tiggz · 21/03/2010 20:02

thanku. i think they induce me on a ward, and they dont transfer me to labor ward until im so many cm's dialeted. Im going to give them a call i think. Find out everything so i dont go in and have a last minute panik.

OP posts:

MumNWLondon · 21/03/2010 20:16

actually my SIL was told to come in at 10.30am and they made her sit there all day bascially as she was low priority... they didn't induce her until 6.30pm.... and this was UCLH - hospital that everyone on other threads seem to think is the best! even then the pessaries didn't work, she was there for 2 days before baby was born and yes she was on her own each night.

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