home or hospital?

[hairymelons]

Had an attempt at homebirth last time but transferred as was exhausted after 3 days of back to back labour.

Am expecting again, due in October. Have had a bit of a stressful pregnancy so far, starting at 12week scan when they thought baby might have problems. Lots of scans and tests later, all seems to be fine. So, for ages I was assuming that he would be poorly at birth and I would obviously need to be in hospital.

As that's no longer the case, I'm really tempted to try for a home birth again. However, this time I may be myself for the delivery. Unless this baby arrives on a Monday or Tuesday, DH will be at work (no slating him please, he will be holding the fort at our business and will be gutted not to be there). So I think I'll be better off in my own home if that's the case but I'm not sure I've thought it through properly.

That was a bit of a ramble, but is there something I'm missing, would I be better off in hospital?

Hi hairy - I had a home birth for dd2 and it was wonderful and you will get lots of midwife support.

I hope you pick what is right for you - good luck!!

it is far easier, if you opt for a home birth, to go into hospital at the time if you feel that is better than to phone up and request an unplanned home birth when you are in labour as (certainly in my area) the birth kit is delivered to your home weeks in advance. nobody will mind if they have to pick it up after the event, unused. i would keep your options open for now and maybe try to find a local home birth support group, try your nct.

As you know, it is far easier to go from home birth to hopsital than vice versa. So, if it's something you are interested in, get it on your notes now.

The other thing to think about (which we are working through now in preparation for our DC2) is childcare for DC1. If I go into hospital MIL can look after DD at home, so less stressful for them. But, I'd quite like another homebirth, so the question is then what about DD (assuming I can;t conveniently time the birth so that DD is at nursery and comes home to DC2!)? Our options seem to be either, MIL takes DD to her house (possible, but would need to do some practice runs for DD (aged 2 at the time in question) or MIL is in house with DD and us during birth. Fine with me, but potentially traumatic for everyone else.

Jury is still out.

Anyway, good luck with your decision.

tablefor3 my last 2 births were at home, i must admit i didnt think overly hard about care of other children at birth (for 1st home birth dd1 was 2years and for 2nd home birth dd1 was 3 years and dd2 was 15 months). i had both my parents and in laws within a 30 minute drive if i needed them and they would have come and collected them and taken them to their house/zoo/park/whatever was appropriate at the time. as it happened with both these births i laboured (non intensively) during the day and the older children were fine at home with us. they went to bed at normal time with no problems, for dd2 birth, dd1 stayed asleep throughout and woke up to new sister, for dd3 birth, dd1 again slept through but dd2 wandered downstairs just in time to climb onto sofa and watch her baby sister arrive. she then toddled over and kissed new sister, it was a very special and beautiful moment. hope that whatever you decide is special for you.

Sounds lovely, homebirthmummy.

I'm not desperate to avoid hospital, I just think that as I may well be by myself for some or all of the labour and delivery I'd feel better at home with one of my community midwives, rather than with a stranger in hospital. Think I'll go for it as long as the pregnancy continues ok.

We're going to ask my aunt to take DS1 if I am at home. She looks after him 3 days a week anyway and he knows her house so shouldn't be too stressful for him. I'go for the trial runs if I were you, tablefor3. Means the option is there if you need it, plus you get to put your feet up! Might be handy once the baby arrives too...

Home.

I think you should do what you feel most comfortable. What's right for one person is totally wrong for someone else. I've had both 1st in hosp, 2nd at home and the home was by far the easier, and less stressful option. I loved every minute of it. So if it was me i would be opting for the homebirth without a shadow of a doubt, but it's not me, its you. You have to decide what would make you feel the most comfortable and go with that. good luck.