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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Homebirthers due September/October

41 replies

carcassonne · 06/04/2013 15:03

Hello, I'm having trouble keeping up with the October antenatal thread & wondered whether any others planning a homebirth in September/October time might fancy a slower-moving support thread?
This is baby number 2 for me. DD was 3 in October & we had a homebirth last time too.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Rockchick1984 · 06/04/2013 15:12

Hi, I'm due in October and hoping for a homebirth this time - had drug-free hospital birth last time.

How was your previous homebirth?

Original poster

carcassonne · 06/04/2013 16:30

Hi Rockchick1984 congrats! I'm due on the 6th - how about you?

I had a great homebirth last time. Waters broke in the afternoon, first twinges at 10.30pm, called midwives at 4am when I had sudden urge to push and DD born at 6.55am.

Hoping to get in water this time. I was in the bath for almost all my labour last time but DH had some pool issues so missed out on that.

What's made you keen on homebirth this time?

OP posts:

LexyMa · 06/04/2013 16:59

well hello! I am due early Sept, DS will be just 4, and I'd like a home birth because why the heck not?!

DS was born in a MLU with the help of a pool for most of the second stage, and some gas and air. I am just not sure where we'd put a birthing pool in our house, but will probably rent one anyway. All low risk for now, am down on my notes for a hb, but its a high birth rate area so whether I have to fight for a MW at the end will be interesting...

pinksky · 06/04/2013 18:30

Hi all, I'm planning a homebirth, but due late Oct and it's my first so may end up being November. Homebirth is well supported here but there is a higher than average transfer rate. I work in a medical environment and don't know many people who have had homebirths, I'm keen to avoid medicalising my pregnancy and childbirth as far as possible.
Like your 'why the hell not' lexy You're totally right of course!

TeWiSavesTheDay · 06/04/2013 18:56

Hello,

Due my 3rd mid-October! I have had one MLU birth (DD, 4) and one homebirth (DS 15mths). we have a brilliant homebirth service here, with a dedicated team and I have the same MW from DSs birth so I'm happy.

Considering a waterbirth for next time but DH not keen. I'm not sure how comfortable it would be for me though. I'm partially deaf so need to see everyone to feel safe/comfortable/hear!

I beat all statistics by having a longer labour with DS than my first, so really hope that doesn't happen again! Trying to shuffle DD around was really awkward. Plus, we've moved since then and I can't really keep away from the kids if they are home and awake... GAH.

Original poster

carcassonne · 06/04/2013 19:38

Great to see there are quite a few others planning a HB around the same time.

I think the 'why the hell not' attitude is a good one. I couldn't imagine giving birth in hospital unless it was a real emergency situation.

Tewi I used to live in a part of London with a really amazing dedicated homebirth team too who looked after me for DDs birth. We've now moved out of London and I have been really unimpressed with what happens here. As I'm a doula I've seen quite a few births in my new area before becoming pregnant. So, at great financial strain we've hired an Independent Midwife. She's already been worth her weight in gold and it's made me feel very confident about everything.

pinksky are you telling your medic friends/colleagues about the HB? My family are medics and I decided not to tell them before DDs birth as I didn't feel like having an argument! Since my career change they are now homebirth converts though!

OP posts:

NoodieRoodie · 06/04/2013 19:44

Due my 2nd mid/late October and I'm definitely having my HB this time!

With DS I was a planned HB but transferred at 9cm due to severe vomiting and ended up with drug/intervention free birth and a 6 hour discharge, so not all bad!

Luckily the midwives in my area are very pro HB and it's a tiny team so if I go into labour during the day I get one of them. After 4pm I get whoever's on call but that happened last time and I ended up with a lovely MW so this doesn't worry me.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 06/04/2013 20:17

One of ky friends had an independent midwife for both her babies (one ended up being a hospital birth) and she really recommends them, sure yours is great too!

It makes so much difference having a homebirth team. You know every MW on the team really believes in them, I think we're very lucky. They've been going a few years now and getting a few repeat customers. My MW said she loves being requested to come back again!

Only thing is it's a subsequent baby on the NHS, so I won't see her that much until much closer to due date...

pinksky · 06/04/2013 20:42

Thanks for starting the thread, carcassonne. No I haven't told friends/colleagues yet, I'm going to try to avoid talking about it I think... But my family are very supportive, and the outcomes here are good, even for first timers. Plus only two miles from the hospital etc etc. I'm really pleased your family are converts, that's great!

TeWi having a dedicated HB team sounds wonderful, they must be pros.
I'm thinking of a pool to start with then out for pushing--might that suit you? There is a review suggesting immersion in water could reduce the length of first stage labour here

Noodie that's great to avoid interventions following transfer.

PoppettyPing · 07/04/2013 11:52

Hiya! I'm due in Sept and definitely considering a home birth. For the same reasons others have posted above, I'm really not into medicalising birth unless necessary. Tbh I'm pretty sensitive to noise and commotion and love the idea of giving birth in a calm and trusting environment. I'm a bit nervous as I'm moving to Cornwall from London in May and am not sure what resources are available to me!

MamaWren · 07/04/2013 15:59

Hi. I'm planning a hb for my 2nd due end of September. I had my first at home, but unplanned after a very fast labour - 2.5 hours from first twing to baby being born. Not having a hb this time wasn't really an option!

littleducks · 07/04/2013 16:20

Can I join? I'm not sure about having a home birth ATM, I'm in outer London and its complicated. I originally bbooked in under local hospital team but the antenatal care was shit and as I a have hypemesis I needed it to be better. They didnt seem keen on homebirths either. I have switched to birth centre in neighbouring borough who I are happy for me to have baby there but I don't think they can come out of area to me. I have reluctantly decided to prioruitise months of care over the birth, I will bring up the issue nearer the time and see if anything can be done.

I have quick labours, did was born at a birth centre but Ds was an unplanned home birth with paramedics!
It was OK but I would prefer a mw present if possible this time but if the choice is another BBA at home or in the car on route I'm staying home for sure!!

Original poster

carcassonne · 08/04/2013 09:42

Welcome littleducks, Mamawren and popettyping!

Sounds like we've got a couple of quick birthers with us. Mine was 8 hours last time, which felt pretty quick, but you two put me to shame.

Poppetty you might find arranging to talk on the phone to a Supervisor of Midwives in your new area helpful? I'm sure they'll be happy to chat prior to your move so you can scope out what the set=up is. Is there a homebirth support group in your new area? There's a list of them at homebirth.org.uk. You might find them really helpful too.

littleducks - does sound complicated but as you say better to plan a homebirth than end up with a unwanted BBA. Maybe again the Supervisor of Midwives in your local hospital team would be good to talk to and see why they aren't being very supportive of HB? I usually find a chat with a Supervisor sorts things out pretty quickly and there's one on call and available to you 24 hrs a day!

Fun in our household after 10 days of gastric bugs is that I think DD has had slapped cheek over the weekend so now I need to find out if I need a blood test as can be not a good thing for pregnant women. Gah!

OP posts:

polkadotsrock · 08/04/2013 10:21

I was considering a hb for dc2, due end of October, but DH is not keen. Long story short- whilst out to dinner with friends on fri night DH mentioned this and the gf of one of his mates positively exploded! She's an obstetrician and just started basically shouting that hbs are how you end up with dead babies and wouldn't stop saying that! In the end I was almost in tears and was like ' I'm actually pregnant right now, carrying this child that your talking about so just try not to be so awful' and she just kept saying ' that's how you end up with a dead baby' then said to DH- 'do you think I've convinced her?' like I wasn't even there! Anyway it made me furious and upset all at once and I thought you ladies might understand, even though I had already agreed to not have a hb as DH was so uncomfortable about it. Sorry for rambling...

PoppettyPing · 08/04/2013 10:52

Thanks carcassonne for the tip! Ugh poor you with all the bugs, hope all is well!

polkadotsrock God I don't blame you for being upset!! Grrr I get so pissed off when doctors (and well-meaning people) insist that women have no power or agency when it comes to childbirth and we neeeed doctors telling us what to do at every turn. It's what our bodies are meant to do! Babies die in hospital too FFS!Argh! Ignore your DH's mate. She sounds like a rude concern-trolling cow anyway. You should birth how YOU want to!

Littleredtree · 08/04/2013 21:38

Can I join too please? Dc2 due end of October. I had a lovely (fairly quick - 5 hrs) home waterbirth last time, so hoping to do something similar this time. May have to argue my corner a bit as got transfered in to repair a 3rd (but only just) degree tear after the birth, but the midwife at my booking appt didn't think it would be too much of an issue, so we'll see...

CheshireDing · 09/04/2013 22:09

Can I join too even though No2 is not due until November.

PFB was a home water birth until 10cm then we had to go to hospital to re-start everything as I was so relaxed everything had stopped :(

Was okay for a hospital birth though, no drugs, they read our birth plan and turned all the lights off and left us to it once they had started the contractions again.

I won't bother with the pool this time, the bedroom floor is fine :)

Pannacotta2013 · 12/04/2013 23:12

Hello there, I'm a first timer, hoping for a home birth with pool. I'm due this October. There is a very nice midwife led birth centre in my borough, but its a bit of a way from the hospital - I actually live much closer to the hospital. So in case of emergency I'd get to the hospital more quickly from home. Its all a bit of a way off but that's what I'm hoping for anyway, and I'd get a doula or an independent midwife too, not sure which just yet.

Shirehobbit · 13/04/2013 09:48

Hello everyone
I was pointed in this direction by pinksky (thankyou!)
I'm due around mid-Oct with our first and am keen to have a home birth, but DH is quite apprehensive. So far, the midwifery team seem supportive, which is encouraging. I just know I'll be so much more relaxed at home (I'm quite a shy/private person, and hospitals put me on edge).

Shirehobbit · 13/04/2013 09:54

(Thanks to OrangeBlossom for the thread link, too)

Original poster

carcassonne · 15/04/2013 16:02

I wrote a really long post but lost it!

So... welcome everyone new! Great to see there's so many of us.

shirehobbit I had a HB for my first and found The Father's Homebirth Handbook and my local homebirth support group brilliant for convincing DH.

Slightly off topic but if any of you are interested in cloth nappies it is real nappy week this week so amazing offers on everywhere.

OP posts:

nannyl · 15/04/2013 21:26

thought id just say hi to you all

had my first at home September 2011, and hoping to have number 2 at home in June.

My whole home birth experiance was just fantastic and i wouldnt change a thing.

I did natal hypnotherapy and didnt even realise i was in labour myself until transition, though midwife who had just popped by informed me i was 7cm 5 mins previously....
what a bit of luck i didnt need to travel 45+++ mins to hospital and i only knew it was real for 12 mins, before she landed on the sofa.

Good luck to everyone else planning the same

feel free to join the facebook group called "homebirthers and hopefuls" for lots of support

Shirehobbit · 15/04/2013 21:32

Thanks for the recommendation carcassonne

ej23 · 15/04/2013 21:44

Hi, just seen this thread. Am due in Oct and really hoping for another home birth. ( Dd and Ds both born at home). Problem is, I had a miscarriage last year and when I had routine tests done afterwards I was told I had Strep b. I was given antibiotics and told this was not a problem. However the midwife said that I would be retested in the event of another pregnancy and would have to give birth in hospital if strep b positive. This would be a huge blow to me and I'm praying that when the time comes I test negative. It's so annoying as I could have had Strep b in my other pregnancies and had great home births. Anyone else in this position?

nannyl · 15/04/2013 21:59

ej23 you do not have to give birth in hospital....

nor do you have to even have the tests....
and if you choose to have the tests, you dont actually have to do anything either, regardless of the outcome.

People with strep B can and do homebirth...
it may not be routine but it can happen

look at homebirthers and hopefuls (they have a website and a facebook group) and see what your options are....

but strep B or not you can homebirth if you choose too.

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