Anyone have any experience of a home birth?

[BlueIsYou]

With hypnobirthing or otherwise?

DFriend has one awful, scary delivery with DC1. DC2 was a water birth with hypnobirthing and she swears it was just uncomfortable at times, only near painful part was the head crowing.

Her DC3 was also a water birth at home that unfortunately she had to leave for, to go into hospital as cord was wrapped around baby's neck. However, she says she didn't find it so traumatic at all as she felt relaxed throughout and only felt a worry for DC.

Anyone have anything to add to this?

Would you suggest a home birth? I like the idea of being tucked up with my little bundle of joy, in my very own bed if all goes to plan

Plus I'm insisting on a shower very soon after giving birth

Just a quick post to say I loved my home birth. I had Ds at 8pm my first words were "I want roast chicken" so while everything was going on dh cooked a roast.

The midwives sat on the sofa and ate flapjacks and it was really chilled.

I literally didn't want or need anything and they just let me crack on. I did pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing. I didn't actively use any of it in labour but I think it did help.

Literally the only pain I had was cramp in my thigh, which I took a paracetamol for the midwives teased me about that one and when I was crowning. My ribs were uncomfortable where my muscles were squeezing so tight but that was about it.

I was 7cm when the midwife arrived and was shocked that she said I could get in the pool. I thought it was far too early for that

Mine was my first birth by the way so it can be done

BluelsYou, you can definitely have gas/air. Be prepared to go in knowing 'when' you want it. My first HB my midwife didn't want me to have it during the pushing part. I pushed for just under 5 hours. I was in a pool for most of it (though i got out in the end, and he was born with me kneeling on one knee). My 2nd HB, the midwife couldn't understand why the first one they'd said no.

Your husband is worried about 'instant' medical care... let him know that if you are in hospital, they can't just whisk you immediately into theatre, they need to prep the room, get the docs, etc. They can do all of that while you are in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, so assuming you're not an hour away, you tend to get the same response for emergency c sections, etc. There will be a box of 'kit' left at your house near the time of the birth, which includes various drugs that might be needed at the time.

You are also far less likely to get an 'unnecessary' intervention. For example, my 5 hour 'push'. If i'd been in hospital, it would have been an 'emergency' c-s after 2 hours, which is the box they need to tick when you're on their turf. As it was, baby was happy, just not ready to come out yet (turned out i had a cervical lip and he was bungy-ing). I kept going at home and was much happier and recovered much faster than if he'd been c/s. I actually had 3 midwives (one for the baby, one for the mother, and by coincidence, a student midwife) at each of my home births, for the entire time. When i gave birth in hospital, which was awful, i had one pop her head in occasionally because there were not enough to go around. She was in charge; ushered me into the room, then said she'd go get 'my' midwife, and literally had no-one to bring back so just stopped by when she could. my husband had to go find someone when things were coming to a head (so to speak). one of the midwives will hang around for about 2 hours after the birth (and until you've met certain criteria, such as being able to pee!), to make sure all is ok.

My DP was also worried about my medical care - particularly since on the 2nd HB, i had developed a history of major hemorrhage from a miscarriage, and i had to show him all the stats, etc, but he realised that actually it's better at home (unless you're high risk, like i was for various reasons in my last birth).

One successful and one that went very wrong and ended in an ambulance trip straight into theatre.

Unless you live two minutes away from a good hospital I would urge you not to have a home delivery.

I love the idea of homebirth, but most consider it for 2nd or later as you don't know what your body will do the first time you labour and give birth.

My dd would be dead if I had a homebirth, but not the normal story. My labour was really fast and she was born quickly, but appeared fine. 4 hours after birth she stopped breathing. I was on the post natal ward and they immediately scooped her up. She needed Resuscitation and the NICU. It was frightening but I was so glad I was in hospital.
It was a rare presentation of something caused by rapid birth. But had we had a homebirth we would have had no support at home by that time.
Another friend ended up with a really bad shoulder dystocia (head out, but body won't deliver) it was a truly horrific set of circumstances. It took 5minutes 12 seconds to free him. They had doctors, senior midwives and everyone there to help. Her midwife herself admitted it was a potentially tragic circumstance.
I guess I'm saying I really love homebirths, but I think it is worth considering the fact you just don't know what your body will do as it is a first occurrence.

I had a second birth and they categorically said no homebirth (not that I wanted one given my previous experience). She was born in 55 minutes, so it was nearly an unintended homebirth!

Nonsense peripatetic
From decision for crash section to baby out can be as little as 5-10 minutes in hospital. This is not true with a home birth

I had an induction with DS1 & argued with my consultant that I needed to push, she said no then checked & she could see his head.

So DS2 was a homebirth & so much better.
We live ten minutes away from the hospital, midwives go through all the risks with you but they know when things are going tits up. Plus everything they have in the hospital room is in the home kit, your house once you ring to say you're in labour is given a pin so if an ambulance is called you're high Priority.

My waters went at 8am, midwives said to call back when I was contracting more. 2:15 it kicked off properly & midwives arrived to me at 7cm.
4:16pm DS2 was born after me saying no to anything the midwives said, throwing away the gas & air & much rolling of the birthing ball.

Hypnobirthing definitely made me feel more in control & got me to transition & really helped push him out as he kept sliding back.

I had a student midwife & 2 normal
Ones, one who sat in the kitchen doing paperwork.
My own came after 6 to pick up student midwife & say congratulations.

It was amazing, I'd do all again & getting in my own shower & bed was beautiful. Especially as the maternity unit was full that day.
Plus DS1 met his brother at 2 hours old & I got to put him to bed.

Talk to your midwife, look at local birthing centres as well but it is worth it. Especially when you apply hypnobirthing to get through the last couple of cm.

@BlueIsYou yes the midwives will bring gas and air canisters with them. I didn't use it partly because it made me sick with my first, & partly because the midwife arrived 5 minutes before my daughter lol.
Did however have some when getting stitches afterwards

Good bad, I guess I shouldn't believe everything the midwives tell me .

I know it took them literally hours to get me into an operating room when I was bluelighted in after a miscarriage. They estimated I'd lost 3 litres of blood in the end, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't just that they thought I had time to wait... (though who knows!)