Choosing home birth late on?

[TheSubtleKnifeAndFork]

Does anyone know how late on you can state that you want to choose a home birth? Is there a cut off point?

I'm 39 weeks tomorrow and seriously considering it (I do have reasons why so late to this conclusion!) but not sure if it's too late in the game to ask for one?

On the day if you want. Your birth, your choice

I decided in labour!

Tbf the midwife was with me and agreed, I was 9cm and not comfortable to move. So she called for a second midwife and I delivered at home.

Oh, that's interesting. I always thought it had to be agreed a bit in advance / I'd need to be under the care of home birth team first, and have a home birth kit delivered in advance, etc.

Food for thought. I'm likely being denied birth at MLU (for incredibly spurious reasons and the NICE guidelines/literature are being ignored) so feeling like home birth may be a better option for me.

The midwives carry everything with them for delivery. I had two planned home births after and aside from the kit delivered beforehand, nothing was really different.

You should still pack a bag in case you have to go in though.

I think they usually like to carry out a home inspection just in case it's not suitable - not accessible for ambulance in case of emergency, rat-infested hovel etc. Also I suppose they need to have a vague idea of demand to make sure there are enough staff on.

Home births are amazing. I've had 2 and can't recommend enough. Usually yes at 37 weeks the midwives do come and drop round a pack, however it is always your choice where to give birth and you can change your mind at any point xx

We are lucky in this country that it is always our choice. I'm sure there might be those who are put out that you've maybe not done it the way they would have liked you to for inspections etc but sod 'em, it needs to be right for you and baby :)
Good luck!

In my trust they don't carry out inspections prior to birth and bring everything with them.

Home birth is wonderful :) go for it!

in my trust the midwives would refuse to attend a home birth if you hadn’t had the equipment and gases delivered. no baby resus stuff/ oxygen. they’d tell you to get to hospital or freebirth and aren’t legally required to attend any birth despite what lots of people think

Are you a midwife bloodyorange?

Thank you all. I have bags packed already as this route was never my plan. But at 39 weeks I've been told so many contradictory things about where I can actually give birth, I'm getting fed up of the stress and just want to say "sod it". Obviously I will be mentioning to my midwife that I'm seriously considering it, ASAP, I wasn't planning to leave it until the last minute.

Where I live I was told I needed to let them know as early in pregnancy as possible so they could arrange on call cover.

I would let your midwife know now that you'd like a home birth. Then they can risks assess and get any equipment to you (all areas do it differently). It's much easier to decide you'd rather have a hospital birth once you're in labour, having planned a home birth, rather than the other way around!

I am seriously considering a homebirth OP but I have a couple of high risk points so tell us know how it goes.

I would suggest ringing your midwife tomorow to get things sort. Remember you can change your mind and go to hospital later. If you want a birthing pool then you will need to organise it yourselfz