What will I be asked at my home birth risk assessment?

[Kennebunkport]

Midwife coming to my home tomorrow to do a home birth risk assessment. Does anyone know what she'll be looking for and asking? I think we've got a good set-up planned, so not overly concerned, but just want to be prepared!

Think she will be mostly looking for potential problems, eg. is your floor strong enough for pool, where is the tap you would fill it from, access to bathroom, access to outside drain for afterwards, have you got enough space for pool etc. Don't worry! I had 2 home births in different houses and had no problems. Good luck, it's a great decision.

Just making sure you have enough space, they can get around all sides of the pool in case of emergency, somewhere with good lighting to set up a changing mat in case resus is needed, somewhere to put their equipment, your bag ready to go in case of transfer, no holes in floorboards (apparently someone wanted a home birth amidst their building site of a house) and somewhere for you to be able to lay down after and be checked like your bed or a sofa.

For you they just check urine and if you're low risk on your notes you're good to go.

Great, thank you for the replies. Think we're ok on all that has been mentioned. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Mine was concerned about access for parking - you would expect two midwives each with a car and they want to know an ambulance could collect in case of an emergency

Mine mentioned central heating, as some home they visit don't have it.

Parking ✔️
Central heating ✔️

Is where you plan to give birth on the ground floor. They can't/won't carry you up/down stairs, so you'd have to walk those if needed.

They also check the postcode works in the sat nav so they're not driving in circles trying to find you when you're in labour (my midwife definitely wasn't late to the assessment because off this).

The other thing they do is run through worst case scenarios. They're not trying to put you off, or scare you, but it's definitely more terrifying than any information you'd get in a midwife appointment before a hospital birth. Just remember that all of these scenarios are really really rare and they have to talk through them. I'll be honest, it scared me a fair bit!

Lovabug Why would you specifically need central heating? Providing you have adequate alternative hea ting of course.

Mine never mentioned central heating, but I guess to make sure that you and baby don't get cold after, or they are prepared with lots of blankets on hand?

@SeptemberDays yes we'd be on the ground floor and we're easy to find on sat nav. It makes sense now, why she kept asking if we were easy to find.

Thanks for the warning @jonsnowlowblow. Hope it doesn't put me off!

@Kennebunkport
I have mine on Wednesday, will you let me know how yours goes?

I found the risks talk very reassuring! She talked through every single risk and said what would happen and how they will be monitoring for them.

I asked what would happen if I were to have a hemorrhage and she said that one midwife will call the ambulance, another will administer an injection to stem the flow and then I would be taken to hospital where whatever the normal procedure was would happen. She also gave me the stats for that happening at home and hospital but I cannot remember now, I do recall that they were surprisingly not the same. She was quite comprehensive.

If you are worried I'm sure they will be able to talk through the risks and what would happen for each risk.

@Thismummyruns yes of course, will update when I can.

@GummyGoddess sounds like you had an excellent midwife. We don't have a specific home birth team and my midwife has been fine about it, but seems a bit like it's not something she does often. She was debating when to do the risk assessment and just kept asking if the house was easy to find! She's lovely, so we'll see!

Mine went through transfer times etc to the hospital too (10min drive) and I think they wanted an idea of general cleanliness!

@Thismummyruns it was very disappointing, as I suspected! She purely talked about the pool. Checked room, asked about access to taps, an outside drain for emptying and making sure our pool was of a professional grade. Also advised to contact house insurance to make them aware, in case they have to puncture the pool in an emergency and there is water damage to carpets etc. Gave me some sheets on water/ home birth and did a quick check on baby and that was it!

I guess they do have a general look round to check house is suitable place to give birth etc, but no mention about risks for me, more to check they were covered. It will def be better when there is a specialised home birth team in place, but it won't be in time for me unfortunately. I've done a lot of reading, so didn't feel the need to ask lots of questions, but I feel it should have been more comprehensive.

Let me know if you glean anymore info from yours.

Thank you @Kennebunkport

I've just had mine. Pretty much the same as yours although did not discuss house insurance but we don't have carpet downstairs so maybe that's why?
A lot of focus of going though emergency situations should one arise and the different types of issues that could occur.
As I expected really. Went through my birth plan which she was supportive of so that's reassuring.
Got to order the pool tonight now

@Thismummyruns all getting a bit real now! I've reserved a pool and she'll contact me this week to see if we are going ahead. Think it gets sent when I'm 37 weeks.

@Kennebunkport
So exciting!!

I've been looking at birth in a box up until now, what have you ordered?

@Thismummyruns yep same here. Seems the easiest, as everything comes that you need.

The birth pool in a box ones are fab, would recommend! I had the normal sized one the first time and it was really comfy. The second time I didn't get into the pool so can't really comment, seemed fine though.