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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Why homebirth?

200 replies

Castanet · 21/08/2007 07:10

I have been reading different threads on MN and the number of people who insist on having a homebirth is astounding. What is so great about it and why are so many people willing to take a chance with the wellbeing of their baby, because if things go wrong, and they do, sometimes, wouldn't you want to have all the medical help and expertise of the best consultants at hand? Just wondering.

OP posts:

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belgo · 21/08/2007 13:27

I can't help but feel that anyone who plans to a have a c/s for a first birth are not fully aware of the risks associated with a c/s and subsequent birth following a first c/s.

sarahloumadam · 21/08/2007 13:28

V.interesting Lisalisa - technology has made everything so much safer but somewhere along the line the mum and her baby got lost (not in all cases of course). I think eventually the trend will swing back to home births if the government will fund it.

sweetkitty · 21/08/2007 13:35

Haven't read all the responses but my friend had an elective CS at 38 weeks, she had various problems throughout the pregnancy and had spent a lot of time in hospital. Her other two CSs had been for placental abruptions so she was being very closely monitored under a consultant.

Her CS was performed and she had an undiagnosed placenta previa the consultant cut through the placenta causing massive blood loss to the baby but did not tell SCBU this had happened. The baby did not get the correct care for over 2 hours after birth by that time it was too late and she died 3 days later. Court case proved neglect.

Of course if she had not been in hospital the baby would have probably died too from the previa but it high lights that you can have all the consultant care in the world and things can still go wrong.

I would never have done anything to put my babies life in danger as all the mothers on here would not do either. HB was an informed choice made by me. I would rather have 2 skilled MWs attending to me at home than maybe one for a few women if I'm lucky in hospital.

pregnantbabyelephant · 21/08/2007 13:35

how dare castanet come on here saying people that wont hb are risking the lives of there babies
when shes planning a cs for shit reasons

think its clear whos risking the lives of there unborn dont you ?

what a loser
feel sorry for your twins now
bless em

RGPargy · 21/08/2007 13:37

Kittenbaby - if that is her firm opinion, it makes me wonder why on earth she even started this thread.

Obviously trip-trapping.......

Heathcliffscathy · 21/08/2007 13:37

pregnantbabyelephant don't you mean how VERY dare she.

seriously i think we should all be feeling for her.

belgo · 21/08/2007 13:42

informed choice. That's what we should all have and trust each other to make our own decisions.

kittenbaby · 21/08/2007 13:47

RGP
she must realise that she is risking the lives of her twins by electing cs for those reasons she herself stated

"There has never been any other option to my mind, regardless of the number of babies, but a planned c-section. I know I'll be shot down for such views, but simply - I do not wish to be in pain for hours and then have my fanny torn up and feel like a wind tunnel afterwards, Kegels or not. And yes, I know all about the risks of c-section.
Different strokes and all that..
Luckily my consultant fully agrees. "

pmsl laughing at
Different strokes and all that..
hypocrite!
i also wonder if she'll even try bf
prob thinks i cant be arsed with that

belgo · 21/08/2007 13:47

If I chose to give birth for my own comfort, I would chose an epidural. I chose a home birth for the excellent care I knew me and my baby would recieve.

LaBoheme · 21/08/2007 13:49

There was something not right about her posts, and her unwillingness to see reason or respond to any points put forward to her..which is why ididn't bother. Now it's clear she obviously has really bad guilt issues about her planned C/S.
As for the comments about big fannys after birth, someone at a coffee morning i was at the other day made a similar comment about how she won't have her fanny by her knees now - I think some women do it to ease feelings of inadequacy or something, and it's such bollocks anyway, I am about 10 times tighter after all the pelvic excersises I did whilst PG lol.

Blu · 21/08/2007 13:50

Castenet - I think that posting that people have homebirths because they are selfish and don't put thier babies first before you have heard a full range of arguments is bound to spark of a little antagonism, don't you?

morningglory · 21/08/2007 13:51

Maybe things are different in the UK, but I'm was an anesthatist in the US, and emergency c-section meant exactly that. From the time emergency was announced, the patient was wheeled to the theatre (5-10 minutes down the hall), and I would put in a spinal (much safer and quicker than general). Resorting to general anesthesia is quite archaic. Putting in a spinal would take me 5-10 minuetes. Patient would be prepped and baby would be out in less than 20 minutes after.

The one thing I found shocking in the UK is the standard of birth on the NHS. In the US, the birth experience is exactly like the private sector here, which is why I opted to go private for my first. However, I ended up in the local NHS hospital for the birth because DS came much quicker than I was anticipating (labour lasted one hour from first twinge), and was shocked and traumatized by my experience (indiffernt and negligent staff, poor hygenic conditions, barebones facilities). I insisted on going home after 5 hours there.

I see both sides of the issues (father is an obstetritian), and if births were like the private ones I have seen or like the ones in the US, I'd prefer that (spending the one to two nights in hospital where there is ready help and I don't have to worry about cleaning up is much more relaxing for me than having to go home and immediately face demands of DS and DH!). However, if I had the choice of being at home with a straightforward, low-risk birth or being the that hell-hole of a hospital, I'll take home anytime.

kittenbaby · 21/08/2007 13:51

i also feel sorry for her twins

alson the planned cs
explains why she wouldnt answer my questions about being left in hospital when in labour

RGPargy · 21/08/2007 13:51

KB - she'll probably get a wetnurse to breast feed the babies for her. She most probably doesn't want her boobs swinging by her knees as well as a baggy fanny!!

nangnangnang · 21/08/2007 13:52

I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of home vs hospital (both very good choices if you're happy with them) but I wonder if the standard of care for home births is so good (a midwife throughout and 2 at the business end) because so few women have them.

If things swing back that way, as one poster suggested, will the standard decline? I can't imagine, whatever Patsy Hewitt says, that any trusts will have the resources to cover a significant increase. I wonder if the staff-shortages will move from the hospitals back into the community.

Any thoughts?

sweetkitty · 21/08/2007 13:55

Maybe us homebirthers didn't want someone sticking a needle in our spine, sticking a tube up our peehole, needles in our arms, whilst someone cuts open our bellies, dived inside and pulled our not ready to be born yet baby from us, nevermind the stitches, peeing into a bag, pain and not being able to do anything for 6 weeks. A lot of women don't heal properly afterward either. I know one woman who years later still has no feeling in her scar area and can't shift the weight from her stomach area she feels that because the muscle was cut it has never been the same since.

C section is not an easy option theres enough stories on here to testify to that, usually it's done as a last resort.

I'm not anti c section at all if thats what you want your choice your body your baby and you should have the right to have one but don't then say that homebirthers are selfish and putting their babies lives at risk.

belgo · 21/08/2007 13:55

that's interesting morning glory. I would be terrified if I had to give birth in an NHS hospital.

kittenbaby · 21/08/2007 13:58

rgp pmsl

RGPargy · 21/08/2007 13:58

lisalisa · 21/08/2007 14:01

Message withdrawn

belgo · 21/08/2007 14:05

Lisa, it's interesting how you say that fear and lack of support effected the way you felt about giving birth, and how this could have effected the way you gave birth.

RGPargy · 21/08/2007 14:07

Lisa - it's such a shame too!

nangnangnang · 21/08/2007 14:29

I'm disturbed by comments about Castanet's fitness as a parent. Disagree with her if you wish (I do, by the way), dispute her views on the 'selfishness' of home births by all means. But saying you feel sorry for her babies is out of order. We should be supporting mothers here, whatever the provocations, not undermining them

RGPargy · 21/08/2007 14:30

Tit for tat, nang. Tit for tat.

belgo · 21/08/2007 14:37

you're right nangnang. Does sorts of comments don't help anyone's arguement.

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