Homebirths during lockdown

[Hownowbrowncow1]

Has anyone chosen to go with a home birth due to the restrictions in place at hospitals for partners etc?

DC1 was low risk pregnancy but ventouse delivery with consultant due to heart rate dropping and episiotomy.

This time midwife has suggested it as I’m again low risk.

So just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are or if you have gone for this option yourself? :)

Not in lockdown but had a gorgeous home birth with DC2. Tried with DC1 but had to transfer due to not progressing. I’d certainly be considering it in these circumstances. Watch out though as MN has some loud negative voices about home birth - it’s good to hear all opinions but I find with issues like this other people sometimes just want to offload their own anxieties and as a pregnant woman I felt very vulnerable to other people’s judgements, more than normal. Do your research, speak to your midwife, and try to phase out any negativity once you’ve made your mind.

I planned a home birth with DD2, although in the end it didnt work out due to short staffing (she was born right at the end of March). I would definitely plan for it again, especially if I were in a position of potentially not having birth partner present.

Read up on it, ask your midwife what the processes are in your area, see if there are any local groups e.g. on facebook, or home birth antenatal classes running. Get all the information you can before making a decision. But definitely don't rule it out :)

Thanks @Merename & @KitKatastrophe I think I’m going to go for it, but deffo going to look and see if there are any home birth antenatal classes

I’m more driven to do it so partner can be with me the whole time and try and make it a more enjoyable experience than the first and the thought of being in hospital on my own is not appealing!

Honestly I'm going to the hospital because that's where the drugs are

But my friend is due in 3 weeks with DD1 and she is planning a home birth, she has the pool ready to go and seems very relaxed about it - she said it gives her less anxiety than going to the hospital and not knowing what's going on which is fair enough really. Good luck xx

I'm (tentatively) planning a home birth with my first baby, due in Feb. Tbh it's not because of Covid - I probably would have chosen this route anyway - but it definitely contributes to the appeal rn (and is probably a big part of what got my DH on board). The home birth team at my hospital has seen an uptick in interest since Covid.

@Betty94 I was abit concerned when the midwife said they only carry gas & air haha!

I was hoping to hire a birthing pool too as I couldn’t have a water birth first time around.

I hope your friend gets the birth she has planned! Thankyou x

@elfran oh really? my midwife has said they’ve had one pretty much every evening the last few weeks! And if women go to the hospital their delivering a lot of babies in the car park as women are too scared to go in on their own!

I'm planning a homebirth, first baby, due in 4 weeks. Have our pool and everything set up. So far apart from my BMI it's been a standard pregnancy with all checks always normal. I'm very excited about it and after a lot of research I'm confident that it offers me and the baby the highest chance at the best outcome for both of us. We're only 4 minutes from the hospital so very close if we need to transfer for any reason.

I can recommended doing a hypnobirthing course like the positive birth company, they have a lot of fresh information and ideas. Also there's two Facebook groups for homebirth which are a wealth of information.

That was my plan, until I got diagnosed with GD. I’m still gutted I can’t have it tbh. No Covid fear, the safety of your own home, guaranteed to be allowed your birth partner, no waiting to get home - it all sounded blissful to me!

Dissenting here- really hope I don't upset you. I am a wee bit surprised that you want to, given things weren't so smooth the first time (poor you).

I wouldn't, tbh. If things go wrong, you want the best medical equipment right there.

speccylime, you still can if you feel safe to having done your research. Consultant might sign you off to if baby isn’t big.

I’ve considered it this time (3rd baby) but I don’t think I could get a pool into my home (I live in a flat, top floor) and I am also a good 40 minute drive away from hospital (1hr during rush hour) so that’s putting me off too

@Queenbee95 you don't have to have a pool for a home birth. Some people choose to but it's absolutely not a necessity. We just had lots of towels and blankets which could be easily washed or chucked away, and a waterproof sheet for the bed or sofa.

I want another water birth. My 1st birth a horrific hospital birth where I lay on the bed the whole time and wasn’t really allowed to move, 2nd was water and so laid back and I just loved it. So really hoping for another water birth

I had a Homebirth with both my boys - the second was during the last lockdown. It was the best decision - there was no worry if my partner would be there or getting to hospital and I've always found our Homebirth midwives to be amazing. Plus your antenatal appointments are at home so your partner can be there. With my second I don't think we would've made it into the hospital anyway so luckily we had everything set up and the midwives made it in time (they literally saw the last 30 seconds of the birth!)

Yes, I had a home birth for DC2 two months ago. It was wonderful being at home.

I wasn't 100% sure about the home birth but decided to plan one anyway, on the basis that I could always change my mind and go to the birth centre (in the hospital) if I wanted. The restrictions were a major factor for me, too.

As it is, the birth happened so fast that I wouldn't have had time to go to hospital, so it's just as well i planned a home birth! We didn't have time to set up the birthing pool I'd hired and the midwife only just made it in time! (Second midwife arrived shortly after baby was born.) Staying at home was safer and calmer than rushing to the hospital would have been, giving birth in a car, ambulance, car park or corridor would be my worst nightmare.

I did have some minor complications when I gave birth to DC1 that made me hesitate but did some research, had discussions with the midwives and was comfortable with the risk level, that it could be managed at home and we would have a low threshold for transferring in.

My home birth was completely straightforward with no complications (apart from a tear which they were able to sew up at home). I realise I was lucky but I also think it was helped by the fact that I was able to follow my own instincts (without a midwife insisting that I lie on my back on a bed, and doing frequent VEs, which is what happened first time around - resulting in shoulder dystocia, mild PPH and then developed a uterine infection).

When considering a home birth I found this website helpful www.homebirth.org.uk/
There's also some useful general info (not just home births) on the AIMS website.

@Arosadra that is worth pointing out, thank you! Unfortunately in my case the baby is measuring very big and is also currently in breech (though may still turn) so the risk profile just shifted in favour of a hospital birth for me. But I think it’s important that all women are really aware of their birth options, even when something like GD arises, and don’t just assume a home birth is off the cards.

@Queenbee95 that is my worry too. I really want/wanted a home birth this time (DC4) but the drive if anything goes wrong worries me. It’s about the same for me too. 40m on a good day and god knows how long if the traffic is bad.