Home Birth With First Baby

[Sinead543]

Anyone had or know someone who has had a home birth with their first baby?

Oh but I can - giving birth in the car on the way to the hospital

I had a planned home birth with my only.

The reason most home births get transferred to hospital is because of lack of progress, not some sudden thing.

And I figured that if I did get transferred to hospital, I would be immediately attended to.

The cord was round DD's neck when she was born, and was quite short, but wasn't a problem. We just didn't have a managed third stage, and cut it soon after birth.

MWs wanted to stitch me up a bit, and asked for permission - to which I replied that I would rather bleed to death I didn't, and it was fine, healed fine.

I highly recommend a home birth for your firsts! They do far more home births in Holland, for instance. I think it's about 30% of all births.

I think the Emma's diary and NCT sites have the stats on homebirths. From memory outcomes were worse for first births compared to hospital or MLU, but equally good or maybe better if it was your second birth. It's definitely not recommended for a first birth, but I can see why it'd be appealing especially with covid. I only know people who had home births for their second, and I'm sorry to say that the majority of people I know needed interventions with their first births so I wouldn't feel comfortable with it personally.

I should also add - after DD was born (at about 3am), and I'd been attended to and done skin-to-skin and some colostrum, she fell asleep in her crib next to our bed and DH and I fell asleep in our own bed, together, and we all woke up in the morning together, and it was lovely

I know of several home births that went horribly wrong, with very serious outcomes for the babies. I wouldn't do it with a first birth or any other, but everyone must make there own decisions.

I am highly risk averse because of all this and would only give birth in a hospital with emergency c section capabilities.

A girl in my hypnobirthing group had a home birth as her first. It went so well that she decided to become a doula!

Took me until my 3rd to be brave enough to try it.

I had a home birth with my first (and only!) baby.

Home birth team since 16 week appointment.

Met all the team in the run up - knowing that one of the team would be with me and knew us was a big relief.

Waters broke at 12pm In the bath, 3 weeks early - rang labour ward and the Community midwife visited to check waters had broken. Told To call Home birth team once contractions started.

Midwife came at around 8pm. Stayed until around 1030pm observing. At examination around 2cm.

Used water, got tens on etc. Slept where possible.

Things started to ramp up around 3am. Asked DH to set up pool around 4am. In and out the bath around 5 or 6 times and couldn’t get enough water on me for it to be soothing.
** I hate baths and wasn’t planning on getting a pool however Team gave me rationale of at least we have it. I couldn’t of done it without.

Midwife arrived around 430/5am, lots of contractions whilst waiting for pool to fill.

Examined and 4cm (not told) got in water at 6am
Second midwife arrived around 1030am.
DS born at 11.38am

Tucked up in bed by mid afternoon after a shower!
It was on Christmas Eve too!

I'm currently planning a HB with this baby, my first. I'm well aware of the many reasons it might not go to plan and I might need to transfer in, but I think that even in that case I'd be happy I laboured at home for as long as possible. Obviously I might also change my mind in the lead up / on the day, which I'm also ok with.

I know a few people who've had HBs for their firsts, but more for their seconds. The slight increase in risk (to outcomes for the baby; for the mother there's no difference if I recall) is really quite small, and as others have said, HB midwives are very risk-adverse and won't hesitate to transfer you in. Plus the fact that you have two with you full-time once in established labour means things are caught earlier.

I made the decision to at least plan / try for a HB quite early on, so got myself on the HB team at my hospital; have seen one named midwife for every app't so far and met (via Zoom) most of the rest of the team as well. I think this had helped me feel confident in my decision.

I had all 3 DC planned home births.

I wasn't initially considering it but after I toured the hospital and then the MLU which was 25 minutes away from the hospital on a blue light my husband suggested at home because we were much closer to the hospital than MLU (5 minutes on blue light)

Very quick first labour and the midwives nearly missed it. All very straightforward and uneventful. Exactly what you want for a home birth.

I have several friends who have had HBs with first and subsequent babies - all safe and all recommend highly. I was advised against as high BMI but managed an unmedicated vaginal delivery in the pool at the Birth Centre, which was great BUT then had the faffing around in hospital for 24 hours awaiting discharge paperwork which was EXCRUCIATING!! Would have given an arm to have my own comfy bed, in a room without 10 other screaming newborns and constant lights and phones waking us both up - was so tired that I was literally hallucinating and STILL couldn't get any help :(

Especially with Covid ramping up I'd definitely be thinking of doing it if I were you, and if your MW is supportive.

Best of luck!

I had a home birth with my only, we did it all in our own time, felt amazing

I planned a Homebirth for my first, but complications led to a transfer, episiotomy and forceps. I was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed and unobtrusive the labour ward was, and the Postnatal support was fantastic (which can be a drawback of a Homebirth, whereby midwives leave within a couple of hours).

For a subsequent birth, I would plan to labour at home for as long as possible and transfer for the final stages. The best of both worlds that way!

My midwives stayed for several hours, they took really good care of us, and stayed to write up their notes - out of the way but they were there if we needed them - and then checked in before they left.

I might be wrong but I think if you plan a home birth and transfer in, at least one of the midwives stays with you, which would make a difference for the quality of care you get when in hospital IMO.

One of the main reasons for my home birth second time was an unpleasant experience and unpleasant midwife in hospital first time. I think I was unlucky and most midwives are great but not all!