Positive Home Birth Storys

[LayingLow]

I am 39 weeks tomorrow with baby number 4 but this will be my first home birth! I have rented a birthing pool, I am excited but also scared about the being at home experience, so any positive home birth story's would be greatly appreciated x

My 3rd birth was home birth. It was SO much better than the hospital births, having a midwife all to myself, all my home comforts, tele on, family about etc.

I got stuck in transition, which was a pig, and I did struggle. However, the cuddles afterwards on your own couch, siblings meeting new baby brother straight away was incredible.

My blood pressure rocketed afterwards, and I had pre eclampsia so was then off to hospital, but the main home birth was so much better than the hospital environment.

Good luck x

How exciting! I had a wonderful home birth with my third baby, who was born at 39+2. I didn't bother with a pool. It was easily one of the best experiences of my life. I didn't find it scary as I knew I was in good hands with two amazing midwives, and it was very straightforward. Best of luck with yours

Awh I'm so glad you both loved your home births 🥰.. my previous labour's have been quite quick so hoping this one will be too..

My previous labours were very slow, so I had a home birth hoping I'd be more relaxed and it would all happen quicker. It did, around five hours from start to finish, which was quick for me. There's nothing like snuggling up in your own bed afterwards too.

All 3 of mine were at home in pools. All great.

I'm planning a home birth for my first in a few weeks time. I've done a lot of reading and the science behind it is fascinating, but I still get lots of raised eye brows and feel like I have to justify my decision to everyone. Anyway, if you Google the positive birth company website there are pages and pages of stories and you can filter for home birth.
Hope it goes well for you and enjoy it, OP :)

Two positives from me.
Baby number 1, went into labour about 4.30am. Midwife with us by 8am. Baby with us at 11.04am. Everyone had done their thing so by lunchtime there we were in our own home as a little family of three eating soup and drinking champagne.
Baby number 2 came so quickly the midwife didn't make it so my husband delivered her! Labour started at 6.30pm she was with us by 8pm. By 10pm we were all tucked up in our bed drinking tea!
No panic, no alarms, no other people. Bliss!
Good luck OP x

Mine were both at home in a pool. The midwife was there during active labour, a second midwife for the end. It was great to be at home sat on the sofa with a takeaway only an hour or so later! My husband also says he quite liked that he had to sort out the pool before and after as it helped him to have something to do.

After nearly having ds1 in the car on the way to hospital (!) I was advised by a lovely midwife to consider a home birth next time.

Ds2 was born in my living room. I had 2 midwives, a blow up pool, everything covered in tarpaulin and cheap shower curtain. Hypnobirthing music on in the background. Bounced on my ball, used my tens, had g&a there which helped. I got no pain relief for ds1 because I gave birth as soon as I got to hospital and missed the pain relief. I recommend the pool, it really helps.

It was great. I sat there after feeling like I could do it again. It was a world of difference from the pain and panic of wondering when to go to hospital, being told to stay home, that awful panicked drive, then trying to check in with the hospital with your notes, staying in hospital for days, urrgh. I just got to focus on having a baby. Then after I got changed and was bundled on the sofa with my baby and that was it: already home. It was so much better.

Appointments are better too as the home birth team come to you. You almost can't believe the level of convenience.

I totally get that home birth is not for everyone but its great if you are low risk and want to birth naturally.

I have a few friends who did the same. One did go to hospital after to get stitches. It's easy to transfer to hospital if you need it (depends on where you live).

DD was born in a birthing centre, I had the most perfect water birth using only gas and air. I was supported by two midwives and a student throughout. No one else was on the unit either.
DD was born weighing a whopping 10lbs2oz.... first baby... no tears, no stitches... absolutely perfect

Birth centre then closed

DS was born at home in water. With one of the midwives from my first delivery and a student. The 2nd qualified midwife arrived towards the end stages.
Another perfect water both. DS weighted 8lbs2oz. Once again, no tears, no stitches....

Both were beautiful, relatively painless experiences. Both times, I felt so safe, so cared for, reassured and loved 🥰

I’ve loved reading these, what a positive thread! My homebirth was wonderful. I felt so safe but always told myself that if at any point I didn’t feel safe, I’d transfer in. DH filled the pool, midwives arrived and half an hour later DC2 was born. Within the hour we were snuggled up on the sofa listening to DC1 wake up on the monitor, and getting prepared to bring her down to meet her sister. The Christmas tree was up and it was just one of those magical experiences. I almost wish the labour had lasted longer because it felt like such a quick experience.

Personally haven't had a home birth but there is a Facebook group called Home Birth Support Group UK which is full of stories :)

DS2. Home birth. In the bath. Five hours. One of the best days of my life.

Aw enjoyed reading these too, and delighted (amazed) that no one has been along to project their anxieties on to you. On that point I’d recommend not speaking to too many people about your decisions, as pp says it’s a pita having to justify them and manage other people’s feelings, at a time when you just want to feel secure and cared for.

With DD1, had planned home birth with pool, but Labour was so long that DH had filled and refilled pool to keep it warm about 3 times over the hours! Eventually ended up transferring in and I was a bit sad but could see why. Think it was just baby’s position. The time at home was still lovely and I found the whole thing still an amazing experience. I spent much of the time in my shower! Which was relaxing but a safe cosy wee nook I think.

DD2 was incredible, DH started filling the pool but she was on her way too quickly for that, and was born with me on all fours in the spare bedroom. Had an hour in bed of delayed cord clamping and breastfeeding, before 3rd stage. Midwives tidied up, made me toast, told me ‘I was made to birth babies’ - no more than any other woman! But all very connecting and empowering.

Second baby, no drugs and absolutely the best experience of my life. She was born in the small hours and when the midwife left us about three hours later and we went to bed as a family in our own little home, it felt magical.

My second baby was a home birth and was about a million times quicker, less painful and more enjoyable than my first in hospital. I had a birth pool which was never at risk of being in use by someone else 😀, 2:1 midwife attention abs a doula, and absolutely best of all, when it was over I could get into my own comfortable bed. No one came to bang bins around, give me jugs of lukewarm tap water or otherwise keep me awake. As it happened I still had to go into hospital a couple of days later but even than was better than the first time - and according to the midwife in charge, readmissions (even if you didn’t actually give birth in the hospital) always get a private room because of infection control.

I have such lovely memories even of labour. I am so glad I had a home birth.

Thankyou for all your positive birth story's it's making me a bit more excited than scared now 🥰 I'm glad you all had lovely experiences x

2, 3 & 4 were all born at home. Nothing like your own shower, bed and brew in your favourite mug afterwards. ☺️ I felt it was less daunting for the other children too.

Good luck.

All 3 of mine were home births and all such amazing, empowering, lovely experiences. (Intense as well though!!)

3rd one is most fresh in my mind - he was born on the sofa about 3 hours after my first contraction because the birthing pool wasn’t anywhere near full enough. Luckily after birth number 2 had been quite a quick one, I’d called the midwife as soon as I thought it was definitely labour, and she was there in good time. Everything was so dreamy and twinkly - it was the middle of the night, fairy lights, a hot chocolate (that I immediately regretted when I went into transition and suddenly got very sweaty and slightly queasy!!), older children and MIL upstairs asleep in bed, fridge stocked with delicious unpasteurised cheeses for eating as soon as the baby was out! Aaaaaaaaaaah.

Afterwards we all went back to bed for a couple of hours and had just about got baby to sleep when his older sisters woke up and came in for a cuddle.... followed by MIL who nearly fainted with surprise and excitement as she’d had NO IDEA anything was happening while she slept upstairs.

All such lovely happy memories. Good luck OP, I hope you get a similarly dreamy experience!

Had no 2 at home - birthing pool. Best thing.
No drugs because so relaxed. No 1 slept through it all and got into bed with me and her new brother the next morning.

Aww both mine were born at home in a pool. Both amazingly positive experiences. As PP have said being at home afterwards is particularly lovely. Getting into your own bed with your DH and your new bubba is just lovely. Good luck!! 🙂

I had my third at home, because my second was in a real hurry (barely made it to hospital).
It was lovely, two midwives, dp made flapjacks, no pain relief (being numb is quite disturbing to me!). He was born after a few hours with dp holding me up. 9lb12 and only very minor tearing.
I would have had baby 4 at home too but the best room for it would have cut the other kids off from the kitchen and bathroom which wouldn't have been very fair.