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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

Home birthers please come here!

32 replies

savanahnana · 19/05/2021 13:11

Coming up to 35 weeks with 3rd baby and I’m planning on my first home birth. I have a midwife coming for my home birth assessment (?) next week but was hoping to get some feedback on here in the mean time!

One of my main questions for you is where in your house did you actually give birth? I won’t be using a pool so I don’t need to worry about space issues for that, but just unsure where in my house to actually try and be? Bedroom, living room, bathroom?!

I’ve seen people say to get shower curtains etc to lay down to contain any mess, what did you use and what sort of things would you recommended that either you had prepared that were super helpful or something you wish you’d had or done differently?

I love reading home birth stories so feel free to share them with me!

OP posts:
Allthenumbers · 19/05/2021 13:21

I did use a pool so that contained any mess. It came with a ground sheet for the floor as well.

I would recommend the positive birth company digital hypno birthing pack. It’s brilliant and great value for money.

I gave birth in the lounge. It had space for the pool and was where I felt most comfortable. I’d choose the room that you feel most relaxed about it in. Maybe discuss with the midwife to get their thoughts.

0hforfoxsake · 19/05/2021 13:24

3, all born in my bedroom.

Clean bed linen; plastic dust sheets over; cover with old bed linen/old towels.
Give birth.
Midwife scoops up plastic sheet and everyone on top into a bin liner and magics it away whilst you shower.
Get into clean bed, with newborn baby, and a cuppa in your favourite mug.
Bliss. 🥰

0hforfoxsake · 19/05/2021 13:25

Make sure you have room for pacing and marching. I did a lot of that.

FanFckingTastic · 19/05/2021 13:30

I gave birth in my living room (we had a pool) but laboured pretty much everywhere. Delivered the placenta in my downstairs bathroom. There's a bit of mess but nothing you won't be able to manage. I loved my homebirth (it was my third birth after 2 previous attempts) I had my baby, and then was able to relax. My husband made me a bit of toast and opened the champagne :-)

Allthenumbers · 19/05/2021 14:05

LED tea lights also! Can make lovely safe ambient lighting very quickly!

I loved my home birth too.

Oh and a tens machine. That was all the pain relief I had other than the pool (which did feel hugely relieving when I got in).

DistrictCommissioner · 19/05/2021 14:08

I had a pool in the living room, but first DC was born beside the pool as she arrived too quickly & we hadn’t filled it up yet! Second homebirth was a longer labour & I ended up having him on my bed as I had been walking up & downstairs to move things along. We had lots of old sheets etc, & the midwives brought incontinence pad type things.

Blossomandbee · 19/05/2021 14:09

I gave birth in my living room. They told me to buy a large ground sheet but I got some plastic sheeting off a friend. Whatever room you birth in you will want the floor and furniture covering, but the midwives tidy everything away at the end and dispose of everything so there's no mess afterwards. You'll also need clean towels for the baby.

ItsSnowJokes · 19/05/2021 14:14

I ended up in my lounge. I had got in plastic backed dust sheets that were laid all over the floor. That and the incontinence sheets that were also put down saved any mess. The amazing thing about a home birth is you can give birth where you want. You are not contained to 1 room. I wandered around at first but ended up making a little cosy place near the sofa and then just bent over the sofa when pushing.

Original poster
savanahnana · 19/05/2021 14:29

Thanks ladies! Reading these just makes the idea of a home birth sound even more appealing. I just have the perfect vision of giving birth and then snuggling up on the sofa or in bed with my little newborn without a care in the world!

OP posts:
DramaAlpaca · 19/05/2021 14:35

I gave birth to DS3 in our lounge, overnight, in front of a roaring fire. It was magical.

All the equipment I had was some plastic dust sheets you get from DIY stores to throw over the sofa and the floor, plus an old cot mattress to kneel on. There was surprisingly little mess though.

The birth was lovely and relaxed, two fabulous midwives and a canister of gas & air - which ran out just as I was starting to push... It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.

Girlmama3 · 19/05/2021 14:38

I wanted a hb for dd3 but she was stubborn and didn't want to come!

Now pg with dc4 and this is making me think I might try again.

Do they still do all of your antenatal checks at your home now or has that changed because of covid?

Gatehouse77 · 19/05/2021 14:38

No.1 born in bedroom. We bought plastic dust sheets and used knackered towels that could (and were) binned after use.
No.2 as above.
No.3 born in living room to minimise waking the older children.

Best part for me was being comfortable in my own home, own bathroom for cleaning up and then own bed. Which, for me, was a really relaxing experience. All my labours started around midnight and the latest finish time was 10am so we’re pretty quick too.

OneEpisode · 19/05/2021 14:42

I have narrow steep stairs so the midwife preferred downstairs.

We had a very easy labour starting walking around the garden, then inside to the living room, with the second midwife arriving for a straightforward delivery.
They want to be able to switch to hospital though so a possible stretcher exit is something to think about.
Not needed in our case, DH tidied up living room and I went to bed with dc.

nomorespaghetti · 19/05/2021 14:47

Labour kicked off in the early hours so made sense to stay where I was, ie the bed! When things started getting serious DH and the midwife put incontinence pads and towels on the bed while I went to the loo. Mattress remained unstained, DS popped out, wonderful midwives tended to me then I went off for the best shower I’ve ever had, they cleaned up, made us a brew, off they went, ordered takeaway, newborn cuddles and burger in bed! Lovely! Good luck OP.

Original poster
savanahnana · 19/05/2021 21:19

I’m going to write a list of things to get over the weekend so I’ll add the plastic dust sheets to it. I’ve also got a bag of old towels that need to go in the bin so I’ll keep hold of them so they can be used and just chucked afterwards!

I must say I’m liking the sound of having a little champagne toast and a takeaway after the baby is born all in the comfort of our own home. Just simply being able to shower afterwards and get clean pjs/clothes on just sounds great!

Is it strange that I’m actually looking forward to going into labour and giving birth so I can just experience all of this at home?! My other two were born on a midwife unit and one was a water birth, both were amazing calm births, but I’m looking forward to hopefully experiencing being at home this round!

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 19/05/2021 21:27

Clearing some space in the room might be a good idea.
My labour was uneventful and the midwife was sitting doing paperwork. So if you can rearrange so there is somewhere for the midwife to sit in the room that might help. I’m afraid I had two mid-life mid-wives perched on dc sized chairs because I hadn’t thought of their needs.

LayingLow · 19/05/2021 22:03

I loved reading these! Making me excited for my first home birth with baby number 4! I have got a pool that I'm hoping will get blown and filled up in time haha we also brought a couple of shower curtains for the floor and sofa and some big incontinence pad things for the bed etc.. and some new towels for baby 👶.. I am currently 39+4 so getting excitedddd

Flittingaboutagain · 20/05/2021 02:41

I'm planning a home birth with my first and if possible want to stay downstairs so I have plenty of room for pacing in the living room that has doors onto the garden for air (it may be hot by then) and am not forced onto my back in bed for the end. Upstairs is too small for me to feel relaxed. If things change and I need to transfer I'd rather be downstairs ready. I have read about various sheets/ curtains and then a few dark towels and bin bags. MW said she'll be sitting on the floor and kneeling at the end so not worrying about chairs.

KobaniDaughters · 20/05/2021 03:11

Had both of mine at home. Had some old towels etc but MW brings a ton of info pads and other bits to lay down. 1stDC DH laid birthing spots around the living room - in a doorway and by the sofa but I ended up giving birth in the bedroom (2nd stage was very fast) so he just had to gather what he could and spread it over the bed.

2nd time I was in my living room - both times on hands and knees leaning on headboard then a sturdy chair.

MW cleaned up everything afterwards, you’d never have known.

It was amazing, both times in first floor flats in converted houses so a bit worried about the neighbours but they were all lovely after the fact (and we Pre-warned them we were planning homebirths)

I found it was more painful to have my knees above my hips so a pool or bath wouldn’t have worked but I loved having the convenience of my power shower to go and stand in in the earlier stages for pain relief, and space to pace when I needed and wanted it (and being able to take myself off to another room when I just needed to be by myself for a minute)

thisisbull · 20/05/2021 03:16

If you tear at home can they stitch you at home or do you have to go into hospital?

KobaniDaughters · 20/05/2021 06:00

They do it at home

ItsSnowJokes · 20/05/2021 06:54

@thisisbull

If you tear at home can they stitch you at home or do you have to go into hospital?
It depends on the grade of tear. Most can be done at home, but severe tearing will be done in hospital.
DistrictCommissioner · 20/05/2021 07:09

Yes, I had a 2nd degree tear stitched at home, but for a severe tear you would transfer.

pleaseplop · 21/05/2021 13:27

Really interested in this too.
Would love a home birth this time, but not keen on the birthing pool aspect (always looks like a faff to pump up and get the correct temperature etc!).
Couple of questions :

  1. What do you do with pets/kids if you go into labour at night? get someone to look after them, or just leave them to sleep and hope they don't wake up? would find it very stressful for my preschooler or dog to wander in!
  2. Do you have to pack a hospital bag anyway incase it goes wrong and you need to go to hospital ?
Thanks
OneEpisode · 21/05/2021 13:33

Hi, you do need to have a plan b, so someone that could provide child/dog care. I had my parents drive over and sleep in the spare room, so they were there if needed. A bag for the hospital is worth considering.
We didn’t need either in the end. Everyone in bed that night and down for breakfast the next day. GP was booked in to visit at home on a convenient day. We had to make an appointment for dc hearing test at the hospital, everything else was at home.

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