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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Home Birth

50 replies

Moody123 · 28/12/2021 14:51

Hey!
So I’m currently 23 weeks with my second baby.
My first Labour was really ok, I started at 2am with contractions that woke me up but nothing major till about 6am where then I got a bath and got to 4 mins apart … got to the hospital about 9 and had my son at about 10.
All in all I didn’t mind Labour that much, the most horrible thing was driving to the hospital, I was shouting at my husband for driving the speed limit and he was shouting at me saying he didn’t want to get pulled over (at that point I would have jumped I got he police car, but hey, he was safe and I was in the wrong o get that now!)
Anyway as I had a straight forward birth I have said to my midwife I want a home birth and she was very excited (if possible, I am aware of the risks and that I may be transferred anyway) however I don’t see many people opt for a home birth (about 3% of people) I am wondering why this is … also with COVID about I’m not sure I want to be in a hospital
Has anyone got any home birth stories?

OP posts:

tittletattoo · 28/12/2021 14:56

I would've loved a home birth this time round (I'm 39+1) but unfortunately they have been suspended in my area due to staffing :( have you considered hiring a pool?

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 28/12/2021 15:14

The numbers of home births are low just because it went out of fashion as birth became more and more medicalised and people just forgot it was normal and began to see hospital as normal. As a consequence people see home birth as brave, dangerous, unusual. Of course the woman giving birth now have far more medical problems than women giving birth years ago when home birth was common, many women who birth in hospital today need to do so for medical reasons either linked to their own health or to their baby's health.

The reality is that for an uncomplicated pregnancy, especially when you have had a baby before, home birth or stand alone midwifery led unit is statistically safer than hospital birth. Even if you transfer to hospital during labour you are still less likely to have intervention and less likely to experience certain adverse outcomes.

Staffing has caused issues nationally with the provision of home birth but that is no reason not to plan for one.

NameChange30 · 28/12/2021 15:33

DC2 was a home birth and it was all very straightforward and great to be at home especially afterwards. It was a fast labour and much better and safer to stay home and let the midwives come to me, rather than try to rush to hospital and risk giving birth en route.

Mammyloveswine · 28/12/2021 15:44

My sister in law had s home birth and loved it!

I had such a lovely labour with ds2 if i ever i had a third id be tempted by a home birth!

Good luck!

Original poster

Moody123 · 28/12/2021 15:50

Ahh thank you, I didn’t think of a pool but I will look into it! Ahh I didn’t think about them cancelling them due to staffing, makes sense tho!
I’m not against going to the hospital so still do if needed just thought I’d try at home :-)

OP posts:

tittletattoo · 28/12/2021 16:00

@Moody123

Ahh thank you, I didn’t think of a pool but I will look into it! Ahh I didn’t think about them cancelling them due to staffing, makes sense tho! I’m not against going to the hospital so still do if needed just thought I’d try at home :-)

There's a great Home Birth UK Facebook group I highly recommend joining if you can, tons of women to help and advise. And I totally rate water births if it interests you, had one with my 2nd (in hospital though) and found it incredible x

BumbleNova · 28/12/2021 16:06

I had my second at home and it was wonderful. I hired a birth pool. My labour was very straightforward, I'm sure it was because I was so relaxed at home.

The highlight was being sat on my own sofa with a takeaway and bubbles half an hour after DS2 arrived. No postnatal ward either. I would highly recommend.
My first labour was very long but no intervention needed. It also helped for me definitely that I am 6 mins to hospital. I also had my doula with me which I personally found incredibly helpful.

whosaidtha · 28/12/2021 16:14

I'm quite looking forward to a short stay in hospital. Only having to worry about the baby and not my others running wild, no cleaning or jobs to do, food brought to your bed. It'll be like a mini break before back to the reality of two preschoolers and a newborn.

Feetupteashot · 28/12/2021 16:15

If you are young and well, straight forward pregnancy and close to hospital I would consider it. Not otherwise!!!

BiBabbles · 28/12/2021 16:41

I had one good home birth with lovely midwives, followed by one terrible home birth who were unsupportive and nasty, ended up putting my life at risk by fucking up so badly, I ended up on the high dependency postnatal ward.

It all came down to the people who showed up, which like in hospital, is a bit roll of the dice. My advice is to find out what to do on the slim chance you roll badly on the day and unsupportive assholes show up (I should have known when they showed up and started giving me orders of what will happen) and have someone with you who is ready and willing to do so. That may mean, as it did pre-COVID, you try your luck again at the hospital, but I will always recommend that over having unsupportive midwives in the home.

queenrollo · 28/12/2021 16:54

My first birth was much like your first experience, though there were points at which I felt I wasn't listened to by the staff (preferring me on my back when I was managing without pain relief on all fours) so second time round I opted for a home birth and it was a wonderful experience for me.
I had a doula too, to advocate for me but on the day got two of the most wonderful midwives and all three of them worked together brilliantly.

My 'birth plan' was essentially that ideally I wanted a no intervention home birth, but with entonox available. I was very clear that I would listen to the midwives advice on the day and if they felt transferring to hospital was necessary, then I would.

It's worth asking locally what the experience with HB is. My local hospital and Trust are very pro homebirth and wonderfully supportive of it, so I feel I was lucky.

NameChange30 · 28/12/2021 22:48

@whosaidtha

I had a home birth with no cleaning or jobs to do and food brought to my bed. I know the bar is low for men but they would have to be spectacularly shit to expect you to clean after giving birth! DH looked after me, as he should.

Slayduggee · 28/12/2021 23:15

I had a home birth last year in Lockdown one. I describe it as giving birth but with none of the crappy bits of giving birth! No drive to the hospital, no trying to find a parking space, no Midwife flitting between different women, no hospital food, no hospital bathrooms and no boiling maternity post natal ward!

Contractions were regular at 5:30am. Called hospital at 6am and jumped in the pool. Had baby at 9:30am. After the placenta came the midwife ran me a deep bubble bath and I cleaned myself up and DC1 got to meet DC2 for the first time. I then went up upstairs to bed and cuddled both DCs. Midwifes had laid a million incopads on the floors and cleaned up the mess.

Hawkmoth · 28/12/2021 23:19

1 hospital birth.
2 homebirths.
1 planned homebirth that ended up as unattended. Provision had switched hospital and I dont think they quite believed me!

Recommend. Was just lovely having a shower and getting in my own bed afterwards.

Hawkmoth · 28/12/2021 23:20

Also hardly any mess and 2 to 1 care. Was great.

SickAndTiredAgain · 28/12/2021 23:23

I had a home birth that did require an ambulance transfer after DD was born due to a PPH. The ambulance was with me in minutes and we’re only 5 mins from the hospital (slightly less in an ambulance with its sirens on).

So I’d say if you decide on a home birth, when you get nearer your due date, see if ambulance waiting times are still the problem they seem to be now. If they are, I would personally switch to hospital. But I guess you’re due mid-end April, so they may be better by then? Maybe something to check with your midwife on.

User65412 · 28/12/2021 23:30

I had my first baby at home this year. Nothing to compare it to obviously but it was great! 2 lovely midwives, gas and air. I didn't bother with a pool as I have a few friends whose partners ended up spending the whole labour faffing with it! I did spend a lot of time in the bath though and just got out to give birth. I'd read Emily Oster's book 'expecting better' which gives a detailed overview of the risks and benefits. I'm a big fan of data and statistics so it really helped me to make my decision.

dabdab · 28/12/2021 23:38

I was very lucky - all 3 at home. Straight forward pregnancies, straight forward labours but also within 15 min walk of hospital (London). 1 to 2 midwives at each birth (there was some crossover in shifts) and brilliant wonderful service - NHS at its best, and definitely one of the best things I have done.
I do think it is very important that people have the freedom to give birth where they feel most comfortable. For some that is in the hospital, and others it is at home. Wherever - I hope it goes well for you.

Orarewedancer · 29/12/2021 12:19

@whosaidtha

This reminds me of being on post natal ward with DC1 and the woman across from me had her third baby at 8am that morning. At 12pm they wanted to discharge her and she looked so disappointed and convinced them to let her stay for a few hours. I have no doubt it was for the peace and quiet before going home 😅

Orarewedancer · 29/12/2021 12:30

Yes! I had an on-paper straightforward hospital birth with DC1, but there were a lot of things I didn't like about it (e.g. car journey, pushing to send me home as didn't believe I was progressing as fast as I was, feeling ignored on post natal ward)

I had a home birth with DC2 and it was amazing! Being left at home an hour after he was born, having had a shower in my own house and climbing into my own bed was amazing. I'm planning a second HB in my current pregnancy too :)

Definitely check out hypnobirthing. I used a pool last time and will hire one again. As long as you've prepared it doesn't need to be messy at all. I got a lot of negative comments from friends and family about the choice but if you inform yourself on stats, experiences etc you'll see for many women it's a brilliant choice.

whosaidtha · 29/12/2021 13:27

I just had a thought after reading the thread about the ambulance not coming for a heart attack and wondering if this could make it more tricky if you needed a hospital transfer?

whosaidtha · 29/12/2021 13:29

@NameChange30
He wouldn't make me clean up or anything. I'd just be taking it upon myself to wash the pots, make the beds, pick up toys. Also even if my kids were being entertained in the other room the noise, the bursting in unannounced etc would be annoying.

NameChange30 · 29/12/2021 13:33

"I'd just be taking it upon myself to wash the pots, make the beds, pick up toys."

Why?! I think some women are their own worst enemies sometimes!

I hear you about interruptions though. No such thing as peace and quiet with little ones around.

NotDonna · 29/12/2021 13:48

I had a home birth with my 3rd twelve years ago. My first two were born at a birth centre in Watford - midwife led (no doctors) but could be moved upstairs to obstetrics if anything went wrong. With the 1st I had a fabulous waterbirth - a bit quick (arrived at centre at 9pm and born at midnight) but unfortunately a retained placenta and needed surgery. I had all on to convince Drs that I could have 2nd at the same birthing unit. I did, another waterbirth and it was fine. She only took 30 minutes from my arriving at the centre to her being born. But then they kept us both in for hours and hours waiting for a paediatrician to check her over. I just wanted to get home and introduce her to her sister.
We then moved to Cheshire and there wasn’t a birthing unit. The nearest hospital a good hour away via a very windy road. I really didn’t fancy my chances of getting there in time and could seriously foresee giving birth in the car en route.
When I asked the midwives about a home birth they were incredibly supportive and encouraging. I received amazing care. I also hired a birthing pool. The day she was born the midwife had visited at lunchtime & said once my contractions kicked in she was going to be quick and to call her immediately. My first contraction was at 4pm and she was born at 4.35pm in the pool. The midwife made it on time. Just! My other daughters were home from school and watching tv upstairs. It was so lovely to be at home. I’d highly recommend it as long as your pregnancy continues to be uncomplicated.

ILoveAnOwl · 29/12/2021 13:54

Both of mine were homebirths. Had a pool for the first, didn't bother for the second. Both straightforward, beautiful experiences. My daughter's dad actually delivered her as the midwife didn't make it in time.

Both times all medical professionals had left with two hours and we were left to our own devices to enjoy our new babies in our own home.

We were very lucky and it was an incredibly experience which I look back on with huge amounts of joy.

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