homebirth ????? opinions please - what things do i need to know?

[gem1981]

hello my mind has started to wander to the subject of home birth

I had my DS in hospital and ended up woth intervention afetr I was persuaded to have an epidural. this started a chain reaction with ventouse then forceps then a prob delivering mye placenta - anyway not a good time.

I am confident that I could have birthed in my own time if Iw as left alone and there is no doubt in my mind that the epidural started us off on a -ve path,

anyway this time i am thinking about a home waterbirth with a nice big pool - any suggestions??????

xxxx

[libEL]

I had similar first experience, then opted 2nd time round for a home-birth and was best thing I did. I really did love my labour with ds, felt so relaxed and it was all pretty straight forward.

Best advice I can give is talk to your midwives, I was lucky enough to be able to have my named midwife show up to help with delivery (it was actually her day off and she'd just popped into office to collect something but saw I was in labour and came straight round!) She was incredibly supportive through my pregnancy with all my wobbles and worries about a home birth and she was incredible on delivery day at encouraging me and helping with positions etc.

Didnt consider water birth as with dd water stopped my contractions so cant help there but good luck and hope your birth is as incredible as mine was

[gem1981]

thanks libEL

don't know how I am going to approach the subject with hubbie - he is going to think i have gone mad!!

[needahand]

I am in the same situation as yours Gem. My husband is slowing getting round the idea. Would be interested in any tips people give you.

[libEL]

Mine was dead against it, took me almost the whole 9mths to convince him and the poor midwife having to put up with his endless 'what if this happens...' or 'I've read that....' Omg it was so embarrassing!

This is mainly what swung it for him was the constant reminders from me that if I had a hospital birth and,as with dd, gave birth at silly o'clock in the morning, he would have to leave us btoh there and come home alone!

On the plus side now he loved the whole experience of homebirth and would be all for it if we were to have another - which isnt likely after dd weighed in at 9lb1 and ds at 9lb14. I'm too scared about what the weight increase could be next time round!

[isaidno]

I had a hb with DS2 and it was fab. If your midwife is supportive that's the main thing. She can give you lots of info.

My DH wasn't keen, but I'd had a straightforward birth with DS1, and the hospital is only 10 mins away from where we live. I took him to my mw appt and she made him feel more at ease with the idea. I am pg with number 3 now, and he is all for another hb!

Good luck!

[derah]

I had DD2 at home a week ago after a long and traumatic labour in hospital with DD1. This time around it really was amazing. I felt totally in control, relaxed and comfortable (as much as you can be in labour, anyway! ). The pool was fantastic, being able to go up to my own clean comfy bed without DH being sent home was priceless. If I ever have any more children I would absolutely do it at home again, can't recommend it enough.

DH was against the idea, but after having such a horrid time in hospital last time, I really didn't care what he thought! I did try to put his fears to rest, and the midwife was very reassuring when she spoke to him, but he was never comfortable with the idea. Now it's all over though, I think he'll agree that it was much better than being in hospital.

Talk to your midwife, home births are amazing!

[LifeIsHell]

Tip: get the pool inflated b4 you go into labour, AND maybe even practice filling it, or calculate properly how much hot water you'll need and figure out how you'll have enough hot water!

[pickie]

I had both DC at home in our bath and would love to do it all again. Dh was very much against it and MW spent quite a bit of time explaining the pros and cons to him. He is a very practical man and yes if you haemorridge you are better of in hospital and there are a few more cases where you are much better of in hospital (given they have the right staff availalble) but it is a small percentage and I was more then happy to take the risk (also note we live 10 minute walk from maternity unit). Dh agreed that both births very 'easy' and problem free but still IF DC3 would be on board he'd still like me to go to the hospital....

Tens machine was something I used with both births and found it a very good pain relief (cant use them in the bath though so make sire you get extra pads in case you go in an and out of the bath)

[SugarSkyHigh]

i did it with DD3 8 years ago.
Highly recommended!
fantastic to retire to my own lovely bed with clean sheets on after the birth, instead of some grotty noisy hospital bed!
good luck!

(i didn't have a waterbirth btw but sounds good)

[loujay]

I had a home birth with DS 7 months ago, fantastic experience, great not to have to decamp to another room after the birth, lovely bath, great midwives, and a home made ham sandwich at 3 o'clock the next morning made by my own fair hand.......you can't beat that really

[whomovedmychocolate]

I am planning a home VBAC. One thing is for sure, you actually get a midwife (or in fact two) with you for the duration of labour something you can't rely on in hospitals these days (which considering they keep trotting out the risks argument is a bit rich really). I was extremely high risk last time (I had active pre-eclampsia) and was abandoned in a lounge for five hours with no monitoring at all from staff. My DH had to keep an eye on me. They were surprised when I collapsed.

Sooooo there's one good reason.

Another is this: you can book a home birth and on the day decide not to go ahead and go to hospital no problem. You can't book a hospital birth and suddenly decide 'nah I'll stay here instead' as easily.

In terms of helping your DH come to terms with it. I explained the Dr Foster birth guide stats and actually how objectively bad my local hospitals are in terms of midwife support, level of interventions and cs levels and said 'we can transfer in labour if we have to on blues and twos and be there in ten minutes. It takes LONGER than that for them to find a porter in the hospital to transfer you to the OR (we know this is true from experience!)

[nigglewiggle]

I live in Leeds and they offer a Homebirth evening on the third Wed of every month at LGI. Haven't been yet, so don't know if it will be any good, but it might be worth seeing if anything similar is offered where you live.