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Original poster

homebirth downstairs but toilet upstairs??

27 replies

horseshoe · 19/03/2008 09:55

This is my 3rd but if i do get a HB I need to be downstairs but loo upstairs. What do you do in this situation??

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Yankunian · 19/03/2008 10:19

I am planning my first HB in May and have the same situation. My doula, who has done many HBs says this is actually a good thing because walking up and down stairs will help the baby move into a good position for birth etc.

belgo · 19/03/2008 10:20

Do you have to be downstairs? I had my homebirth upstairs in my bedroom, the best possible place.

LaidbackinEngland · 19/03/2008 10:20

Horseshoe...why do you need to be downstairs for your birth ?

Nbg · 19/03/2008 10:21

Hmmm not sure

In my first 2 labours I never used the toilet but in my 3rd which was a homebirth, I did.
But I decided to have the baby usptairs because I know that I dont like moving around alot in labour and I wanted to be near a bed just in case.

As it turned out it was a good job really because it was a very quick labour and he flew out

BabiesEverywhere · 19/03/2008 10:27

I am (yet again) hopeing for a home birth. The midwife wants the water pool downstairs (she reckons it is too heavy for first floor) and our only toilet is upstairs.

Luckily alongside our unused water pool in it's box, we have the unused camping chemical toilet in it's box.

So I plan to stick the camping toilet somewhere downstairs just in case but aim to use the proper toilet, as I understand walking stairs in labour is good.

Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 10:32

My MW has suggested I labour downstairs because of the access issue. I have a very narrow staircase and if a situation arose where I needed to be transferred to hospital then getting a stretcher up would be impossible.

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belgo · 19/03/2008 10:34

I also have a very narrow staircase - Think about all the people who have heart attacks in their beds - how do you think the ambulance people get them out?

Paramedics are more then well enough trained to get a sick person down a flight of narrrow stairs.

Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 10:44

I said the same Belgo but as they explained...certain situations like a cord prolapse would require a midwife to hold the babies head off the cord which would be impossible to do whilst getting downstairs.

It is rare but they just prefer you to stay downstairs

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belgo · 19/03/2008 10:46

gosh hearing that would have put me off my homebirth!

One of my midwives owns her own birthing house, in a converted barn (!). Same criteria to give birth there as for a home birth. The births happen upstairs.

Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 10:51

My friend insisted on a homebirth upstairs. She the same MW as me so I could if I wanted to really insist.

I just know with my luck.....

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hertsnessex · 19/03/2008 12:56

I have been to many HB's and there has never been a problem when they are down and bathroom is up or vice versa. Even at Home Water Births - then you just have to mind the hose!

cx

S1ur · 19/03/2008 13:00

I laboured upstairs with first and downstairs with second.

I think the loo issue isn't that bad. Surely you have a potty around for emergencys?

gillythekid · 19/03/2008 19:20

I live in a first floor maisonette and my bathroom is in a little attic room so I hope they don't make an issue of it cos I DO NOT want to have this baby in hospital!!

camillathechicken · 19/03/2008 19:23

everyone i know who homebirthed had their baby upstairs with no mention made of the width of staircase

check on the homebirth website www.homebirth.org.uk

surely the whole point of home birth is that you labour on your terms, where you want....

keeptakingthetablets · 19/03/2008 19:26

DD2 accidentally popped out while I was propped against the Hoover with DH on the phone to 999 - seriously, you'll be fine, enjoy your home labour, and the loo thing will work itself out - you'll either need or not, and the way you feel will dictate what you do or don't do.

Care mats - buy some of them, your dignity's in the bucket anyway, why climb the stairs

Levity aside, I think with reference to my experience, anyway, the merits of birth at home far outweighed the practicalities - in our case, we were utterly unprepared for a home birth, yet it happened, and for us, all was well.

I hope you are able to plan the birth you hope for in spite of any difficulties with your set-up.

sweetkitty · 19/03/2008 19:30

I laboured upstairs on my bed but didn't go near the toilet until after the baby was born, I wouldn't stress too much about it.

Sorry to ask but are you the same horseshoe who was on the Due in Jan 2006 thread and had the little girl with amniotic bands (sorry if I got it wrong it's been a while?) if it is I often think of how you are doing.

Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 19:45

Hi Sweetkitty....yes one and the same :-)

My "ANGEL" is now 2 years old. I use Angel in the loosest of terms as she is currently biting and kicking her elder sister.

Shes doing really well. Her arm is cut clean just past the elbow but the strength in her other arm more than makes up for it....

Awww thanks for thinking of us thats why they call you SWEETkitty

This one is due May and a boy....after this shop is firmly shut!!!! He is fine although been breech 4eva. I want this home birth so trying to turn him. I keep telling DH that me being on all fours shaking my bum is NOT an invite

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Flamesparrow · 19/03/2008 20:03

I had no issues, I just went up and down the stairs.

feetheart · 19/03/2008 20:10

Was never even mentioned when I had DS 2 years ago. I laboured downstairs, bathroom upstairs, never realised it could have been an issue.
Is the midwife supportive in other ways or is it a backdoor way to get you into hospital? Sounds odd to me.

sweetkitty · 19/03/2008 20:12

Aww am so glad she is doing well, no I really do think of you whenever I am on the postnatal thread, I have one of those 2 year old "angels" as well and am due another in July, hoping for another homebirth as well. Homebirths rock!

Look forward to your birth announcement

Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 20:17

No they been fantastic. Im sure they would support me if I wanted to be upstairs but just asked me to consider access should I need to be taken out on a stretcher. Also I prefer to be downstairs since my little ones will be asleep in bed upstairs and I'm a bit of a .....grunter.

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Original poster
horseshoe · 19/03/2008 20:20

Congrats SW.

I have stayed away from the Antenatal threads this time. Waited till the 12 weeks through paranoia...then a bit more just in case...then didn't feel baby move till 20 weeks this time so got even more paranoid and before I know it I am 33 weeks and still haven't joined!!! Read them but rarely post.

OP posts:
cupsoftea · 19/03/2008 20:22

what about a commode or something like that?

sweetkitty · 19/03/2008 20:33

I'm not a grunter I'm an all out scream the place downer. DD1 who was 18 months when DD2 was born slept through the whole thing that would be great this time but I'm not sure I can be that lucky again. Hopefully I will have a friend who can come and take them away for a bit if it's during the day, it does worry me as it would probably be quite distressing for them to hear me screaming.

feetheart · 19/03/2008 20:36

If you are worried about the grunting, we read this a lot with DD (2.9 when DS was born) She loved it and it talks about how shouting can help the baby come out. We knew she would probably be in the house and didn't want her to worry if she did hear a lot of strange noises. As it was I don't think I made much noise (inspite of yelling the hospital down when having DD ) and she certainly wasn't bothered by it - was awake throughout as it was early evening but slept through the night after meeting her new brother.