What's the latest you can go? ( and hopefully still have a homebirth?)

[Gingermilo]

OK, am on 2nd preg and currently am 11 days late. Hoped for homebirth the first time round but after having contractions for 3 days (at day 18 after due date) I was taken into Kings to give birth 2 days later. Really want homebirth this time, but don'T know how long to leave it. Seeing an apparently open minded obsetrician on Wed who will ask what I want if scan ok. Is it possible to be this late again?! Is it worth waiting?

every PCT is different but usually NHS wont attend an HB post 14 days.
My friend went overdue with DC2 and decided to go for induction, had ARM, waited to make sure everything OK (i.e. monitored for couple of hours) then signed herself out of hospital, went home laboured normally, midwives came out and she had lovely waterbirth at home.

I run a homebirth support group and we had one lady who went 27 days past her due date! She opted for daily checkups towards the end (placenta function, blood flow, scans etc) and had a lovely 9 hr homebirth and a perfect baby eventually. As you've already had a long pregnancy, you may well just be one of those ladies who 'cooks' their babies for longer and a 42-week pregnancy is normal for you. Besides, remember a normal pregnancy is 37-42 weeks so you're still at term, you're not 'late' for another three days. Bottom line is it's always your decision and if you are well and baby is healthy and happy, take each day as it comes. You need to relax as much as you can as worrying about it won't help those hormones flow!

And I'm probably a bit biased but I'd say wait every time - a good homebirth is well worth the wait!

Sorry chilledmama but that's not true - it may not be hospital policy to support hb after 14 days but a midwife has a professional responsibility to attend a birth which overrides that. If you tell them you are having a homebirth they will attend you, regardless of gestation.

That sounds good - and hopeful! What's ARM? My midwives are NHS, despite being homebirth team - they are attached to Kings though, and again said it is my decision.

ARM=artificial rupture of membranes. basically breaking your waters. i don't think it's a great idea myself though...it gets rid of the protective cushion around baby's head and if the baby isn't in a favourable position, it can get 'stuck' there and lead to other interventions.

Ooh - really want to avoid that,(ARM) but will see what appointment on Wed says I guess and go from there. Good to hear story of lady after 27 days. There is alot of scaremongering about placentas giving up out there which makes you feel guilty.

i wouldn't want to rely on my PCT getting MW to me...no matter what 'their duty' is...but hey...that's why I used an IM last time and using IM with this PG too.

Gingermilo-everything hellsbells has written is absolutely true...if you go past 42 weeks then you will have to stick to your guns in order to get your HB...if pg has gone well, no problems and baby checks out fine with each check, then there is no reason you can't have the birth you desire...but you may need to fight for it...so start psyching yourself up.
Lots of HB supporters on here if you need advice/support/shoulder

Thanks chilledmama and Hellsbells, good to hear it's still possible. My midwifery team are good- came with me last time as well, despite being transferred into hosp, so know they will be there. They have requested I see this one specific obsetrician as he is in sympathy with their beliefs of HB. He let me continue last time. I guess I just had not heard of many people going that late and still achieving success with HB, so wondered if it was better intervening earlier rather than later.