Thinking of having a home birth
Hi girls,
New to all this, had my heart set on a water birth at Basildon but went to my first NCT class last night and was told the hospital has MSRA and also heard more about home birth than I ever had and really really liked the sound of it.
Has anybody had one and it's been thier first baby? I think the thing i am worried about is A if anything goes wrong and B the mess it will make. I rent so it's not my house and I would be worried about the mess?
K xx
New to all this, had my heart set on a water birth at Basildon but went to my first NCT class last night and was told the hospital has MSRA and also heard more about home birth than I ever had and really really liked the sound of it.
Has anybody had one and it's been thier first baby? I think the thing i am worried about is A if anything goes wrong and B the mess it will make. I rent so it's not my house and I would be worried about the mess?
K xx
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Replies
I wrote a long reply but it got eaten up so here is a much shorter version. Have a look at www.homebirth.org.uk in paticular the section 'you can't have a homebirth because' - there is then a setion for first time labours which should really put your mind at rest.
With regards to the mess if there is any it is very little and you use plastic sheeting (shower curtains etc) to protect the floors. We did end up with some blood on the carpet but that was because I had to change postitions quickly and the showers curtains weren't arranged properly so some did get on the carpet.
I considered a hmebirth first time round but chose hospital 'just in case' but now I would choose home birth everytime and if I could go back would have had my first at home.
a) if you listen to your midwife they'll tell you if you need to go in. And if you do they'll organise everything and usually go with you. They put you at the top of the ambulance priority list so you'll get there as quick as you need. I decided that our local hospital was fairly close and even if I was in the labour ward it could take time for them to page someone/ get a slot in theatre ready etc. I took my chances and nothing at all went wrong.
b) we'd had some roofing done and used a clean roll of waterproof membrane to cover the floor around the pool. The midwives cleaned everything up before they left, one even turned down my side of our bed and put an absorbent/ protective mat in there to protect my sheets from post partum bleeding. The only mess was a slight stain on the armchair where I was stitched, i'd stayed there cuddling baby so long and not gone to change my pad soon enough.
I'm expecting my next at end october and spoke to my old midwife team today, they're all ready to come back for a repeat performance!
And as for something going wrong there is very little chance that something will go wrong that the midwife will not see coming! and they can trasfer you to hospital Very quickly!
On the plus side as you say you know there is no MRSA at home!
I recommend you look at the homebirth site they have a lot of really good tips and information.
xx
I have actually just changed over my MW and will be seeing her next tuesday, I have been told she is very pro home birth so will talk to her about it then
Do you know if it;s the MW you have seen throughout your preg and your check up's that deliver the baby or would it be a MW you have not met before from the hospital near you?
K XX
I devoured all the birth stories on the HB website when PG. If you are interested my stories are here.
www.homebirth.org.uk/charlieparis.htm - 18k
www.homebirth.org.uk/charlieparisruben.htm - 13k
Charlie - Grampian Homebirth Support and Natal Hypnotherapy Practitioner
K XX