Any advice/opinions??

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  siand Regular

  Jul 23, 2010 12:58PM

  as this is your first baby i wouldnt do it. its only my opinion and i loved giving birth at home but if its a first birth there is alot higher rate of transfering to hospital not just for emergencies but you dont know how you will deal with it and to me that is a long ambulance ride in labour. you really need to discuss it with your midwife as they may not allow it which will rule it out anyway.

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  michelle07-79314

  Jul 23, 2010 2:10PM

  Hi,
  Worry1 - if anything does go wrong with baby/birth does it matter I'm so far away from the hospital? Is this too much of a risk?
  
  The midwives are VERY cautious with a homebirth and would be watching for ANY sign that there was a problem! So they would have a ambulance on standby and call it at the first sigh of a problem to make sure you got to hospital. BUT be aware if the roads are closed due to bad weather how would the midwife or ambulance get to you?
  
  Worry 2 - the mess! Honestly how much mess is made giving birth at home? We have wooden floors so no carpet to worry about but bit worried about ruining bed/mattress etc
  
  There really very little mess with a homebirth! the midwives bring incontinence pad things to cover the bed to soak up any water etc and they take it away with them. All you would need is lots of towels and i recommend a couple of cheap shower curtains to put on the floor as non slip flooring. then they can be thrown.
  
  Worry 3 - after care - Does the mw just leave after baby is born or do you get support/help for a bit afterwards?
  
  The midwives will leave when you feel comfortable for them to go. Usually after the baby's first feed.
  
  Worry 4 - both our parents live 3 hours away and so will probably come down as soon as labour starts and will most likely be staying with us. I feel a bit weird about them being in the house when I'm actually in labour and hearing all my shouts etc (I do really want them there when baby is born just not for whole labour bit!!)
  
  I can't help with this one sorry:\) Maybe ear plugs?
  
  Oh and this will be our first by the way so not sure if that makes a difference?
  
  I would really recommend homebirth for your first baby! (i had my first at home) as first births tend to be longer you would be more relaxed and comfortable in your own home! and there is really no more risk with your first baby and if you do find you need more pain relief (which is less likely if you are at home) you can always change your mind and go to hospital!:\)

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  GnT

  Jul 24, 2010 8:28PM

  home births are lovely and i agree with all the comments that michelle has left and
  worry 4: my whole family where in the house!! when yoour in labour you dont care you just want that baby out of there no matter who hears or sees
  i gave birth in trelisk with my first baby ( i had to share a toilet with the girl giving birth next door) and my second was homebirth.. if you decide against a homebirth go to penrice if you can becuase it is alot nicer there by all accounts!!! and you can have a birthing pool there. xx

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  mrsmermaid

  Jul 25, 2010 2:05AM

  Personally, no way would i risk it in your situatuation especially as you are so far from the hospital and it will be winter and it would be a drive over the moors - i expect the roads may not be great?
  
  Ultimately though you have to make you own choice. You will always get people like michelle 07 whove had a fantastic experience and then others, often people involved in healthcare who have seen some horrendous complications in hospitals - these babies would not have survived if the complications had happened at home.
  
  The point is that these will be polarized views and often then people can disagree or argue. The problem is that no one can predict what will happen at YOUR home birth.
  
  The way i look at it is that there are going to be many many people who have lovely experiences at home..probably much better than they would if they went into hospital. Almost all of these people will either have a complication free birth or a problem will be found early and they will be transferred safely.
  
  My personal concern would be to be the one person whos complication arose quickly and hospital transfer took too long.
  
  My view would be coloured by what i have seen but also my attitude to risk (even though the risk may be minute) versus the potentially more pleasurable experience of giving birth at home.
  
  I think you are the only one, therefore, who can make the right choice for you as there isnt really a right or wrong answer.
  
  I think the research in general shows that there is greater patient satisfaction after giving birth at home and there are less assisted deliveries - but some would argue that that is because people who are giving birth at home tend to be very low risk.
  
  There was a study published recently which indicated home birth could be more risky than previous research had shown but i think this was global and so i don't know how well you could apply this to the UK.
  
  My personal opinion would be to make your initial decision on point 1 and only if you have any doubt to worry about points 2-4 as i think they can all be easily overcome. Even if the midwife leaves, you will have all your family and easy access to your own midwife for advice. Also you'll have plenty of help with the cleaning. You might need something to protect the carpet and mattress but i don't expect it'll look like a horror film.
  
  So my personal viewpoint would be that it isnt worth the risk but my advice would be to look into all the research properly and make your own choice. Listen to views from each side but understand that they are all going to be just one off personal experiences and so may or may not apply to you.
  
  Good luck with your choice and i hope all goes well whatever you decide! x
  
  [Modified by: mrsmermaid on July 25, 2010 03:30 PM]
  
  

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  michelle07-79314

  Jul 25, 2010 10:44AM

  Like mrsmermaid said there are always people like me that have had fantastic homebirths that recommend them and people who have never had (or researched) homebirth who give you the "your brave" comments!
  
  BUT homebirths are not right for everyone and YOU must make your own decision! you need to talk to your medical professionals and do your own research as medical professionals often have their viewpoints coloured by a lot of outside factors and out dated research!
  
  Then at the end of the day go with what you feel most comfortable with.
  
  Like i said at first the biggest thing for me is what would happen if the roads were closed?
  xx

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  KernowandNoah

  Jul 27, 2010 4:49AM

  Thanks for all the opinions!
  
  I had a chat with mw yesterday about it and she was very positive. She didn't seem to think the distance from hospital was a worry as she said they would be able to tell in good time if anything was wrong and would get an ambulance or the air ambulance. The only down side to that is the ambulance is contracted to a different hospital (which is closer at 30 miles but country roads so takes as long/longer to get there than my first choice) and this other hospital is somewhere I really don't want to go to (although in an emergency I obviously wouldn't care about that) but am concenred that as it's my first they may be very quick to decide I need hospital (I read 40% of first time hb's end up transferred) even if not an emergency.
  
  She also said if roads bad due to weather I may well have to have a hb anyway so that makes me more confident about it as my first choice.
  
  GnT - A friend had hers at penrice and said it was great, there's a similar birthing unit at Okehampton which is onyl 20 miles from us but their service may be cut - will know in October if it will still offer all the services, if it does I think that would be my first choice but apparantly it's not looking good for the unit so....
  
  Gah it's such a difficult decision to weigh up all the pro's and con's!!
  
  Thanks again for all the input - it's much appreciated xx

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  fairythalia

  Jul 27, 2010 7:11AM

  Just to add (re: parents) I would phone them until baby has arrived? By the time they get to you, you'll have had a good few hours to recover in private! xxx

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  KernowandNoah

  Jul 27, 2010 11:41AM

  Fairythalia - yep that's what we were thinking! We'll prob tell them when I go into labour but make it clear that they shouldn't come down until we call when baby is born which will take every nerve in my mother's body to wait but she'll just have to!!
  
  xx

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