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homebirth

hi is there anyone out there that has experienced a homebirth my second daughter is due in june and im seriously thinking about a homebirth this time rather than being in hospital i would just like to chat to other mums that have been there and done it and have any advice for me thanx

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  • Hi I always find it difficult to limit the answer to this question to less than 1,000,000 words! My husband and I both agree that the home water birth of our 3rd baby last March in our conservatory on a lovely sunny spring afternnon was the best day of our lives.
    After 2 awful hospital forceps deliveries we were at home, in our own environment, in peace and calm with just the most wonderful midwife who left me undisturbed in the pool with no examinations to experience the most amazingly surreal birth of my daughter. I had no pain relief, I felt so in control being at home and there was no hospital rules to adhere too such as restricted visiting.
    Our boys (aged 5 and 4) came home an hour after the birth to meet their new sister and despite having to go briefly to the hospital to be stitched (I had two episiotimies with the boys so tore with a 3rd big baby), we were back home in 2 hours and had our first night all together in my own bed which was wonderful.
    Would I recommend a home birth? YES YES YES!!!
    It is also easier not to have to worry about what will happen to your daughter as if need be she can be there too -although ideally you will have this lo in the middle of the night and she will sleep through it then wake up to meet her new sister or I would advise some back up if possible of someone who could look after her. We had no relatives nearby who could look after the boys and despite wanting to plan care for them we couldn't so it was fortunate that they were at school and nursery when I went into labour and a friend picked them up and took them to their swimming lesson!
    As it was a water birth there was no real mess.
    As homgif says, even if you end up having to go in, most people that start at home have a much better experience overall and at least the midwife comes to you at the start.
    What area do you live in? I went to a fantastic NCT home birth group where I got loads of support and am now running one myself. Maybe there is one near you where you could discuss it with others. How does your oh feel?
    Anyway, hope some of this helps xx
  • Hi, I had an unplanned home birth with my second child. I was only in labour for around half an hour so didn't have chance to get to the hospital. I delivered my little girl into the arms of her Daddy before the ambulance even arrived.
    I would def go for a planned home birth next time, we are currently trying to conceive our fourth child.
    My third child was induced early because of what happened with my daughter and I very nearly had to have an emergency section because he was distressed, I find it very hard not to feel guilty about the fact my son was distressed during his birth.
    My homebirth, even though it was unplanned, went very smoothly, it was messy but that was because we were totally unprepared.
    My daughter was born at around 1.30 am, I bathed in my own bathroom, was examined on my own bed, my daughter was fast asleep in her basket and the house was empty by 4.00am.
    In all, a great experience but I will def be prepared next time!!!!

    Big love and good luck. x
  • ;\)hi thanx for all the great responses im def going to go for a homebirth ive not heard any bad reports im living in maidstone my midwife has just given me details of a homebirth support group theat meet up fortnightly in town so i shall go along the only thing that made me think maybe not wa as my first child was delivered with the help of ventouse which was unplesent experience but it seems that people that have homebirths do not occur these problems maybe hospitals are too quick to intervene x x
  • Hi again, as I said before my first 2 were both ventouse deliveries - they weighed 9lbs 8 1/2 and 10lb 3oz with the second also being op which meant he came out face up which is usually more difficult to deliver - but then my daughter was also op in the pool and I obviously had no intervention - in fact when her head came out, because she was op she was just looking up at us which hubbie, who had got in and was sitting behind me in the pool thought was amazing!
    Just be aware that you might (but hopefully not) be advised against a home birth because of your previous instrumental delivery which my hospital said was policy - but I stuck to my guns and had a very supportive midwife. I'm convinced I would have ended up with another forceps delivery if I'd been in hospital.
    Can you tell me the details of the home birth group you've been given? I'm in Kent too and it's useful to be able to pass on details of other groups to people who are closer to them. Are you booked at Medway hospital?
    I'm really glad you've decided to go for it - all 6 of the mums at our home birth group had the home births we wanted xx
  • hi when i first visited my midwife she offered me a homebirth and at the time i said no as i was worried about the ventouse delivery i had with my daughter but she has informed me since that i could still have a home birth that would not affect it i have a website address for homebirth suppport group in maidstone as this is my area www.mhbsg.co.uk they meet up at the roadhouse coffee shop in maidstone town centre
  • Hi there
    I am also considering a home birth, haven't had a chance to talk to my midwife about it yet but I was wondering if someone who has been through a homebirth could answer a couple of questions for me...
    How did you go about organising a birthing pool? Did you buy or hire one, and was it very expensive? Do you need a lot of space for a water birth? (we live in a 3-bed maisonette- it's not tiny, but I wouldn't exactly call it spacious either!) Where can I find out about homebirth support groups? Are there any details on the NCT website, or is it best to ask the mw?
    Hope you can help.. thanks a lot!
  • Hi - emily1234, thanks I found the website address after I wrote the posting last night, lots of great homebirth stories which should be encouraging.

    Poz - I used to be an agent for a birthing pool hire company and kept two at the end to hire out locally so I used one of those myself. You can either use a solid fibreglass one or an inflatable birth pool in a box. Having tried both I personally felt safer in the solid one which also has a step inside which I used in labour to lean on and hubbie sat on when he got in behind me but it is obviously down to personal choice. I have hired the solid ones to people with very small spaces in flats so I am sure you will be able to fit it in somewhere. We had ours in the conservatory which was lovely with the sun shining through the roof. We had problems getting blinds fitted but fortunately they were done 2 weeks before lo arrived! Just google in birthing pools and compare the prices but they are all pretty similar in cost. Just beware of delivery costs.
    You could ask your midwife about support groups or contact your local NCT. If there are none locally (I'm sure there will be) I'm sure you can get plenty of support on here. I'm happy to answer any questions. Hope that helps xx
  • Thanks for that arg- I will start doing a bit more research on the internet and see what I can find.
  • Hi - I had a planned homebirth with my 3rd daughter and it was very quick and a wonderful experience. I had my 1st 2 in hospital, the 1st one was a ventouse delivery, I was offered a home birth with my 2nd as I labour very quickly but we were in the process of moving so decided against it and luckily got to the hospital with 20 or so minutes to spare!! My 3rd was delived within approx 30 mins. I bought some cheap shower curtains for protection, I still packed a bag so everything was to hand for oh when needed. I had no time for pain relief and she was delivered back to back with the cord round her neck several times but my midwife was fantastic and it was the best experience I have ever had, and I am so glad I did it.
    Good luck to everyone planning it!!
    Sam xx
  • hi i am also planning a homebirth, have to give my mwife my final decision next week!.. i havent been given much info on the preparations i will need to make...where did yu have your babies?as in what room, in bed or on floor? do i need to buy plastic sheets or just use normal ones? has anyone been worried about neighbours? i stay in a flat and this may be a concern if im noisy!! i dont now them well enough to pre-warn them id be embarrassed as its mostly single men. plus they dont even know im preg, and may not know the difference


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  • Hi lauragcam - I had my lo in the birthing pool in our conservatory but others that I know that didn't use pools varied between the floor/bed. I don't think you will really know where you want to be until the time. One friend started downstairs then ended up in the bedroom. It is so nice to have the option though and go where ever you want instead of being stuck in one small delivery room.
    My waters broke in the morning although I was only trickling all morning - we put plastic sheets down nearly everywere(you can get them from B&Q or your hospital may provide some - check with your midwife) then I was in the study which was the only room we hadn't covered with sheets, stood up and there was a massive gush all over the chair and carpet. We still have the chair and 10 months on there is no evidence of anything!
    Don't worry about the neighbours becuase if you do it might delay your labour - even if you are noisy it doesn't matter, they will either knock and ask you to be quiet then be embarressed when they see a naked woman in labour - only joking! or probably not hear anything anyway. I was quite noisy for the last 1/2 hour and as it was 6pm most neighbours were home from work but no-one heard anything - they were just excited to see the baby!

    You don't really need to prepare anything apart from personal things such as music, soft lighting, candles, snacks for you and midwives, blankets that can be warm when lo arrives, video on tripod!....
    Hope that helps xx

    lindsayh - I know exactly how you feel - I was so excited about the birth and it was because I knew I was having her at home. Have a great time and let us know how it goes. xx
  • hi arg thanks, had thought of hiring birthing pool but dont really know if we can afford it to be honest. do you think it would be ok to go in bath for a while? (but obviously not give birth in the bath due to space)..dont know if ill be able to get in and out easily tho! i guess ill just need to see how things go, i absolutely love the idea that i can go where i want, and not be told to lie on a bed like last time in hosp!! i too am actually looking foward to the birth, strange i know, considering what i went thru last time, i just pray that its possible and i dont end up needing induced again! me and hubbie will just be constantly at it from 37wks!!!(im sure he wont mind)xx
  • hi arg thanks, had thought of hiring birthing pool but dont really know if we can afford it to be honest. do you think it would be ok to go in bath for a while? (but obviously not give birth in the bath due to space)..dont know if ill be able to get in and out easily tho! i guess ill just need to see how things go, i absolutely love the idea that i can go where i want, and not be told to lie on a bed like last time in hosp!! i too am actually looking foward to the birth, strange i know, considering what i went thru last time, i just pray that its possible and i dont end up needing induced again! me and hubbie will just be constantly at it from 37wks!!!(im sure he wont mind)xx
  • lauragcam - I think the birth pool in a box pools are around ??80 and someone I know actually got one on ebay so obviously paid less than that. I hire my fibreglass one for ??110 which is as cheap as I can to cover the costs of the liner, thermometers, hose etc because I know how wonderful it was to give birth in it and want others to have fantastic labours too. However, a bath is great for labour too -but as you say, you can't deliver in it.
    I needed a stool and strong arms to get me in and out - make sure there is someone to help you.
    Every single thing about our home birth was so brilliant - I remember it all so vividly and love watching the video. I really hope yours is just as fantastic! xx
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