Home births

Hiya I've just been reading feb's topic on water births and was wondering if anyone has had a water birth at home?? My MW has a birthing pool I can use and we also have a (not very big) bath, so wondering what people thought, if they would recommend it, any tips, etc ??

I'm a little nervous as it's our first, but MW says if anything goes wrong or I chicken out (LOL!!) we can always transfer to the hospital...

Any thoughts?

My brother's girlfriend had a home birth just last night. They had problems with the birthing pool - it had a leak that couldn't be fixed so had to get another one delivered urgently.

The labour and birth were fine but she ended up passing some blood clots so had to go to hospital to be checked out for that but she is fine now.

Heya, I'm having a homebirth/waterbirth this time around and I'm soooo excited and looking forward to it! The hospital is only down the road so if I need to transfer its no biggy. I firmly believe that your birthing is a personal choice and that you must do what is comfortable and feeling right for you or you'll 'tighten up' from anxiety. I know a couple of people who have done it for their first birth and everything went great, so don't let the fact that it's your first put you off, just be well informed about all the choices, read a lot about it if you can and go from there. Hope this helps a little

I absolutely couldn't stand hospital, would've loved a home birth for Seb (but wouldn't have gotten one even if I'd planned for it, ended up being induced for pre-eclampsia)

I guess it depends on your personality - if you don't mind being around strangers, can sleep through someone else's baby crying, wouldn't be fussed sharing a room, love being brought meals in bed, and having nurses there to help then go for the hospital birth.

If you like your privacy, would rather have your hubby/partner with you all that time (some hospitals won't let them stay - esp if you end up in a shared room, for me it was torture) can con someone else into bringing you meals in bed anyway () that actually taste like real food.

I'm sorry but for me, my idea of fun isn't having to spend the night away from my DF after one of the most major things that's ever happened to us, with bubs in the NICU, and nothing I would eat but cold toast and sharing a room with an asian lady (only point out her race because she had constant guests who talked loudly all visiting hours in a language I didn't even understand) I ended up not even sleeping, and just crying all night.

Lol at the poo comment, one of the first questions I asked about the waterbirth hehe, midwife said they just sift the crap out (literally and the other goopys) and put it in an icecream container with lid. I can recommend 2 books my friend, who has had 3 homebirths and 1 of those 10pd 11oz no water and no stiches gave me and a great magazine.
ActiveBirth by Janet Balaskas and HomeBirth by Sheila Kitzinger. The magazine is called TummyTalk and it is put out by Active Birth Taranaki
It's great cos it is written by mums and mw's who believe in the activebirth philosophy and has wonderful birth stories from women who not only have natural activebirths at home but those that choose to do the same at the hospital. In saying that it is easier to go to a maternity hospital than a public as the public health system has a 'checklist' that it likes to go through which often leads to a major cascade of intervention. My major piece of advice though is what is in big bold letters on top of my birthplan 'no matter how hard I try if baby needs out then he comes out even if its hospital'. I am aware that not all births go according to plan and hospitals do have their upsides hehe, baby needs to be out safely at the end of the day, but even if I were to go for a c/s I think I would feel more positive about it knowing that I tried the other way first without putting my boy at harm.

Personally I take my hat off to any mum that has her first baby at home or a waterbirth. I have assisted with a homebirth and I would have loved to be at home but just cant face the thought of having to clean up afterwards - you go through an amazing amount of towels etc. A waterbirth scares me but the idea of being in a birthing pool during labour and then getting out to deliver really sounds tempting.

I decided after my waters had broken that I wanted to go to a maternity unit instead of hospital but as labour didnt progress enough I had to be in hospital to be induced. (FYI - maternity unit is only 1 hr 20mins away, and hospital is 3 1/2 hrs away from our house!)

This time I have no choice - hospital only as it is a higher-risk pregnancy with twins. I still might try a birthing pool during labour until I have to deliver - will see.

Jadey wrote: my friend, who has had 3 homebirths and 1 of those 10pd 11oz no water and no stiches

wow - that's pretty impressive!! My major concern is the pain issue but i guess it would be a bit naive to ignore everything that can go wrong. Hospital for us is only 15mins away so I'll keep an open mind and bundle myself into the car at the first sign of trouble! My MW has done quite a few homebirth/waterbirths and she said we'll have another MW there to help out, so I trust that they'll have everything in hand...

Thanks for the book recommendations Jadey (love an excuse to buy new books !).

I love the idea of a homebirth too, i didnt even think of one for Caitlyn , since i didnt get the epidural or any pain relief i wanted at the hospital i may as well have had her at home lol.
Next time i would like too, dunno how DP feels about that,too bad , hes not the one pushing the baby out his vajayjay....

Go with what you feel most comfortable with i say, my daughters stepmum had a home birth for her first and loved it :-)

Who's your mid-wife? I had Maggie Daddler for most of my pregnancy,..but then she left indep midwifery to become in charge at the maternity annex,..so then I had Bernie Sharp. Her partner Sue is great- Amber (baileyandastin) had her with Astin!

good on you for wanting a homebirth and if your not too far from hospital then theres really nothing to worry about. Good luck!!

I was induced with #1 so no homebirth there but I did labour with no painrelief for 6 hrs in the birthing pool and it was great. Unfortunitly contractions stopped so couldnt continue.

This time im going to birth at a birthing centre - would like to do home but DH not too keen and we are 1 1/2 hrs from the nearest hospital so probably not a wise choice...