Home birth...

best thing ever, but you need to be completly confident with your Midwife and make sure you have really good support at home. Cause just cause you are at home does not mean you will be able to do much my DH expected me to do thing's liek the washing and looking after Alan he did not really understand that I needed a break as if i was in hospital. So this time round we have set a bed up in the babies room for me to be in for about 3 day's that way I get a break and he will be roesposible for the boy's and all their need's.   
The best bit for me was jsut being able to have a nice long shower after ward's in my own shower and using my own loo.

I think I like the idea of a home birth is great however if we were far from the hospital I would be a bit worried if something went wrong, also I would like the kids in the house(even in another room) because if I screamed or something they would freak out. I don't think I would have coped with a home birth for my first baby but know that I know what to expect I would have one.....if the thought of it didn't terrify DH!

Well having just had an awesome homebirth experience I highly recommend it! No having to drive to hospital with contractions, no uncomfy hospital beds, midwife cleans up the mess & you get to relax in your own home after.
I found myself far more rested at home even with my two boys there than I ever did in hospital although the circumstances were alot different then with having c-sections.
I was a good 45 minute drive from the nearest hospital but I was very determined to have my baby at home & it was as far as I am concerned a PERFECT birth

If (and that is a HUGE if!) I ever have another baby, I would consider a home birth. I was only at the hospital for half an hour before I had Greer and I basically did it all myself - midwife just checked how far I was (9cm) and then I started pushing when I felt ready to and didnt need any direction or help from her or DH. She almost was born at home anyway, so would definitely think about it.

Also, second time round I was dying to come home and didnt really enjoy my hospital stay like first time.

Edited by aimeejoy

Ok so I had Alan in the house and our hosue is not very big either he was in the other room tho with someone looking after him. I will deffintly not have my kid's in the same room they are just far too young to understand.   I am not worried about teh noise cause at teh end of the day my boy's yeall and carry on all the time anyway so they prob won't think much of it. The thing I like best about the homebirth is that it is so much more normal for the boy's rather then upsetting our well tuned routine. Also now Alan is a little older I really want him to be able to meet Emily straight away I think he will be so very chuffted.   when we first talked about it my DH wasdead against it, but after having a chat to the m/w etc he said we could give it a go. He would not want to do it any other way now.

I'd love to have a home birth, I actually seriously considered it last time.  I am completely for natural birth, drug free birth if possible, I was totally comfortable and confident with my midwife and I lived within 30 mins drive of 3 hospitals so if anything did go wrong I could get to one of those quickly.

The first spanner in the works was DH wasn't keen on the idea (until he saw me do it he wasn't even convinced I could have a natural birth) the second problem was given my medical history (I have a blood clotting disorder) my midwife wanted me to birth at hospital.  I had to have a lure inserted as soon as I got to hospital (to make a blood transplant quick) and I wasn't even allowed to use the birthing rooms at the hospital incase I needed to be rushed to theatre

I'd definitely have a homebirth if I could though, I spent most of my labour at home because it was more comfortable and relaxed.

I don't think you're crazy wanting Vincent there - totally a personal choice thing. We had been at a wedding the day I was in labour and my kids were being looked after by my sister and mother. My son was the same age as Vincent and stayed with my sister and my mum brought my eldest home in the middle of the night about an hour before the birth. He held the torch for the midwife (we had dimmed the lights) and was pretty much right in the action. It was so special listening to him say how much he loved the new baby. Apparently his eyes were like saucers when the placenta was delivered - he thought another baby was coming!

yea, i think i really want Vincent around to meet his lil brother immediately. i don't neccessarily want him in the same room when i'm actually birthing, but i do want him around me prior to active labour. i just think it will help me get thru it, and help him get thru it too. and i want mum around or by her phone so that she can take him away if i need it or if i feel he is getting too distressed.

See I'm the opposite, I definitely WOULDN'T want the gremlins there. I would hate trying to concentrate on labour and worrying about them at the same time, even if they had their own support person I'd still feel responsible for them and I think seeing me in pain would freak them out. They weren't great when they came to visit me in hospital when I had hyperemesis.
But I do like your idea of having Vincent there in a different room so he can meet the baby straight away, that sounds really nice.

My boy's are the same Chonny they are always talking to Emily etc and Mikey often gives her kisses more now that my tummy is bigger. I am more then happy for the boy's to see her straight away, but liek Emma said if they were is the room I would be more worried about looking after them them focusing on my labour.