Natural Home Birth

Hi there,

Just looking for some advise really. I've been planning a home birth (hypnobirthing) with as little intervention as possible.

I have a great MW who does a lot of home births and we've already discussed quite a few scenarios which would mean me having to go to hospital, but then returning back home to birth eg: administering IV anti-biotics.

I'm 41 weeks at the weekend and still no sign of bubs. That said, I've been having some show which started on Thursday. Nothing major, just drips and drabs.

My MW wants me to go to the hospital on Tuesday if nothings happened, so she can do a stretch & sweep, ctg, scan etc.

Part of me thinks this is a good idea because if things get moving before 42 weeks then I'm less likely to have to go back to hospital for more invasive induction methods (which I'm really not keen on at all!), but the other half thinks, just let it be and see what happens after 42 weeks

I'm very relaxed about the birth and I'm looking forward to it, but I just hadn't really planned on making decisions like this.

I've been going to acupuncture regularly, so I could always squeeze in a quick session on Monday with the aim of getting things moving.

I'm still very much in the mind set 'he'll come when he's ready' though, so as long as we're both fit and healthy, why try and push things ?

hummmmm any thoughts?

Thanks love x

Here's hoping that bubs pops out at the weekend so I don't have to think about making any decisions

I wouldnt go to hospital. Baby will come when its ready. I had 3 s & s with Isla, and she was born 5 days after her due date. With Aiden I wanted a natural homebirth and as little intervention as possible. He was born on his due date but I had already declined to have a s& s and had decided I would not have any even if overdue.
I ended up getting to 10cm dilated and pushing him out at home but then my waters broke and there was mecnoium in them, so it became safer for baby to be born in hospital. Because it still looked like i was a while off from delivering him we were transfered to hopital, where he was born an hr later- still completely naturally with no problems.

Like HippyMumma, I had also decided against any interventions just for the sake of it, unless baby or I were at risk. I told my midwife I would not be timing contractions and didnt want to know how many cm dilated I was. While in labour I felt by the shape of my belly that baby may have turned breech, so I asked her to come and check us- I agreed then to an internal and was 8cm dilated which was the best thing I had ever heard, lol! At that point I knew I could definatly go on to have a completely natural birth, which I did!

Edited by Kellz

Thanks ladies, I really appreciate your opinions.

I think I may go to the hospital to be monitored, but decline the S&S unless the scan/ctg picks something up.

I'm off for a long walk up the hill now and will spend the afternoon bouncing on my swiss ball in the hope that he pops out tomorrow. I quite like the idea of an Easter Sunday baby

I think that's a good idea. I'd have the scan/CTG to check all is well, and if so, stick to your plans. And don't let them say "oh we aren't happy with xyz... we want to induce" - make them explain exactly what they are concerned about and what it might mean.

For what it's worth, I ended up getting the MW to cancel my appointment at the overdue clinic on the day I was meant to go cos I was in labour

ok so scrap what I last said and

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Congrats!!!

Congrats Millie! Cant wait for your birth story!