home birth?

i was wondering who has had a home birth here? I would love to have my second baby at home, but the main thing that is making me think twice about it is that I want to stay up at the hospital for a few days after so somebody else can cook and clean for me! (ha ha, lazy old me)
I can't see how you can get any form of rest if you have the baby at home because it must be just straight back in to it....
Anyhow, would love to hear from other Mum's who have had their babys at home and the goods and bads of it all.

I have a friend who ended up having a home birth as bubs progressed too fast to get to the delivery suite. After resting a couple of hours after the birth she and bubs were packed off to the maternity hospital place, where she got to relax for 3 days, especially as it was on e of the less busy ones where they all get their own bedroom! Best of both worlds I reckon.

 I did it was really awsome.  I loved it however some suggestion's are.  Have someone to look after the older child even if this is in your own home.  Someone that can maybe take this child for a drive if the the going get's a little rough.  Also we had my Mum stay the night for the first night that way she was there for Alan I guess it sort of depend's what time of the day you have baby as well.    Also afterward's make sure you have everything you might need during the first night close by like Panadol that way you can get to it easy.  DH needs to be 100 percent ok with it and need's to be aware jsut cause you are at home you can't do anything other then what you would had you had baby in hospital eg not lifting the older child out of bed etc.    We had lot's of crap tea's for the week in fact I sent DH out for Mc Donald's after I had baby.  If you have had a good birth with your first there is no reason why it won't work at home. If you want anymore info PM me and I will see if I can help.  Oh a side note Hubby was really worried to start with about the whole thing now he would not consider going to the hosapital unless we really needed to.

thanks girls! Other than DH I don't have a lot of support. My Mum would come and stay but to be truthful, I couldn't think of anything worse than having her staying for a few days. DH is supportive but has a new job so will only be able to take a day or so off. All my friends work so wouldn't be able to help out much either, so unless I was to go it alone doesn't look like it is going to happen. Ah well, no major drama I guess.
becca, what made your first birth so negative? Maybe posting about it will help you get over it and then you will be able to prepare yourself for this one better????

Spudling wrote: thanks girls! Other than DH I don't have a lot of support. My Mum would come and stay but to be truthful, I couldn't think of anything worse than having her staying for a few days.

Just want to add so you don't get the wrong idea the Mum that stayed with us is not my real Mother I would have gone nut's with my real Mother.  The Mum that stayed is a lady that I have meet through my church that has taken us on  as part of her family.   Like busmum asked  what were you wanting to get from a homebirth.?   Best sugesstion is to have a chat to your M/W see what she think's just be aware they do get more money for a homebirth so some can be a little pushy about it.

Spudling wrote: becca, what made your first birth so negative? Maybe posting about it will help you get over it and then you will be able to prepare yourself for this one better????

Umm... actually, it was my third birth and I'm not currently pregnant . I have a blood disorder that self-corrects in pregancy, and has not been an issue with the birthing of any of my children, as I have been able to have drug-free water births each time. It was the way the hospital midwives over-reacted expecting a bleeding problem as soon as Xavier was born (despite all professional advice indicating the opposite) that made it a negative experience.

The midwives rushed me, pulling the plug on the bath almost straight away and giving me a stronger medication than the one I had authorised (to encourage the uterus to clamp down and expell the placenta) which left me suffering side-effects for about 6 hours afterwards. My husband did not get to cut the cord, as he was feeling a little faint (and lying down on the floor) so they went ahead and did it themselves before either of us had a chance to say anything. Once the placenta was out, they helped me move to a bed then took Xavier to weigh/measure him. Because of the medication I couldn't get up (I was dizzy and couldn't balance even standing still) so it wasn't until he was 1hr 15min old before I got to breastfeed him, when Nat (husband) passed him to me. The midwife said "Oh, are you going to feed him now? Okay, I'll leave you to it." and walked off... never mind if I had needed any help to get him latched on or anything like that.

Edited by becca.l

I got to hold him for the first few minutes, then he was whisked away so I could deliver the placenta. Once I was on the bed, Xavier was given back to me for 15 minutes or so, then they took him to check and weigh etc, and check me over too. As they sorted him out and then sorted me out, I didn't get him back for ages.

LOL yeah, Spudling, I'm hoping so! My midwife said I'm a perfect candidate for homebirth, so that's at the back of my mind as I consider it.

Oh, my antenatal midwife was fine! It was the hospital midwives that were so useless... but I'm sure that's not nationwide, as I know the midwives at Waikato are nice.

Becca, I found a couple of the hospital MW at Palmy to be a pain so it would be this area.