Larceny - I hope you get the birth you want. I really did hire the birthing pool for use at home in my first labour. This was over 10 years ago, I'm sure they'll have made easier versions since? Anyway, I didn't reckon on a 42-hour "back-to-back" labour and 2 midwives who were knackered and had no-one to take over their shift with me at home, so I ended up going in to hospital, feeling like a total failure, after a day at home. It's ridiculous I felt that way. That's why I urge new mums-to-be to be open-minded, because you don't realise the pressure you're heaping on yourself to have this perfect kind of birth. I'm just glad you appreciate (I didn't!) that if things don't go as planned, then you'll not hold yourself to ransom over it.
My second birth was lovely - birthing pool in a lovely village maternity unit and some gas & air. My rented house then wasn't ideal for the birth.
This time, I'm honestly hoping to have a home birth. I've got quite a big corner bath (I know they're cheesy, blame the last owners!), so I'm going to try and manage with that. The midwife will be under strict instructions to bring gallons (or whatever measurements it is they use) of entonox (gas & air). I'll
all the way through labour -as I did with my last 2 - and, in transition, I'll be saying "I can't do this" and trying to run off, but hopefully, I'll have a healthy baby at the end. Whatever else happens, it's only the last bit that matters.
Oh and the birth was only the start of it. Yes, I'm still an advocate of breastfeeding on demand, but I also used only traditional terry square nappies, made and pureed all my own food, took him to the park every day, swimming, library etc etc. God, I gave myself such a hard time, trying to be this perfect "earth mother" type that I didn't properly relax and enjoy my baby. This time, s/he will be in easy-on nappies, organic (of course!) baby food in jars and will be living in a -probably filthy -babygro (sleepsuit? I'm SO out of touch) until s/he starts school
