Home birth question and a slight rant, too (sorry)

[moss]

Okay so I had my 28 week appointment and as I said in the thread about that, I am happy with how it went overall. I am finding it nearly impossible, though, to get any information on what Ninewells is like to give birth in! The only person that has experience of it that I know right now had her last baby five years ago and things have probably changed a little since then. It's a consultant led unit, but that's really all I know! It's absolutely ridiculous because I work here!

I want a birthing pool, but they didn't have one when my colleague had her baby, but like I said this was five years ago. I don't want my husband to be kicked out right away and I want reasonable visiting hours if I have to stay here. I don't want to feel like I am in a factory or stressed. The only information I can find online is pretty out of date and extremely mixed.

Add to this the fact that I really don't know how I can get to the hospital and I am leaning more and more towards a home birth! I liked the sound of it originally but was worried about my thin walls. If this is the only way I can know what to expect before my home visit at 36 weeks, though, I don't care about my neighbours (or my nervous mother who is visiting- she can stay in a hotel! Ha...)

So my home birth question is: When do I tell the midwife I am thinking about having one? My next appointment isn't for four weeks, at which time I will be 32 weeks. This feels too late, so should I just call? Also, about a birthing pool. Is it better to rent or buy? Can anyone recommend a good source for either?

Thanks, and sorry this is so long!

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Ok, here's my attempt at offering advice!! (i'm no good at it though so be warned!).

THE HOSPITAL - is there no chance of you getting a tour of the labour ward? Most places offer one. As for the general queries does your midwife know about the hospitals facilities? My notes have the hospital visiting hours on them. You could also try calling the hospitals general line and seeing if they are able to help you at all.

HOMEBIRTH - I'm hoping for one of these and I am really excited about the concept. The sooner you mention the idea to your midwife the better! I'd call her and see if maybe you can get an appointment sooner to see her and discuss the option of a homebirth. Providing you are considered low risk they are unlikely to say no to the idea.

POOL - I've got this one ready to use -

which can be bought here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Intex-Inflatable-AQUARIUM-Infl-Floor/dp/B0017RAT24

it's marketed in the US as a birth pool. Sherlock used one, lisa&alex used one and BeckyJ has the same one ready to use! It is sturdy and cheap!

If you wanted a 'proper' one you can get one from here https://www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk/index

hiring them IMO works out a lot more expensive that buying one!! and mine will double up as a kiddies pool!!!

hope that's of some use to you! feel free to PM me if you have any questions xxxx

 

[Sherlock]

Ditto what BabyBee said

The pool she showed you is good, only if you are tall (like me) it may not be deep enough to cover your back and bump when on all fours trying to push. And the back is better covered in water I found. It is really solid and I spent a fair amount of time in it but did not actually birth in it as I lost my contractions so came out and had LO out of the pool stood and squatting Great birthing postions IMHO.

But the pool was great for pain relief (much better than TENS machine and Entinox) Just need to do a trial run with it, work out how long it takes to blow up (15 minutes for us) and how long to fill. And how to fill. We bought hosing and attached it to our shower and then used buckets also. Took about an hour all up.

And discuss with your MW sooner rather than later. You can be booked in for a homebirth at 36 weeks and deliver from 37/38 onwards. Depends on your HA policy. Mine is from 37 weeks, others 38. You'll also need to buy a few bits in (plastic sheeting etc) in advance. 32 weeks gives you ample time to inform her you'd like a homebirth and to get organised.

 

[abcd1234]

I think a home birth sounds lovely tbh, i cant have one, cos its my parents house id feel in the way, plus im a little scared due to my sisters birth being a little less then simple.

My midwife was asking us at antenatel if we'd thought about home birth and was saying we can still decide etc and talk to her about it if we're interested, and everyone there was at least 34 weeks. However i was quite suprised to find that only one women was interested and she didnt have a clue (seemed to think she was gonna go off have and epi at home etc)

As for hospital tours mine doesnt do one, i have to admit ifi hadnt been up at 25 weeks i'd be worrying about where to go and how to get in etc. Voice your concerns to your midwife she might help

 

[maybebaby]

I'm big on homebirths because I had a great experience with mine & am planning another one.

I bought a birthpoolinabox but didn't get to use it because I had a really short labour (story in my sig if you fancy a read!). If I had seen the amazon one I probably would have gone for that because although the one I bought looks great it's pretty expensive considering I never got to use it. Don't worry about the walls but if you get on well with your neighbour it might be worth mentioning that you're planning a homebirth so that she doesn't get worried if she hears anything. If you don't get on then stuff her !

I'd call your midwife so that you can voice your concerns over the hospital and also ask her about the homebirth.

Good luck, hope you get some answers.

 

[BeckyJ]

i agree with what all of the ladies here have said

like babybee and sherlock i have that pool from amazon, if you dont get to use it its not a great waste of money and could be used as a paddling pool and if you do get to use it the people that have experienced it have said it works great

i would mention you want a homebirth to your midwife asap

if you change your mind later on you can always go to hospital

 

[moss]

Thanks everyone! That has helped a lot. Unfortunately my hospital definitely doesn't offer tours. It is currently undergoing a lot of changes and a new midwife led unit is being built so there is no chance of confidentiality apparently if a tour was going through. This alone worries me! Also, it's Ninewells, which is a very central, main hospital for a large region so there is almost never a labour suite empty to be shown. I'm thinking about walking down there at some point and asking them to call me if there ever is, but I don't know if that would be annoying to them. I don't want to get on the wrong side of the nurses before I'm there! My manager is a former neonatal nurse so I'm thinking about asking her if she still knows anyone that might be able to help... I've only been here a couple of weeks though so I don't know how comfortable I feel asking my VERY busy manager for a favour like that!

As for that pool (the kiddie one awww it's so cute it would be cheerful to have!)... I am about 5'7'' but I have a very long back. I would guess I have the legs of a 5'5'' woman and the back of someone who is 5'9'', at least. My husband is 5'10'' and I'm taller than him by about an inch or two, maybe slightly more when we sit! Do you guess it's deep enough for me?

 

[daftscotslass]

There's a website with inspection reports from all the maternity units in Scotland, I'll dig it out for you

Edit: Here you go - http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/ ... _JAN07.pdf

It's not a patient review, more a professional review so it's a bit jargonised but will give you an idea of what's available at the hospital.

 

[Sherlock]

Regarding the depth of the pool, I'm 5'9 and it was fine for me sitting or leaning back and sprawling out in, but if I wanted to be on all fours or leaning over the side, it wasn't deep enough to help ease the contraction pains in my back. My tummy of course was in the water, but my back wasn't covered so it got painful.

If I leant over the side I had to bend my legs so as to lift them off the floor and have them sort of float behind me, curled up.

TBH, its so cheap its worth getting and trying. I actually didn't mind getting out of the pool for the second stage of pushing to birth LO, in fact once I was at that point, I found it better being out and standing then squatting as I could really give it some serious pushing. Not as painful as the first stage contractions I found, but everyone is different.

 

[moss]

Thanks Sherlock, I probably will get the pool if I decide I certainly want a homebirth. And daftscotslass... Thanks for that. I have read that report and for Ninewells it talks a lot about what is scheduled to be here in 2008... I just don't know if it will be (or is already)!

My midwife seemed unwilling to talk in detail about facilities, etc until her 36 week home visit, but maybe if I tell her I want a homebirth that will get her talking!