HOME BIRTHS - who is having one / wanting one??

[Tigger87]

I've had a big turn around and (hopefully!) having a home birth now. I've just got a shower curtain, an old duvet (apparently it absorbs splashes well!!) and then some new towels to cuddle up in after (I'll use some old ones for birth). My mums going to be the first midwife on call for me, and she lives on the same street so that's good!!! I just need some new pyjamas now for after.

 

[babyslog]

Aww yay!!! Xx

 

[Phoenix85]

La Redoute is having a 40% sale til tomorrow night I think.
I went on yesterday and bought a waterproof mattress protector for the bed, and a new bedding set (fitted sheet, duvet cover & 2 pillowcases) lol.

Also bought 6 new towels - 2 bath sheet size, 4 regular size (bigger than hand towels though). And a matching bath mat. Came to about £70 for the lot which I thought was pretty cheap for what I got.

I'm going to use my "old" dark purple bath towels for the labour.

I still need to get a cheap plastic shower curtain at some point, and some disposable incontinence mats lol. I mostly want to use the towels, but think a few disposable pads will be better for the actual pushing... I've been watching home birth videos and a lot of gunk, blood & poo comes out at the end as the head is birthed lol!!

I'm quite lucky in that my whole house is hard floor - laminate throughout, lino in the bathroom, we did that because I have pets and my 9yr old has allergies and asthma so needed to be able to keep the floors dust & fur free (carpet fibres trap the fur so even after vacuuming it's still full of allergens).
The bonus being I don't have to worry about birth fluids ruining a carpet lol.


Sorry to hear about you & your ex OH, Babyslog.

My baby's dad is also not in the picture now (he claimed he would be early on but hasn't followed through on that).

My older two go to their dad's on a weekend so if I have the baby between Saturday afternoon and Sunday night they'll be with him, otherwise they'll be at home. I'm not sure which I'd rather... I did want my eldest there to see it & take pictures(!) but they weren't keen on that so it might be better if I were to birth whilst they are asleep or with their dad lol.

 

[babyslog]

Aw thats ok, it was a mutual agreement on the split and its defo for the better. Hes being good with regards to having Noah extta. Agreed to be doing nursery runs closer to due date and after birth and will be here to help in the day as much as i need him in the early weeks. So fx hell keep supportive and to his word, im sure he will. Luckly his new place is only 10mins away and his work is even closer, so it wont take him long to come and collect Noah. I dnt mind Noah being here for the early labour while i wait for mw and my mum to arrive. Thata why i wanted a homebirth, so i didnt have to worry about him being settled and gone before i shoo off to hosp. So fx it goes to plan!

I rent and own everything in the house other than the carpet lol!
So im going to be bery OTT with my shower curtains and cover like crazy lol!

 

[Atlantis]

Good luck with your home birth prep - looks like you are on top of things. Have you got an old or dark dressing gown, that might come in handy for afterwards? And old pj s you don't mind staining?

I just had a HB 3 day ago and it was fab. It never even occurred to me that I could need any pain meds - being relaxed and comfy at home was a million times better than my first time at a hospital where I had to get an epidural during an induction

 

[babyslog]

Aw do glad u have a fab experience with ur HB

I managed on G&A with my firstborn so im praying i dnt need any more than that. Ive got a spare dressing gown (same one i bought for hosp for my 1st born) its jjst in the machine as we speak!
Ive got an old nightie ill wear for labouring in but have bought nee dark pjs and big baggy tops for afterwards.
Im hoping give birth, have some skin on skin for a while and a feed. Jump in the shower, new pjs in and hope into my fresh bed!! Lol

FX!! xx

 

[kanga86]

I can understand not having a pool when your mum will have to be the one to sort it out. My hubby isn't keen on it and although I have everything but the liner for my pool I'm not 100% I want to use it now. I have an old duvet I can use to make a nest with if I chose just a dry land birth.

I can't believe your ex wanted to hang around the hospital when you were in labour! Definitely stress free if he is looking after Noah for you. I'm hoping to labour at night whilst both boys are asleep, otherwise they will be going to the inlaws which is a 5 min walk away.

I do love that there are a few of us wanting homebirths this time, I hope we all get them. I have an appointment with a SOM on 14th April and at the mo feel as though they are going to decline my request. I seem to be getting quite a list of things that they may use against me! Previous emcs, previous retained placenta, previously GBS positive and now baby measuring small, so feel as though I have a huge fight on my hands and I don't want to be stressed out by it all xx

 

[babyslog]

Aww kanga i really really hope u get ur homebirth!!
My mw mentioned it to me at my 16wk app and at the time it was the first time it ever crossrd my mind. So i was like umm, maybe and left it as that, obv next app was 28wks and between too i decided i wanted one, but i had split with OH week before, noah was with me for that app and as i needed 28wk bloods etc i completly forgot to tell her i wanted one.

My next app which is this thurs is my 34wk one, so ill tell her then, hope that se still agrees, cant aee why not as shes the one that suggested it to me!
She gets a bit panicky though as my bumps 3wks ahead, i know Charlie is going to be big but she was like OMG need to send u for a growth scan lol. So i dnt want her thinking im guna shit out some 1stone baby and tell me to labour at hosp lol.

Im 6ft, im expecting another chunk, so fx she doesnt fret again on thurs!


Oh he wanted to still hold Charlie soon as he was born like he did with Noah, i tried explaining that its just not going to be like that this time, if he decided to hang around till after he was born then yes.. But he left. So, tough! Hes not my birthing partner anymore and id rather he had Noah.
He can still have skin to skin when he comes to meet him which depending on the time of day wont be a huge wait really anyway!!

Kanga keep us updated about ur SOM visit. I have everything crossed for you! Xx

 

[russellmuscle]

Good to see youv more or less got your home birth sorted.

Completely agree with your decision not to have FIB there. Perhaps for the best incase he stresses you out, you know what men are like stick to your plan. Ofcourse we all have ideals but if you two arent together things change. Cant switch to being a family again until after this ones born you seem quite settled and all your plans. Not that I know the story, just giving my 2 pence

I hope your birth goes well and you enjoy every min. At home sound so much stress free. Esp for FIB afterwards he can just come in when everythings tidy and your both settled and comfy.

xxxx

 

[babyslog]

Thanks hun, we ended on good terms and still txt most days when he asks how Noahs been it vise versa when Noahs over his.
But we split when i was 28/29wks, so from then till birth is a good while. I cant imagine labour being confortable for either of us being apart that long. He wont be there stroking my hair and holding my hand. Ill probs wanna punch him haha! I dnt want him to feel awkward too and like hes getting in the way. So thats that!
I have no issue with him coming over as soon as im dressed again and had a quick shower.


Hope it all goes to plan though and i do actually have Charlie at home id love to either labour in the night or while Noahs at nursery so he can just come home and meet him baby brother and we all have cwtchs! xx

 

[russellmuscle]

Thats good. Oh yes ofcourse things wouldnt be the same in that respect and if he did try to hold my hand Id probably be like piss off!!

Its always that wonder whether youll go day or night. Exciting.

Yeah youll heal so much quicker in your own bed. Youll have everything to hand. Itll be perfect. Im just itching for a 6h discharge and that I go early hours so I can be out and not have to spend a night there. I never slept in the hospital atall last time. I was in a day and once I got home it hit me and it was awful. So this time i wanna spend what time i can with baby alone in hospital for 6h then go home have a bath and nap. Thats my ideal

xxxx

 

[babyslog]

Thats good. Oh yes ofcourse things wouldnt be the same in that respect and if he did try to hold my hand Id probably be like piss off!!

Its always that wonder whether youll go day or night. Exciting.

Yeah youll heal so much quicker in your own bed. Youll have everything to hand. Itll be perfect. Im just itching for a 6h discharge and that I go early hours so I can be out and not have to spend a night there. I never slept in the hospital atall last time. I was in a day and once I got home it hit me and it was awful. So this time i wanna spend what time i can with baby alone in hospital for 6h then go home have a bath and nap. Thats my ideal

xxxx

I hated spendig the night with Noah. He was born at 5.44pm, was up on the ward at 9pm after being stitched and showered. I had meconium in my waters and as his HR kept dipping in labour they wanted to keep an eye. I dnt think id of been let home at that time of night anyway!
But as I was up on consulant led i was in a ward of 6. Didnt get to go home till 4pm the following day either!

If id of stayed down on MLC id of have a double bed and own room & en suite! OH would of been able to sleep too! Its a lovely unit!
But no, my bed it is! Lets home theres no fresh meconium again as ive heard thats normally an instant transfer to hosp as fresh can mean distressed baba!

Hope u get the labour u want and some time with baby before u get to go home. If only they went to plan ay!!!!!! Hahaha xx

 

[Tigger87]

I think they'll transfer for any meconium? Not sure though. Jake had mec in his waters but apparently it was quite thin, suggesting it wasn't distress but just over due.

I'm prepared for a transfer in I think, in my head. I think you have to be so as not to be disappointed? As long as I get to TRY with a home birth!

Kanga - they midwives and Drs can't tell you how to birth. It's your choice. Was talking to mum yesterday who said one of her patients went to a consultant appt and was told risks of a HB were too high. Another (clinic) midwife there told her she was calling to cancel her home birth then. Mums one of the community midwives, knew nothing of this until she came in for an appt the following week, where the girl said had she gone into labour she wasn't going to tell anyone until it was close because she wanted to try for her homebirth. Really dangerous - because she had risks, that wouldn't have been monitored. But that midwife that "cancelled" her homebirth, made her feel like it was her only option. Mum assured me it's not! Tell your midwife what you want. Explain how willingly you'll go in at the first sign of problems. You're not there to risk your baby, but you definitely deserve a go at having the birth you want xxx

 

[babyslog]

I though that too Tig about the mec. But apparently its down the the MW.. If babies HR is steady and labour is progressing nicely and ive read and spoke tk a fee girls on a fb HB group they there didnt get transferred.

Obv if my waters go early on and its there again 9/10 ill probs end up up the hosp. Which is ok i guess, by that point Noah wont he here, hosp is only 10mins max away too.

Last time my waters didnt go till 7cm, he was born an hour later. But the about of mec and how fresh it was, aswell as his heart rate dipping then going sky high & dipping again i had to be rushed up stairs to consultant led for a clip on Noahs head.

Im so excited to see how this labour turns out.
Pls no 2nd degree tears ahahaha

 

[Tigger87]

It's scary isn't it? My waters only went as I started pushing. Delivering midwife described them as thick and put me on monitor, mum said they weren't at all and she'd have been a lot better! From what you've said though, poor Noah did have a bit of a tough time in labour?

I can't wait for this labour. I'm hoping for one shorter than Jakes even, pain free because I'm going to be so relaxed :

 

[babyslog]

It's scary isn't it? My waters only went as I started pushing. Delivering midwife described them as thick and put me on monitor, mum said they weren't at all and she'd have been a lot better! From what you've said though, poor Noah did have a bit of a tough time in labour?

I can't wait for this labour. I'm hoping for one shorter than Jakes even, pain free because I'm going to be so relaxed :

Well from what I remember (g&a has made it a blur lol!) from what my mum and oh have said the last hr pushing was a bit hectic and rushed! So when my mw said id be a fab HB candidate i was bit like HUH!? Lol
Soon as try cleaned Noahs mec up and pinked him up he was fine and that was that, minus the fact they couldnt stop my bleeding from tearing lol.
I was surprised when she said id be really good for a HB...
But its defo what i want now! Im seeing her Thurs so going to go over everything in detail

 

[kanga86]

I am nervous for the SOM because as much as I know they can't force me to birth at the hospital and take the choice away but I am a push over so worry I don't stand up for myself. Plus I can see hubby just agreeing with everything bad that might happen as he still would prefer to go to the hospital. My own mw has been very supportive though so fingers crossed the SOM is too.

I agree I'm not going to do anything that will put me or baby at risk and would transfer in if anything seemed to be going wrong. Although I'm not sure how I would feel if I do need to transfer in though!

I'm hoping for a labour like my 2nd. Niggles from 9am whilst at soft play with Harry. Phoned hospital at 12:15 as pains were every 2-3mins lasting 40 secs and I was unsure what was going on as they weren't painful but the pressure was intense. To be told they were too close together, not long enough and not painful enough! Phoned again at 1:30 as still every 2 mins lasting 50 sec and pressure was awful and I wanted checking. Got to hospital at 2:35pm and shown into a triage room, waters went at 2:45pm and I needed to push and pain really ramped up, was told not to push as rim of cervix left. Baby born at 33pm after 10mins of pushing!! xx

 

[Tigger87]

Oh sounds lovely kanga!!! They just get easier each time, right??? Hahaha!! Xx

 

[kanga86]

I'm hoping so lol My 1st was hell as he was back to back and I was in constant pain even between contractions. Not even thinking that it could be worse than my 2nd one, positive thoughts and all that! Hahaha xx

 

[roxyroo]

I planned a home water birth for my second. It was all set up ready but then I was told I couldn't have my home birth as there wasn't enough available midwives I was so upset! Next time I'm not even going to bother X