Home water birth

[Samsmum]

Hi ladies, I'm pregnant with my second and had a marvellous home water birth with my first. I thought maybe there's women out there who are interested but worried about doing it with their first, so thought I'd offer myself for advice for any thinking about it.

Make a pregnancy ticker

 

[RB1]

I've opted for hospital with it being my first but I'm very interested in a water birth. Seen it a little on OBEM but know nothing other than what I saw on that!

What prompted you to have a home birth? A friend has just had one and had an amazing experience, one of her best friends was her midwife, but I'm a bit too scared to go for home birth.

 

[cosmicgirl]

I admire ladies who home birth, I'd be too scared to do that. I would like a hospital water birth and am aiming to hypnobirth xx

 

[Samsmum]

Please please push for water wherever you do it. It truly means you can make it through! I had gas and air for the pushing contractions but that's all. I had One contraction standing up in the pool and it was so intense I could really appreciate how effective it is as soon as I sat down again. It's not mumbo jumbo hippies only stuff, it truly works.
Think of how fab a bath feels when you got aching muscles, well I had a whole mental picture going on that my uterus is simply a big muscle doing a grand scale work out and being in water while picturing the muscle contracting like your bicep or abs helped me no end. Does that make sense?
Home births certainly aren't for everyone but I'm so freaked out by the conveyor belt of hospitals and their timings that being at home is the only way to guarantee you're on your own schedule. if it takes a little longer than an hour for you to push it doesn't matter, they're not going to whip out the forceps!

Make a pregnancy ticker

 

[Little_angel]

Did they guarantee there would be a midwife available for a home birth, or did you have to take your chances?

 

[Samsmum]

Did you know having a hb is the only way to guarantee you have two midwives at your birth? No birthing alone during the second stage because they're with someone else, you are their one and only priority! And guess what's fab? My MW from 7 years ago is my MW this time around! It's just perfect xxx

 

[Little_angel]

But what if there aren't enough midwives to go round? Surely they can't guarantee that every woman wo wants a home birth gets one? I'm interested, and will discuss it with my midwife at booking in.

 

[Samsmum]

Yes they can that's the point, and also you can decide once you're in labour, you don't have to be booked in for one (although of course they prefer that) the midwives in the community team are a completely different team to those at hospital which is why you'll have your antenatal checks at home xx

 

[cosmicgirl]

I was thinking of hiring a birth pool at home for my early labour as I want to give birth in hospital. Then I looked at the prices don't think I will lol x

 

[Little_angel]

Yes they can that's the point, and also you can decide once you're in labour, you don't have to be booked in for one (although of course they prefer that) the midwives in the community team are a completely different team to those at hospital which is why you'll have your antenatal checks at home xx[\QUOTE]

Wow, I'm impressed that they have the resources for those kind of guarantees! What if 3 women were in labour at the same time and wanted home births?

If its a different team, do you have to know before your booking appointment? Or would they refer you to the other team if you started with the non-community midwife?

 

[Samsmum]

Get in your tub for the home part, any water is fabulous x You can get them on eBay these days because you use a liner you're only buying the pool and you buy yourself a new liner. Much cheaper I didn't hire I bought one and we use it in the summer cos it's really deep and has a blow up floor (for knees in labour but great for not bashing yourself in the summer) Ill be buying a new one this time tho lol cos its not very clean anymore heehee

 

[Samsmum]

Yes they can that's the point, and also you can decide once you're in labour, you don't have to be booked in for one (although of course they prefer that) the midwives in the community team are a completely different team to those at hospital which is why you'll have your antenatal checks at home xx[\QUOTE]

Wow, I'm impressed that they have the resources for those kind of guarantees! What if 3 women were in labour at the same time and wanted home births?

If its a different team, do you have to know before your booking appointment? Or would they refer you to the other team if you started with the non-community midwife?

They refer you to the community, cos that's what I did last time, I had a few antenatals at hospital because I had not decided to have hb after until my NCT classes cos I didn't realise you could have one for your first. So then I had a new midwife who came to the house they have a list of all babies and their due dates so they can make sure they have the right number available, there's a baby boom at the moment so it must be fun for them!

 

[jojo3972]

i wanted a water birth with my last one but at hospital im to scared to do at home i like all the machines and docs close by and i didnt get my water birth bcos she pooed inside me and then my placenta got stuck and i needed emergency assistance and blood tramsfusiions if i had been at home i dred to think wat would have happened but i know lopads of ladies have wanderfull home births but it just isnt for me this time i will be hooked up from start to finish as high risk xx

 

[Little_angel]

Lovely! Thanks for all the information. I will definitely talk to the midwife.

 

[Samsmum]

Jojo how come you're high risk? This is a new placenta? No reason to think issues will occur again lots of people have comfort from hospital and I totally understand, I find that keeping out of the system suits me but it's not everyone (hence the low rate of 2% for hb), but water birth is now above 11% so go for it xxx good luck and give me a shout if you've got any water birth queries xx

Little angel - good for you and fingers crossed xxx

 

[Lovisa]

I wanted to have a home water birth with my first but as she came early I wasn't allowed and had to have a hospital birth.
I am considering it now with my second but I know my consultant is tidying to advise me to have a birth or water birth at the hospital/midwifery unit.
I managed to give birth to my daughter with no pain relief well one tiny puff at last push as doctor was pulling which hurt.
Think I'm going to stick to my guns and have a water birth this time round though even if I do have to have it at the hospital instead of home x

 

[Samsmum]

Good for you, my doctor doesn't "approve" of home births so I have had to switch to another doctor at the surgery! Do push for birthing centre if you're not comfortable with home, but don't be pushed to do it - ESP if you already know how you cope with labour and you were fine last time, you may find the baby comes nice and quickly so you don't transfer anyway and can then snuggle in your own bed after a bath in your own bath - heaven xxx
Personally the idea of all those strangers in the wards puts me right off! Birth is incredibly private for me xxx

 

[katey123]

I would love to have a waterbirth but it's differicult as my labours have been so fast up to an hour usually there's no time to set it up ,it was suggested to set it up from my dur date and keep refreshing the water but in a small house with other kids it's just not possible to do thatand number 4 was a week early anyway. I have laboured in my bath and then delivered on the living room floor the last two births which was fine and I think the nearest I'll get to a waterbirth.
I would definitely recommend home births although I wasn't allow with my first. xx

 

[Samsmum]

Good for you, I might consider setting one up cos relaxing in it in the last few days is fab x watch eastenders in the pool heehee! I was on my due date last time, but who knows for the second. I'm worried about speed this time around, so I may set it up early - I don't fancy home birth without water like some women do

 

[Lovisa]

Thanks hun. It was the consultant who is trying to persuade me to have a hospital birth as my last birth I was a month early, left with 3rd degree tears and the Dr was investigated. But I can't see the problem as there is always a chance someone could tear in pregnancy and I also explained that not only did I really want to go ahead with it last time and I didnt get a chance, I am the only one who drives so I have no one to drive me to the hospital, and might be difficult to get someone to look after my daughter whilst I'm in hospital. Would feel a lot more comfortable at home x