Homebirth - Info, links, birth stories and more

[Suzie and Faith]

Great list Sherlock, I'll have a think ad see if there is anything else to add.

I'm still sad I didn't get my homebirth! I will next time!

 

[lisa&alex]

i think this is a fantastic thread..

i would like to suggest putting the birth storys in order of post date as regulations tend to change slightly.. i was told not to stay at home as we were 36+5 but after reading homebirth.org i knew the risks were extreamly low and decided to stay home which im very very glad i did we had absolutly no complications at all. and it goes to show if you give birth in your 36th week and it is spontanious labor the chances of anything going wrong are extreamly slim.. just as any home birth. giving bith at home is an absolutly fantastic experience when we were thinking or moving i felt sad that teds wasnt going to grow up in the house he was born in..(secretly glad we arnt moving now )

 

[Sherlock]

Thanks

I had intended to put them in order of posting but I put a couple the wrong way round. Will correct that now.

Working on a few other things to include in it also atm

*Edited to add*

Went and checked the listing of birth stories and they are in order already

 

[Gemmy]

Just wanted to say this is a fantastic resource - thank you very much Sherlock I will be using it a lot.

 

[trixipaws]

aww great topic sherlock! tis a shame u werent around first half of 2007! lol i shall pm u with my link. x

 

[valentine]

Valentine's Birth Story

 

[Chrissy1]

Sherlock this is a gem of a thread..... as you know I'm now 33 weeks and hoping for a homebirth so this is going to be fantastic for me and my DH to read all about your births and check out all the sites.

thanks a million....... hopefully you'll be able to add my link to your birth stories in the next couple of months

 

[Hypnorm]

ooh glad i found this thread!! i am hoping for a home birth with this little one!
Will get hubby to read through it too as he is also hpoing for a home birth as our hosp experience wasnt the best!

 

[Ibuellie]

Hi,
I've been doing some reading about home births (only 7 weeks so a lot of thinking time to go). My husband and I would love to have a home birth but can't really afford to do it privately. I've read that for many reasons (NHS staff shortages mainly) they'll encourage you to just go in to the centre. Really don't want the stress of having to fight for a midwife right at the crutial moment. I'm hoping that it's really only a problem for people who live in more remote places or small communities. Has anyone had a hard time getting a midwife in more urban parts of the UK?

 

[Sherlock]

Hi,
I've been doing some reading about home births (only 7 weeks so a lot of thinking time to go). My husband and I would love to have a home birth but can't really afford to do it privately. I've read that for many reasons (NHS staff shortages mainly) they'll encourage you to just go in to the centre. Really don't want the stress of having to fight for a midwife right at the crutial moment. I'm hoping that it's really only a problem for people who live in more remote places or small communities. Has anyone had a hard time getting a midwife in more urban parts of the UK?

Congrats

If you wish to have a homebirth then the NHS will send MW's to attend during your labour. Its not about you having to fight to get a MW when you go into labour. I know plenty of ladies here living in towns and cities who have had homebirths. Sometimes you don't know which MW you will have of course (but that would be the same if giving birth in hospital) but often you have a set group of MW's who work on rota cover so are well used to homebirths. Afaik none of these women had a private MW, all were NHS provided.

Discuss with your MW and see how things go with your pregnancy. You cannot be booked in for a homebirth before 36 weeks and have to go to hospital if you go into labour before 37 weeks as MW's cannot deliver at home before this.

So no need to make up your mind right now, plenty of time to think about it all, research and also decide on a hospital should you wish to give birth in one.

FWIW I live rural and we have 4 MW's who all are community MW's and attend homebirths. None of them are attached to hospitals. All are community MW's and specialise in homebirthing. Of course women go to hospital to deliver their baby but these MW's don't work there.

Often in large towns and cities iirc MW's that cover homebirths are attached to hospitals and sent out from there.

Have a read over on the Homebirth site for all the info and we can offer help and support here also )

 

[Ibuellie]

Thanks Sherlock,
I know I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. I'm working in Indonesia at the moment so this pregnancy has changed our plans a bit. I have no intention of giving birth over here but we need to get a bit more money together before coming back to the UK. It's very hard to start nesting when our lives are in limbo so I have to content myself with searching the net for info on different options for the next few months. We'd definately prefer a homebirth.

Actually, living here it's been really interesting seeing the difference in how poor third world country women manage their babies. I've noticed that most of them wear the baby in a sarong wrap and walk around while they feed them solids. The babies always seem so calm about the whole feeding experience and I've never seen the kind of mess you get when feeding a baby in a high chair. Back to basics childcare is definately the way forward.

 

[mamaduck]

Hello

This is a great thread!! I delivered both of my babies at home, the 2nd was unassisted as the midwife did not believe I was in labour (I used self hypnosis for pain relief) but thankfully my other half was a great honourary midwife, he was amazing! Both of my birth stories are on the homebirth reference site as well under charlie paris, they are quite close to the top of the birth stories page (about 20 down I think) there are some pics of just after the births as well.

I feel soo pasionately about womens right to chosing a homebirth and that it is as safe a place to deliver for low risk mothers as hospital (safer if you think about the risk of hospital infections!) That myself and another homebirthing mama are setting up the first homebirth support group in Aberdeenshire. We have found through our experiences and talking to other mums that homebirths are actively discouraged in this area, which can put a real strain on mothers hoping for a homebirth and the less confident ones end up bullied into hospital births. We hope to be able to offer info, advice and support to these mothers who have a right to chose where to birth their babies I also had such profound birth experiences using Maggie Howells Natal Hypnotherapy that I am currently training to be a Natal Hypnotherapy Practitioner and will be running 2 day birth preparation courses from the spring. I really hope I can help couples achieve the positive, uplifting birth I had using Natal Hypnotherapy!

All this talking of homebirth is making me even broodier, I would do it a million times over if I could, childbirth can be the most empowering, uplifting experience of a womens life and does not have to be and should not be a very painful, stressful ordeal, we as women are designed to birth our babies, but in this medicalised world we too often forget this and are not allowed to trust our instincts, homebirths are such a great way to take control! (obviously, in the right circumstances for a women who does not have underlying medical conditions, which are actually few and far between, not that the medical profession would have us believe this)!

Sorry for the long post this is something I feel passionately about (can you tell?lol) as I'm sure many of you do too!

 

[Sherlock]

HI mamaduck Welcome to the forum. Congrats on your two beautiful boys.

Glad you like the thread. I have proably read your birth stories (I read all of them on the HB ref site ages back).

Like you, I am really passtionate about homebirth hence this thread to offer advice and support.

Feel free to contribute anything you think should be mentioned.

See you around

 

[mamaduck]

Thanks Sherlock!! Its really good to 'meet' you! This is has turned into such a wonderful place to meet other like minded mama's and mama's to be!! I am off to read your birth story now

 

[mamaduck]

Sherlock, I loved your birth story, it is written beautifully!! And Galen is just gorgeous! And what a beautiful name too! Congratulations on a fabby homebirth and beautiful baby boy!

 

[Chrissy1]

Just wanted to add that I've now added a link to my homebirth story in my signature.

I was in latent labour for exactly two days followed by an 'official' 11 hour labour.

Having a homebirth was the best thing I've ever done. the whole birth experience was totally magical for me and I loved it, I can't recommend it enough. I really can't wait to do it again.

good luck to everyone hoping for a homebirth