I think I'd like a home birth or water birth...

[x.Lilly.x]

Okay well how late is it to arrange having a home birth or a water birth?
Iv been thinking about it and if they havent got the facilities at the hospital for a water birth Id like a home birth, but have I left it to late to arrange seen as my next mw appointment ill be 34 weeks.
Also have any of you had home births and do you get a mw with you at all times or do you literally do it all by yourself and do you get gas and air?
Thanks x

 

[xxbeckyxx]

They do the home birth prep at about 36 weeks so you're not too late, as long as your pregnancy has been fairly straightforward! I'm planning a home birth if all goes well. In my area the midwife comes to check when I phone up to see how things are going but then may go and come back later on. You usually get two midwives and they are allowed to carry one canister of gas and air each.

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Oh, but if you think you might want pethidine, you have to get a prescription from your GP for it and keep it at home cos midwives aren't allowed to carry it on them but are allowed to administer it. You have to get the stuff to stop you feeling sick with it too. I don't think I'll bother though tbh

 

[x.Lilly.x]

I had pethadine with my son and gas and air, but they gave me pethdine when I was 8cm gone and shouldnt of so i dont remember much of him being born as i was so out of it so am a bit of having it again tbh.
and oh goody im not too late! im just torn, i like the fact if anything goes wrong im already at the hospital with everything ready but like the fact itll be more relaxed at home.
maybe I could do it at home till im nearly there?

 

[Rayoflight]

I did 50 hrs of my 54 hr labour at home. Intended on a home birth but as I didn't progress I had to go to hospital.

Having the pool at home was great. The baby's heart rate the whole time was fab because I was relaxed at home. Midwives were wonderful and I had at least one with me the whole time. Also had other midwives drop by with more gas and air at points.

Shame I couldn't do the whole thing at home but I have no regrets.

 

[x.Lilly.x]

omg id LOVE to have the pool at home! do u need any special requirements or just buy a pool and fill it? lol

 

[Rayoflight]

I hired mine from the local children's centre. £30 and I've had it 7 weeks now.

 

[x.Lilly.x]

okay thanks, how did u find out about where u could hire one from or did u jst call round places or ask ur mw? x
oh and did it get water everywhere/hard to take the water out of?

 

[Rayoflight]

Midwife told me about it. Does depend where you live though. All PCTs are different.

Was a pain with the water to be honest. My mum did her back in emptying it.

Was better than the TENS machine and really helped with the pain.

X

 

[xxbeckyxx]

I was gonna have a pool but seemed like too much work (not that I'd be the one doing it lol!). I'm just gonna get in and out of the bath if I want.
I definitely think home births are more relaxed, you know your surroundings, can keep mobile doing everyday things and have all your stuff on hand!
I live over an hours drive from the hospital but the way I see it, if I was stressing in hospital I'd more likely need what they can give you, yet at home I hopefully won't cos I can relax!

 

[tania]

I am totally in two minds about this at the moment - we are doing hypnobirthing classes and whole point is to be as relaxed as possible while in labour which I think would be easier at home with a hired birthing pool. Worried about emptying it though without flooding the house! Where I live if you go for a homebirth you get sent 2 midwives and the gas & air etc is delivered to your house a couple of weeks before your due date. Prescriptions available for other medications for the midwives to give you. Just a bit worried though in case anything did go wrong - apparently they call an ambulance to transfer you if need be, but midwife told me there is often about an hours delay to get one and then the hospital is about 25 minutes away from here - all seems a bit long if there was an emergency. The hospital near us is pretty old and horrible though and really don't fancy giving birth there! The one plus side though is they do have a birthing pool, but only one so if someone else is using it too bad!

Oh really dunno what is best?!

 

[midnight]

you can hire them from a company but tehy are 80 quid but come with a pump to empty water and all extra bits

 

[flexilexi394]

Think I'm gonna have a water birth at the hosp I'd like to labour a lot at home if I can handle it too. X

 

[Rayoflight]

Tania, I was transferred by ambulance. I was in no danger at the time, baby's heart rate was good. It arrived within 10 mins. Could've easy waited an hour as I was in no real emergency. Believe me, if there is any question of you or the baby being in real danger you'll have your ambulance very quickly and go to the hospital with the blue lights flashing.

 

[indigo]

From what I've heard, you can decide to have a home birth right up til the last minute - although it's probably better to have a planned one (I bet you wouldn't be popular with the midwives if you sprung it on them like that).

I've been lucky enough to borrow a pool from a friend (who had a successful home birth in it). I think they bought it for about 80 or 90 quid, and it cost me 25 quid to get a liner for it. The main thing that you've got to make sure if you're using one at home is that your floor boards can take the weight. We're putting ours in the front room and have a concrete floor, so nothing to worry about there! OH has got the garden hose at the ready, and bought an adaptor so that it fits on the bath taps.

I've hired tens machine from the hospital, and will get 2 midwives who will bring gas and air. I also chose not to get the prescription for the drugs that are available as I'm really hoping for a drug free birth (eek).

I'm really hoping that nothing goes wrong and I do get my home birth, I am totally convinced it's the right thing for me - I really wouldn't get on well in a hospital, although understand that if I have to go, I have to go (and the hospital is only about 20 minutes away if I need to get there in a hurry). Even my OH has come round to the idea and has become a bit of an advocate for home and hypnobirthing (he wasn't sure about either at first!)