# Home birth and neighbours..



## RoxyRoo

Hi ladies, we're expecting our first baby in October and I'm really hoping for a home water birth.

We live in a terraced cottage and I was just wondering if a home birth was right with neighbours in such close proximity :haha: Luckily, we have an amazing relationship with the neighbours either side so I'm not actually bothered about them hearing anything.

My question really is how likely are they to hear me?

How loud were you during your home births and did your neighbours hear you?


This is in no way going to affect my decision for home birth, it's more out of curiosity than anything :flower:


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## Mervs Mum

I tend to find women a nowhere near as loud as they think they are. Some women are very primal and loud and others are completely internalized and quiet. Wouldn't worry too much honey - they may well be out, asleep or away when ut happens! :winkwink:


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## DazedConfused

Howdy, I told my neighbors about potential noise, I got a bit primal during crowning but that was all, I thought I'd be really loud. The people over the fence from me were having a party when I was in labour, that was annoying!


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## chuck

We live in a semi next to students...didnt bother telling them, theyre noisey enough themselves!

I was zoned out and quiet at home, got a bit moany when I got transferred to hospital though.

I wouldnt worry.


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## birdiex

I wonder about this too, but our neighbours hate us :dohh: 

I'll just have to try and build back a positive relationship during the pregnancy, that way if I'm a screamer hopefully they won't be *too* annoyed!


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## sam#3

i think some women are louder when dtd than i am in labour lol! I dont think im too bad! I have always given birth in the middle of the night as well so it was all quiet around so people may have heard some noise but no-one has ever mentioned it!! According to my sister at times i sounded a bit like a whale and a bit like a primitive cave woman :lol:


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## Greta Chick

I was totally quiet during my labour and delivery with DD2. We live in an end terrace house and our 2 older children were upstairs in bed and my Dad was sat upstairs in our bedroom and none of them heard a thing. Our children slept right through.

xx


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## NaturalMomma

I hardly made any noise. The only time I did was when I was pushing and I kept asking if they could see the baby yet (becasue I had a leg cramp)


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## chuck

pah what can they do come around and complain, call the council/police??

Good luck to them.


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## rachiedata

I live in a flat right in the middle of the block, and we asked two sets of neighbours afterwards did they hear anything, both said nothing! I thought I was quite loud while I was pushing, but it's all relative, if you're in a room with three excited midwives and OH and you're working harder than you've ever worked in your life... you're going to sound loud! If they did complain at the time, I really would tell them (get OH to tell them) to shove off.


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## Rebaby

I mooed, i mean really REALLY mooed with every contraction for hours and then when it came to crowning i screamed once really loud and remember thinking "oh my god, was that me?!" :haha:

So if we do have a homebirth this time i think i will have to give the neighbours a heads up or they might be worrying what on earth is going on :wacko: we live in a terrace but i'll only tell one side, as the guy on the other side is a total odd bod anyway who has been quite nasty with us on occasion so i don't feel like sharing our plans with him!


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## pinkclaire

With my first I was really quiet, with Lottie I was mooing like a cow lol. It was a much quicker intense labour though. I suppose what I'm saying is you don't know, but I can assure you something, you won't care at the time lol x


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## bubbles

I warned my neighbours we were planning a homebirth. The lady asked if she could come and watch :rofl: Unfortunately it didn't happen, maybe next time


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## Blob

My neighbours happen to be my parents :haha: Maybe give them £40 to go out to the pub :haha:
I never made and noise other than shouting that I didnt want to do this bit as it hurt last time :haha: then telling my DH to fuck off when he said just stop then.


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## Mervs Mum

:rofl:


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## moomin_troll

do u worry about having sex and ur neighbours hearing lol?
i make more noise dtd then i did giving birth to my son, i didnt scream like u see in films so i doubt anyone will be hearing me :)


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## birdiex

Blob said:


> My neighbours happen to be my parents :haha: Maybe give them £40 to go out to the pub :haha:
> I never made and noise other than shouting that I didnt want to do this bit as it hurt last time :haha: then telling my DH to fuck off when he said just stop then.

Haha, how in the world were you supposed to stop? :rofl:


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## RoxyRoo

Thanks for the replies everyone, they were really helpful :)

Like I said in the OP, I'm not worried about them hearing me, I was more curious if they would.. We get on really well with both sets of neighbours and they think it's great that we're planning a home birth - infact so great that they'll probably be spying through the window :haha:

Like you all said, it doesn't matter if they hear me anyway, I'm sure they've heard worse in the 6 years that we've lived here :haha:


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## crazy mummy

I had a home birth and also live in a terrace house, I delivered my baby at 2.55am and didn't even wake my sleeping children let alone the neighbours so don't worry huni I am sure it will be fine goodluck xx


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## Linzi

I hope my neighbours hear me, they're right pain in the arses with noise. They work nightshift and come knocking complaining when we've taken the day off work to do DIY or whatever then proceed to go clattering around their house at ridiculous times at night that keep us awake.

I hope I do disturb them :haha: just a little bit xx


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## madasa

I think I was pretty quiet. It was nighttime and my son never woke up. If they heard anything, at times it sounded like good sex. Maybe have some loud sex now so that it won't be unusual on the day? :)


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## Celesse

We are in a block flat. Last labour they definately heard me mooing away. If I have this baby on due date they may get a bit pissy, but bollocks to them! 

I like the sex idea Madasa. I'm sure OH would also like that suggestion!!


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## lynnikins

lol im pretty quiet so not too bothered dont know if we will tell the neighbors only one side know im expecting again so far lol got a gripe with the other side caus their son smokes weed out his window and the scent comes into my house and gets on my washing if i hang it up outside


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## special_kala

My neighbours definitely heard my HB as i did 2 massive screams at the end with the window open

My OH said it was a good job i walked to ambulance with a baby otherwise the neighbours may have been concerned :haha:


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## mrs_lukey

My neighbour doesn't care when her 4 dogs bark all night and keep us up so I'm hoping to get my own back a little :)


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## Ju_bubbs

I'm usually pretty quiet, but last time I did warn my neghbour (only have the one coz Im end terrace) that I was having a homebirth at some point that month, so not to worry if you hear some shouts, and dont call the police or anything! lol But tbh, even my dog in the next room didn't notice anything was going on.


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## ljo1984

i didnt make any noise when in labour with imogen, everyone is different. i was in hospital so didnt matter about neighbours but both sides always say how quiet she was and still is, even when i say she can throw a good tantrum!! either they definatly cant hear or there being polite lol. but im sure it'll be fine. xx


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## L Elise

Ah, see now I have this problem! :blush:

Spent a hell of a time getting OH on side for a HB - finally he conceded defeat! :winkwink: Now other plans have changed and we're moving.

We'll be living in work digs by the time baby is due. I'm a bit odd on a good day!! :haha: I don't like attention etc etc. My battle cry is: I'll be disappearing into the hotpress and coming out three days later, babe in arms - just the way the cat does!! If the neighbours in the next house flick a switch/turn on the TV you can hear it in your house - I swear they're built from cardboard!!

I don't worry about worrying the neighbours - I worry about waking all the kids in the street!! :rofl: I'm considered an odd duck for wanting a HB, so this *may* just push the neighbours over the edge. :rofl: I would die of embarassment!! :rofl:


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## Blah11

I'm going to put a note in their doors (I live in a culdesac) letting them know that I'm expecting a baby (im sure theyll know :rofl:) and having the birth at home so not to worry about any noise and to please park in the spaces and keep the main strip of road free incase an ambulance is needed.


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## Kess

I'm going to pop nextdoor today and see if she heard anything. My Mom says I wasn't loud except right at the end, so we'll see!


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