36wks + and only just decided on HomeBirth! HELP!

[ika]

HELP! I have ummed and arghed over the last couple of months about home birth versus hospital. When I first started out the thought of a home birth had me in the complete horrors, but now its the thought of a hospital birth that has me feeling that way. I like the idea of being in familiar surroundings, my OH being able to stay with me (us! eek!), cutting out the travelling to hospital, less of a rush to have baby etc.

I want a water birth but when I asked about this, the MW just shrugged her shoulders and said "well its first come first served so if theres not one available you'll go without". The water is something I feel really strongly about so am looking at purchasing a little pool at home.

My pregnancy *touch wood* has been low risk and straight forward (apart from being Rhesus Neg which I don't think has a bearing does it?).

My only worries are:

In the event of a complication the hospital is 30mins away.

The rhesus neg thing - is this a problem?

My pain threshold is soooo low, I'm a complete wuss. Is there a problem and how would I be treated if I couldn't take the pain and had to be transferred to hosp?

How do I 'book' or who do I tell that I've changed my mind to a home birth?

Please help!!

Ika x x x

 

[milkmachine]

tell your midwife you want a h.b asap so she can come out and do her assessment/book you in. the hosp might be 30mins away in a car but in an ambulance with the lights you i bet youd be there in 10. as far as im aware the rhesus neg thing isnt an issue although i could be wrong....i am pretty addicted to reading about pregnancy and birth and i dont remember ever reading about it having an impact on homebirth.
If your at home in your own surroundings you will prob find you deal better with pain than you would in a sterile strange hospital.
just got to get yourself a pool! some nhs's have them for hire.... ask your midwife?

 

[ika]

Thank you MM My OH is finishing work early today so will make 100% sure we're both happy (he's even more 'for it' than I am!!) that its what we both want and will phone the MW (I want him there for back up if I get asked any akward questions!!). The pool is on order - just gotta think where to put it now!

 

[Celesse]

I got transferred (for fetal distress). I had 5 tanks of Gas and Air at home and refused to walk to the ambulance unless someone walked next to me and carried the gas and air. As mine was an emergency transfer I had to go in a blue flashy light ambulance that arrived asap, but if you needed to transfer for pain relief they would call a slower response time ambulance. The ambulance carries Gas and Air. I had them call ahead and the epidural was in place within an hour of getting to the hospital. I found that because I was chilled about my transfer and decision to have an epidural so where the staff.

Is your transfer time of 30minutes what it takes you to get to the hospital, or what it takes a blue light ambulance to get there? It would take about 20mins to drive from my house to the hospital, but the ambulance did it within half that time even though it was rush hour.

 

[milkmachine]

Thank you MM My OH is finishing work early today so will make 100% sure we're both happy (he's even more 'for it' than I am!!) that its what we both want and will phone the MW (I want him there for back up if I get asked any akward questions!!). The pool is on order - just gotta think where to put it now!

i have had two bad hospital births, nothing wrong with the births but it was the treatment by the hosp staff that was bad..... i would advise anyone who has even half thought about birthing at home to run with it. although ive not had a homebirth YET nothing is moving me with this baby..

 

[JenStar1976]

I had a home water birth and am Rh neg. When they take the placenta away (if that's what you are happy with them doing), then they'll do a blood test at the hospital. The next day I had a call to say that Alex was Rh pos, so the midwife came over to our house and gave me the shot of Anti-D.

I changed my mind at 35 weeks (after attending NCT classes), so it was a mad rush to get everything ready as I too wanted a water birth (my hospital only has one pool and couldn't guarantee it would be free). I rang my midwife and she came out to me to do the assessment. She was brilliant! I was really scared about asking her if I could change my mind, but she was absolutely supportive of our decision. In our area, they don't leave a kit in advance, they bring it round on the day. I was asked to provide a pool, a waterproof torch & mirror (for checking me whilst in the water), plenty of old towels and a couple of shower curtains to put on the floor. I ordered my pool online straight away and it was delivered within about 5 days (from the Good Birth Company).

As mentioned above, if you did need to transfer then an ambulance should be with you within 6 minutes and the journey will probably take 20. When the midwives contact the hospital to let them know that you're coming in (assuming it is for a c-section), then you will be given priority - it takes a theatre about 15 minutes to prepare everything for the procedure, so everything would be ready for when you got there. Hopefully it won't come to that though!

Have you thought about buying or renting a TENS machine as another form of pain relief whilst at home? I used one throughout my labour and it was fab. xx

 

[ika]

More fab advice thank you Your post has really reassured me about making the call to the MW - I hope she is as supportive! OH was meant to have finished work at 2pm but he's still not back yet grrr! Come home Mr so I can get this sorted!!

 

[milkmachine]

on the torch mirror plastic sheeting thing i got all things from poundland super cheap. Also get a bucket/washing up bowl incase your sick along with nice tissues or and kitchen roll

 

[quaizer]

How did it go with your MW? x

 

[KandyKinz]

I think you'll be very pleased with your choice in the end!

And as mentioned above, the rh thing is no problem... here what they do is just take a blood sample from the cord (after it's finished pulsating) and send it to the hospital after they leave to find out whether you'll need more rhogam or not.

And if you can't cope with the pain transferring into hospital is no big deal at all... though I have a feeling you can do it especially with a birth pool! I completely believe that non-labour pain tolerance has no reflection on labour pain tolerance.... I cry when I get a paper cut... but have managed to get through an unmedicated labour! It can be done.

Also, wanting pain relief in labour does not necessarily mean an ambulance ride... If things are still in the earlier stages having your hubby drive you is still a reasonable option for many midwives. Of course this doesn't apply if you're in transition and birth is immenent... Which is generally when most women decide they can't do it anymore.... Fortunately, transition is the shortest stages of labour meaning that once you reach that point it won't be long at all till it's all over! So just remind yourself of that if you hit that wall!

 

[milkmachine]

i have in it in my birth plan to be reminded when i go into labour la la land otherwise known as transition lol!! labour pain is def diff to any other it FEELS productive so you kinda get your head into that its working towards something and it makes it more ok than stubbing your toe which REALLY hurts and is pointless pain