38+3 and arranging for homebirth at the last minute!

[hinkybinky]

Hello all! I have been under consultant led care for this pregnancy due to recurrent first tri losses, and it has just been assumed by all the professionals involved in my care that I'd give birth at local hospital. Although I questioned this at the beginning, having wanted a homebirth, I eventually came to terms with the fact it was just a given that I'd be in hospital.

Well, I had my 38wk midwife appt today - was a different midwife to the one I usually see. She asked me why I'm not having a homebirth and I said I didn't think I was allowed Anyway, she has now set the wheels in motion, is visiting me on Wed for a homebirth assessment, and has advised I get hold of an anglepoise lamp (in case I need any 'embroidery') and a shower curtain or two!

Any suggestions as to what else I need or what I should do to prepare? I have my hospital bags packed but will I need anything different? Not bothered about labouring in a pool so that's ok. Feel a bit unprepared for a homebirth but could not pass up the opportunity! Am over the moon that she has thrown me this unexprected lifeline to the birth I wanted

 

[Lois22]

Congrats I hope your homebirth goes all to plan . I also decided at 37 weeks with my LO to have a homebirth. It all went amazing

I just got a bucket (incase I was sick but wasnt). I got told to buy a torch for stitches, waterproof bed sheet and a shower curtain. They bought everything else and cleared up everything . Xx

 

[hinkybinky]

Congrats I hope your homebirth goes all to plan . I also decided at 37 weeks with my LO to have a homebirth. It all went amazing

I just got a bucket (incase I was sick but wasnt). I got told to buy a torch for stitches, waterproof bed sheet and a shower curtain. They bought everything else and cleared up everything . Xx

Thank you! Bucket is a brilliant suggestion. Hopefully she will let me know if there is anything else on Wednesday. Baby is currently back-to-back so will be trying everything to change her position (I *think* she has only just turned that way). Just keeping my fingers crossed now!

 

[wishuwerehere]

My mw said towels are good. I got dust sheets for diy and am going to put towels on top.

 

[hinkybinky]

My mw said towels are good. I got dust sheets for diy and am going to put towels on top.

Good tip, thank you!

 

[sept2010]

I am.the same i decided on a homebirth at 37 weeks... so basically i got told i just need old towels and a few cheap shower curtains...

 

[sept2010]

And a hospital bag on standby..."just in.case" and it will be handy to have evrything you need in one bag when lil one.does arrive...

 

[RaspberryK]

We were given a list for our home birth handy box, so that everything is in one place for the midwife.
I transferred late to the hb team last pregnancy but ended up giving birth in hospital last minute.
I purchased a pool late, like after 40 weeks and laboured for hours in there.
Snacks like cereal bars and drinks in a bottle for you.
Easy dh meals and biscuits for midwives, lol. My dh went outto kfc and got one for the student midwife :-D
We had an old futon mattress that we were about to throw out to have on the floor so I was comfy on my hands and knees. This time I've saved an old winter duvet.
I found my birth ball nice in very early labour- I sat on it watching tv for the first 4 hours before waking dh.
Bin bags.
Torch.
Blanket for you and one for baby.
Towels.
Birth plan.
Xx

 

[hinkybinky]

And a hospital bag on standby..."just in.case" and it will be handy to have evrything you need in one bag when lil one.does arrive...

Yep, labour bag and baby's bag was packed already so just left it all in there. At least DH will know where everything is then.

 

[hinkybinky]

We were given a list for our home birth handy box, so that everything is in one place for the midwife.
I transferred late to the hb team last pregnancy but ended up giving birth in hospital last minute.
I purchased a pool late, like after 40 weeks and laboured for hours in there.
Snacks like cereal bars and drinks in a bottle for you.
Easy dh meals and biscuits for midwives, lol. My dh went outto kfc and got one for the student midwife :-D
We had an old futon mattress that we were about to throw out to have on the floor so I was comfy on my hands and knees. This time I've saved an old winter duvet.
I found my birth ball nice in very early labour- I sat on it watching tv for the first 4 hours before waking dh.
Bin bags.
Torch.
Blanket for you and one for baby.
Towels.
Birth plan.
Xx

Thanks for all your suggestions. I spend all my time draped over my birth ball at the moment trying to get the baby to turn from OP, so that will definitely be on hand! I've got supplies in for the midwives, and frankly DH can make himself a sandwich. Am a bit annoyed I took an old duvet down to the dump a few weeks ago - but I have an oldish one that can be replaced if need be. I am (probably dangerously) making an assumption that I will dilate quickly like I did last time, and that we will be done and dusted within a few hours. May not be the same if baby stays back-to-back but I am trying to think positive

 

[MindUtopia]

That's fantastic! My best friend was similar, decided really late in pregnancy with her first after some negative experiences with her OB to plan a home birth. It was wonderful. She just recently had her second baby at home as well and is now a doula. I had my first at home just over a year ago.

Here's what was on my list that I found really helpful:

Food for you, your partner, and midwives (coffee, biscuits, fruit, snack bars, dried fruit for midwives and my husband, plus got coconut water, dates, honey for me - basically lots of things that were high energy but could be stored away for when we needed it).
Shower curtains
Towels – for floor and soft ones for after birth
Dressing gown
Something to play music on (mp3 player, CD player) - if you want
Disposable bed mats - these were really helpful and I didn't have enough!
Bucket and dish pan - for filling up pool, also for placenta and other dirty stuff that just needed to be contained (I encapsulated my placenta so needed somewhere clean to put in, not sure what midwives normally do with it)
Hot water bottle - for your back if you want it
Extra kitchen and toilet roll - you can never have enough!
Straws for drinking

 

[RaspberryK]

We were given a list for our home birth handy box, so that everything is in one place for the midwife.
I transferred late to the hb team last pregnancy but ended up giving birth in hospital last minute.
I purchased a pool late, like after 40 weeks and laboured for hours in there.
Snacks like cereal bars and drinks in a bottle for you.
Easy dh meals and biscuits for midwives, lol. My dh went outto kfc and got one for the student midwife :-D
We had an old futon mattress that we were about to throw out to have on the floor so I was comfy on my hands and knees. This time I've saved an old winter duvet.
I found my birth ball nice in very early labour- I sat on it watching tv for the first 4 hours before waking dh.
Bin bags.
Torch.
Blanket for you and one for baby.
Towels.
Birth plan.
Xx

Thanks for all your suggestions. I spend all my time draped over my birth ball at the moment trying to get the baby to turn from OP, so that will definitely be on hand! I've got supplies in for the midwives, and frankly DH can make himself a sandwich. Am a bit annoyed I took an old duvet down to the dump a few weeks ago - but I have an oldish one that can be replaced if need be. I am (probably dangerously) making an assumption that I will dilate quickly like I did last time, and that we will be done and dusted within a few hours. May not be the same if baby stays back-to-back but I am trying to think positive

Ds was in the process of turning and he came out squiffy not b2b not normal, lol.
I spent ages in the past few weeks on the ball as he was breech, transverse etc.
I've got very hard stone floor and wood upstairs so I need the padding but you might not need it.
Xx
Xx

 

[hinkybinky]

Thank you lovely ladies for all your help! So excited now, will let you know what happens xxx

 

[lovelylaura]

How is everything going any sign of baby? Hope everything goes well x

 

[hinkybinky]

How is everything going any sign of baby? Hope everything goes well x

Thank you. Currently 5 days overdue and booked in for a sweep on Friday - DS, my first baby, was only 2 days late so I was not expecting to still be here. Trying not to think too much about what will happen if the sweep does not do its job... they want to book me in for induction for early next week which will mean bye-bye hb

Please keep fingers crossed that my baby and body get going soon

 

[Mrs Cupcake]

fingers crossed for you.

i had an unplanned homebirth so didnt have any supplies but we coped fine with old towels. the midwife had plastic sheeting she put down. to be honest there wasn't really any mess apart from a couple of dirty towels from rubbing the baby. they even caught my waters on an absorbant pad!

good luck.

 

[lovelylaura]

hope you dont have to wait much longer!

 

[hinkybinky]

Update: sadly, I did not get my homebirth since waters broke at 7:30pm on 26th Feb but baby still had not turned, leading to irregular / inefffective contractions for about 20 hours. The recommendation in my area is that after 18 hours (used to be 24 but recently changed - SO annoying) IV antibiotics should be given to the mother during labour.

After discussion with DH we did not want to go against that as although the risk likelihood is low, the consequences are serious.

Anyhow, I continued with all the fetal positioning techniques, staying upright, trying to get things going, and at 2pm she turned, contractions ramped up amazingly, we got to hospital at 4 and she was born naturally with just G&A at half past 5. Would have been sooner but for all the mucking about with IV drip and ECG monitoring (which I eventually refused to have after lots of faffing about with it trying to keep it on me in my upright position! - midwife said afterwards she was so glad I said the magic words "I don't want that thing on me" as she was then able to put that the patient had refused it; seems a bit of a silly game that they have to wait for you to be forthright rather than just giving you a choice).

Worst bit was that I knew I wanted to push as soon as we got there but they were telling me not to, because they had to do all the protocol bits. Best bit was pushing my baby out into the world - amazing feeling although at one point of exhaustion I almost dared to ask if they couldn't just pull her out like my last one!!

Although I didn't get my homebirth I was pleased things turned out the way they did. We did have to stay in for 24 hours for obs but all was fine and we got home last night safe and sound. We are thrilled with our new addition, Evie Margaret, who is doing extremely well.

Good luck to everyone with your births, however they turn out. My one piece of advice is even if you end up in hospital, don't forget to ask for mats, balls, whatever you need, and to refuse anything you don't want. First of all I was up on one of those silly obstetric beds until it occurred to me maybe I could ask to be on the floor, SO glad I did. But they won't necessarily offer these things as they are just concerned to get the baby out safely, especially if there is some risk.

Lots of luck xxx

 

[RaspberryK]

You're so right I felt very pressured to do what I was told in hospital!
Congratulations on the birth of your little girl, you got the best thing ever - a healthy baby, no matter how you got there in the end.
I'm glad for you it was relatively straightforward.
Xx

 

[lovelylaura]

Congratulations! i'm pleased everything turned out all ok. All the matters is she's fine xx