Advantages of a home birth?

[Mum2threeboys]

So there is a list as long as your arm that people give for hospital births...
Urgent care on hand
Specialist care on hand
Drugs available if needed etc etc

What's the advantages of a home birth?

Here's my story...
My first son was breech and I lost waters early, so he was delivered by c section. I have since had two very successful vbac's and my last little boy was delivered very quickly.

The midwife has advised a home birth this time as the chances of me making it to hospital in time are unlikely if it proceeds at the same rate as my last (or quicker!)

I have only had gas and air for my births which I believe is available to me if I choose to birth at home.

The midwife is worried and doesn't want me to risk having the baby on route to hospital.

Also we don't have a great family network where we are and my middle son is diabetic (type 1) so giving birth at home may be easier for that situation as if I go to hospital I may be going on my own - if hubby is the only one to have my sons!

Our hospital is about 20 mins away.

Many thanks, I look forward to your responses!

 

[smallpeanut]

You get one to one care. If anything were to go wrong, it will be picked up on much more quickly and appropriate action taken.
You will be far more relaxed and in control being active at home.
No hospital waiting after birth. The midwives leave you as soon as they can.
You get yummy food!
You get your own bed at night and your own shower.

I loved my home birth

 

[MindUtopia]

For me, it was just that I knew I'd be more relaxed and comfortable at home, would feel like I had more choice and control over what I could do and the sort of medical care I wanted (if any), felt safer, felt like I could have more privacy and peace and quiet, and also didn't have to make that trip to the hospital or be stuck in a hospital waiting for a discharge (in the story below, I waited 5 days for a discharge!) when we wanted to go home and rest in our own bed.

I had a home birth with my first a little over a year ago, so I don't actually know what a hospital birth is like and how it would compare. But my daughter has been in hospital since for treatment (for treatment she didn't need I should add) and it was horrible. I felt like things were so out of control, none of the staff respected me or my wishes, they were pushy, rude and unhelpful, and the hospital stay itself had more of a negative impact than her being a little bit sick (in this case, she was fine, but they insisted on 5 days of IV antibiotics until tests later proved that she didn't have an infection). I wasn't afraid of hospitals before I had her, just thought giving birth would be easier and nicer at home, but now I definitely have a negative view of hospitals and hospital care. My birth was lovely and I would have planned to have any future babies at home (assuming we're all healthy) anyway, but after that experience, I couldn't be more convinced we made the best possible decision for us.

 

[smallpeanut]

For me, it was just that I knew I'd be more relaxed and comfortable at home, would feel like I had more choice and control over what I could do and the sort of medical care I wanted (if any), felt safer, felt like I could have more privacy and peace and quiet, and also didn't have to make that trip to the hospital or be stuck in a hospital waiting for a discharge (in the story below, I waited 5 days for a discharge!) when we wanted to go home and rest in our own bed.

I had a home birth with my first a little over a year ago, so I don't actually know what a hospital birth is like and how it would compare. But my daughter has been in hospital since for treatment (for treatment she didn't need I should add) and it was horrible. I felt like things were so out of control, none of the staff respected me or my wishes, they were pushy, rude and unhelpful, and the hospital stay itself had more of a negative impact than her being a little bit sick (in this case, she was fine, but they insisted on 5 days of IV antibiotics until tests later proved that she didn't have an infection). I wasn't afraid of hospitals before I had her, just thought giving birth would be easier and nicer at home, but now I definitely have a negative view of hospitals and hospital care. My birth was lovely and I would have planned to have any future babies at home (assuming we're all healthy) anyway, but after that experience, I couldn't be more convinced we made the best possible decision for us.

Funny you should say that. With my second I had the perfect homebirth, but ended up on the neonatal ward due to severe jaundice. Also had needless iv drip. There for a week, no one respected me. They undermined me. He has since had four blood tests since discharge, they've requested two more?!?! Were refusing to go back. My boy is fine, it's totally pointless.

 

[ashlee2916]

the reason why i am choosing a homebirth is because:


you get more attention and not left waiting for ages to be seen to or fobbed off!

i can go straight to my bed, no waiting to be discharged or being talked to like rubbish!

i can eat what i want, watch what i want.

dont have to share a ward with other mums and babies!

can try as many positions as i want and dont have to worry about the birth pool being in use!

 

[Pearls18]

I had a relatively positive hospital birth with my first but for a few reasons I knew home birth was for me second time around, I succeeded and below were the positives:

- we don't have family nearby, I didn't have to stress about DS1, he slept through it.

- the best thing for me was the recovery, I had a very quick birth it only took 1 hour and the MW didn't make it so the birthing experience was neither here nor there really I probably wouldn't have made the hospital even if I wanted, but it was so lovely going up to my own bath, putting on my dressing gown and sitting on the sofa with my boys watching tv, absolutely nothing could beat that for me.

There were a few other things but they were the 2 biggest for me.

 

[dairymomma]

I'm on the other side of the fence as I'm choosing a natural hospital birth. For me it's more about feeling safe and comfortable but since we live 25 miles from the nearest hospital and over 90 miles from the nearest NICU (plus the nearest ambulance would/could be coming from over an hour away), I feel better delivering somewhere with medical capabilities in case something goes wrong. (I also don't mind being at the hospital as I get a few days to bond with baby and get this whole nursing thing down before I head home to the ruckus and rambunctiousness of my two older kids.) However, I do have several family members within 5 minutes drive who can take the kids while I'm in the hospital so childcare isn't an issue for me. And I haven't had any bad experiences with hospital staff or feeling like I'm a nuisance rather than a patient. I want to add though that I have nothing against home births personally though and would seriously consider one if we didn't live so far out in the boondocks. If we had a birthing center locally, I'd totally go there but the nearest one is over 4 hours away so it's not really an option for me.

 

[sillysapling]

I had a traumatic homebirth due to a midwife who simply didn't want to be there, I still don't know why but she went as far as to lie about my progress on the chart to justify driving an hour away when I was in active labor. Given what's going on with you, I'd hope your midwife is far more kind and involved.

I prefer home birth because I can't stand hospitals. I'm not opposed to them by any stretch, I'm grateful for them, I've gotten surgery before, I go to the doctor when I need to, etc- but I can't stand them, I spend my entire time in them on edge. I doubt I could labor effectively in a hospital. However, that's only because we had a totally low-risk pregnancy, if there were ANY sign of concern- homebirth wouldn't be worth the risk for me.

Go with what you truly want. The best place to give birth is where you're most comfortable- if you need the security of medical professionals in the same building, go to a hospital. If you dislike the hospital setting and would feel more comfortable and secure at home, give birth at home. I do think you should be prepared for a homebirth in case you progress too quickly to get to the hospital, though.

You should read up on preparing siblings for a home birth and what you might need for them as well.

 

[lynnikins]

all of the above and much much more,

being able to welcome my boys to come meet their new brother at mere min old, the comfort of my own bed the security of my own house , bathroom etc.. getting a cup of decent tea when I woke up the next day and not hearing all the other women on the ward and their babies and husbands all the time. not needing to remember to put in my food order when the food trolley came around or get out of bed to go get it and instead hubby cooking what I wanted to eat and bringing it right to me

 

[Kittycat155]

My main reason is once you check into hospital so much is routine that should not be and I want to have nothing that I do not need.

It is a MUST that I be able to walk or move around and at hospital they "do not allow that". IV, fetal monitoring(which I do not think it the best for a baby with the struggle of its life to endure) Then after baby is born I want to hold baby-all bloody and gunky is fine thank you!

I refuse to fight every step of the way and just will do things my way. Eating/drinking that is not done in secret is also a perk.

 

[BunnyN]

From a medical point of veiw, less risk of infections and less risk of interventions you don't need.

 

[smallpeanut]

You will also feel more comfortable saying no to anything you don't want. I found that anyway. X

 

[CharlWhite]

Hi there. I just got my gas and air delivered and my birth box from the midwives.

My reasons are that my DD's birth in hospital was horrendous. I'm not all that comfortable in a hospital, only ever been a patient when I had my DD. I really wanted a water birth this time as the pain drugs don't agree with me at all and the pool is out of action at the hospital so midwife suggested a home birth with water.

I'm so excited about it, I'm in control of what happens, I will feel a lot more relaxed here. I'm starting to get a bit annoyed with the comments about having baby at home and that I must be really brave, or crazy. X

 

[BunnyN]

A lady who had recently had a CS for twins said to me "wow, you are so brave" when she heard I had a home birth. I don't really consider it brave. In my books having a CS, that takes bravery!

 

[Impet Limpet]

I wanted a guarantee I'd have a pool available, which would I only happen if it was a homebirth.
Also the one on one care was wonderful and very relaxing,it's nice to know that if you are not in active labour yet, they will go for a few hours and you can chill doing what you like.,
You don't have the 'shall I drive to hospital?' 'Do i need to get children out of bed\sitter round? Questions to worry about.
Less chance of infection,
I also if baby was born at night\outside visiting I didn't want hubby having to go home after the birth of the baby,it just seems so mean to send a daddy home alone after one of the major emotional life events!!
I like my space, and not having to be in a place where, food, obs and everything else is dictated by the routine of the ward,I feel so out of control as a patient!

I work in a hospital too! But its a whole different ball game when you are a patient!

 

[BunnyN]

Oh, yeh that was mayjor for me, no way I was going to stay in hospital and OH go home. If i had a hospital birth I would have gone home with him no matter what they said (unless of course the baby was acctually sick). It was much nicer to all be at home to start with.