Aiming for home water birth, due 6th of June

[Mummafrog]

Hello ladies

I am currently 32 weeks and due on the 6th of June as the title says. I am shooting for a home water birth and have always dreamed of one, this is my first baby and my mum did the same with me which I have watched on video, very inspiring! I will be filming and photographing my birth too.

I have been wondering when to post here for my whole pregnancy but as it gets nearer and no complications have arisen, I'm feeling more and more confident that it is looking likely
I am in the UK and am working with an independent midwife (courtesey of my mum who will also be present, I am extremely grateful). My partner has been wonderfully supportive of my decision and he is about as excited as I am!

To prepare for our home birth me and my partner are doing a two day one-to-one course with our midwife of Natal Hypnotherapy, had the first session today and next is tomorrow. It is amazing and it has equipped us with so many more ideas and tools for management of labour and birth and maintaining control, also my partner feels so much more confident in his ability to support me and he has less concerns now. I would recommend it!
Also giving raspberry leaf tea a whirl, I figured why not
I will have my pool, a birth ball and also set up the sofa and our bed so that I can be there without worrying about mess if I feel like it.

If I do have to go to/transfer to hospital for monitoring for whatever reason I plan to keep using the Hypnotherapy and still aim for as natural as possible.

Is anyone else aiming for a home birth/water birth anywhere around this time? Come and chat, share your plans and photos, I would love to hear from others and welcome advice

Good luck to you all with your pregnancies, births and babies

 

[RedButterfly]

Hello. I'm due 6 June and having a home birth. Was going to have a home water birth but my labours are very quick so don't think I'd make a water birth in time!

 

[Mummafrog]

Awesome, hello! We can be bump buddies and wait for our special day!
Home birth seems like a much less stressful idea than trying to get to hospital if you have quick labours hehe.
What are your plans? Are your other children going to be around? How are you feeling about things at the moment? ^^

 

[RedButterfly]

If labour hits during the day, my MIL will have my girls for the day. If it hits during the night, I'll let them carry on sleeping. I'm not that loud so shouldn't wake them, fingers crossed! I'm fine with things, just curious as to how early this one will be. How are you feeling with it being your first?

 

[Mummafrog]

Good plan I'm sure your little poppets would be fine, birth doesn't have to be scary. So they are 4 and 1 and you've got another baby on the way? What lovely age gaps.
Oooh what week did your others come? Are you usually early?
Have you had a home birth with either of your others?

I've got to say I'm feeling very excited! Particularly after the natal hypnotherapy. I'm looking forward to going through it with my partner, whatever happens and I can't believe we will meet our precious girl at the end :')

 

[RedButterfly]

I actually like being in labour. Maybe cause they aren't that long (first was 4 hours, second was 2 hours)! Eldest came at 36+6. Youngest came at 38+4. After the youngest was born, the midwife said it's unlikely I'll ever make it to 40 weeks. I'll always go early, which is fine with me as long as I make it to 37 weeks. No, this is the first home birth as I only just made it to the hospital last time and we only lived 5 mins drive away. Midwife agrees that a home birth is the best option with how fast I labour.

Is your partner getting excited?

 

[Mummafrog]

How exciting, so five weeks away from your goal and then baby can come anytime!

For me my independent midwife who I really want to be there is going away between the 29th of May and 6th of June, typical! I knew from the start of course, but such a shame. So I'm determined to either be over a week early or past my due date

My partner is really excited yeah hehe, especially now he feels more confident to support me, he has a very good image/opinion of birth and has totally supported my natural approach and I know he will be my support 100% throughout, I feel very lucky to have him to have babies with

How does your partner feel about birth? Is he looking forward to another quick, exciting few hours with a snuggly baby at the end?

 

[RedButterfly]

He's fine about the birth. He knows to sit down, zip it and let me get on with it, lol. Yup, excited. He'll have his son.

 

[MissRhead]

Hey im due monday and am all set up for my home birth. I only decided on a HB at 36 weeks but am really excited about it now, everyone thinks im insane mind, i dont think its all that common around here. Had my gas and air, oxygen and birth kit dropped off at 37 weeks, i was going to have a birthing pool but ive decided to just use my tub if i want to for labour as i have a tens machine i want to try this time. Just waiting around now and hoping i dont go to far over due as im pretty fed up already! x

 

[RedButterfly]

Good luck on your home birth!

 

[Mummafrog]

Oooh how exciting! I really hope it comes soon and goes well for you, I'd love to hear all about it. It doesn't matter what people think, if you're making the best decision for you and your baby, I am sure it is also the safest Well done for being strong!

Are you going to have any birth partners with you? How are you feeling about it? X

 

[daddiesgift]

Im due May 28th and planning a home water birth!

 

[MissRhead]

Thankyou, ill be sure to report back with hopefully a lovely birth story
I am having my mum as my birthing partner, depending on how things go ill ask my dad to bring my son over (they live across the road!) before i am pushing, id like them to be close by to meet baby asap. Im feeling fine about things really, very calm about it, the only thing i keep thinking is i hope i like the midwife who will be on call, i would love to have the one ive seen for all my antenatel care but in reality it could be an unfamiliar one and that kind of makes me nervous! x

 

[Mummafrog]

Ahh welcome daddiesgift! It will be lovely to share the run up to our home births with you I've seen you around, I remember because your son in your picture is beautiful! I love red heads
Have you got your pool yet? What else are you preparing for your space?

MissRhead that sounds lovely, how useful to have them just over the road. Ah yes, I'm very lucky to have an indipendent midwife, I would also feel apprehensive about a stranger turning up. But they have all had the same training and in my job as a student midwife I have seen so many amazing midwives work, I would say it's very likely that they will be helpful and lovely and you'll remember them fondly after midwives with bad practice seem rare.

How are people feeling in their pregnancy at the moment? XX

 

[daddiesgift]

Awe thanks! He is pretty adorable

We are moving into a much smaller space so the midwives tub was too big. I bought the oasis birthing pool. Now I just hope it fits into our new bedroom
https://www.yourwaterbirth.com/oasis-eco-birth-pool-oasis-birth-pool-p-2014.html
I really want some smell good candles set up and some Christmas lights so I can turn off light but not be in the dark. Christmas lights always make me feel loved and happy as well. I need to make a music playlist but I'm having a hard time coming up with stuff! Anyone have any ideas? Maybe once we all get our space set up we can post pictures

My oh is military so we are moving across the country when I'm 36 week! Me and the boys leave next Sunday to set up and settle in, OH arrives two weeks later. I'm so nervous he won't make it in time!! I feel like I could give birth today I'm feel huge and heavy and all around uncomfortable. I didn't start feeling like this till almost birth with my other pregnancies. So I'm going to try my best to take it easy.

As far as telling people I hadn't told anyone tell recently we were doing a home birth. And even then I've only told my mom and best friend. With my first I was so excited I told anyone who would listen I planned a natural birth. I rarely if ever heard positive feedback. It was always "oh yeah right you just wait and see" "you'll be screaming for an epidural" "birth is the worse pain on earth" and I think talk like that really feeds into our thoughts and feelings no matter how confident we are. Home birth isn't really huge here in America so only a certain group of people know the "truth" the others seem terrified of the idea so I decided I'd just keep it to myself to save myself from all the negativity that may harm my positive birth plans

 

[Mummafrog]

Oh no, moving now must be hard, really hope it all goes smoothly and OH makes it!

Lovely pool you've chosen, I've got a small living room too, the independent midwife package includes a pool and everything needed but they haven't delivered it yet and I am apprehensive as to whether it will fit.. fingers crossed!
I'm the same about christmas lights.. and candle light, so lots of that, also there is a particular insence I love (Nag Champa) which I will use. As for music not 100% sure yet, there is the hypnotherapy music and I'll be putting together a playlist of meditative/chanting music that my mum used to play as I was growing up, it makes me feel very safe and strong, I'll share some of the names of the artists with you when I've started doing the playlist!
Sure I'll put pictures up of my special space when it's set up, but as it is our living room it won't be all properly set up until the birth is actually happening although we'll probably do a trial run of setting up the pool so I can grab pictures then!

Yes I am very careful of who I tell as well, although I am very fortunate to have a community of people in my life for whom it is the norm so they are all pleased I am going for it

Have you got everything for baby? Anything left to buy?

 

[daddiesgift]

Im going to try and set everything up in my bedroom so my toddlers arent into everything! I can just see them overwhelmed with joy to be going swimming in the house but it all depends on when we get there and movers arrive with our stuff how it all fits.

I also want to put up birth and breast feeding affirmations up everywhere since I kind of know the self talk I start when Im in labor. It will be nice to look up and read something inspiring

I think we have everything we need for baby! After 2 boys finding out girl we kind of went shopping pretty early on so I will need to look at everything once we unpack to make sure.

What hypnobirthing cd do you have? I have one that I havent been able to listen to yet Well I did for a few minutes but it was more a woman talking than music. Have you read any books or anything in preparation? I also have quite a few I need to go too. Im obviously a procrastinator

 

[sezzolou]

Aww, I'm so excited for you all. I had a home water birth using hypnobirthing in June last year (UK also). It was perfect. I've just found out I'm pregnant and definately want to do the same again. Just ask if you have any questions 😊

 

[Mummafrog]

Sorry I've been away for a while! I was thinking about this thread before I saw someone had posted

daddiesgift - I can imagine your children getting very giddy about the pool too
I'm going to put up affirmations/images on the walls too, I think it will be a good focus.
I'm doing Natal Hypnotherapy which is slightly different, the book/cd/course is all created by Maggy Howell; not sure who the CD is read by. The pre-birth CD is supposed to be mainly talking because it's a hypnosis session, then the idea is you have another CD which is just the music that is in the background for birth so that when you hear it you go into the state without needing the talking.. or that's what I've understood You can use the talking too, but yes the actual labour CD is a different CD.

Sezzolou - Congratulations on your new bean!! So kind of you to drop in and wish us well and offer your expertise Can I ask at what point you got in the pool? Because it seems best not to get in TOO early but when did you? And sorry if it's personal.. did you deliver your placenta in the pool? Or did you get out?

Looks like I'm going to get out to deliver the placenta as I have a slightly higher risk of bleeding so it seems the safest choice, but I wonder if I'll be able to step out before they cut the cord and just carry the baby or if the cord will need to be cut before I can get out... I have no idea how much strength/stability I will have.

Sooo excited about birthing, it's getting closer!

 

[sezzolou]

Sorry I've been away for a while! I was thinking about this thread before I saw someone had posted

daddiesgift - I can imagine your children getting very giddy about the pool too
I'm going to put up affirmations/images on the walls too, I think it will be a good focus.
I'm doing Natal Hypnotherapy which is slightly different, the book/cd/course is all created by Maggy Howell; not sure who the CD is read by. The pre-birth CD is supposed to be mainly talking because it's a hypnosis session, then the idea is you have another CD which is just the music that is in the background for birth so that when you hear it you go into the state without needing the talking.. or that's what I've understood You can use the talking too, but yes the actual labour CD is a different CD.

Sezzolou - Congratulations on your new bean!! So kind of you to drop in and wish us well and offer your expertise Can I ask at what point you got in the pool? Because it seems best not to get in TOO early but when did you? And sorry if it's personal.. did you deliver your placenta in the pool? Or did you get out?

Looks like I'm going to get out to deliver the placenta as I have a slightly higher risk of bleeding so it seems the safest choice, but I wonder if I'll be able to step out before they cut the cord and just carry the baby or if the cord will need to be cut before I can get out... I have no idea how much strength/stability I will have.

Sooo excited about birthing, it's getting closer!

Hi,
I don't mind answering any kind of questions really. I'm a nurse so I'm used to all the gory stuff lol.

In my birth plan I specifically requested no internals but the midwife was pretty keen and insistent on doing just the 1 on the day so I agreed after I had been in labour for 4 hours (my labour started with waters breaking). I was 4cm dilated. This is when I got in the pool. I had already been soaking in the bath for an hour earlier on. I gave birth 2 hours after being told I was 4cm so for me that reaffirmed that giving into having the internal was the wrong thing for me...all it did was give me doubts that i could manage as I thought I was further along than that. I was pretty insistent that I got into the water at 4cm and it didn't slow down my progress at all. It's so much easier to move around in the water.

I delivered my placenta out of the water lying on my settee. It took about half an hour. I had abit of a bleed after the birth so they wanted me out of the pool so they could monitor me better. I managed to get out of the pool with baby still attached to the cord which was interesting lol.

To those thinking of drinking raspberry leaf tea...myself and the midwife believe it really made a difference for me. My labour lasted 6 hours in total, my contractions were strong and started at less than 5 minutes apart and my uterus contracted back really fast after birth. I also didn't do any pushing, my body did it all for me.