Family's Reactions to Homebirth

[pea-in-pod]

my mother was thrilled caus she had 2 homebirths out of 5 children and my sister did too, my friends were the sceptics as a few of them had hard times with their first and " would have died if they were at home" when from knowing thier stories they would have easily been transfered in time for assistance and being in hospital probably started their problems anyway

Ooh I hate when peeps say that old "I would have died if I wasn't in the hospital" it's usually untrue because as lynnikins rightly points out, they would have been transferred before they were anywhere close to danger! I had a great first baby home birth and would highly rec it for anyone who is interested. Yes I had lots of opposition especially from friends involved in the medical profession! The are the worse for it because their profession teaches them that birth is dangerous I basically stopped telling people that we we're planning a home birth after I had the first few very negative comments. It was just easier that way.
I think your best course of action is to educate your family as best as you can. The research shows that home birth (in developed countries anyway) is as safe for neonatal outcomes and safer for maternal outcomes as hospital births. Yes that means you are actually safer at home than you are in the hospital!

Good luck!
Pea

 

[Fuchsia1412]

Exactly (to the above poster) -or, they tell you one story they 'read about in the paper' about a baby who didn't get transferred in time and is now braindead/has severe learning disabilities/ died etcetc..right, they are heinous tragedies, but in general the vast majority of women will not experience that, and midwives should be recognising problems earlier on than that. Generally I don't do my risk assessments for daily life based on the fact that last year, 2 people fell from trees and broken their necks( ok no tree climbing...) and guess what, I bet more than 5 % of children experienced terrible accidents in playparks,(no more parks now...) and how many children walking along the road got run over...??(ok i'm just not leaving the house from now on) Occams razor- what is most likely to happen? or what is least unlikely, rather...I've weighed it up, the chance of something going wrong, and no-one noticing it, is miniscule. The chance of me having a bad experience in hospital, or at least not a joyful and life affirming one, is very high. So the chances of me having the birth I want, the best birth for me, our family, my baby- whilst also being incredibly safe, is a homebirth. Here's my advice- get a copy of Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin, and when people comment negatively, tell them they have a bad aura and that you want the most telepathic, psychadelic birth you can possibly have.

 

[tripletsOMG]

My fsamily is completely negitive about it. That saddens me cause it makes me not talk about itwith them because I dont wanna argue or hear I'm wrong or making abad decision. Its veiwed as selfish to put my babies at risk but what about the risks of the hospitals meds, c/s ect I really wish my mom and sister would suck it up and be supportive of our decision because i need there support and want them at the birth. So far just hubby and kids (undecided) mw and assistants:0(

 

[jenny82]

I've only mentioned it to my mum and brother.

My brother just thinks I'm crazy, but he thinks that anyway

My mum doesn't believe how serious I actually am about it (in fact, I have an appointment about it tomorrow and didn't tell her what it was for). She told me I was nuts for not going to the hospital for a 'break'. Errr ok... Personally I think she just wants me in the hospital so that her sisters can visit, as they wouldn't visit at the house.

 

[taperjeangirl]

I suspect OH's family will be very backward towards it , but sod them! I'm hoping that I will convince everybody that it will be the best thing!

 

[bettny]

my side of the family were great my grandma had all 8 kids at home so its seen as a normal choice my oh's freinds and family are very different maybe because they are in Serbia and here its hospital and a 5day stay in hospital after (even if no complications)
they are still sure i am putting the baby in danger and i have given up trying to educate them, they will have to get used to it luckly i will be having the baby in england so wont have to keep sticking up for myself my whole pregnancy just untill 32weeks lol

 

[freckleonear]

All of mine and hubby's family were against the idea, so I just told them that we were having a home birth and wouldn't be discussing it any further.