First time home birth hopeful! Lots of info and advice needed please!

[fuffyburra]

Hi guys As the title says really. I'm not very far along, but I've started thinking about how I'd like to deliver. I'd really love a water birth at home, but don't really know very much about it!! Will they allow it for my first baby? I'm 22 with no health problems, and if the pregnancy goes to plan is it a viable option? How do I set about organising it?

Thanks in advance x x

 

[SmokyJoe78]

Hi - there are lots of great threads on here with info about homebirths. You should probably just have a browse about. The Home Birth Hopefuls thread, which is a sticky at the top of the page, is also a great place to get info and chat about HB.
You should probably ask your MW about homebirth - if you want one they have to support you.... even if it's your first - it doesn't matter

 

[Greta Chick]

I can't see why they would be against you having a homebirth just because it's your first baby if your pregnancy is low risk. My homebirth was my third baby (story in my sig at the bottom) because hubby was set against homebirths with our older 2 children. He didn't really have a choice with DD2 though as the birth centre (our planned place of birth) was closed when I went into labour (it opened 10 hours later lol).

Re organising a homebirth, read up on it so you can prepare yourself, tell your midwives that's where you want to give birth so they're aware from early on (we didn't do it til I was 37 weeks as had planned on going to the birth centre until it closed temporarily), look around at pools on the internet (whether you would like to rent or buy one) and think about hypnotherapy Otherwise just be excited and positive!

xx

 

[Beckcalifjd]

You can absolutely do it with your first baby! Do you plan to film it?

 

[Bournefree]

I had a first birth at home with a pool and having my second in the next few weeks.

There are no problems with having your first baby at home! Although it is a general population misconception.. I did get some comments from well wishers saying silly things like "I didn't know they would allow you with your first!" Of course you are allowed!

And in many ways having a home birth for your first is much easier. You don't have any obstetric history to battle against, so you will be assumed to be normal.. as everyone usually is!

And the great thing about home water birth is that you will defiantly get your pool! You will not get to a birthing centre or Midwifery lead unit and find out it's not free.

Plus you will have one to one care from your MW - they can't really pop next door to attend to another labouring women. This continuous care has been shown to decrease interventions and lead to a better birth experience for you and baby. And the what if's (that everyone will ask you, or say) - this constant care, means you will be very well looked after, and any indications that a transfer to hospital is appropriate will be handled, arranged and phoned ahead very quickly.

There are some great books - I read Nicky Wesson's Home birth, The water birthing book, Gentle Birth Dr Sara buckley, hypno birthing Marie Mongan, anything by Dr Michel Odent.. and you shouldn’t have any difficulties; but if you do - Home birth: the politics of difficult choices. You can get all of these from the library, if you don’t want to buy them.

And there are great books for partners, as they play a more central role in the birth.. and after (as they don't have to adhere to visiting times of a hospital)

I could go on.. as you can tell, I do love home birth!

Check out the first page of the home birth and home birth hopefuls, plus there is a great facebook page, and a UK home birth yahoo group which is excellent font of knowledge.. set up by Mary Cronk (Who owns Homebirth.org - check out that site too!)

Do lots of reading. Try and find a local home birth group; you can go along and ask questions face to face with local midwives and other homebirthers - support is essential as we are growing in number, but still only 2-3% of the population. So we are all here to support you.

You are going to love planning your home birth! Congratulations!
XXx

 

[ShireLass]

I also want a home water birth, I'm 24, this is my first, I have mild asthma and I am/was a size 12/14 so the midwife has decided my bmi is higher than she would like and booked me for the gestational diabetes test

I'm determined to stay at home if there are no other complications, OH is currently ambivalent, MIL is against it, midwife is so far ignoring me

 

[fuffyburra]

Wow thankyou so much guys!! And thankyou Bournefree for all the advice and book suggestions; I'll be checking in at my local library on my next day off

Shirelass I hope you manage to get your homebirth, and win OH around!! MIL is irrelevant, they're all interfering in the end My OH is all for it, haven't asked my mum yet. I haven't seen my midwife yet either, we're in the process of being transferred to a different doctors surgery at the moment. But whatever she thinks, and however much she ignores me, I'm getting my darn homebirth! Good luck x x

 

[aliss]

22 and no health problems, you are a perfect candidate Good luck

 

[NaturalMomma]

You should be able to do a waterbirth, there isn't an age limit on it. Just need to be healthy and having a low-risk pregnancy/labor.
https://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page....EA417E94CE07439758DD2C0B.mc0?sitePageId=38425
This is a great website for all things waterbirth

 

[Greta Chick]

I also want a home water birth, I'm 24, this is my first, I have mild asthma and I am/was a size 12/14 so the midwife has decided my bmi is higher than she would like and booked me for the gestational diabetes test

I'm determined to stay at home if there are no other complications, OH is currently ambivalent, MIL is against it, midwife is so far ignoring me

OMG your bmi is too high at a size 12/14?!?!?! Your midwife sounds like a right idiot! I had virtually everyone against me when I decided I wanted to homebirth but it's my body and my baby so what I say goes was my attitude lol One midwife in particular was not *against* me homebirthing but tried on numerous occasions to convince me to go to the main maternity unit. No way!

xx

 

[Jazavac]

You should be able to do a waterbirth, there isn't an age limit on it. Just need to be healthy and having a low-risk pregnancy/labor.
https://www.waterbirth.org/mc/page....EA417E94CE07439758DD2C0B.mc0?sitePageId=38425
This is a great website for all things waterbirth

Oooh. Look, someone from my state and also as weird as I am and intend to be.

I'm joking a little bit - it's just that, in this relatively small town at least, nobody understands our way of life and our wishes. I am also terrified of the local hospital. It's a really good medical institution, but when it comes to giving birth, I'd run and hide instead. I don't know a single mother who has gone through something at least remotely natural. Granted, I don't know too many people because I moved from Europe only two years ago and can't seem to fit in to begin with.

Either way, when my time comes, I might be bugging you with questions. For now, I'm waiting for my plus.

 

[JD'2]

hey

i'm 25 no health probs at all, this is my first, had to see consultant as BMI is 32.2 and recommened is 30 she said cos of weight and this is first i was not allowed, i posted this on another thread and not me personlly but what consultant said upset some home birthers on her lol. i now have alot of info from these wonderful ladies and when i have my next appointment i'm going to say i still want my hombirth. just be armed with knowledge as i wasn't and basicaly cowered in the corner and just nodded HAHA when consultant said not allowed

hope you get want to you want : )

 

[fuffyburra]

Thanks, you too I'm glad you're still going ahead with it and you have the confidence to do so now you have all the info Whatever the midwife says to me, I'll be pushing for homebirth lol.

Good luck!! x x