Home Birth for first time mums

[Cocoa]

Hi, I was just wondering how many people had a successful homebirth with their first child?

I'm due next week and have arranged with MW for a homebirth so hopefully it will go to plan!

I'm finding many people are so negative about it, esp our parents and colleagues! It's really annoying so I'd like to hear some positive stories that it can be done with the first child!

I really hope I get my homebirth and it goes smoothly so I can prove them all wrong. I dread the 'I told you so's' if I end up having to go into hospital

Thanks!

 

[loveylove]

Hello

I am in the same boat as you! I have planned a home birth and I am a first time mum. I haven't even told my family- they would all be very negative about the whole thing.. my mum thinks I should just have an epidural and be done with it (she had two c sections- not by choice).

Just out of interest what have you got at home in preparation? I'm planning on getting a birth ball (actually a fitness ball lol), a large waterproof sheet, a desk lamp (for the midwife), a sick bucket... I'm not sure what else I need!!

PS sorry to completely change your thread.. I too would be grateful to read some positive stories so I'll keep my eye on this post xx

 

[Cocoa]

Hello

I am in the same boat as you! I have planned a home birth and I am a first time mum. I haven't even told my family- they would all be very negative about the whole thing.. my mum thinks I should just have an epidural and be done with it (she had two c sections- not by choice).

Just out of interest what have you got at home in preparation? I'm planning on getting a birth ball (actually a fitness ball lol), a large waterproof sheet, a desk lamp (for the midwife), a sick bucket... I'm not sure what else I need!!

PS sorry to completely change your thread.. I too would be grateful to read some positive stories so I'll keep my eye on this post xx

Hi! I have a birth ball, birth pool in a box - mini, tarpaulin, shower curtain, lots of towels, waterproof bec mat things, fan, aromatherapy oils.

Hmm I dont have a desk light and out torch is broken! Will need to get that sorted!

 

[Fairyclaire13]

Im also considering a home birth for my first. Would also like to hear some stories!

 

[JD'2]

hello all

i'm also having a home birth with first. If you go to something like homebirth.org they have womens stories no there and also i think it's birth.tv on youtube have some homebirths which are lovely.

what i have so is
lavender and wheat heat bag thing that you put in the microwave
hotwater bottle
lavender and jasmine oil
dust sheet from b & q
birht pool in a box
i pod with hypnobirhing on and ocean and relaxing music such as adele and what not
just trying to scam old towels of people haha

 

[irish_cob]

I'm also planning a home birth for my first. I am not very organised though. I have a birth pool from my fab doula and a birth ball, both are living in the spare room for now. I have a shower curtain and already have loads of towels. I don't have any oils or music arranged yet. I'm not a huge music person to be honest so I'm not that worried about setting up a playlist. I do own a hot water bottle so I could drag that into service if required.

I've finally started thinking about packing a bag just in case we have to transfer to hospital, got a few bits from Tescos just now - spare toothbrush and toothpaste, that sort of thing, just so I can be prepared if we do have to go. Have not actually packed anything yet, that would be far too organised!

 

[Leahmasie]

Somewhere there is a statistic from the UK that says 40% of first-time moms planning a home birth end up transferring, and usually it is before labor. So 60% succeed! Good luck.

 

[violetsky]

If it wasn't for baby deciding to come at 35wks prem, I would have definitely had my homebirth. The labour and delivery went perfectly apart from a 2nd degree tear, and the aftercare where baby had to be monitored iyswim. I don't regret going to hospital even though I had my heart set on a homebirth, as it was for baby's safety, I'm just hoping next time is the one for me

 

[Cocoa]

Thanks for your replies everyone! I guess there aren't many first time mums that have a homebirth on here!

My midwife popped round with the Gas and Air and Oxygen at the weekend and she said she had just been at a homebirth with a first time mum and it went really smoothly - That's great! If my baby stays in until the weekend, I'll hopefully have the same midwife as she's back on call then - fingers crossed!

This is what I would love my birth to be like (but with a MW there!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4grRewQ-AQ0

 

[diz]

Hi,

I had a home birth with my first. Some people might not say it was a successful one mind .

In the 11th hour i ended up getting a hospital transfer. The protocol (in my area - might not be the same across the UK) is that you are allowed 2 hours from reaching 10cm to delivering the baby. If you have not succeeded by the time those 2 hours are up then they transfer you.

When i reached 10cm i did not have that overwhelming urge to push it just didn't happen to me. Plus toward the end of the two hour allowance time to push, Noahs heart rate started to decrease and did not come back up as quickly in-between contractions as they liked, but the MW left it right until the last minuet to call the ambulance.

The paramedics arrived at midnight and i delivered Noah at 12.06 (parked up in the lay-by down the road).

To me it was a successful home birth. i was calm and centred throughout the labour. I was not scared when the MW told me that they had to call the ambulance. i did not have any pain medication - and not because i was being a martyr - i was simply so at peace with the whole process that i did not need any. In fact i had a pethidine prescription reedy to take just in case.

I had no idea that i had gone through transition because i was so relaxed with everything that my body was doing and the company and the surroundings. So when the MW told me "Come on Andrea start pushing this baby out" i was completely shocked!

so although some people might say i did not have a successful home birth - to me it was.

 

[Happy2BDaddy]

Hello. I'm a Daddy, but I'd like to tell you about our successful first baby homebirth. Our little Eliza was born at 33 minutes past midnight on her due date, 28th August 2011.

Labor lasted 3 1/2 hrs, and my amazing wife used no pain relief whatsoever. It wasn't easy, but she was so brave and determined that she wanted a natural birth, and it was amazing. She doesn't feel that she could have done this if she had been in hospital, because she would have been far less relaxed.

We had a La Bassine birth pool at home, and everything went so well. She needed a few stitches afterwards, and this went very smoothly, and although that was what she was dreading most, it didn't bother her at all, as our lovely little girl was in her Daddy's arms by then!

The midwives were amazing, and we got lucky with THREE midwives AND a student, so we had far more attention than you would ever have in a hospital. This was a fluke though - the first midwife's shift ended at midnight, but when her replacement arrived the birth had progressed so quickly, she stayed on.

I really couldn't recommend a home birth enough. I was kept busy throughout, boiling pans for hot water for the pool, fetching things for the midwives and so on, and didn't suffer from the spare part syndrome many dad's feel during the birth, so I think that's another plus. Dad's are in their own environment, and can therefore feel and be much more involved and useful.

Obviously things can go wrong, but they can also go wrong at hospital. I think the only real downside to homebirths for a straightforward pregnancy is the fear that it might not happen due to resourcing issues. We were very lucky to get ours, as the local maternity unit was really busy all day and if we had been an hour or two earlier, there just wouldn't have been enough midwives to see to us and they would have asked us to come in. We would have fought to stay at home and tried to insist that they find bank staff to cover the hospital, but it would have been very stressful and unpleasant, and as labor progressed so quickly, it would have been real stress.

But apart from that last problem, if you think you want a homebirth, I say just go for it. We are proof that they can be very successful.

My other half is not a member on B&B, but if you have any questions about it, please post and I'll ask her to answer!

Good luck with your homebirths!

 

[Creep]

I'm a midwife myself and seen lots of successful first time mum home births. I'm booked for a home birth myself and have done a hypnobirthing course and have a birth pool in a box all ready to go. I feel very positive about the whole thing but as with birth in any environment the best thing you can do is just go with the flow and try to keep as upright and mobile as possible.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Cocoa]

Hi,

I had a home birth with my first. Some people might not say it was a successful one mind .

In the 11th hour i ended up getting a hospital transfer. The protocol (in my area - might not be the same across the UK) is that you are allowed 2 hours from reaching 10cm to delivering the baby. If you have not succeeded by the time those 2 hours are up then they transfer you.

When i reached 10cm i did not have that overwhelming urge to push it just didn't happen to me. Plus toward the end of the two hour allowance time to push, Noahs heart rate started to decrease and did not come back up as quickly in-between contractions as they liked, but the MW left it right until the last minuet to call the ambulance.

The paramedics arrived at midnight and i delivered Noah at 12.06 (parked up in the lay-by down the road).

To me it was a successful home birth. i was calm and centred throughout the labour. I was not scared when the MW told me that they had to call the ambulance. i did not have any pain medication - and not because i was being a martyr - i was simply so at peace with the whole process that i did not need any. In fact i had a pethidine prescription reedy to take just in case.

I had no idea that i had gone through transition because i was so relaxed with everything that my body was doing and the company and the surroundings. So when the MW told me "Come on Andrea start pushing this baby out" i was completely shocked!

so although some people might say i did not have a successful home birth - to me it was.

Wow, despite the transfer that sounds great! Any tips on how you remained calm throughout? I've been reading up so much on how to stay relaxed, I really hope I can put it into practice on the day! I am totally open to the possibility that I may be transferred, but like you I'd like to remain calm and just accept it.

 

[Cocoa]

Hello. I'm a Daddy, but I'd like to tell you about our successful first baby homebirth. Our little Eliza was born at 33 minutes past midnight on her due date, 28th August 2011.

Labor lasted 3 1/2 hrs, and my amazing wife used no pain relief whatsoever. It wasn't easy, but she was so brave and determined that she wanted a natural birth, and it was amazing. She doesn't feel that she could have done this if she had been in hospital, because she would have been far less relaxed.

We had a La Bassine birth pool at home, and everything went so well. She needed a few stitches afterwards, and this went very smoothly, and although that was what she was dreading most, it didn't bother her at all, as our lovely little girl was in her Daddy's arms by then!

The midwives were amazing, and we got lucky with THREE midwives AND a student, so we had far more attention than you would ever have in a hospital. This was a fluke though - the first midwife's shift ended at midnight, but when her replacement arrived the birth had progressed so quickly, she stayed on.

I really couldn't recommend a home birth enough. I was kept busy throughout, boiling pans for hot water for the pool, fetching things for the midwives and so on, and didn't suffer from the spare part syndrome many dad's feel during the birth, so I think that's another plus. Dad's are in their own environment, and can therefore feel and be much more involved and useful.

Obviously things can go wrong, but they can also go wrong at hospital. I think the only real downside to homebirths for a straightforward pregnancy is the fear that it might not happen due to resourcing issues. We were very lucky to get ours, as the local maternity unit was really busy all day and if we had been an hour or two earlier, there just wouldn't have been enough midwives to see to us and they would have asked us to come in. We would have fought to stay at home and tried to insist that they find bank staff to cover the hospital, but it would have been very stressful and unpleasant, and as labor progressed so quickly, it would have been real stress.

But apart from that last problem, if you think you want a homebirth, I say just go for it. We are proof that they can be very successful.

My other half is not a member on B&B, but if you have any questions about it, please post and I'll ask her to answer!

Good luck with your homebirths!

Thank You for sharing that! We were also told that if someone was in the maternity unit then we would have to go in - which I'm not keen on as it's 40 minutes away, but the alternative is the hospital, which I would really like to avoid!

One of our midwives was very 'insistant' that my husband wouldn't be able to be with me as he'd be too busy filling the pool. We will also have to use pans for filling it up - did you feel like you were kept away from your wife while concentrating on filling up the pool or were you quite happy doing that and did you feel you still got the time to support your wife while filling it up?

 

[Happy2BDaddy]

Thank You for sharing that! We were also told that if someone was in the maternity unit then we would have to go in - which I'm not keen on as it's 40 minutes away, but the alternative is the hospital, which I would really like to avoid!

One of our midwives was very 'insistant' that my husband wouldn't be able to be with me as he'd be too busy filling the pool. We will also have to use pans for filling it up - did you feel like you were kept away from your wife while concentrating on filling up the pool or were you quite happy doing that and did you feel you still got the time to support your wife while filling it up?

Well, I didn't get to spend as much time with my wife as I would have done if we were in a hospital, but I felt I was there enough for her, and I was with her more towards the end of the birth. I actually felt that ensuring she could have her waterbirth by dealing with filling the pool was giving her the maximum amount of support possible anyway, more so really than if I had just been sat with her the whole time, and she felt the same way.

But I was still able to sit with her a fair bit.

Have you done a test run of filling your pool and getting it to temperature? It was a bit touch and go for us, and for a while I was a bit worried I wouldn't have the pool ready in time, because the labor was progressing very rapidly. We had done a test run, and we used as much hot water from the tank as possible before boiling pans, but for some reason on the day, there wasn't as much hot water in the tank so it took longer, and we hadn't banked on the labor moving on so quickly.

The midwife made me go and get the neighbours boiling water for us! I must have been a picture knocking on their door and blurting out, 'I'm really sorry to disturb you, but my wife's having a baby and I need as much hot water as possible as quickly as possible!'

 

[Kess]

I had a homebirth for my first baby, and would certainly do so again. Birth story here: https://www.babyandbump.com/home-natural-birthing/688251-my-baby-arrived-fuller-birth-story-page-2-a.html

Regarding filling the pool, I had my family there too so my Dad focussed on filling the pool while hubby focussed on me, but there's also a cover you can get which insulates the pool so you can fill it ahead of time. I think a filled pool only loses 1 degree an hour anyway.

 

[Happy2BDaddy]

We should have filled ours ahead of time, but we were taken by surprise by the quick labor.

 

[RoxyRoo]

I'm a first timer and am also hoping for a home water birth

 

[Cocoa]

Well, I didn't get to spend as much time with my wife as I would have done if we were in a hospital, but I felt I was there enough for her, and I was with her more towards the end of the birth. I actually felt that ensuring she could have her waterbirth by dealing with filling the pool was giving her the maximum amount of support possible anyway, more so really than if I had just been sat with her the whole time, and she felt the same way.

But I was still able to sit with her a fair bit.

Have you done a test run of filling your pool and getting it to temperature? It was a bit touch and go for us, and for a while I was a bit worried I wouldn't have the pool ready in time, because the labor was progressing very rapidly. We had done a test run, and we used as much hot water from the tank as possible before boiling pans, but for some reason on the day, there wasn't as much hot water in the tank so it took longer, and we hadn't banked on the labor moving on so quickly.

The midwife made me go and get the neighbours boiling water for us! I must have been a picture knocking on their door and blurting out, 'I'm really sorry to disturb you, but my wife's having a baby and I need as much hot water as possible as quickly as possible!'

That's good that you felt you were there enough with her and she felt the same.

We haven't done a test run, I'm quite apprehensive as our hot water tank isn't big and our boiler is 30 yrs old. I know we will run out of hot water and I feel if I do a test run at this stage, I'll end up going in labour and will have to wait ages to get any hot water having used it all for the test run.

We now have the pool blown up and in the living room, I also have a inflatable heat cover so first signs of anything we'll start filling it up and hopefully the cover will help keep some heat in! The neighbours have also said they can give us hot water, but not at 3am. lol!

 

[Cocoa]

I had a homebirth for my first baby, and would certainly do so again. Birth story here: https://www.babyandbump.com/home-natural-birthing/688251-my-baby-arrived-fuller-birth-story-page-2-a.html

Regarding filling the pool, I had my family there too so my Dad focussed on filling the pool while hubby focussed on me, but there's also a cover you can get which insulates the pool so you can fill it ahead of time. I think a filled pool only loses 1 degree an hour anyway.

Oh wow, your birth story is great and what a cute baby!! I'm same size as you (5'2 and just over 7 stone before pregnancy. 8 1/2 now), that is a big baby but I'm glad you managed to deliver him well! I've had comments from people saying they're worried about the size of me having a baby as I have very narrow hips - which naturally has worried me! So it's good to know it can be done!

I have the inflatable cover for the birth pool - so hopefully it will keep the water warm if we start filling it at the first sign of anything

Thanks again for sharing your birth story - I hope my story is just like yours!