Home birth stories

[emmi26]

hey megs79 im due in november too and im having a home birth everyone thinks im mad glad i found someone else whos doing one too!!!

 

[glitterbug]

Waters broke in bed at 04:30, callled the hospital at 5am and they called my on call midwife. She told me it woluld be a while and to get some sleep. I couldn't, so decided to have a bath and put on some makeup instead (crazy I know!) During this time my OH put on my tens machine for me, as he had read that it works better if you put it on as soon as the contractions start to get used to it. I never got past a level 6 on it because it was too uncomfortable between contractions, but the booster button was great when they were coming on stronger!!
My contractions were really close together, like every 3 minutes, but the midwife told me not to worry as I could still speak through them.
She called at 8am to say she'd be in to check on me in an hour, by which time I was breathing through each contraction and hadn't managed to get enough time to eat even half a slice of toast!
She checked me and I was 9cm already, which was a relief as I worried she'd say I had ages to go!
We watched TV and OH made some bacon sandwiches for the midwives (The on call midwife called for backup when she realised how far along I was)
At this point I was 10cm but didn't feel the urge to push and kept apologising!! I was getting a little pressure every other contraction, but not enough to make me want to do anything.
So the midwife had me up on my feet, which really got things moving!! I then decided I needed the loo, to which she told me it was the baby coming. I was certain it wasn't so she let me go...I was right, I did need to go and felt better afterwards!
Tried pushing standing up but felt a right idiot!! So I had OH sat on my ball, and I squatted down in front of him with my elbows hooked over his legs for support. Still not having the greatest urge to push, but the pressure was enough to get things moving and 40 minutes later out popped my little boy and it was the greatest feeling in the world at 13:15
Unfortunately I had suffered a 3b tear and had to be taken to hospital for a repair under a spinal which upset me, but I honestly didn't feel it and would never have known.

Being at home was so relaxing. I could do what I wanted when I wanted and my OH felt more comfortable. I think this helped me stay focused and positive throughout so I would highly recommend it!! xxxx

 

[kate.m.]

https://www.babyandbump.com/birth-a...posterior-baby-eventual-forceps-delivery.html

Heres my birth story: planned homebirth, ending in a forceps delivery. sounds traumatic& scary, but i wouldnt do anything different next time! and me and little man are both happy & safe, which is what matters ! didnt enjoy stopping in hospital overnight after tho

 

[glitterbug]

https://www.babyandbump.com/birth-a...posterior-baby-eventual-forceps-delivery.html

Heres my birth story: planned homebirth, ending in a forceps delivery. sounds traumatic& scary, but i wouldnt do anything different next time! and me and little man are both happy & safe, which is what matters ! didnt enjoy stopping in hospital overnight after tho

for the hospital stay. I hated mine too, it was the only part I didn't like!! xxx

 

[madasa]

https://www.babyandbump.com/birth-a...posterior-baby-eventual-forceps-delivery.html

Heres my birth story: planned homebirth, ending in a forceps delivery. sounds traumatic& scary, but i wouldnt do anything different next time! and me and little man are both happy & safe, which is what matters ! didnt enjoy stopping in hospital overnight after tho

for the hospital stay. I hated mine too, it was the only part I didn't like!! xxx

Me too... we were in from early hrs tuesday to saturday afternoon.... it was the longest nearly-a-week of my life! I wouldn't change a thing about my delivery, but I would probably change a few things about my 3rd stage, if I had my time again... but (unlike my hosp birth) I don't feel sad or angry about the experience at all, I smile like a maniac every time I think about it, it was awesome!

 

[megs79]

Hi emmi - yep me too, and some people have even said i'm selfish! It's a no-brainer for me, I hope it works out for both of us! x

 

[TattiesMum]

OK .... I can't resist

This is an old story - Tattie is now nearly 19 and a mum herself but, having been with her when she had Kaylum in our local hospital, I find myself still very much a HB addict

Tattie was my 2nd baby - I'd had her older sister in hospital and had hated the whole hospital experience so much that I swore I would never go back there again. I had all the usual fights with my GP and midwives but ended up being allocated a fantastic community midwife who was as excited about me giving birth at home as I was.

September 1991

I was 10 days overdue, hadn't had any signs that labour was imminent and was stressing more than a little because a hospital induction was looming .

The day started normally with me getting myself and Charlotte up and dressed and taking a short trip to the local shops for some bits and pieces. Once we were home I settled down to do some baking and pottered about in the kitchen making a huge array of cakes while Charlotte had a nap.

I gave Charlotte her lunch when she woke and then took her to my friend and neighbour's house where she had a pre-arranged playdate. It was a very hot day, so when I got back home I treated myself to a sit down and a cup of tea while I watched neighbours

My work colleagues rang just as it was finishing to ask 'haven't you had that baby yet?' By now it was about 1.20pm and I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable - no actual contractions, just a dragging that I put down to the heat, my advanced pregnancy and wishful thinking!

Once off the phone I went to ice my cakes, and as soon as I started to move around, the dragging morphed into actual contractions. They weren't hugely painful though so I carried on icing. By about 2pm I realised that they were coming every 3 minutes, so I rang my husband to tell him to come home and then rang Rhona (my midwife).

Rhona was actually on holiday, which I did know, but she had asked me to ring her anyway - she said that she was on her way but also instructed me to ring her colleague (Pat) who was officially on duty. By 2.30pm Pat had arrived with a student in tow (I was still cleaning up the kitchen ) and she took me upstairs for a VE .... 5cms.

Once that was done I made a cup of tea for us all and we busied ourselves setting up the moses basket and getting the bed and equipment ready - with me pausing to breathe through the contractions which were by now very strong. Rhoda arrived and her and Pat caught up with notes.

At about 3pm my husband arrived home just as I felt myself going into transition - contractions almost continuous now and it was impossible to get comfortable. I tried so many positions, moving around like a mad thing - no easy feat in a small bedroom with three midwives and one husband getting in the way! Eventually I settled on the bed, half sitting up - my waters finally broke and it was time to push.

Tattie was born, after 4 pushes, at 3.16pm - an 8lb pink and white bundle, delivered straight onto my stomach. No tears and just a small graze.

I cut her cord myself and just settled back in my own bed to enjoy her and give her her first feed. After my placenta had been delivered (naturally) I handed her to Rhoda and went to take a bath (oh the joy of being able to clean up in my own bathroom!!!) while the midwives weighed and checked Tattie over and my husband changed the bedding and hung pink balloons from the bedroom window

I popped back into my freshly made bed and we cracked open the bottle of champagne that had been chilling in the fridge since before my due date. My GP arrived to say hello to Tattie and he and all 3 midwives toasted our new arrival and then left us to bring Charlotte home to meet her new sister.

Once the grubby toddler had been prised away, fed, bathed and put to bed we ordered in a chinese and later settled down in our own bed for our first night as a family of four.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

 

[TattiesMum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

LOL ... well I live in a pretty close knit 'urban village' so it was a good way to let the neighbours know without actually having to go round and tell them all We still live in the same area now - just one road over, and Tattie and Kaylum live only 10 doors down from the house she was born in

 

[Mervs Mum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

LOL ... well I live in a pretty close knit 'urban village' so it was a good way to let the neighbours know without actually having to go round and tell them all We still live in the same area now - just one road over, and Tattie and Kaylum live only 10 doors down from the house she was born in

How did you feel when you move from the house she was born in? I am not looking forward to leaving here.....we've no reason to yet but in time we'd like to downsize and move somewhere more rural....leaving Sid's birth place does put me off.

 

[TattiesMum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

LOL ... well I live in a pretty close knit 'urban village' so it was a good way to let the neighbours know without actually having to go round and tell them all We still live in the same area now - just one road over, and Tattie and Kaylum live only 10 doors down from the house she was born in

How did you feel when you move from the house she was born in? I am not looking forward to leaving here.....we've no reason to yet but in time we'd like to downsize and move somewhere more rural....leaving Sid's birth place does put me off.

It was OK actually Both Tattie and her younger brother were born there, but it's still nice to be able to pass it and remember even though we don't live there anymore .... much, much more special than passing some faceless hospital

 

[Mervs Mum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

LOL ... well I live in a pretty close knit 'urban village' so it was a good way to let the neighbours know without actually having to go round and tell them all We still live in the same area now - just one road over, and Tattie and Kaylum live only 10 doors down from the house she was born in

How did you feel when you move from the house she was born in? I am not looking forward to leaving here.....we've no reason to yet but in time we'd like to downsize and move somewhere more rural....leaving Sid's birth place does put me off.

It was OK actually Both Tattie and her younger brother were born there, but it's still nice to be able to pass it and remember even though we don't live there anymore .... much, much more special than passing some faceless hospital

Oh yes totally! My mum and her sisters and brother were all born at home and I think it's so cool I can stand outside the houses they were born in. They only moved 4 doors down the village from the house the older girls were born in to the one mum and my uncle were born in. I've been in the very room my mum was born in as my grandparents lived there for the rest of their lives.
My hubby's old boss came to see us and was saying that Sid's name (our surname starts 'S') sounds like a famous Yorkshire cricketer and maybe they will put one of those blue plaques outside the house saying 'This is the birth place of Sidney Sxxxx who played cricket for Yorkshire and England'......his dad can dream anyway!

 

[TattiesMum]

Oh I LOVE the idea of putting the pink balloon out of the window!!!

LOL ... well I live in a pretty close knit 'urban village' so it was a good way to let the neighbours know without actually having to go round and tell them all We still live in the same area now - just one road over, and Tattie and Kaylum live only 10 doors down from the house she was born in

How did you feel when you move from the house she was born in? I am not looking forward to leaving here.....we've no reason to yet but in time we'd like to downsize and move somewhere more rural....leaving Sid's birth place does put me off.

It was OK actually Both Tattie and her younger brother were born there, but it's still nice to be able to pass it and remember even though we don't live there anymore .... much, much more special than passing some faceless hospital

Oh yes totally! My mum and her sisters and brother were all born at home and I think it's so cool I can stand outside the houses they were born in. They only moved 4 doors down the village from the house the older girls were born in to the one mum and my uncle were born in. I've been in the very room my mum was born in as my grandparents lived there for the rest of their lives.
My hubby's old boss came to see us and was saying that Sid's name (our surname starts 'S') sounds like a famous Yorkshire cricketer and maybe they will put one of those blue plaques outside the house saying 'This is the birth place of Sidney Sxxxx who played cricket for Yorkshire and England'......his dad can dream anyway!

LOL You could always put the plaque up (without the cricket bit) anyway and see if anyone removes it in years to come .... if the plaque is there then they might just assume that it's someone famous and leave it there