Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[Celesse]

My mum had a reasonable labour with me, around 12 hours I think. Where as I went 18hours and ended up with a C-Section. But my section was for fetal distress and I had a lot of faffing during labour that slowed things down, so I guess I could have done things the same as my mum if I'd had different circumstances.

 

[5-a-side]

Hi ladies, I know its early days for my pregnancy but I will be considering a Home Birth with this one #3.
Previous births: #1 Em c-section (undiagnosed breech after 48hr labour) #2 natural VBAC (though in hospital) around 4hrs.
Do you think I would be able to have a HB my nearest hospital is around 40minutes away (favored hosp is 45mins away)

I want it to be relaxed and less stressful for our children already (have 4 between us) and I coped well with #2 that I would like to do that again but at home.

So anyway, I wanted to pop in and say hi as I'm going to be stalking the HB forum for a while.

 

[nightkd]

Why do we have to lug them round and remember to take them to every bloody appt and not lose them if they're the hospitals? If I go to any other appt they share the notes internally. Seems stupid to me. Stupid hospitals don't seem to be interested in patients at all

When does your mw take the notes? After the birth? Will copy mine before if so then at least Ive got my Preg history

I had no idea about post birth bleeding for days on end, lovely thing to look forward to...

i wouldnt say days on end id say weeks.
i bled for 5 weeks after having zane and then got my period a day after i stopped, so i bled for 6 weeks.

but after having a baby the bleeding was really the last thing on my mind

The bleeding didn't bother me too much... It started to get a little annoying, but you just get on with it, change out your pad and clean yourself up and get on with the baby.

I was more bothered about pissing myself the day after I gave birth Fortunately I was wearing one of the adult diapers they gave me in hospital... I have told DH to remind me to pee more frequently than I feel I need to this time, because I forgot just how full my bladder could get and left it until the last minute to go to the toilet!!

Stuff sounds bad before you have the baby, but it won't phase you as much as you think, by the time baby is here!!

 

[Jodie.82]

My mum kept telling me I would have a quick easy birth just like her but I decided not to get my hopes up and believe her. I told her I was in labour at 7 in the morning and she said "Oh, you'll be done by 2". I gave birth at 2:07. I guess mother's intuition never goes away.

my first birth was alot like my mums, even down to zane pushing down instead of around the birth canal just like my brother did (we both have extra bit of bone) apart from i didnt have a epidural.

so i think my second birth will also be like hers

my first birth was the same as my mums first (with me) too. as in baby back to back, posterior womb, slow progressing, started tuesday on and off and then baby born thursday afternoon after 16 hours full labour! no pain relief. im hoping my second is not like hers as she had an even worse time with my brother of just not dilating for hours on end!

 

[moomin_troll]

i hope i dont have the same birth as my mum had with this one that she had with me....i dont fancy almost dying for some reason lol

 

[Jodie.82]

Why do we have to lug them round and remember to take them to every bloody appt and not lose them if they're the hospitals? If I go to any other appt they share the notes internally. Seems stupid to me. Stupid hospitals don't seem to be interested in patients at all

When does your mw take the notes? After the birth? Will copy mine before if so then at least Ive got my Preg history

I had no idea about post birth bleeding for days on end, lovely thing to look forward to...

i wouldnt say days on end id say weeks.
i bled for 5 weeks after having zane and then got my period a day after i stopped, so i bled for 6 weeks.

but after having a baby the bleeding was really the last thing on my mind

The bleeding didn't bother me too much... It started to get a little annoying, but you just get on with it, change out your pad and clean yourself up and get on with the baby.

I was more bothered about pissing myself the day after I gave birth Fortunately I was wearing one of the adult diapers they gave me in hospital... I have told DH to remind me to pee more frequently than I feel I need to this time, because I forgot just how full my bladder could get and left it until the last minute to go to the toilet!!

Stuff sounds bad before you have the baby, but it won't phase you as much as you think, by the time baby is here!!

I was just terrified of going to the loo! I took ages before I would go and pee as I was so so scared how much it would hurt......and dont get me started on the other type!!

 

[lesleyann]

lucky i did not pee my self however in the first 24hours after having kyle i only went like 3times because i was scared to leave him on ward alone unless oh or a midwife was with him. Make sure you get comfy pads, yes mat pads are bloody thick but there comfy, always rip the skin just between fanny and leg if i use them for more than 5days lol

 

[moomin_troll]

going to the loo didnt hurt at all for me, but my problem was i couldnt feel when i needed a wee so i could go all day and not go. i did have to remind myself hahah

 

[lesleyann]

Also i did not have that huge poo, i did not go for like 5days after i had kyle but when i did i just pee'd out my bum hole lol i was mortified at the time but now i laugh about it

 

[nightkd]

I managed to go to the loo with no problems, surprisingly (both ways) until a few days after I got home and I could suddenly feel the grazes. The 2nd degree tear was NOTHING compared to the grazes I'm totally getting some bath herbs this time to help me heal (I have a thing where I heal REALLY slowly and make too much scar tissue...).

I'm going to use Mama Cloth for bleeding! (Hopefully - though I will have a pack of disposable maternity pads at hand, just in case the mama cloth isn't absorbent enough at first). I can't use disposable panty liners (like Always, Kotex etc) now because it irritates the inside of my leg =/ It's weird, because I was fine with them before!

I just found my Hypnobabies tracks!! Do you think it's too early to start listening to them? Should I just stick to birth affirmations for now? I want to get into the swing of things early, because I procrastinated last time.

 

[moomin_troll]

i used tea tree oil in my baths to help with the healing

 

[Kassy]

I'm hoping to have a home birth, it's wonderful reading all of your positive stories. I don't like hospitals very much because i associate them with illness and death, but if i needed to for the safety of my baby then i would use them.​

 

[moomin_troll]

well i just did my hypnobirthing cd and it certainly got a reaction out of corey, he kept breaking my concertration hahaha but i do feel rather spaced out atm, might just curl up in bed soon

 

[Bournefree]

Hi ladies, I know its early days for my pregnancy but I will be considering a Home Birth with this one #3.
Previous births: #1 Em c-section (undiagnosed breech after 48hr labour) #2 natural VBAC (though in hospital) around 4hrs.
Do you think I would be able to have a HB my nearest hospital is around 40minutes away (favored hosp is 45mins away)

I want it to be relaxed and less stressful for our children already (have 4 between us) and I coped well with #2 that I would like to do that again but at home.

So anyway, I wanted to pop in and say hi as I'm going to be stalking the HB forum for a while.

Hi 5-a-side!

You certainly will be able to have a home birth - there is no “let” or “allowed to” in birthing at home. Your Mws have a duty to inform of all information so you can make an informed decision yourself and one you are comfortable with. Don’t be bullied into a hospital booking if a home birth is what you want, though some of us have had problems with Obst and a few Mws, in general Mws ARE advocates to women’s choices and experts in normal birth, so they should be fully supportive. If not that is what we are here to support each other with! ;-)

How do you feel about a 40min transfer - though, I’m sure it will be much less time by blue-light?
I would say this; At a home birth you will have 1 to 1 care and your MW will not leave you in labour to attend to another women on the ward, they will keep an eye on you (as hands off or on as you like), and also for the imminent point of birth it is best practice to have 2 Mws in attendance, so I would argue you get much better care at home than a hospital or birth centre. They will take into account transfer times if further medical assistance is required that can’t be done at home.. so they advise and act within good time.
Also a home birth attended by a mw is medically the same as a birthing centre or a MW lead unit - with all the same equipment. (there is loads of it - they are fully prepared and skilled)

Hey I only have the 1 at home, and had a home birth with my first, but definitely being at home and not having to leave my family is one of the bonuses of a home birth! It is an amazing experience and makes an everyday event like child birth, though phenomenal, an everyday event.

You are going to have great fun planning your first home birth! Congratulations!
Xxx

 

[Bournefree]

I'm hoping to have a home birth, it's wonderful reading all of your positive stories. I don't like hospitals very much because i associate them with illness and death, but if i needed to for the safety of my baby then i would use them.​

Hi Kassy! That is exactly it - hospitals are for sick people!
Welcome to the thread!
Xxx

 

[chuck]

The transfer time for me to 1 hospital is around 20/25 mins and 30/35mins to the other.

I took the longer journey as I wanted to avoid a certain OB.

A long transfer time shouldn't stop you having a HB but you need to remain open to the idea of the MW wanting an early call on transfer - trust them.

 

[5-a-side]

Thank you so much for the replies. The transfer time concerns me a little but not overly as there can be emergencies at any time whatever the situation.

Will be reading much more into this. OH says he is happy to support my decision (we dont really want to go into the hospitals where our previous children were born, its like new partners new start, and we want to do it our way, if that makes sense)

I trust my OH to support me well during pregnancy, and birth. So have absolutely no worries there.
And I'm lucky to have never met a MW I havent liked.

 

[Nikki_d72]

I'm planning a HB and my nearest Main hospital is 3.5 hours away. It's common here in rural areas to HB and the MW's are very experienced. I do think they will make an early call for anything risky and in the worst case scenario there are always helicopters - though I'm confident that won't happen. They've assured me there's no more risk to me than any other birthing mother (I will be going for HBAC). I just feel that home is the place I will feel most confident and comfortable, especially after the first intervention-laden, traumatic Hospital birth. For me to VBAC in hospital I'll have to fight against all of their protocols and will be under strict time limits etc - no way to ensure a good birth at all. Hopefully my pregnancy will remain uncomplicated and I can get my dream. Good luck to all of you ladies hoping to HB!

 

[chuck]

Thank you so much for the replies. The transfer time concerns me a little but not overly as there can be emergencies at any time whatever the situation.

Will be reading much more into this. OH says he is happy to support my decision (we dont really want to go into the hospitals where our previous children were born, its like new partners new start, and we want to do it our way, if that makes sense)

I trust my OH to support me well during pregnancy, and birth. So have absolutely no worries there.
And I'm lucky to have never met a MW I havent liked.

In the majority of situations in labour where intervention is required in a hospital it isnt a surprise in the sense that no one saw it coming. there are warning signs and if you have 100% attention of your MW you'll be in great hands and they'll spot that things may be going away from plan.

 

[PeanutBean]

Oh I've been missing a lovely chat! I used always and have found them fine both times. It's the wings that irritate so you can get without wings. A couple of days after this birth I got super irritated where the wings are and looked to see a rash and a coating of something awful. Shit myself thinking it was lichen sclerosis (too much googling in pregnancy!) til I realised it was in the wrong place. Turns out the drapes used to cover your legs if you end up in theatre are stuck down there and it was a horrid sticky glue that took days to come off! Thank god I have a sister who is a theatre nurse so knew this.

I was told not to move unassisted in the hospital after the spinal then was left for ages with the buzzer out of reach. Someone finally came after my drip had finished so I asked to get the canula out and was told I wasn't allowed til I'd done a pee and was asked if I'd even tried. (nowty mw). So I went and surprised myself by literally doing about 3 pints!! It's so weird how the nerves are deadened by the stretching for a while. First bm both times has been free and easy but the second this time terrified me as I had THE worst piles! I considered going in the bath, in my knickers, anywhere that might be easier than sitting on the toilet. The only advice I have is to wit until it's coming out so you don't have to push at all!

Welcome even more newbies. The thread is going to be buzzing again!