Hello to Lisa and Cupcake!!!
Thanks cupcake for telling us your job.. brave! (I’ll have to come clean too! )No, it is really wonderful to have a pro pro-homebirth on here - thank you!
Lisa, hopefully you will be able to have your home birth. I know it has to be a consideration if you have children. I can see pros and cons in both - but if your family are with you, perhaps you and they might be more relaxed? Or if they go to stay with someone else, you don’t have to feel they are a million miles away! They can come right back home after, and you can all be together sooner.
Surprisebaby - I don't think you are negative at all! Don't worry about that, we all have to weigh up the options. I would say though, if you really have your heart set on a water birth, the only way you are guaranteed to get it is at home. Check out your birth unit, and see how many pools they have.. and if you go for the unit, make sure you let them know about wanting to birth in water, as soon as you get there - as you might find that someone else is in it! Hiring a pool can be expensive - but I bought one off ebay for £50.00 - it was brilliant.
ER - As cupcake has been brave enough to share that she is a midwife, I should come clean and say that I'm a lawyer (gasp!!) Please don't all hate me.. some of us are nice - honest!
It might explain why all medical staff were slightly cautious with me; as on my notes my occupation was written on the front in capitals!! Haha!!
Also, what a stunner you are in the that dress!!!!
I can see that you are feisty like me, but I also know that it doesn't stop us getting upset about some of the things that people say about HB and there reactions - it really can get boring explaining it all the time - I don't blame anyone who has decided to keep it on the qt!!
.. and then there is the whole BMI thing, well asides from what others have said, which I wholly agree with, there is a point which I like to add, which some of us have touched on. The "norms" for BMI are not only totally out of date, they also as I think you were thinking don't take into account ethnicity. The data was for white women in the 1950's. Can't see that if applies to anyone more. But for starters, women’s breast have greatly increased and what if you are small and Asian? You would prob be told you were vastly underweight! let alone of African or Caribbean; where men have been choosing ladies with larger bottoms for centuries! Hence the booty! Our make up does effect what's norm for our bodies.
What does seem to be a shame, is that because of hospital policies.. women who are subject to them (i.e "we can't have you in a birthing centre because of XYZ"), are only being left with 2 choices - Home or hospital. That has to be madness! Esp when NICE guideline emphasise choice!!
Manda - that cot bed, is fab!!! I wish that I had one. As the little one is getting bigger and bigger, and I can't keep her in the mosses basket for ever!!
Books for Boys - I had my OH read Homebirth, Nicky Weston - the stories in there are great.
As for number of mw’s for a HB - Well as some know, I ended up with more than my fair share (5). However in early labour, I was attended by 1 and sometimes 2. My mw Jill when I asked about a homebirth told me they like to have 2 for the reasons already said above. One to lead during labour, and the other to support your lead mw. Then when baby arrives, there is one for the baby and one for you. I was happy just to get one!!
xxxx
It seemed so real...I think the closer I get to my due date the more I start thinking...which is not always the best thing to do. 
