Homebirth Logistics

[bky]

Really I ought to know this as I was present for both of my siblings being born at home, but I was a kid so don't recall details

I'll be TTC soon and while a homebirth wasn't an option IMO (house size etc) for my last baby I feel it is this time. We pick our midwives here sometime before 14 weeks so I can choose a midwife happy to do homebirths. I'm already planning on being very midwife picky because of my past breastfeeding issues so adding a VBAC homebirth friendly midwife into that mix isn't an issue.
Anyhow, the logistics questions.
Mess! Really how much was there? I need to convince OH. I expect the midwives will help or do the cleanup, but this is of extra concern as we are in a rental. I'll probably buy or rent a pool. So thoughts on carpets, wood floors etc.
Space! How much was adequate for your needs in regards to pool space, pacing space during labour etc. What did you do or plan on doing for pool set up, which room did you use etc.

I've other questions on things like childcare (no family to take LO), but that's a less pressing issue in doing the convincing and planning.
TIA

 

[iolaus]

Each time I brought I plastic DIY decorating sheet from B&Q and stuck that on the floor (my 3 homebirthed babies were all born on the living room floor and I didn't have a pool) I didn't find I needed that much room.
Not much mess either - brought a few of the toddler bedwetting squares - midwife brought them with one of the births - after the birth DH just got the corners of the decorating sheet bundled it together and into a bin bag, then had 2-3towels to wash.

Re children
1st homebirth - 2am 15 month old slept through it all
2nd homebirth 5pm 3 and 2 year olds played in their bedroom came down when placenta was out and things were tidy (had stairgate on their room and someone just checked on them whenever they went to the bathroom (their room was next to the bathroom)
3rd homebirth 6pm 9,8 and 6 year olds decided to watch

 

[madasa]

For us, there was no mess. I birthed in the pool, which contained everything. We also had a gazillion of those square absorbent pad thingies to put underneath me wherever I was sat (for the 3rd stage), as well as a new cheap shower curtain when I was on the sofa...

 

[freckleonear]

We also rent and there was very little mess. We put down a cheap waterproof mattress protector over the carpet and the midwives put loads of absorbent pads on top. Afterwards they just folded it all up into a bin bag and disposed of it for us. There were a couple of old towels which they put in the washing machine and hubby washed them (with instructions that I had prepared beforehand ). By the time the midwives left you would never have known that I had just given birth in our living room.

We didn't have a pool so didn't need space for that. Most of the day I just wondered around the house as usual and once labour got really intense I just bounced on my birth ball in the living room, so that didn't take up much space either. I gave birth leaning on the sofa but I also had the bed prepared upstairs in case I wanted to use the bedroom.

Aaron was asleep in his bedroom when Tabitha was born.

 

[madasa]

oh and my older child was asleep in bed.... in fact I laboured gently all day and it didn;t really pick up until after he had gone to bed! I think often, your body knows and holds back until its "OK" to go full steam ahead! That said, I felt I would have been OK if DS had been awake and seen it (he was 3yo at the time). BUT, I also had a back up plan (in the form of my mum) who would have taken him out of teh room or out of the house if his presence was distracting me, slowing me down.... or if the process was upsetting him in any way.

 

[Greta Chick]

Hi

I had a hb with my third (story in sig) and it was amazing. I bought a cheap shower curtain from Morrisons and a couple of large, dark towels which I put on top. I laboured in my living room, stood up holding onto the back of our armchair. During contractions I swayed back and forth holding onto it then betwen contractions I just swayed from side to side basically where I was stood. To give birth I knelt on the floor and leant over my birth ball (still on the shower curtain/towels).

The midwives cleared up the room after they'd cleaned me up and within half an hour you wouldn't have known there'd just been a birth - it looked as clean and tidy as normal. They took away with them the shower curtain and one towel which I'd been on to give birth then sat down on immediately after delivery, but the other ones got put in the wash basket and were fine after they'd been through a cycle.

I looked for a pool but couldn't fine one cheap enough (I was supposed to be going to the birth centre but it had closed and they kept saying it will be open by the time you go into labour - but it only re-opened the day after I gave birth) but I was going to put it in the dining room. We have a vinyl floor on top of plywood which is sat on normal floor joists.

Re childcare our 2 older children were there when my labour started and went to bed at 7pm. DD2 was born at 8.45pm and they slept through it all as I was silent.

If it had been during the day on a weekend my dad was going to look after them (take them to the park or somewhere) but he just sat upstairs in our room watching tv in case they woke up.

xx

 

[lynnikins]

i remember for my mums homebirths ( well the prep i declined attending the birth but was in the house both times ) we helped mum make a "birth mat " which was a really old crap sleeping bag brought secondhand folded in half and topped with a folded in half single sheet then the whole lot was backed with shower curtain and sealed together with Duct tape, it created a nice soft surface for mum to kneel on and a easy way to contain and remove all the mess they laid it on the floor ( for brother in the living room and the MW put disposible pads on the sofa for mum to lean against and for sister in the bedroom on the floor next to the bed my dad literrally just grabbed it in time the MW's didnt make it to the birth lol so my dad and older sister delivered the baby ).

 

[BettyBoo]

I had a hb with my 2nd child and had a pool so all the mess was contained and my 1st daughter stayed with me but was looked after by my mum. 3rd baby was emergency transfer but this time I'm hoping for a hb again and am concerned as well because my son will only be 18 months old so would rather him not be there. Dont mind my 2 daughters being there though! Would like the pool again but my last labour was just over an hour so not sure I'll even have time to pump it up and fill it!! Good luck with your birth, I hope all goes well x