Planning a homebirth in 3 weeks?!?!

[Bumbled Bee]

Am I crazy? I have three weeks til my due date, and I decided last night that I want to have my baby at home. So the pressure is on to get everything organised in time. Has anyone attempted to plan a homebirth in such a short time?
I also don't have a regular community midwife to speak to, so that's going to make it a little more difficult.

Wish me luck!!

 

[Laughing Girl]

Fantastic!
As far as "planning" a home birth - I can't think that there is really much to plan.........my due date is in a fortnight, and we're planning a home birth and we've not made any special provision for anything.
There are various things that your midwife will need to go through with you as far as emergency procedures etc are concerned - that will take about an hour. Other than that, you will need to gather some old towels, things to protect the furniture - an old shower curtain is good, some old sheets perhaps. If you look on the homebirth website www.homebirth.org.uk it gives you lots of ideas of things you might like to think about - food and refreshment for the midwives and anyone else who might be there, birth plan etc, but really, you don't need to organise all that much!
Good luck!
x

 

[Lauraxamy]

That's great! I would love a home birth but I'm just not brave enough, sounds silly really I dunno why

 

[Bumbled Bee]

Fantastic!
As far as "planning" a home birth - I can't think that there is really much to plan.........my due date is in a fortnight, and we're planning a home birth and we've not made any special provision for anything.
There are various things that your midwife will need to go through with you as far as emergency procedures etc are concerned - that will take about an hour. Other than that, you will need to gather some old towels, things to protect the furniture - an old shower curtain is good, some old sheets perhaps. If you look on the homebirth website www.homebirth.org.uk it gives you lots of ideas of things you might like to think about - food and refreshment for the midwives and anyone else who might be there, birth plan etc, but really, you don't need to organise all that much!
Good luck!
x

Thanks so much for your advice. Still trying to get a midwife on the phone to speak to me, so hopefully can get and appt to go over everything we need to know soon. I feel a bit panicky that it won't come together in time. I have a sneaky feeling that this baby won't be late!

 

[Cactusgirl]

I too am planning a homebirth - to be honest the mw don't really start discussing it it seems till about 36weeks anyway!

There is a fabulous thread in the groups forum on home births

https://www.babyandbump.com/bnb-groups/255340-home-birthers-hopefuls.html

The ladies there are fantastic and so knowledgeable!!

Good luck!

 

[Martz]

I'm planning a home birth too and apart from the fact that I made it known to my MW at 8 weeks, nothing else has been organised and wont be til about 36 weeks anyway, so dont see why it should be a prob for you...good luck hun x

 

[urbanbumpkin]

I am planning a home birth, and have been since my 12 week appointment, but nothing really has been done that is different at my appointments.

I did have a home visit from the midwife yesterday (at nearly 33 weeks) for her to check she knew where we were, that her phone worked, what the parking was like etc but that was just for her convenience.

I will sent a big pack of stuff at 36-37 weeks which has all the equipment they need so that it is here and they don't have to bring it with them, that is the only thing that needs organising really. That has drugs, and equipment in it, and entonox and oxygen canisters. If you think you might want pain injections you just need to ask the midwife to give you a prescription in advance and then you go and collect it, and have that sat there for if you want it.

The only other thing I've had is a little chat about what they can and can't do at home vs the hospital (drugs and procedures), so that I know what my options are.

Good luck, and do come to the Home Birth thread in the groups section!

 

[Bumbled Bee]

Wow, thanks a lot everyone. I thought that planning a homebirth meant months of prep with the midwife and home visits and everything. I guess it's not that hard after all. Still waiting for a midwife to phone me back to arrange an appointment. And I need to buy to track down a birthing pool, so i guess those are the two main things i need to get ready.

 

[urbanbumpkin]

Depending on whether you want an inflatable pool or a rigid sided one:

La Bassine (Loads of folks recommended this one to me.)

Birth Pool in a Box (My midwife said she had attended lots of births where these had been used, and said they seemed good.)

Birth Works (I am hiring one of their rigid sided ones, as I don't think an inflatable pool and my scratch-happy cat go together! With the heater/filter option you can leave it set up for weeks and just add a 'spa' tablet every now and again to keep it clean).

 

[JennTheMomma]

I'm due in a little under 4 weeks and planning a homebirth. We've been planning it for a long time though, and we're in USA where I'm sure it's very different.

 

[jessndoug]

to all of you brave ladies having an at home birth i highly suggest that you take an infant cpr class.it just my opinion but i would take it as a precaution

 

[urbanbumpkin]

jessndoug, I don't know about anyone else but in my case the midwife leaves me with a kit before birth that includes an oxygen tank, and correct sized masks for both the baby and me should we need them. They are there along with everything else needed.

She also comes to me from the same stage as I would go into hospital and then (so long as I am assessed to really be in established labour) stays all the way through labour until either 1 hour after the placenta is expelled, or until 1 hour after I have stopped bleeding, or 1 hour after any concern over my health or the baby's health has passed - whichever is latest.

A second midwife is called just before I give birth so that there is one medical professional on hand for me, one for the baby should they be needed.

At any sign of a problem we get transferred by ambulance to hospital, which has been notified that I am having a home birth at the point the midwife comes out to me.

Then I get a visit each day for the first 10 days if I want it. Again, at any sign of a problem we can be admitted.

So I get the same care as if I was in hospital and was discharged the same day (which is common here) but in fact actually get more one-on-one midwife time than someone in the birthing unit at the hospital.

That isn't to negate the need to know how to resuscitate an infant - but just to say that I think that is a useful skill for anyone, not just in the case of home birth.

 

[madasa]

I'm planning a home birth too. I also need to get the birth-pool organised, and make sure we have a cheap shower curtain or two and plenty of old towels. I've written my birth plan. That's it really, I think. I will discuss it with the MW at my 36 wk appt, but it's not really a giant undertaking!



I do need to think about arrangements for DS... if all goes well then he can just stay here, but it would be nice to have an extra body about the place to keep him distracted if necessary, and to take care of him IF something goes a bit wrong and I need to transfer to hospital for any reason. But I think my inlaws will be happy to have him, so it should be a non issue, I will just confirm it nearer the time. If all else fails, DH can mind him while I do the birth thing!

 

[madasa]

That isn't to negate the need to know how to resuscitate an infant - but just to say that I think that is a useful skill for anyone, not just in the case of home birth.

Yeah, that ^ ^ ^

Suggesting that this info is especially crucial to home birthers is bordering on scaremongering.

And following on from that, referring to an earlier post, tehre is nothing "brave" about birthing at home. For low risk pregnancies and smooth deliveries, it is as safe, if not safer, than a hospital environment. There is actually LESS risk of infections, interventions, need for an assisted delivery, CS or infant recus..... I could go on! The only reason childbirth was taken out of the home and moved to hospital was for cost and convenience: make the mama do the leg work and get 'em all under one roof. It had nothing to do with safety, and initially more women and babies died from infection due to being in hospital because at that time, drs did not understand about the importance of handwashing. These days, a hospital birth is much safer for women and babies than it was Way Back Then..... But it is not, under normal circumstances, safer than birthing at home.

 

[jessndoug]

jessndoug, I don't know about anyone else but in my case the midwife leaves me with a kit before birth that includes an oxygen tank, and correct sized masks for both the baby and me should we need them. They are there along with everything else needed.

She also comes to me from the same stage as I would go into hospital and then (so long as I am assessed to really be in established labour) stays all the way through labour until either 1 hour after the placenta is expelled, or until 1 hour after I have stopped bleeding, or 1 hour after any concern over my health or the baby's health has passed - whichever is latest.

A second midwife is called just before I give birth so that there is one medical professional on hand for me, one for the baby should they be needed.

At any sign of a problem we get transferred by ambulance to hospital, which has been notified that I am having a home birth at the point the midwife comes out to me.

Then I get a visit each day for the first 10 days if I want it. Again, at any sign of a problem we can be admitted.

So I get the same care as if I was in hospital and was discharged the same day (which is common here) but in fact actually get more one-on-one midwife time than someone in the birthing unit at the hospital.

That isn't to negate the need to know how to resuscitate an infant - but just to say that I think that is a useful skill for anyone, not just in the case of home birth.

wow you have a great mw that thinks/takes care of everything.

 

[jessndoug]

That isn't to negate the need to know how to resuscitate an infant - but just to say that I think that is a useful skill for anyone, not just in the case of home birth.

Yeah, that ^ ^ ^

Suggesting that this info is especially crucial to home birthers is bordering on scaremongering.

And following on from that, referring to an earlier post, tehre is nothing "brave" about birthing at home. For low risk pregnancies and smooth deliveries, it is as safe, if not safer, than a hospital environment. There is actually LESS risk of infections, interventions, need for an assisted delivery, CS or infant recus..... I could go on! The only reason childbirth was taken out of the home and moved to hospital was for cost and convenience: make the mama do the leg work and get 'em all under one roof. It had nothing to do with safety, and initially more women and babies died from infection due to being in hospital because at that time, drs did not understand about the importance of handwashing. These days, a hospital birth is much safer for women and babies than it was Way Back Then..... But it is not, under normal circumstances, safer than birthing at home.

i used the word brave becuase i had so many things happen in my last pregnancy with my son that i wouldnt even think of doing a home birth but if i didnt have problems with my body then i would definatly want to.

 

[EternalRose]

Midwives are very skilled, equipped and are trained to deal with babies that may need resuscitation. I wouldnt be having a homebirth if my midwife didnt know how to do one!

Definately join the homebirth group hun, its in my signature..I went out and bought loads of things for my homebirth today. Its so exciting x x

 

[Vicyi]

Ive been told to have a large area where i will feel comfortable, a strong torch, plastic sheeting and old towels. Thats it. Midwife was lovely and said thats all we will need really and anything else that will make me more comfortable! Good luck with the homebirth! xx

 

[urbanbumpkin]

wow you have a great mw that thinks/takes care of everything.

Just standard UK NHS midwife practice as far as I can tell.

Mine is particularly positive about homebirth, but all the practical stuff will be the same for anyone having a homebirth in the UK - whether their midwife is a fan of homebirth or not. Same equipment, same standards of care, etc.

 

[madasa]

jessndoug, I don't know about anyone else but in my case the midwife leaves me with a kit before birth that includes an oxygen tank, and correct sized masks for both the baby and me should we need them. They are there along with everything else needed.

She also comes to me from the same stage as I would go into hospital and then (so long as I am assessed to really be in established labour) stays all the way through labour until either 1 hour after the placenta is expelled, or until 1 hour after I have stopped bleeding, or 1 hour after any concern over my health or the baby's health has passed - whichever is latest.

A second midwife is called just before I give birth so that there is one medical professional on hand for me, one for the baby should they be needed.

At any sign of a problem we get transferred by ambulance to hospital, which has been notified that I am having a home birth at the point the midwife comes out to me.

Then I get a visit each day for the first 10 days if I want it. Again, at any sign of a problem we can be admitted.

So I get the same care as if I was in hospital and was discharged the same day (which is common here) but in fact actually get more one-on-one midwife time than someone in the birthing unit at the hospital.

That isn't to negate the need to know how to resuscitate an infant - but just to say that I think that is a useful skill for anyone, not just in the case of home birth.

wow you have a great mw that thinks/takes care of everything.

I've heard of a few women who birthed at home and had the same.... it's not the MW thinking of everything as such, it's just std policy in a lot of places... in the UK anyway. Exactly what they give you, what they bring with them and what they expect you to provide for yourself might ary slightly depending on where you are... but that all sounds pretty standard to me