Anyone have a home birth for their first child?

Question

I am nearly 6 mths pregnant and have been thinking seriously about having a homebirth. It is my first baby and my husband isn't really for it. My midwife commented that it is usual for a first timer to have the baby in hospital but I have read so many positive homebirth stories - also from first timers. Can anyone out there offer me some support? Did you have your first baby at home and was it a good experience?

Answer 1

As every baby, every mom, and every situation is different, my advice to you is not to have a home birth, but rather an assisted delivery by a midwife in a birthing center. Not so much as to restrain you into the typical hospital setting, but to have the resources available if anything should happen. Actually, a birthing center is very much like being at home, in my opinion. You labor, deliver, and recover in the same room.
This is your first delivery; some women have a very hard time giving birth and don't realize it until the baby is being born. You could have a wonderfully uncomplicated delivery. You could end up trying to deliver and tearing to the point of needing surgery to repair. You may just want an epidural because the pain is just too much. You won't know until you're there. No matter what research you do, or how many mothers you talk to, you will not know what labor and delivery is like until you experience it.
It's better to be in the same building as doctors if something goes wrong. You should still have the freedom to try different positions, etc. as you do at home. Discuss these ideas with your midwife so they can be applied at the birthing center.
As far as your husband's doubts, listen to him. If he's iffy now, what will he be like when the time comes? He's the one that's going to be in charge if you start losing it because of the pain. Your midwife is even suggesting a hospital setting. Listen to them for this child. If all goes well, then you might consider a home birth with your second child, once you know what to expect.

Answer 2

A good midwife won't let you deliver at home if you are at risk. So don't let people scare you with stories. Things can happen with birth in or out of the hospital. Things that are done at the hospital sometimes cause MORE problems. Personally I did not have my first at home. But if I ever knew that was an option back then I would have. I've had both. I've also had complications at home and I was transferred to the hospital. Nothing scary my midwife was on top of it an didn't want to take any risks.
Keep reading those inspiring stories. Stay clear of the horror stories everyone feels they must share. Ignore comments from people who work at hospitals they have only seen homebirths with problems. They don't see the millions of happy stories. I've been present at many (probably 12 or so) first baby homebirths and they were all beautiful.
Look online I know I was involved with a lot of homebirth groups.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

Search through the groups on Yahoo under home birth, there are several! There are some for unassisted homebirthing and some for midwife-attended. There you can talk to those who have actually done it and advocate for it. On c-birth you will hear from very PASSIONATE mommas who are totally for unassisted homebirths, who successfully had their firsts that way. It's a great way to hear the 'other side' of the birthing story, the way nature intended it to be. I'm planning one for my third, not sure if I'm going unassisted or not yet. I'm not pregnant yet so I have plenty of time. I wanted one, and planned for it, with my first, but I didn't have the support I do now and ended up in the hospital with 'complications' that would have been easy to work out had I known what I know now. Your midwife has liability issues, too, if she's licensed so it's not surprising she's not comfortable delivering your first. But they are out there! If you live in MN, there's a wonderful group called naturalmotheringMN, and they are for midwife-attended births. I know there are some midwives on there who do attend first-time births. Let me know if I can be of further help to you, feel free to contact me.

Answer 4

I had my first unmed in a hospital, second in a free-standing birth center and third at home. I wasn't mentally ready for a homebirth with my first. If you are comfortable with the idea but hubby isn't, it would be a good idea for the two of you to sit down with your midwife and have a discussion about your birthing options. If you are having a healthy, low risk pregnancy, homebirth might be a good option for you. I wish I had had all three of mine at home.

Answer 5

My mother had 4 homebirths. I'm the oldest and she had me at a hospital but for my siblings she preferred to be at home. she had a great midwife and everything went well. she also had seen a dr. from the local hospital so she had backup in case something went wrong and they needed to go to a hospital. my mom liked being in the comfort of her own home. she found it more relaxing than being in a hospital. good luck to you

Answer 6

i really wish i had known of this option when i had my first two, i was clueless that something like homebirth existed.
anyway, number 3 was a unassisted homebirth and 4 and also unassisted. it was a wonderful experience. no one telling me what to do, eating and drinking when and what i wanted"(even if i threw up after
) with number 3 i swam a lot in labor, and soaked in the hot tub. no inhibitions, i could be in whatever position i wanted and didnt worry about how goofy i looked. and i could be as loud as i wanted

Answer 7

I have met a few women who have had bad experiences from doing a home birth for the first time.. one of them actually lost the baby because they couldn't get it to the hospital in time.

Wouldn't you rather be at the hospital in case something goes wrong with the baby?

I was going to do a home birth also.. before those women talked me out of it.. and good thing I didn't do a home birth.. cuz my baby's heart rate dropped to a 50 (and it's supposed to be around 130-140).. he wasn't getting any oxygen through his umbilical cord.. and they had to give me an emergency cesarian and got him out of me within 10 minutes. That was only 6 days ago.

Answer 8

So many things could go wrong with you or the baby during any birth. It is best to do this in a hospital. You could look into birthing centers. which is like a hospital but the room you are in is comfortable and looks like a nice bedroom.

Answer 9

Are you nuts?! Do you know how many things could go wrong? That's why women started having babies in hospitals. Timing is everything, and if something should go wrong, you'd never forgive yourself. If you research at home birth deaths, you'd reconsider. Good luck to you though.

Answer 10

If I had had my first child at home he would not be here. I know you said that you wanted support, but I would not do it. Forgetting everything else are you going to want to clean up the mess after the baby is born. Birth is wonderful but not mess free.