Im pregnant with my 3rd child and i am thining about having a home birth. has anyone every had a home birth and how did they find it? im am whating a home birth because i think this is my best option as my other 2 kids are under 5 and i dont really have anyone who could mind them when i go into labour. but on the other hand im scared incase anythink should go wrong when in labour or when baby is born.
2007-01-08 23:44:01 · 22 answers · asked by bobby 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Well, at least get a midwife. What if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's throat or what if you tear really bad and need a blood transfusion. I think hiring someone to watch your children for a day or two is worth not risking you and your baby's life. There are just too many 'what if's. And I know ppl will say how that's the way everyone had their babies a long time ago, but the death rate for moms and newborns were also extremely high. Good Luck in whatever you chose to do.
2007-01-08 23:55:39 · answer #1 · answered by steffers4979 4 · 2⤊ 6⤋
We had a wonderful home birth experience. We feel much safer at home than in a hospital. Hospitals force your labor into their idea of how it should progress, which is rarely how it would progress naturally. Some parents are fine with this, some are not. It is a personal choice.
Regarding safety, Certified Nurse Midwives can cover almost all possible complications short of a c-section, and will bring the medical eq and assistants, etc. We recommend finding one if you can.
We also recommend being completely realistic. Have a backup plan to get to a hospital if a reason arises that you need it. Be prepared for anything. Our birth went just fine at home, but we also committed to our midwife to follow her direction if she felt we needed a hospital. We're glad we didn't need that.
Do a lot of research --you will find that under normal low-risk pregnancies, home births have better safety records. If you are not a normal low-risk pregnancy, then the answer may differ. But do the research yourself and make your own decision. As useful as answers on this site may be, we are all different people. You are investigating a choice that a small minority make, so don't be discouraged by negative comments from others. Make your own educated choices and all will be well.
2007-01-09 00:13:27 · answer #2 · answered by synnik 1 · 8⤊ 0⤋
I had a home birth with my third child, almost two years ago. My girls were 6 and 4 at the time and they wanted to watch their brother being born!
I decided at home would be best so they had some where to go if they decided they didn't want to watch, they had seen on on sky tv and coped well with the idea of where the baby comes out of!
As it turned out when my waters broke on the kitchen floor, he had poohed inside so I should have gone to hospital, the midwife took me upstairs to examine me but it was too late he was coming now. Lewis was born with no problems at all, and did not need any special care or anything.
These ladies know what they are doing and if there is any threat to you or your baby the will call for an ambulance.
They bring all of the equipment for you and baby a few weeks before you are due. If you do want any pain relief like pethidine you need to get this from your doctor in advane as the midwifes don't bring it with them.
You will love a home birth, you are more relaxed.
Lewis weighed 8lb 12oz and I had no pain relief what so ever not even entinox.
Oh forgot to mention, the girls didn't watch in the end, I decided against it as he had poohed. But they sat waiting for the ten mins of pushing, at the bottom of the stairs. Then as soon as they heard him cry, came rushing in to see their new brother and to give us both a big kiss.
Good luck on whatever you decide x
2007-01-09 00:06:00 · answer #3 · answered by vanessa s 4 · 7⤊ 0⤋
home birth is great idea if you have had an uncomplicated pregnancy and are classed as low risk. research shows that you are safer to deliver at home than in hospital and less likely to have a c section or any other intervention.
the people who have advised against a home birth have little knowledge on the subject, midwives are highly trained and are able to recognise any signs of complication at an early stage. if there were any complications then you would be transfered to hospital by ambulance (at the hospital i work in obstetric cases take priority for ambulances). i cant remember the statistics for how many are transfered in labour but they are low.
the person who said that your children should not be present whilst you are in labour is ignorant, birth is a normal natural part of life and a family event i think it is brilliant for children to be either at the birth or around so that they are able to meet their new sibling and enjoy the special time immediately after birth. your midwife will be able to reassure you further and give your details about the area you live in.
HOSPITAL ARE NOT CLEANER THAN MOST PEOPLES HOMES HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF MRSA!!!!
2007-01-10 10:48:47 · answer #4 · answered by Abigail B 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You HAVE to find someone to mind the little ones. You are not going to be able to deliver a baby while tending to them. There's always a possibility for complications, and you have to be prepared for an emergency trip to the hospital, even with a home birth. Most home births are successful and are a wonderful experience (at least here in the States...I don't know about the UK), and I do not discourage it, especially since this is your third child. Look for a midwife in your area with experience in home births and she'll help you with the preparations. And be sure to get as much prenatal care and testing done as possible to reduce the possibility of complications. Just be sure you're doing this because you WANT to, not because you HAVE to. If you are not completely comfortable with the idea, don't do it. You have to feel relaxed and in control for things to go smoothly.
As far as finding help for the little ones, call around to people you trust. Friends, family members, and churches are a good place to start. I wish you luck in finding the support you need.
Blessings
2007-01-09 00:05:53 · answer #5 · answered by Silverwolf 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
As long as you have a healthy, low risk pregnancy then you are most likely a good candidate for a homebirth. Make an appointment with a midwife and discuss your options.
My first was an unmed hospital birth. My second was a waterbirth in a freestanding birth center. My third was a home waterbirth. If I could, I'd go back and have them all at home.
Midwives are very knowledgable. They are trained to look for signs that there could be a problem ahead of time. A responsible midwife will refer you to a doctor if you aren't a good candidate for a homebirth. In most cases you'll have a backup doctor to call if there are complications and you need to go to the hospital. When I had my homebirth, the backup doc had to review my chart and sign off on it that I was OK to birth at home.
My homebirth was in the winter, so we had a fire in our fireplace. We had a birth tub set up in our kitchen. My labor was relaxed and wonderful. We listened to music and talked. My hubby was in the tub with me and he caught the baby. I was laughing and crying with joy when I pushed her out. The three of us cuddled on the sofabed in front of the fire afterwards. It was peaceful and romantic.
Some people worry about if there will be a mess. If there is any mess, the midwives clean it up for you. They will do laundry, change your sheets, whatever. They aren't going to leave you with a newborn and a mess! They are also very careful to help you not get blood anywhere, etc.
You will usually be required to be at least 37 weeks gestation before a midwife will attend a homebirth.
2007-01-09 00:24:30 · answer #6 · answered by momma2mingbu 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I had a home birth with my third child and wished I had done it with the other two! It was a wonderful relaxing experience and I was completely in control all the time. My little boy came swimming out in the bath (which they wouldn't let you do in a hospital) so it was less traumatic for him and less painful for me. I was able to hop into my own bed at the end of it and have a nice cup of tea! Lovely! No sharing toilets, no waiting for food and drinks, no restricted visiting times, no having to listen to other babies crying all night and disturbing yours! Perfect!
I started in labour at 5.30am and spent the day wandering about the house letting the contractions get stonger and stronger. I was in contact with the midwives regularly, but they didn't come until I thought I needed pain relief at about 3.15pm. By that time I was 9cm dilated, so I hopped in a hot bath and he was born at 4.10pm! The midwives were guided by how I felt and what I wanted and didn't interfere at all. They only guided me through the final moments and cleaned up afterwards. If child birth can be wonderful (I didnt think it was possible!) this was.
I wouldn't advise having the other children at home. I would think it quite traumatic when they are too young to understand. My Mum looked after mine and brought them to visit their baby brother an hour after he was born. It made it less stange for them to come to our home rather than to a hospital.
You just need to remember that if anything does go wrong, you can always get taken to the hospital, but the midwives are very competant. That's who you would be dealing with in hospital anyway.
Also, plan for a home birth if that's what you decide, but don't have your hopes set on it. If you are advised not to at any point for valid health reasons, trust your caretakers. They want what's best for you. Or if circumstances change, be flexible and have a contingency plan. It's not the end of the world - only 3, 7, 12, 24 or maybe 48 hours out of your life!!
2007-01-09 06:59:41 · answer #7 · answered by Katrina M 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i was planning a home birth with my second son, but thankfully i changed my mind, because when he was born he was breech and his lungs collapsed. Although my experiance is rare, i am still glad i went to hospital. That said, it depends how far u live fron the hospital, if its only 5 minutes away, then u can always try for a home birth, but u need to find a sitter for the kids because even if u plan for a homebirth, the baby may have different ideas and u may end up in hospital anyway!
2007-01-09 00:22:45 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hi! as long as you have a good pregnancy,no high blood pressure etc,you should be able to have a homebirth. I was going to have one when i had my little boy in June 06,but because my waters were trickling, i had to go in!
3 of my friends have had one and completey recommend.
As for if anything goes wrong, there is always an ambulance on stand by for you (ur midwife would inform the hosiptal when you are due and call them when you call her when you go into labour). you would have one midwife that would be with you (with that gas and air) ,then she would call for a second to help deliver your baby.As soon as your midwife thinks anything is wrong, she would get you that ambulance (partners cant drive you). If there was anything wrong with baby afterwards same aplies with the ambulance, but remember midwives are brilliant at their job!
Your midwife dont usually arrive until your close to delivering anyway,but if you were worried about anything you would only need to call. The whole point of a homebirth is that your comfortable in your own home, less interference!!!!!! Then afterwards you get to sleep in your own bed lovely.
You shouldnt worry,if everything in your pregnancy is how it should towards the end, you be fine to have a homebirth.
In pregnancy theres ususally a sign that something wrong, which means you can act before it gets worse!
good luck
catxx
p.s as for hosiptals are cleaner- rubbish. my bestfriends baby picked up an infection from the hos'. Homebirths are widely recommeded by midwives themselves!
2007-01-09 00:32:22 · answer #9 · answered by cgiggler3010 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think its a lovely idea, there were no problems with you first 2 so why not have a chat with your mid wife? She will monitor you closely through your pregnancy to check there are no problems that may arise during labour. Lots of women find a home birth a more relaxing experience than hospital, good luck with your decision x
2007-01-09 00:12:37 · answer #10 · answered by British*Bird 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
hiya i have had my last 2 children at home ( 1st 2 in hospital ) and plan on this 1 being born at home.
its hard to explain the experience but for me i would have it no other way, giving birth with your children and family around is a great feeling, my children stayed downstairs with my mum on the day we felt it was better that way but if they really wanted to be with me i would have consider it.
things can go wrong but here in the UK you have so many checks before labour starts and the midwife comes as soon as you want her here mine stayed for the whole day and night with my 1st home birth!!! at at any stage that you want to go to hospital or the midwife is not happy for you to continue you are transferred to hospital.
it is a little scary having a baby at home but once in labour i felt so relaxed i hardly noticed the pain and only used the gas and air when it came to pushing.
speak to your midwife/doctor about a home birth i think you will be surprised at how supportive they are, my surgery tries to encourage home birth if that's what you want to do.
just picture having your baby in your own bed then laying down with your family around, having a bath in your own bath, etc.....
but also keep an open mind and if things are not going well go to hospital its not worth risking your health or the baby.
good luck with what you decide x x x x
P.S i was told by more than 1 medical person you are more likely to get an infection in hospital because your body has already built anitbodies towards bacteria in your home!!! so you wouldnt be more prone to infection at home, if it was that bad they would just say NO to home births all together
2007-01-09 01:09:35 · answer #11 · answered by mum_2_many 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋