Home Birth

[sorenr]

Anyone had a home birth before? would love to hear some stories...seriously thinking about it this time round if i'm allowed. What kind of preparations were needed? Did it all go well? How does it compare to a hospital delivery? (I suspect I know the answer to that one!) Any stories good or bad would be great, we always hear wonderful stories so dont worry about scaring me with any bad ones, I would appreciate some balance to help me make my choice...

[sorenr]

Thanks for those responses...maybe I should explain that I am in the uk and we dont really have bithing centres, they are within hospitals and usually midwife led, the care I would recieve at home would not be much different, just more personal and calm. I didnt realise that you guys would have to pay for those services, we are pretty lucky really over here...our level of care is very different though, we dont get half of the blood tests, scans or appointments that you guys do...again thanks for the responses, much apreciated...

[cminamyer]

I myself considered a home birth but DH didn't love the idea so we decided on a birthing center instead.  We have also been lucky because the birthing center is %100 paid for by insurance and a home birth would not be, so it's a plus too.  A neighbor of mine had a home birth and bought a birthing pool, she had a certified nurse midwife present and the hospital was only about 5 minutes away.  She loved her experience and it was with her second child...she'll have her next at home also if she can.  

The only advice I can give is don't get your hopes up too high...I'm really not trying to because my baby is still breech and if she doesn't flip the birthing center is out!  I SO WANT to have her at the birthing center but will do what's best for my baby. Good Luck  

[steph_ut]

A friend of mine has had two wonderful home birth experiences. She has a locally well-known certified midwife who brings her partner with her. I should mention my friend is a midwife herself so I'm not sure if the "crew" was typical as she had a few co-worker friends around too. Both times, I was at her house visiting/helping in less than a day after the birth and there was no trace of medical stuff, which was nice and relaxing.

I personally went for a hospital birth since I stayed with my gp for my first and delivered at a hospital. I didn't feel confident enough being a first time mom and not very familiar with birth (the only one I've ever experienced was my daughter's!). For this one, I trust him so much that I never questioned seeing him for this pregnancy and if that means a hospital birth, I'm good with it. It always strikes me a little odd to opt for a hospital since I keep telling people I don't need an ob since I'm pregnant, not sick.

[sorenr]

I would have 2 midwives which is likely more than I would have in the hospital...I hear you though, my son's cord was round his neck and ripped too, I needed forceps and had a third degree tear, but my daughter's birth was so nice, we lived in a small community with a small hospital and I knew all the midwives and they knew my background so helped ease my daughter out so I didnt tear at all, that delivery was so good, and my labour only lasted 4 hrs. I now live in an area where the midwives I see through my pregnancy are not the ones who will deliver my baby. The ones in the hospital will not understand my history and I will never have seen them before. Its just a consideration at this point...I know things can go wrong but also that they can be so lovely...I would like to have another nice experience for my last baby's birth (if its possible...)

[Ashleigh529]

Sorry I've never even considered it. My son had the cord around his neck 2xs. Very very tight he was very blue and limp. Nothing drs could have predicted. Without immediate care and proper trained nurses something awful could have happened

[sorenr]

no-one?

[sorenr]

bump!