June 09 Homebirthing Tribe for May!

[ktmama]

We are almost there, mamas! :

I'm 36 weeks on Wednesday, which, in CO means I can "legally" have my hb. We have our home visit next Tuesday and I'm getting sooooo excited!

Just wondering if you all have had your home visits (if you do those) and how your other kids are doing (if you have those). My m/w loaned us a great kid's book telling the story of a homebirth and my 3 yo is really liking that. We've been looking at pics of her birth quite a bit, but I also don't want to overdo anything - just want her to think that it's natural, but serious at the same time. Literally all I have to get done is baby laundry!

Everyone hanging in there?

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

All my prenatals are in my home, though last week we showed the midwife our bedroom (to ask about logistics of the birthing tub) and she said I had a "great birthing space."

I think there's some fudge of 36-37 weeks as to when I'm good for homebirth, but I'd feel more comfortable come 37.

[jessielove]

Do you mind sharing the name of the book? I need to start preparing my older kids.

Our home visit will be at the end of this month. We have two home visits, one at 36 weeks and one at 37 weeks {there are 4 mws in the group and they can't all come the same day, so they split it in to two visits}. I'll be 35 weeks on Friday, so one more week plus a few days and we'll be good to go!

I have an appt. tomorrow with an accupuncturist to learn how to do moxibustion at home and one with my mw on Wednesday to check position. As of last Wednesday Bun was frank breech, but I'm pretty sure we're vertex now, so the moxibustion won't be necessary. We're keeping the appt. anyway, just in case, but I'm pretty hopeful that it will just be a waste of money. That seems such an odd thing to hope for though If we're still breech as of the check Wed. we'll be trying a chiropractor/the Webster technique, and then we'll have just over a week to get the Bun turned or risk out of a homebirth. TBH, that's the only reason I'm worried at all. I'm confident Bun will turn by birth, but if we're not vertex at 37 weeks we automatically risk out. Which stinks.

I'm going full steam ahead with all of my homebirthing plans though. Like I said, I'm pretty sure Bun has already turned back vertex and the only real challenge will be keeping him/her that way.

Birth kit is here and birth pool has been ordered! The diapers are all made and look adorable in their little tubs on the shelves, though I do still need to give them all a good wash and hot dry to prep them. The clothes are all ready to go. The only thing I have left is to triple check to make sure I have someone available for my older kids if needed and to buy the car seat. Plus I need to finish the mw gifts, clean the bedrooms, finish my garden and yard work, get the clothesline hung and finish up all of my sewing... Okay, so I'm not quite as ready as I thought.

[RachaelsMommy]

I am so not ready, but I'm only (almost) 35 weeks. We just finished moving into our house last week, so we've got painting and organizing to do. I need some newborn diapers and clothes. I think my home visit will be the beginning of June.

[ktmama]

Do you mind sharing the name of the book? I need to start preparing my older kids.

The book is called Welcome With Love, but it's out of print. You library might have it...

[Carlin]

My home visit is May 21 :
Our renos are almost done, and my bedroom furniture is now back where it belongs so we can start cleaning and organizing. I really want to have everything major done by the end of the weekend, so I just have little things like washing diapers to do after that.

Yesterday someone asked if I was getting excited yet, but I think we've been too busy! I hope that I have a week or two to decompress after finishing work on May 29th.

[Ianthe]

We haven't talked about a home visit yet.. I'll imagine we will soon. I told mw we moved into a smaller place, i was concerned about fitting the tub, and i really wanted a water birth.. then mentioned that we might have to do it in my backyard (I would love that, btw.. but only at night).

DH started working out of town this week, and my mw and doula both live 30 mins away without traffic so i am crossing my fingers for a weekend birth : My doula is a massage therapist with a lot of lay knowledge in reflexology and aromatherapy, so I told her I may have her give me a clary sage massage on a Friday (after my EDD).

[channelofpeace]

Hubby and I are going through everything in the birth supplies container I have assembled (my friends and family homebirth, so I have gotten most of my supplies from them- I have a ridiculous amount of chux pads ) tonight to make sure we have everything. If I need something else, I'll be filling in the gaps.

We just moved into a new house that has a huge bathtub that I think will be perfect for the birth : It will be nice to just be able to fill and drain everything as needed, instead of having to fiddle with hoses and such. We are having our support people over at the end of May so we can discuss what we might need them to be doing. Honestly, at this point, my main concern is that my other kiddos are well taken care of. We are planning on having our dd there for the birth and our two ds shortly afterward, but they have all seen a ton of natural birth videos on youtube should they end up being present

Spud decided at about 28 weeks to go head down and has been in the same position since I am glad that positioning isn't a concern!

[Erinz]

My midwife loaned us Welcome With Love too, I love that book!

Our home visit was last Thursday and my midwife and her apprentice stayed for dinner and it was just a fabulous visit. I have everything assembled and the car seat in and now it's just the waiting game. I have more organizing I could do, but my high bp has landed my on modified bed rest which honestly makes me not feel guilty about not getting EVERYthing done that I wanted to.

I lost a lot of my mucous plug yesterday, so to avoid my bp going higher and risking hospital inducement (which is what happened last time) we're going to do acupunture inducement tomorrow and Thursday while I'm there for the hypertension treatment. REally hoping to not be risked out of a homebirth, and really hoping my bp doesn't spike for the sake of me and my baby! Once I was in labor last time it leveled off by laying on my left side, so I'm hoping worst case scenario that's where I"ll be again. My bp wasn't discovered until 40 weeks last time (they thought their equipment was malfunctioning at the 37-39 week appts) so being more proactive and on top of it this time is really making me feel good!

[maryjane]

I am 37 weeks and I had my home visit this morning :. I really love my MW -- she's such a good fit for me and my DH. The kids were at the appointment and I've talked to them a bit about the birth -- good blood, dinosaur noises, etc. I'm not sure I'll want them to be there, but just in case, I want them to be prepared. I also showed them a really nice slideshow of a homebirth, that they seemed to dig. It showed one of the big brothers cutting the cord, which my oldest son wants to do.

I had a dream about the birth earlier today -- it was very vivid and most definitely a boy! I'll know soon enough!

[ghuaghua]

My home visit is...the 26th, I believe. I will be right at 37 weeks, so we'll see if I even make it that far.

[ameliasmama]

I don't feel well prepared at all! I'm just past 34 weeks and will have my home visit in two weeks. I did order my birth kit and it came, but I haven't even opened it yet!

I did spend all of mother's day rearranging DD's bedroom and our room (the only two bedrooms we have) to make room for the little one. It feels so good to have that done, because I feel like I've been thinking about it CONSTANTLY! I was a the grocery store today and stocked up on things I can make to put in the freezer. Now I just have to find the motivation to actually cook a meal!

My MW is going to lend us Welcome with Love for DD. I also found a book on Etsy called My Brother Jimi Jazz that I ordered. It came yesterday and DD is enjoying it. We've also been watching some videos and DD loves them! She always asking me if we can watch them again.

I also finally decided on who I want to be here for the birth, or at least sort of. My plan is that I'm not really going to have a plan, but a list of people to call and DH is going to know who to call under what circumstances. I feel so good about finally figuring that out, it was really stressful for me!

I'm still trying to decide about renting a birthing tub, anyone have any strong feelings either way? DD came fast and my MW seems to think I might not have time to set it all up, but I kind of think I might want it just in case.

And I had my first birth dream the other night and it was awesome!!: It was just me and my MW and she just stood back and told me what to do and a little baby boy came out happy, healthy and peacefully!

[akichan]

I'm so excited to join this tribe! I met with a midwife for the first time last week and hope to have a hb in 6 weeks or less!

Still going through old posts and hurrying to get what I need together. Home visit will be this week or next week.

Any of you getting flack from family about hbing? NO ONE in my family is supportive.

[Jessie Mae]

We have our home visit this Friday. I am almost at 37 weeks. We keep joking saying "The midwives are coming, the midwives are coming!" The midwives are bringing the pool and checking out the place. I am so excited for this visit - can't believe it's this close. We got 99% of our birth supplies ready to go. Right now I am in the midst of my first diaper washing. I am on cycle 4. So, a couple more to go and they should be done. I am in major nesting mode. I wish that I could just be home all day preparing. Next week is my last week of work, so that's good. Happy nesting to you all!

[mommymcnair6]

We are having our home visit tomorrow and I am 36 weeks along. I can't believe it! All the supplies are set. The only thing I have left to do is bake and freeze some meals for my family for after the birth. Everything else will have to be done when I go into labor - make the bed with double sheets, get out all the supplies and set everything up, etc.

My other kids are very excited and have a small pool going as to whether the baby is a boy or girl. Most of them spend a little bit of time every day patting the baby in my belly and talking to it so he or she will know their voice after birth. They enjoy that a lot!

I am just trying to stay relaxed and focused at this point and spend these last few weeks hanging out with my family! This is a precious time and I am trying to relax and enjoy it!

[Ianthe]

Originally Posted by akichan

Any of you getting flack from family about hbing? NO ONE in my family is supportive.

None here really.. we rent MIL's basement apt, and she is slightly nervous about it, but is supportive any way. I am lucky to have many natural minded friends and family.

[savvybabygrace]

Hi! Due end of June and preparing for our first homebirth (and waterbirth!). SOOOO excited!!

[happyhippimama]

We just had our 34 week appt yesterday. The MW gave us our supplies list. I read it once and feel very overwhelmed. I will have to read it again tomorrow. I need to order the birth kit nad get all the other supplies together by 37 weeks. So I have 3 weeks to have everything together. AHHH!!

I am so excited!!!!:

[Ianthe]

I am very fortunate that all my supplies are included in the midwife fee. I do have some chux pads on hand, just in case.. (leftover from DS #1's birth)

[jessielove]

Thanks for the book suggestion! I'll check to see if my mws have that there to lend.

So what exactly does a home visit generally entail?