Roll call: Homebirthers!

[AdalynsMama]

Who is planning a homebirth? Is this your first? What are you most looking forward to? Do you have any reservations?

This is my second and it's all I think about! Can't wait to have another amazing homebirth!

[Pirogi]

Me me me! First was born at home. We shall see about the second. I have some special circumstances that I can't really discuss, but I would love to HB again.

[butterfly1001]

Me too!! My first was a hospital birth, my second a home water birth. It was amazing!

My only concern is money. My midwife (a CNM) has hired a billed and will bill insurance, but we have to pay her and would be reimbursed if they would pay. If I would go to the hospital, insurance would pay everything.

I am going to do everything I can to do it at home again. I'm looking forward to being in the comfort of my home and snuggling up in my bed afterwards. And no one waking me up in the middle of the night checking my temp and looking to see if I have hemorroids. Ha!

[mamas2atti]

I'm planning my second homebirth. I've had a hospital birth with an OB, a hospital birth with a midwife, and a homebirth with a midwife. You'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to a hospital for a birth after my experiences.

[rumi79]

If everything goes fine with this pregnancy I am planning a homebirth with a CPM, hoping for waterbirth, but I am not set on it yet. It will be an HBAC for me, very different from my previous hospital experience with all "extras" whcih finally ended in c-section. Thank God we were fine with the baby. This time I won't risk to go to a hospital again.

[laurac5]

My first was a homebirth, and I am leaning towards a waterbirth at home for this baby.

My main reservations are cleanup (my MIL did it all last time and I felt bad about that), and whether or not there will be a good place for my dd to be during the birth.

I may look for a different MW who will do cleanup, or ask a doula to cover that. And I guess the issue of where dd should be could actually be easier to solve at home, as she might just sleep through it! But if she does not, our apartment is rather small and in January she won't even be able to go outside for long to escape the noise. (Or to spare me the noise!)

In any case, I will have to come up with a good plan for her. At least I still have 8 months to figure it out!

[AdalynsMama]

laurac5-- I am SHOCKED that your midwife didn't clean up!! That's insane! I hope you can find one that will do the clean up, and yes, a doula would definitely help out with that. Do you have any close friends or family that would be willing to have your DD over at their house while you labor? My DD was 22 months when I had my home birth and she just spent a few hours at a friends house and then they brought her home when we called them.

rumi-- My favorite births are HBACs. Always so healing for mama Best of luck to you!

mamas2atti- Right there with you! I think I'd go hide in the forest by myself before going to the hospital!

butterfly-- have you talked with your midwife about bartering servies? A lot of times midwives are more than willing to barter services or at least offer a reduced rate.


pirogi-- FX for you mama!!!

[PhotoJournMama]

I am hoping for a HBAC! I have some other issues that I have been seeing a fertility specialist for, but I really hope that they don't get in the way. I have about a 50% chance of having another breech baby, unfortunately Also, my RE doesn't usually discharge patients to prenatal care until after 7 weeks, and I am worried that by then the midwives in my area will be booked solid. I have given them a call but haven't heard anything back yet.

[Phoebe]

Me! This will be my 3rd HBAC. Ds2 was in water, Ds3 was born on the futon (couldn't get back onto the tub). I'll plan for both options this time again.

No special concerns except that we don't have insurance coverage for delivery if I end up in the hospital. It'll be what it'll be I guess.

[crunchynerd]

Expecting my 3rd child, second homebirth! The first child's birth ended in a cesarean, so next I chose homebirth to maximize my chances of a good vaginal birth, and now, hopefully and happily anticipationg another homebirth! And yes, thinking about having a GOOD birth again really makes a difference! I would have such dread in my heart if I were going for another feedlot birth. (sorry if that offends anyone, but my impression of the whole OB/Hospital routine was very much of it being an assembly line processing us units!)

My only concern is the $2600 midwife fee, but I would rather see us take out a personal loan if need be, to pay that, than go the hospital route (unless truly absolutely necessary!) without spending a cent other than our insurance payments. Our insurance would cover all of another cesarean, and we'd be out nothing, but Iwould rather personally squeeze out $2600, for another healthy, happy, all-natural homebirth!

And seeing as how my son was over 10 lbs (and that was my 1st vaginal birth), size doesn't scare me at all. I really cannot be threatened with "big baby" predictions, even if I let anyone ultrasound me and try for that tactic. I could say "She Who Pushed Out 10 Lb baby, Laughs!" Really, birth is not scary. Having your birth process usurped and mangled is what is scary.

[laurac5]

AdalynsMama, now that I think of it, I think my midwife must have done a good amount of cleanup, probably all or at least almost all that she could have been expected to do. My reservations about HB are mainly because MIL washed our linens over and over again to get stains out, which we wouldn't have to do at a BC, but with a HB I don't really expect the midwife to stay around for multiple laundry cycles.

I think there were a few stains in our carpet that MIL had to get out; maybe the midwife could have addressed those while she was here, but then again she may not have noticed them.

Honestly, my postpartum self was so oblivious that I think I took a lot of what my MW did for granted. :-)

I never mentioned all the things I loved about HB... my favorite thing was going to sleep that night in my own bed cuddled up next to my husband listening to the sound of our new daughter sleeping. And it was lovely not to have to go anywhere. at. all. for two weeks. Now if only I could find a ped to do a home visit for the baby this time...

[boogiemonster]

I'm planning my first homebirth. My first DD was born in the hospital, and my second in a birth centre under the care of midwives. Actually, she was very nearly born in the car, which is one of the reasons we're really looking forward to birth at home this time!

[lmevans]

Yay, lots of homebirthers!! I hope I get to join you....we're meeting a midwife next week. But I'm worried my DH isnt going to like the cost (paying OOP) and I'll end up with a hospital birth. Fingers crossed that I get my longed for homebirth!!

[HappyMommy2]

Once I come out of my shock and denial, I will begin planning my HBA-HBAC.

[AdalynsMama]

Laurac-- Gotcha!! If I were you, I'd go to goodwill and grab a fitted sheet and take it home and sanitize the heck out of it! Then, simply throw it away and never think twice about it PS- we should be due date buddies

Happymommy2-- I wanna know your story! What's up the shock?!? Do tell!!!

lmevans-- I'll keep my FX for your DH to understand how much homebirth is worth. Also, see if your midwife has a sliding scale or payment plan!

boogiemonster-- homebirth is definitely a better option than a car birth!

crunchynerd-- I agree with you 110% Hospital birth is one of the scariest things I can think of!

Photojourn-- Good luck mama! FX for a homebirth for you!!

[KistheMum]

Yea homebirth!!!

I'm happy to see the January club up. I was wicked early figuring it out, so I posted some on the December club.

I tried for a home waterbirth with our dd. A birth professional no-show, and cervical scar tissue from ridiculous procedures I didn't need (didn't know any better at the time), and I ended up at the hospital. Basically I was up for 15 hours or so before I went into labour, and after about 17 1/2 hours, I was exhausted. I finally decided to go ahead and take an ambulance ride out of concern for myself and dd with being so tired. I'm incredibly grateful we didn't go any sooner.

We'll be fine to have this one at home. I already have a midwife, but we are planning on moving out of the area in a few months. I think I'll be able to find another one after the move, but I don't expect anyone to be able to get there in time.

[SumnerRain]

I will be having my second HB, I just hired my midwife yesterday!! I never thought that they may not do cleanup though, yikes! I guess that is something I better ask in 2 weeks. The doula I am meeting tomorrow is also a PP doula, and used my MW for her last child, so I could ask her if my MW did cleanup, and if not I will just hire her for that if she is willing.

I did have some HB drama this week.... I interviewed two HB MWs, #1 was covered by my insurance at 100%, #2 was covered at 70%. I liked #2 better, but my husband liked #1 better. #1 works in an office, #2 works out of her home, and DH felt more comfortable in the office, as he's always been a little weird about going to other people's houses, especially someone he does not know.

So to save some drama, and to be financially responsible I called #1 to hire them on Monday. Tuesday, still no reply so I called back. The office manager seemed irritated and said "is this who called yesterday? Yeah, well the MW has not gotten back to me". I told her to call my cell number because I had errands and left. When I got home I had a message from the office manager saying they were full for December and good luck. Ugh, I told them I am Due Jan 28th and the earliest I have ever had a baby is 5 days after my guess date, that puts me in January. Immediately called back, no answer, left that info on their machine and no call back today either. Whatever.

So I called MW #2 and she called back 4 hours later and said she was saving a spot for me. Phew! Now I get to appeal my insurance to see if I can get a Gap Exception to get them to pay for #2 at 100% since #1 won't take me, and the other one is a hospital midwife and the other only does gyn care.

Oh the drama!

[littlelentils]

future homebirther here! i was supposed to birth at home my first pregnancy, but the birth center closed down right before i was due! it was a nightmare but luckily i found a midwife... only she would just do hospital births. the birth itself was great for a hospital. but the postnatal care was horrendous. i will never do that again unless in an emergency situation.

[voicegrrl]

I'll be having my 5th homebirth, well 4th if you count the twins coming on the same day, but they were almost 7 hours apart and one was born in the am, the other pm, so I would say it counts as 2. Especially since I had them in different rooms of the house. I just realized that maybe the second twin is such a picky eater because I birthed her in the dining room, haha, sorry for the tangent!!!

Anyway, first baby was 10 pounds, the twins were, well twins, 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 pounds and the last baby was 9 pounds. Normal births but the first three were long, long, painful labors. Most recent birth was beautiful and everything I ever wanted and 6 hours from start to finish with minimal pushing. This will be my last so I really want to savor it and I've always wanted a water birth so this time I'm going to make it happen! I half expect to just sneeze this kid out.

LauraC5-seriously that whole cleanup thing is crazy. What midwife doesn't clean up? I've had a lot of midwives and they've all pitched in.

[thebigfam]

Second Child first hb. I am so excited!!!!! I had a natural birth in hospital last time with a hospital mw but I want more out of this one! They gave me Pit after my daughter was born without even talking to me about it. I am really looking forward to this home birth!

BIg Momma