Homebirthers! « Back to Group Discussions

[lindsayjean]

Wanna start our own little thread??  Baby #?  Have you given birth at home before?  

It's my 3rd baby, will be 2nd homebirth.  My last birth was a perfect Hypnobabies home waterbirth and I ((know)) this one will be just as good/if not even better!!  I seriously love giving birth after my last experience!!   Anyway, excited to hear all your plans!  We don't have any plans yet since we still don't know if we'll be here/another state.... hoping to get SOME sort of answer semi-soon.  I still need to call my midwife to at least have her do my prenatal care before we move (if we move), but just feeling really chill and like there is no reason to rush and/or worry unecessarily right now ;-)  

[babycatcher12]

Sure! 

This is our 5th, our 2nd homebirth. Our last one was a HBA3C. It was a fantastic (very quick) hypnobabies birth. The midwife didn't even make it, but it was exactly what I needed. In fact, I didn't even think I was really in labor and waited until my water broke to call the midwife and he was her shortly after that. 

I'm totally looking forward to giving birth again. :) I have an appointment with the midwife October 11. 

[Onemoreontheway]

Hi Ladies,
I am adding myself here cause even though I'm still feeling a little ambivalent about homebirth this time around - I honestly hope that clears up soon.

I've had all of my kids at home, water births, good experience/not great/wonderful experience. In my last birth the midwives got there 8 minutes before she came, made me breakfast, and left. That was about perfect for us to be honest - lol.

I am dealing with some anxiety (which is not unusual at all during pregnancy for me), and have been flip-flopping in my mind even though we have already hired a midwife that I really do feel is competent, kind, and understanding.

Really, I am thankful I have 9 months to work out this fear/emotion/anxiety that is going on - cause I know that unless I surrender what I'm feeling right now in terms of anxiety than the birth is going to be a lot harder than it needs to be.

I did love our home births, very much so. The closeness it facilitates, the love we all felt, holding that sweet child in your arms as soon as it comes up...

My husband is being very strong and understanding right now. I mentioned hospital and he was reminding me all the reasons we avoided it from the very first birth, and how healthy our babies are, etc.

Basically, we are in the opposite situations of when we got our very first Positive. LOL

I was convincing him, cause he was all unsure about it.

Shoes on the other foot now.

The root of my fear is not home birth or hospital birth, it is just birth in general right now. Ridiculous, I know.
I'm going to read up on hypnobabies.

[Just1More]

Me!  Fifth baby, third homebirth. 

Onemore (yes...our names are so similiar!), are you taking a prenatal? and iron? fish oil? b complex? I'm asking because I start feeling anxious about a lot of things, especially when I'm pg, and it seems to be linked to low blood pressure.  If I drink plenty, and take floradix, I find myself much more rational.  I discovered fish oil recently, and that, too, helps me to be even-keeled.

I'm not saying that you are irrational, or silly for your fears, or that they are unfounded.  I'm just suggesting that sometimes it's harder for me to work through legitmate stuff when I am pg because my body doesn't quite have what it needs.

[MeredithA]

hello homebirthers! This is baby # 3, but will be my first home birth. I had my 1st in a hospital w an epidural. My 2nd was in a hospital but completely drug free. My last one was quick and easy -- 45 minutes from my 1st contraction to holding baby in my arms. DH caught him while the midwife offered encouraging words. It was a good birth experience, but after the birth I was completely frustrated. He was born at 3am and by 6am I was ready to go home and have breakfast with my family...but the hospital refused to discharge me. They said I was *required* to stay overnight. Even though it had been an uncomplicated, easy, birth and baby and I were both healthy and doing fine. Nurses kept coming in every 30-45 minutes wanting to examine my nipples, take my temperature, and push on my abdomen to "check on me". Baby was nursing fine - I didn't want anyone touching my nipples or shoving thermometers in my mouth or touching me at all. 

So, DH and I thought that for baby #3, a birth center would be more appropriate for us. But there are no birth centers anywhere near Atlanta, so we decided on a home birth. I had to do some convincing because DH was nervous about it at first. Once he learned more about it and met the midwives, he was 100% on board. We are both thrilled to be having our baby at home. 

[BubbleMa]

2nd baby for me, first homebirth.  SO has two children with his ex wife, she had a c-section with both.  So this will be a very different experience for him.  It's so weird to think that he's never seen a baby being born.

Anyway, DD was born in a birth center, attached to a hospital.  It was pretty much just a fancy hospital room.  I was talked into drugs I didn't want, rushed, hooked up to machines, had a random Dr. deliver DD, etc.  It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't what I wanted either.  I'm so excited to have this baby at home.  I've been dreaming about it for about 9.5 years now.  lol

[Onemoreontheway]

lol - oh Just1more - I totally am ok admitting that I am being a bit irrational. You are so right about supplements too. I am taking:

Prenatal

Super B-12 complex

Fish oil (1 a day)

Flax oil (2 a day)

D-3

I have to be careful with iron. My dad had hemochromotosis and though it is rarer in females, during my last pregnancies if I took prenatels I would get awful, awful migraine headaches. We cut out the prenatal (they had tons of iron in them) and the headaches went away. My iron always read 16-17 ar WIC checks...So I am leery of adding any more iron though I am cooking in cast iron.

Do you see any thing else I should add?

Originally Posted by Just1More 

Me!  Fifth baby, third homebirth. 

Onemore (yes...our names are so similiar!), are you taking a prenatal? and iron? fish oil? b complex? I'm asking because I start feeling anxious about a lot of things, especially when I'm pg, and it seems to be linked to low blood pressure.  If I drink plenty, and take floradix, I find myself much more rational.  I discovered fish oil recently, and that, too, helps me to be even-keeled.

I'm not saying that you are irrational, or silly for your fears, or that they are unfounded.  I'm just suggesting that sometimes it's harder for me to work through legitmate stuff when I am pg because my body doesn't quite have what it needs.

[lindsayjean]

onemore- Hypnobabies has a fear release track that would be so helpful!!  I totally get it.  My homebirth was so amazing it's almost like "how could I be so lucky to get that again"  I also think I have some issues due to the fact that this is the first birth for me since becoming a doula, childbirth educator, etc and I've seen a whole lotta stuff in that time.  Honestly, though, it does make me want to give birth at home for sure... and I am looking forward to starting Hypnobabies again to get myself in that positive and confident mindset and to release all that junk :-)  

[Mama2Rio]

this will be child # 2, first at home! i'm so excited because of my hate for hospitals. i never knew anyone who home-birthed until after i had DD and now i've become very comfortable with the idea. when i was preggo with DD friends were asking me "why are you not having her at home? i'd never take you for giving birth at a hospital." not that the hospital was the worst, it wasn't what i wanted (between induction, nurses not really caring, hearing nurses talking about another person getting a c-section, being forced to lay down so they can constantly monitor the baby, and not being able to give birth in the position i wanted, i'm not going back, oh and in recovery getting yelled at for being a vegan and not talking to the hospital before hand!). i still have to get some MW interviews in, it's just finding the right person, i'm anxious for getting the birth i want!

since i don't have family near by and not many close friends in the area, it will be DH and DD at the birth. i guess i'll be looking for a dula, but i don't know if i really want one. are dula's really necessary?

[pregnova]

This will be our second baby, and our first at home! We are planning for an unassisted, but still...it's a baby at home right ;-)

Ds was originally planned as a homebirth in Puerto Rico. Things changed around 20 weeks into the pregnancy, and we planned for a natural birth in the local hospital...intending on birthing as much as possible at home. Then we took a hospital tour, and it was beyond horrible, so we grabbed the last spot for a December birth at the local birth center. *sigh* THAT ended up failing after my labor went on for 3 days with my water broken for nearing 12 hours, so we ended up transferring to a DIFFERENT hospital for pitocin augmentation. Basically, I felt a bit bullied by my Midwife as she definitely pulled out the C word and threw it around like I was in very real danger of ending up with one if we didn't transfer. So...we labored drug free on pitocin for an hour or two before it was insanely painful, we had the pitocin turned off and shooed everyone out of the room for the next 5? hours. Literally...didn't let them in again until they flew in because I had started to push. So, baby was already crowning by the time the midwife arrived in the room, and I think it was another few pushes and ds was out. After that, we ended up having to Bully our way out of the hospital (which took 8 hours!!!) because we didn't need to be there. So...long and dramatic and in no way the birth I had planned ;-)

[cryswilkins]

This is baby number 3 and home birth number 1. 

My dd was born in a hospital with every intervention short of a c-section.  DS was with a midwife in a birthing center and it was glorious.  The only part I didn't like was that he couldn't be born inthe water due to stupid hospital politics, and the driver there in active labor SUCKED.  

We have hired a midwife and she has been wonderful.  I have been having some complications and I have talked to her several times in the last few days. My next appointment is Oct 19th.

[sosurreal09]

Count me in! 2nd babe first HB. First was born in a birth center using hypnobabies. I figure why the heck couldn't I do that at home? LOL

[lindsayjean]

so cool to see other Hypnobabies moms on here!!! I am sooooo in <3 with Hypnobabies!!!  I can't imagine ever giving birth without it!

[GretchenC]

This is baby #4 for us and our first homebirth. Babe one and two were c-sections, I bullied my way into babe 3 being vaginal. This time I want a homebirth which might be a bit of a challenge since where I live it is illegal for a midwife to deliver a vbac. Stupid. So no I have to find a midwife who is comfortable delivering me. I am so excited to birth at home! We just moved 2,000 miles away from all we love and it just seems right for this babe to come into the world with our family here, and my almost 6 year old can't wait to watch! Anyone else struggling with stupid laws? 

[babycatcher12]

Gretchen (hi!)

Are you serious it's illegal there? Boo! You know my story...I struggled with laws, but found a midwife who was willing to practice outside regs. I completely trusted her. I'd suggest flying her out for your birth, but that would mean she wouldn't be here for mine...so bummer.  In CO, it's only illegal to have  a HBAC if you haven't had a vaginal birth before. After you've "proven" yourself...you can VBAC after 5 c/s if you want as long as you've had one vaginal birth. Silly law. 

You might post in the finding my tribe or searching for homebirth midwives where you are. I would suggest asking them when you interview them if they'd VBAC with you at home. I know I got a lot more resistance until I was meeting with them in person. I searched Colorado midwives and then called down the list. 

Since you're close to NY would anyone be willing to cross the river to help you? You can't be the only woman who has VBAC'd at home in NJ...especially since you've already done it once. 

The boys totally dug our homebirth (Zeke slept through it), but the big boys were watching a movie and didn't even know it happened until Kerry came down and told them. But it was totally awesome! 

I'm glad you're wanting a homebirth. It totally rocks! BTW you MIL is still so excited it's not even funny...well it kind of is. She's just like a giddy schoolgirl when she talks about you having another baby. 

[smilingsara]

Hiya! 

This is my first baby, but will be baby number 4 in our house. I'm fully planning on having a home birth! Sign me up for it! We are thinking about using hypnobabies for me, but don't know where to get it...

Does anyone have access to it, to possibly burn it?! I can pay you for your time, or trade you (I'm a photographer). 

[sosurreal09]

You can get it online. I would absolutely use it for the first babe especially since it can be hard to really relax. Most MW I know say first time moms have a higher rate of transfer due to exhaustion etc from a long labor. Hypnobabies like saved my life! I can not birth without it. I had DD (1st baby, this is my 2nd) in 11 hours with it. I know I would have been tense (b/c birth does hurt..and I have a history of SA which my MWs were worried about effecting my labor) and I don't think I would have gone through with it drug-less without it.

I just did the home study. http://hypnobabies.com/mylink.php?id=3812

[sosurreal09]

Also the MW were shocked I had her so fast for my first and that I "slept through my labor" (I was NOT sleeping!) It was really something.

[Astraia]

Bah, I wish Hypnobabies worked for me but it's definitely a no go. Need to do this the old fashioned way :P

Hi all, this is my 3rd baby and will be my 3rd home birth. My first was actually born at my MIL's house because we moved out of province 2 months before she was due, and my MIL lives in the correct province. My second was unassisted due to our inability to find a midwife. It went just fine but because everyone was SO FREAKED I couldn't have anyone there to support me, other than my husband, which I found sort of lonely. This time we've got a midwife (whoo hoo!) so I can have a doula, my MIL, and (hopefully) my kids as well, if everything goes the way I'm hoping it will.

I'm excited to meet my midwife (here, you don't meet your midwife in advance or interview/choose your midwife- you call to be put on a wait list, and when someone has an availability they call you and you get whoever you get. If you don't like who you get you can go on another waiting list OR transfer care to a doctor, or so I'm given to understand). I'm also sort of concerned because Quebec = French, and I don't speak a word of French. I hope her English is ok.

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by Astraia 

Bah, I wish Hypnobabies worked for me but it's definitely a no go. Need to do this the old fashioned way :P

Hi all, this is my 3rd baby and will be my 3rd home birth. My first was actually born at my MIL's house because we moved out of province 2 months before she was due, and my MIL lives in the correct province. My second was unassisted due to our inability to find a midwife. It went just fine but because everyone was SO FREAKED I couldn't have anyone there to support me, other than my husband, which I found sort of lonely. This time we've got a midwife (whoo hoo!) so I can have a doula, my MIL, and (hopefully) my kids as well, if everything goes the way I'm hoping it will.

I'm excited to meet my midwife (here, you don't meet your midwife in advance or interview/choose your midwife- you call to be put on a wait list, and when someone has an availability they call you and you get whoever you get. If you don't like who you get you can go on another waiting list OR transfer care to a doctor, or so I'm given to understand). I'm also sort of concerned because Quebec = French, and I don't speak a word of French. I hope her English is ok.

That's so interesting.  I don't want anyone here except for DH and the midwives.  For me I think it would be more stressful to have a bunch of people around.  Maybe if I had more helpful/less stressful family members it would be different.  lol