What kind of "home" do you have for homebirth?

[Eman'smom]

Maybe that isn't the right phrasing but.....

DH and I are talking about TTC again, we had Ds in a hospital and it was really a very good experience, but we are both intrested in homebirth, but here is the thing, we live in a small apartment. Did anyone give birth in an apartment, with all the neibors and everything? How big was your house, anything would be helpful. I just can't imagine being all that comfortable since the apartment is small.

[PumpkinSeeds]

I have not done a homebirth, but the midwife I talked to the other day said she has done homebirths in apts., student housing and trailers.

So, I say GO FOR IT!

[SerenityScott]

We're planning a homebirth for our new baby and live in an apartment. It isn't small, really, 1100 sq. ft., but if we had a smaller place we'd still want this - we just wouldn't have invited as many people to celebrate it with us. Really, how much room do you need to birth a baby? (Rhetorical question!) In hospitals they do it quite compactly - if you think about it. :P

[mammastar]

We had Starbaby at home, and we rent the top half of a duplex. It was wonderful! Next door was all surprised I'd had her because it was pretty quick and they didn't notice a thing...but then I delivered her in the bedroom, which is on the other side of the house to them, and when I was pushing I was LOUD! The mum downstairs came home sometime around when I was pushing and heard me bellowing away (err, I mean vocalizing ). She said she just thought 'yep, sounds like she's having the baby,' and didn't mind at all. Later that day all the neighbours came around for champagne and birthday cake, courtesy of dh!

I was worried about our place not being huge, but it SO didn't matter: I didn't even make it to the living room, just the bathroom and the bedroom. I can't imagine what it would have been like actually having to get in a car and make it all the way to the hospital!

A mum up the street just had her new babe at home, in the basement because contractors were putting a new story on their house, so the family was living downstairs while upstairs was a construction zone!

so, go for it

[khrisday]

Tiny two bedroom upstairs apt for our homebirth. It was fine- don't worry about the space issue.

[TrinitysMama]

We just had our baby 11 days ago. We have a 2 bedroom apartment on the bottom floor. As far as I know, the neighbors didn't hear a thing. Then again, we were in our bedroom, which is on the outside corner of the building and doesn't share a wall with the neighbors.

To tell you the truth though, I would have given birth in a closet with the whole world outside the door listening if it would have kept me out of the hospital.

[SerenityScott]

We have lots of neighbors very nearby, both in our building and in the one nextdoor - our windows even line up pretty well to the next building and it isn't far - but to tell you the truth, I don't care at all if they hear my "birth music." We've heard lots of awful noises far scarier than birthing women. If our neighbors don't care if we hear them swearing at each other, screaming at their kids, playing video games all night, and leaving their car alarms blaring all evening (just a few examples) then I can't see how a little healthy vocalizing will be a big deal around here at least!

[kama'aina mama]

Bonnie was born in our apartment in VA. I actually went out and walked around through most of my labor, because it felt good. And yeah, once things got really rolling it was just the bedroom, the bathroom and the short stretch of hallway between. I expect it would have been the same had we lived in a 12 room mansion. The homebirth thing, for me, is being in MY space where I am comfortable. Size isn't really important. I just recall my midwife asking us to shift the bed a bit (I slept right up close to the wall) and to make sure there was a decent sized surface clear for her to lay out her stuff. Top of the dresser was all she needed.

[XM]

So nobody had *any* problems with neighbors?? We have a party-girl neighbor on the side of the loft where our bedroom is who we have had to complain about repeatedly for noise and waking us up at 3am (loud music and I swear they are horsing around 'cause they hit the wall so hard) and now she won't even speak to us in passing. I just *know* that were we to do a homebirth she would complain about the noise... is there some way that we could get around that? Right now I am planning a birth center birth because of it, but if I don't have to ride in the car in labor I will be a very happy camper...

[khrisday]

Worst case scenario with noise: she calls the cops. I can only imagine that a police officer shows up for a disturbing the peace call and sees a woman in labor is *not* going to do much. Where we live it takes a second call to even get a ticket.

[SerenityScott]

Plus I just don't think that groans, moans and noises of effort carry in quite the same way as booming bass or video game blasts... It just isn't something we're worried about at this point.

[Irishmommy]

Don't let a bitchy neighbour stop you from having the birth you want, where you want. If you are going to have others around, try and have on assertive person who will deal with knocks at the door, whether police (highly unlikely) or the neighbour.

How loud were you the first time? I didn't vocalize at all (or at least not loudly!!!).

[XM]

Well, we've never called the cops on her, but we have had to complain to the management so many times that at one point they issued her a 10 day cease or vacate notice, which is a permanent black mark on her rental history. We have been apartment dwellers for several years, even had some pretty good parties, and have *never* had a complaint (knock on wood). So I doubt she would call the police, and if she did then oh well! I too doubt that we'd get ticketed, I would just say that things were going too fast to go to the BC and we had to do it here. Seattle's a pretty progressive city... and I think taking my newborn down to the leasing office the next day would clear things up...

I am totally in love with the birthing center, but I would just like it to be an option for me, when I am in labor, to call the MW and say, "come here instead". I have this 'feeling' that this next baby is going to come quick, and I am not going anywhere once I get to about 3cm! we left for the hospital last time at 4cm, and the travel essentially stalled my labor for several hours. When I subtract the time wasted in transit and settling in (3-4 hrs), and the time wasted at the end when the nurse would'nt get my doc to help me with a cervical lip (3 hrs), that makes my 12-hour first-baby labor closer to 5 or 6 (doubt I'll be able to shave much off the 10 minutes it took to push out dd#1). So this time I want to either leave for the BC when I am just starting, or if I wait too long I want to do it here. I guess I just want choices... is that too much for a birthing woman to ask? :

Oh, but ladies, the BC has a *jacuzzi tub*!!! and we don't!!!

[applejuice]

In the book that my homebirth doctor wrote,( Dr. Ettinghausen), it said that he delivered a child in a tent one time on an open lot around a camp fire.

[applejuice]

Christmas story

This thread makes me remember one person's take on the Christmas story one time. I think it was Paul Harvey one Christmas was retelling the Christmas story from the view point of the couple checking in to the inn, but "being great with child", it was an act of kindness to put her out and away from the ears of the crowded inn where she could birth her babe in a warm place that was also quiet and private.

Sorry about the O.T., but I just wanted to share.

[Peppamint]

Cool applejuice- I hadn't ever thought of it that way!! WOW!

[Eman'smom]

Very true applejuice.

I guess I'm concerned that I will feel cramped. With Dh, ds, a support person for ds, midwife and probably an assistant, we'll be bumping into each other. Also our tub is small, we could inflate a tub in the living room.

I was basically quiet during labor, some low moans such, but pushing was totally different. I was screaming my head off. I guess I should relax our "wallmates" are loud all the time this would be just one day.

[UUMom]

Anywhere a woman lives is a place for a homebirth! Get yourself a copy of Spiritual Midwife by Ina May Gaskin (editor of Midwifery Today) and read about the births in buses and be inspired!! Nest and make your home all cozy and warm. Get out your candles, music, and plan a lovely birth!

[UUMom]

I meant to add that I have a whole house, but I gave birth to my last baby on the floor of the kids bathroom. It's a small bathroom, but it was perfect. The humidity from the hot water in the tub made it very cozy and warm. I can't imagine a cold & big hospital room would have been anything less than yucky.

[applejuice]

nesting

I agree Uumom.

Any where a woman feels comfortable and safe to birth her babe is the right place.

Like everything, you have to plan intelligently.