Anyone have a HB with their first?

[DDNemo]

I'm not pregnet yet, but I'm getting ready for it. I'm getting married in November and want to ttc in mid 2006. I was on bc pills for YEARS, and I'm trying to do all that I can to avoid problems with ttc.

I have been reading all I can about birthing. On MDC almost everyone agrees that a homebirth is usually better than a hospital birth. But it seems like a lot people had thier FIRST in the hospital, then decided to have a home birth for their others.

I want to have a homebirth with my first, but I'm a little nervous. I would love to hear stories and advice about First Births at home with midwife or unassisted. Would anyone recomend a birth center over home birth for the first?

Thanks for reading my post! Sorry if I can't spell :

[annakiss]

I had a homebirth with my first! (you can read my birth story here if you care to) I wouldn't give birth any other way if I didn't have to. If you want a homebirth, then go for it. What's stopping you? Most folks who had hospital births first then had homebirths next were converted to homebirth, not the other way around (especially after unsatisfying hospital experiences). Having a hospital birth just because it is your first doesn't make any sense. Have faith in your body and all that it is capable of and birth where you are most comfortable.

[alegna]

I had a homebirth with my first and I'm SO glad. Wouldn't do it any other way (short of a true emergency) I think it's so sad when people throw away their first birth to the cesspool that is a hospital just because it's the first. A hospital is no place for birth.

Go for it!

-Angela

[chiro_kristin]

:

nak
delivered my first at home 3 wks ago yesterday
wont do it any other way, like pp said!
dh in total agreement

[2+twins]

My first was born at home as well. Wouldn't do it any other way! It was a beautiful experience, and peaceful - as it should be. I really think that most of the people who had their first in the hospital but went on to homebirth later do so either b/c they didn't know of homebirth as an option (or as a very realistic option), they felt that the safest place to give birth was in a hospital then perhaps changed their mind after the experience of it (and/or research), or they wanted to "make sure" they could give birth before attempting it at home (which is so backwards, IMO, but what can you really expect people to think in our society?).

Anyway, there is typically no advantage to a birth center over home unless you should live very far from a hospital and the birth center is in close proximity to one and that would make you feel more secure. But the equipment carried to a homebirth is the same as that in a birth center so there's not really any safety benefit, unless it's an issue of proximity to a hospital like I mentioned. The major downfalls of a birth center are that you still have to get in a car and drive in labor, you will not have the comforts of YOUR home (I don't believe you could possible feel quite as at ease in a birth center vs. your own home, even if it has a very homey feel to it), after the birth you have to load up your newborn in the car & drive home (usually about 4 hours later), and they're often further restricted in time-limits, etc. due to their liability insurance (for ex. my local birth center will not take on vbacs, the "delivering" mw only shows up at the last minute like in a typical hospital birth, and I don't know their guidelines but from hearing birth stories from there it sounds as though they have rules about how long you can labor before they require a transfer).

Hope this helps you reach a decision!

[jessemoon]

I went through the same thought process that you are going through now. I had my first at home and I am so grateful that I did. It was exactly how it should be. Good luck.

[selazenby]

I had my first at home - and wouldn't trade a second of it. I'm due with my second in early December and can't wait to do it again!!

[Guest*]

I had a homebirth with my first. It was supposed to be midwife attended, but I was handling labor so well and didn't realize I was pushing so I didn't call the midwife in time. So, DD was born unassisted and midwife arrived about 10 minutes later.

I LOVED my homebirth. I STILL get high thinking about it and I had a hormone high for a good 8 months after her birth. I cannot imagine giving birth anywhere else, not even a birth center (although there aren't any in my area so that wasn't a choice anyway).

My birth story is on my website here: http://www.billandjanna.com/birthstory.html

Of course I had some fears. I didn't even know homebirth was an option until I got pregnant. But me and midwife worked through them, I read A LOT, and by the time I was due I was extremely confident and comfortable with my ability to birth. Turns out, I'm really good at it! :LOL

[TurboClaudia]

yes, we planned and had a homebirth for our first. i wouldn't want it any other way. i felt i owed it to any child of mine to be born in the safest, gentlest, least interventive way, whether it was my first baby or my fourth.

you can read our son's birth story here: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=168000

warmly,
claudia

[jplain]

Had homebirth with first, currently planning homebirth with second.

I had been planning a hospital birth with #1, but then realized that my nurse-midwife and I were on completely different wavelengths. I also realized that I'd have to do a lot of fighting to get what I wanted in the hospital. That sounded unpleasant, and it made me nervous about how I would manage labor and negotiations with my caregivers simultaneously. I thought, why bother? So I switched to homebirth midwives at around 27 weeks and it was the best decision. It was fantastic for me and DH both ~ a very empowering experience.

Carolyn

[jerawo]

I had a homebirth with my first three months ago and it was awesome. I loved being in my house, being able to do whatever I wanted during labor, and not having to worry about stupid hospital regulations for me or for my baby. I don't see any reason to be in the hospital with your first, second, or last baby unless there is a legitimate medical reason. Out of the 6 couples in my Bradley class, three were homebirthing with their first child and all had great experiences and loved being at home.

So homebirth away!

[Raven]

Count me in too!

I hade a home water birth with my first.

[WinterBaby]

I had a homebirth with my first. I always thought that's where I'd want to have babies, but didn't know it was a real option until about 32 weeks along, when I got serious about it, switched caregivers and started planning to stay home. And that "trial" birth idea? Heck, who knows if I'll ever have a second birth, lol. And I likely would have ended in a c-section with my first in a hosptial setting, and that certainly wouldn't have set me up confidently to HB with a second.

[DDNemo]

Thank you all so much!

I felt pretty sure I wanted to have a home birth when the time comes, but I at the same time I was nervous about it. So many of the stories I've read about it were from women who already experienced child birth. I needed some reassurance that even a first-timer can give birth at home and be confident and happy. So thank you all for your encouragement and support!

Its hard not to self-doubt in an enviroment where all my family and friends think I'm crazy for even thinking about not having an epi. I haven't even told them that when/if i get pregnet that I want to give birth at home. It won't be a big issue.... but they'll think I'm and they might try to talk me out of it with a good horror story or something.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

[alegna]

[anonymommy]

I had a midwife attended homebirth with my first. It was a long labor and the most deeply beautiful spiritual experience of my life ... until the midwife, who had absolutely lied to me throughout my prenatals and lulled me into a sense of trust and safety, attacked me and "delivered" my baby in a horrible violent mutilating hospital style rape. Hey, it was 11pm and she'd labor sat without me needing anything for 8 hours or so. Time to go home.

I had an unassisted with my second. It's bittersweet because birth is so beautiful. Mine anyway. I'm lucky to birth without my body or my baby throwing complications my way, so far.

If you do an attended, I recommend you find someone who likes primips. I also recommend you have everyone there prepared to defend your birth plan. People without a birth background tend to think of bullying, repeatedly penetrating without permission, and physically restraining birthing women as normal and even desireable behavior in a birth attendant.

[alegna]

to you anonymommy- that's just awful. I was lucky to have a wonderful hands-off midwife who really believed in women's ablilty to birth. She actually had all her babies (including twins!) unassisted.

It's awful that a midwife would violate your trust like that.

-Angela

[sally Z]

Me too me too, it was great would never do it any other way.
Can't believe it was a year ago tomorrow

[applejuice]

Originally Posted by DDNemo

I have been reading all I can about birthing.:

Good for you! Knowledge is power!

I had all four of my dear children at home, 1980-1992.

*AND*

I was the first baby born of my mother, and I was born at home in 1954, and it was a UC. My mom went on to have eight more children, seven of them born at home. The one born in the hospital was a breech, 1961, and my mom came home four hours later. I helped with the last two when I was fourteen and seventeen.

Therefore I had my four dear babies at home to continue a wonderful family tradition and because it is the best and only place to have a baby.

[MamaTaraX]

I really think that most of the people who had their first in the hospital but went on to homebirth later do so either b/c they didn't know of homebirth as an option (or as a very realistic option)

This is exactly why I had myfirstin a hospital. I always thought homebirth was great but had no idea how to go about doing that with myfirst. I didn'tknow the people I know now, in fact, had I not had that birth inthe hospital I probably woudln'tknow some of the people I do know now It would havebeen nice to have had the 1st at home, I just didn'tknow how to do that. Maybe in my next life

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)