logistics of hb in apt

[mysticmomma]

Dh and I are TTC (actually in the 2ww right now), and we are plannign on moving into a bottom floor apt.. in the next few months. We will have a homebirth, and I am wondering abolut the logistics, legalities, noise factors, etc.
Trisha

[georgia]

Homebirth is not illegal in any state, as far as I know (?!). It's those in attendance where the legalities come into play. So, you wouldn't be doing anything "illegal." Noise...well, it's only one (or so ) days of your life there. As far as noise, some births are loud, but whatcan you do? I'm sure giving the neighbors a heads-up would work, if appropriate. But, really, no biggy. I wouldn't sweat it AT ALL at this point. There have been some great threads in the past about hb and apts....I'm sure everyone will chime in here, too.

Good luck TTC!!!! How exciting!

[Aka mommy]

No different than if you were in a home! We set up the tub in our bedroom because that was were we planned on laboring. The mw set up everything so that the house was protected. And we did no let the management know because we didnt really feel it was something they needed to know. My mw's suggested letting the neighboors with walls next to us know beforehand, but we never did. And while i was worried about noise, in the end it wasnt an issue. I do believe that in worst case scenorio if it is a legal problem in the apartment you can fake it lol! Oops, it was an accident. Hope that helps.

[cathicog]

we had 2 of our 3 in apartments, and I did not tell anyone I was in labor or anything, cuz someone would have called people who had no business knowing ours... We had all our preparations ready and when I went into labor I didn't make any more noise than I would have if we had been making love(I am a quiet birther) but even when I have helped others birth in apartments, there is very little noise..anything that helps the mom be comfortable, like waterbirth, helps keep the noise level down most neighbors never know a baby was born til they see a bow on the door...

[Arwyn]

And I'm a noisy lover.

Most homebirth sounds are more like love-making sounds than pain/abuse-sounds (of course!) - and almost no one calls the cops for love making sounds and too few call at abuse sounds. If a noise complaint is filed later with the apt managers, you can always just let 'em know how much of a one-time thing it was!

Other than that, it's just all about the confidence to say "this is my life, it's not illegal, and you don't need to know about it" - a lot like breastfeeding. Act sure of yourself (and that means having an attitude of "well of course I didn't let you know ahead of time/ask your permission - there was nothing to tell/ask!"), and likely no one will question you.

And of course, this is all just my speaking-out-my-rear, never-having-given-birth, nor-attended-home-birth confidence-boosting speech for both your and my benefit.

[dessismama]

I know a couple who birthed with my midwife who live in an apartment. It was their first baby and labor was long but I do not think noise was ever an issue. Apparently no one in the apartment complex knew or found out about the homebirth.

[MelW]

I just had an homebirth in our apartment- I didn't tell neighbours or my landlady. Some neighbours apparently watched my midwife bringing in her emergency equipment, but never said anything. The people across the hall never heard anything- they were surprised to meet my baby a couple of days later. I wasn't super loud, but not quiet, either. Our building is only 8 years old, so it's pretty well insulated, I guess.

If you're planning a waterbirth, check your contract - some forbid waterbeds and the language could make birthing tubs "illegal" in your contract- you'd have to decide whether to obey or not

Most midwives have experiences in avariety of settings, and are usually happy to answer specific logistical questions.

Lots of babydust to you!!

[katt]

We asked a MW about that as well, as my Dh was hesitant about a homebirth if we still live in an aprt. at the time of delivery (we probably will).

The MW said that the noise level is about the same coming out as going in.

and that women think they are louder then they really are.

You'll be fine.

[witchbaby]

we live in a rented duplex with a neighbor directly next door and two other apartments in the basement. we're planning a waterbirth in our living room (only place big enough for the tub!). we've told the neighbors directly next door and will tell the couple below us, but just out of curtosey, since our vents can carry noise quite well. one of our midwives feels you shouldn't feel obligated to tell anyone, while the other reccomends it, as she's had the cops called a couple times! we're not worried about anyone calling the cops, we just want to be polite.

[2+twins]

Wasn't an issue for us (3rd floor and with a rented birth tub). Legally, you're fine. Noise - couldn't tell you since no one knows what you'll be like. You may want to give the neighbors a heads-up (if you think they'll be cool about things) or you may not. Personally I don't think it's necessary and sometimes not advisable. I think putting a note on the door when you're in labor stating simply something like, "Laboring mom - please do not disturb" should do the trick in case someone does hear something. That sort of statement doesn't even imply homebirth, just home labor, so no biggie to the neighbors, right?

[WinterBaby]

Whether you pay rent or a mortgage, it's your home, so get comfy, lol. I lived in apartments for years, and ime, 99% of apartment neighbors go out of their way to mind their own business and pay no attention to your activities, wherever possible. It's how we all live comfortably on top of each other that way, heh. So pay them no worry or mind (keeping in mind that a neighbor that never annoys you that's having one night of weird noise is something most'll totally ignore, but a neighbor that's always irking you over one thing or another, you won't hesitate to call the cops on over nothing, lol. If you're that neighbor... maybe *do* talk to them. ) The tub thing - when leases forbid things like waterbeds, it's usually an issue of potential flooding, not an issue of weight. So consider that flooding factor if, say, you're looking at an inflatable tub and have a cat, lol. And check your renters insurance for coverage

[Nadia]

Nothing's wrong with giving birth in the apartment

Second what everyone else said and two more points - if you can't set up a tub anywhere (and maybe you shouldn't, for flooding reasons), take a long shower with water beating your back also helps. In that case, turn up the water heater in your apptmnt, so it doesn't run out. At the very least, know the size of your water tank and how long of a shower does that translate into - 5 min or 50.

[MidwifeErika]

I am going to be in an apartment this time around. I am a bit more uncomfortable with it than I was birthing in the house we owned, but we will still do it It isn't illegal and I wouldn't tell people like your landlord as it is almost giving them permission to forbid you as they may worry about the mess factor. Legally, I am sure they don't have any room to do so, but we aren't going to tell our landlord about it. I plan on making a sign to hang on our door about the miracle in process for when I go into labor. That way if any neighbors hear me, they can see on the door that it is nothing to be concerned about. I am not going to warn anyone ahead of time though, I don't know my neighbors well and it is just none of their business how we bring our children into the world. If I liked my neighbors, it would be different

My last birth (a homebirth) we warned our neighbors. I was LOUD and even had the windows open and was pushing when they all were getting ready and leaving for work. You know how many of them realized or even noticed? ZERO! They were all very surprised later that day to see us in the backyard with a baby instead of just my huge belly

[amydidit]

I had DD#2 in an apartment. I was a little worried about noise, but it worked out all right. During the labor I was too occupied to really be concerned, even though I certainly wasn't making noises anything like making love... DD#2 was posterior and I wasn't prepared for that, so I was actually screaming "help me, help me!" (Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe I should be upset no one came to see if I was okay? ~laughs~). The only time I was worried about noise was when my midwives were walking around at 4am after the birth... but that was it. No one ever even mentioned it or complained.

[JesseMomme]

Both of my homebirths were in an apartment - with ds3, the nieghbor I shared a living room wall with was so clueless that when she stopped by when ds was a week old and I said he was 10 lbs, she asked if I had a c/s! "umm, no..."

Right now we are in a duplex, where we had dd. Our housenieghbors pretty much ignore us completely, it wasn't even an issue.

But go figure, at my mom's last apt. I was up late doing laundry one night and the batty old neighbor next door called the police on a noise complaint. She had also called the cops to my mom's place for little brother doing his laundry at night.

None of our landlords/prperty owners know anything. They don't need to, besides, I got the stain out of the carpet pretty darn well.

[wendy1221]

We live in a college town and our midwife attends births in apartment ALL the time! A lot of grad students birth in apartments apparently, including the tiny 400sqft married student housing apartments where you can hear everything your neighbors upstairs or downstairs are doing.

[indie]

I just had an apt. homebirth. Its no big deal. At one point my midwife remarked that the neighbor were making more noise than we were (I hadn't even noticed them and had already planned to have dh talk to them if they bothered me). I wouldn't tell the management until after (if you want to) to avoid being harrassed. I would also check my lease to see if it says "no water filled furniture" or "no waterbeds." The first could obviously cover a birth tub. I might also find out if the person who is renting me the tub has insurance to cover any damages if the tub fails. They might not cover though if you are in violation of your lease.