Would you have a homebirth?

[Mommyofalmost6]

I am debating a homebirth. My issue is that I am only expected to have a labor of around an hour, and a half if I am lucky. My labors have a history of going very quickly. As I started to look in to a homebirth I have found the closest one is a hour from me. This scares me. I dont want to end up with an UC. I have never really had any complications so I am not worried about that part.

What would you ladies do? Advice?

[momto l&a]

I have had 4 hb's.

The last 2 have been fast, so much so the mw didn't make it.

Fast births, from what I have read and heard, don't normally have problems.

I wouldn't choose to have a hospital birth

[Mommyofalmost6]

The thought of an UC scres me so much. Is it scarey? Or do you not notice while its happening? Just pray that nothing goes wrong? I think I just need to hear that its all ok lol. I am so "conditioned" to the "normal" and thats not what I want. I had three hospital births and hated them all. This is my last baby and I want it my way. Know what I mean?

[AnnR33]

We went to a birth center and still had a UC in front of the building!
We beat the midwife there!
I WISH I had done a homebirth, my DH was freaked out by it. But then he caught his own baby so that changed his perception a bit, he would love us to have a homebirth now (but I'm done!)

Anyway, it wasn't scary for me at all, though I'm sure everyone is different on this issue! If I had to do it again, I would-it was so easy and DH was totally calm.
The midwife showed up right away and took over but I was totally calm, la te da-time to go home now
And actually we were back home in bed 3 hrs later. So it almost wasn't worth leaving!

[alegna]

Absolutely. But I would not set foot in a hospital in labor short of an emergency.

-Angela

[**guest**]

UC isn't scary. one thing for sure--you won't hate it. our uc was first plnned, then after i was in an accident at 38 weeks and ended up with a cast on my foot, i asked my mw to come. she didn't make it and i'm so grateful. it was the best experience ever.

gl with your decision!

[SublimeBirthGirl]

My planned UC was incredible. I think you should probably do what you have to do to deal with your fears and get comfortable with UC because you might have one regardless. IMO a planned homebirth is way safer than a car birth on the side of the road. When left alone, birth is safe. I wouldn't even consider not giving birth at home if I were you. JMO.

[kerikadi]

Even more so! My 4th labor was 45 minutes. If I had to get a sitter and get to the hospital I would have been freaking out and would have delivered in the car.
DH called my MW right away and she got here in time.
It's not likely I would PLAN a U/C but really all you have to do is catch the baby and the MW does the baby/Mama check and cleans up once she gets there.
BTW - my next was 6 hours so yours could also be longer.

Keri

[jmwmommysings]

I'm more afraid of hospitals so I'd go with the planned home birth and if I ended up with an unplanned UC then great! Hope you come to a decision that gives you peace!

[Emmeline II]

I had an unplanned UC. The only stress was that I had 2yo ds with me because my MIL hadn't arrived yet. Dh arrived 20min before dd was born and MIL 5min after him. Dh caught dd and we sat in the tub nursing for 30min before the mw arrived. Plan for a UC (jic); with your history it actually would be the less stressful option.

[calipigeon]

I have one son. I am proud to say that I pushed him out in my home. I would never go to a hospital, short of something very very bad. I don’t know anyone who chooses a hospital over a HB once they have a HB.

If you have fast labors, discuss it with your midwife. Read Marsden Wagner’s Creating Your Own Birth Plan (or something like that) and Henci Goer’s A Thinking Women’s Guide to a Better Birth. Both books will help you decide.

Janelle

[DreamsInDigital]

I personally would UC in your situation, but if it makes you feel better to hire a midwife, perhaps if your labor goes very fast she could help you over the phone on her way to you.

[MotheringHeart]

I would totally homebirth. Who wants to take the chance of birthing in the car, on the front lawn of the hospital, in the elevator, etc? The possibilities are endless.

Why not stay in the comfort of your own home? You know you (and your body) can do this and so hire a midwife and make sure your partner is prepared to do some catching!

[Mommyofalmost6]

You ladies are awesome. I keep having dreams of having the baby at home and stuff. I really want to go that way I think. I can do it. I mean if I can do three hospital horrers I can do a nice comfy at home one right? I honestly dont know if I can afford to hire a MW so I might just have to go the UC way. My fear with an UC is something going wrong and no one being there to help. My partner isnt exactly supportive of a homebirth or even keeping this child. So I just tell him what the plan is. I dont ask anymore. He is all for a hospital, epidural, induced blah blah blah. Makes me cringe!

[amygoforth]

If I were in your position, I'd totally do it. Of course, you're posting on a HB forum, so you're going to get lots of positive HB replies! Interview and hire the midwife of your choice, regardless of her distance from you. Talk with her a lot about your quick birth history and how to manage that. Then educate yourself on UC just in case that happens. If your midwife doesn't make it in time, at least she'll be with you postpartum to help out if you need it. You're in control, mama. I understand your fears about UC, but knowledge destroys fear. You can do this!

[beautiful_mama]

mine are fast too, not quite that fast, BUT, if it were me I would, because I don't like hospital birth and they don't like me either

My advice woudl be research UC techniques *just in case*
(thats what I have been doing...)
do you usually know when labor has started right away?

[Mommyofalmost6]

Yea I am pretty gooda bout knowing. My last kiddo his water borke then nothing happen for 30 min. After that though WHOA! Contractions a min apart. We barely made it to a hospital. He wasnt even born at the right hospital lmao. Water broke at 11:00pm. Nikholas was born at 1:31AM. I dialated QUICK with him. Like 6cm in the Er. Up three floor in an elevator, down a hall and look ready to push. He was my quickest yet. My first was 8 hours, the second 6 hours (little less actually) and then Nikholas. 2.5.

I am yet to have a happy hospital birth. I really want a homebirth. The thought of an UC scares me and the fact that I have no idea if I can afford a midwife factors in too. The one I talked to was awesome but like I said at least an hour away. I live like 3-4 blocks from the hospital. They are supposed to be really good but I just dont like the idea. Jesse is totally in to it thinking its the best thing and I am like ummm no.

My only other thought was if I cant afford it or cant hire the midwife for some reason maybe laboring for as long as possible at home then going when I feel like its almost time to push? I hate that idea though.

No one around me is very supportive of a homebirth though. There is a birthcenter in town but they seemed very disorganized to me and well that scared me lol.

[MamaVolpe]

I would do a homebirth if I knew I delivered fast. I would much rather do a UC and have the midwife show up 15 min late than rush to a hospital and deliver in a car or elevator. I think home is a much safer enviroment for fast birthers. If you did deliver some where in a hospital that wasn't the maternity ward you would be much more likely to pick up diseases out there in the general public areas.

Just make sure you SO is prepared and knows what to do incase the midwife is late.

[prettymom]

Short of a major complication, I'd rather give birth in a 7-11 than a hospital.

[momto l&a]

Originally Posted by Mommyofalmost6

The thought of an UC scres me so much. Is it scarey? Or do you not notice while its happening? Just pray that nothing goes wrong? I think I just need to hear that its all ok lol. I am so "conditioned" to the "normal" and thats not what I want. I had three hospital births and hated them all. This is my last baby and I want it my way. Know what I mean?

UC is very impowering IMO.

It was great because I was totally in control of the birth. Being I had 3 other hbs I knew what to and what I wanted.

Granted this last one wasn't supposed to be UC but we where aware that it was a possibility.

Again like I mentioned from I have read and read fast births are great because normally nothing goes wrong.