Homebirthers Haven Thread

[Diva Mama]

Hey Mamas,

No offense tho those planning a hospital birth, but all of the "my hospital/interventions/ob rocks/sucks" threads are getting me down. It's starting to look like the conventional boards I've seen instead of the MDC I've come to enjoy. It's getting to where I'm starting to avoid this board, which is a shame because I've had a wonderful time getting to know everyone here. I'd love for this thread to be a place for HB and UC mamas to come vent and share. Yeah, I know there are specific forums for that on mdc, but I'd like to chat with other mamas who are in the same phase of pregnancy.

So please! Homebirthing Mamas! Come share!

I'm running between posting, making pancakes (which i never ever want but for some reason i NEED them tonight) and working on organizing my birthing supplies.

[starry_mama]

: Today the midwives I had been waiting to meet came over. I really really love them. I am feeling really good about them being at the birth. They are totally cool with leaving me the heck alone if thats what I want, or being very involved if thats what I want. They are also fine with my declining basically everything () and continuing to have a UP. Also, they told me that when I am in active labor to call them and since they are an hour and a half away, they will come right down and find something fun to do in our city, and only come to our house when we call again. I totally dig that.

Oh yea, and while they were here they asked if I felt like listening to the baby with the fetoscope, which was cool. They also listened to Danny's baby with the fetoscope.

[wife&mommy]

Well Diva Mama I don't feel the same as you on your post but I am planning a homebirth and would also love to talk about it with those in the same stage of pregnancy! I am excited about this one because although I planned a homebirth last time, I was transferred. I think that is making me even more anxious about it this time!

[redeyedvireo]

Hey! It's really not as depressing as the mainstream boards (I just went back and visited one this morning - urgh), but it is a little startling, huh?

So - I'll be giving birth at home in a birth pool, with one very hands-off birth attendant, one student, one mom, and one DH in the house, but probably not in the room. At least, not all of them at once. I can't wait!

In the meantime, I'm avoiding making supper, because it sounds like so much work. :yawning:

[joannalovesyou]

it's worthwhile to note that many of us would love to have a home birth but can't for various reasons. for instance, i knew that i wanted a water birth but i'm a renter, and having a birth pool set up in my apartment isn't allowed. so i chose water birth in a birth center with CNMs over a home birth with an LM, because having a water birth was so important to me.

i just wanted to mention that. i look forward to lurking in this thread because i've been lucky enough to attend two home births and they were special experiences.

[redeyedvireo]

Starry_mama, your midwives sound awesome!

[starry_mama]

Originally Posted by joannalovesyou

it's worthwhile to note that many of us would love to have a home birth but can't for various reasons. for instance, i knew that i wanted a water birth but i'm a renter, and having a birth pool set up in my apartment isn't allowed. so i chose water birth in a birth center with CNMs over a home birth with an LM, because having a water birth was so important to me.

i just wanted to mention that. i look forward to lurking in this thread because i've been lucky enough to attend two home births and they were special experiences.

Really? I rent too, and I can't imagine the subject even coming up with my landlord, "So, I'm planning on giving birth in the kitchen in the house I'm renting from you....."

[redeyedvireo]

Originally Posted by joannalovesyou

for instance, i knew that i wanted a water birth but i'm a renter, and having a birth pool set up in my apartment isn't allowed.

Not allowed? So sad! We rent too, and we're just not asking permission. The landlords may never know.

[starry_mama]

Originally Posted by redeyedvireo

Starry_mama, your midwives sound awesome!

Yea, I'm very happy. I've been planning a UC, but lately there have been a few nagging things in my brain, stressing me out, such as what if I tear REALLY BAD (I had an episiotomy with my first and have a lot of scar tissue), getting the birth certificate, blah blah blah, so hiring these midwives means I don't have to leave my house after my baby is born, which is my MAIN goal, more so than the actual birth. In fact, UPing is more important to me than UCing. I seriously want to make babies with these midwives.

[joannalovesyou]

Originally Posted by redeyedvireo

Not allowed? So sad! We rent too, and we're just not asking permission. The landlords may never know.

our landlord lives in our building, so we pretty much had to ask. he totally would have known something was up.

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by joannalovesyou

it's worthwhile to note that many of us would love to have a home birth but can't for various reasons. for instance, i knew that i wanted a water birth but i'm a renter, and having a birth pool set up in my apartment isn't allowed. so i chose water birth in a birth center with CNMs over a home birth with an LM, because having a water birth was so important to me.

i just wanted to mention that. i look forward to lurking in this thread because i've been lucky enough to attend two home births and they were special experiences.

I know how you feel. I didn't think I could until I really examined what was going to happen. I didn't even ask, though. I ordered an inflatable pool and filling it is quiet. Our neighbors are so loud we could probably have a go-kart in here and noone would notice!

I am doing a UC.

[redeyedvireo]

Mmm, yeah, starry_mama, that is the best part of having midwives for me too: peace of mind for the Just In Case worries, and doing the paperwork and errands afterwards! I'd like to talk mine into encapsulating my placenta for me, but I'm not sure she'll go for it. She's done it before, but for some reason, she sounds like she'd rather have me do it.

Aw, crud, joannalovesyou, that's no fun!

[Diva Mama]

Not begrudging anyone else their plans, regardless of circumstance, just want one place where I can come in and read and share w/o having to deal with seeing stuff not about HB. I know, this isn't as bad as mainstream boards, but I feel like it's heading there and I'm in a headspace where I don't wanna deal with the rest. I don't subscribe to threads, but I've subbed to this one. When I'm feeling up to it, I'll peek at the rest o the forum for birthing day announcements so I can cheer on the mamas and then welcome the new babies.

[Diva Mama]

Originally Posted by wife&mommy

Well Diva Mama I don't feel the same as you on your post but I am planning a homebirth and would also love to talk about it with those in the same stage of pregnancy! I am excited about this one because although I planned a homebirth last time, I was transferred. I think that is making me even more anxious about it this time!

Same here. I feel like a first timer!

[starry_mama]

Yea, same with me. I transferred with my last baby. I think thats why I'm feeling stressed about reading about interventions/etc. I just feel like I need to focus and chill and just be at peace with myself and my body.

[starry_mama]

Originally Posted by redeyedvireo

Mmm, yeah, starry_mama, that is the best part of having midwives for me too: peace of mind for the Just In Case worries, and doing the paperwork and errands afterwards! I'd like to talk mine into encapsulating my placenta for me, but I'm not sure she'll go for it. She's done it before, but for some reason, she sounds like she'd rather have me do it.

Aw, crud, joannalovesyou, that's no fun!

Thats a good idea! I hadn't even thought to ask them if they will do that for me! I was planning on having DH do it, but I know he's not really looking forward to it.

[lesliesara63]

Hi I've already had my baby, but still want to talk about homebirth. Something kind of cool happened with the timing of my dd coming. The night before she was born we were having date night for our anniversary. I decided to do a few things before we went out. For whatever reason I actually went to the trouble to charge my camera batteries, put laundry (which included my underwear) in the machine. I slept all that day since I hadn't slept the night before. While I was sleeping dh cleaned the whole house including our living room which is where I was going to give birth. Its not like we knew she was going to be born that day and we somehow knew to get the things ready, that were not ready when our first dd was born. Our house had been a disaster, no clean underwear and no camera. I was so happy my subconscious kicked me into gear, so everything could be perfect.

[dubfam]

Hey-great idea for a thread

My Midwives are willing to cut the placenta up for me...I think they would probably help encapsulate it if I were going to do that...
I think it is totally worth asking your MW if they will help out with that.

Joannalovesyou-I am sorry that you can't have your water birth in your apt But at least you are in the Portland area and have lots of great choices for birth centers. Which one are you going with?
I am sure my landlord wouldn't be thrilled if he knew that we have a 100 gallon INFLATABLE pool in his living room, but we can totally get away with not telling him.

I look forward to chatting with you guys over the next few weeks.
And I am really looking forward to hearing about all of your amazing births!!

Homebirth Rocks!!!!!

[molive]

I'm planning my second homebirth here! Same midwife, different house. I think I'm pretty much ready to go at this point. I love my midwife, she is totally hands off unless I ask for something (like a check). It's just going to be me, mw, asst mw and dh. For me it's like having a mother there without the emotional baggage .

Someone at the Childrens' Museum asked me today where I was giving birth and when I told her her response was -"what do you do about the mess?" It seems like I've gotten that a lot. I don't remember too big of a mess, at least no more of a mess than there would be if I were laboring at home and then going to a hospital. It seems like such an odd question really. There can only be one response...we/the midwives clean it up if there is one...what do you expect?

[lisarussell]

we just had our 5th UC. (6th child- #1 was hospital)

I simply can NOT imagine birthing and laboring in a semi-public place.

In fact, my DH is the only person I am "willing to put up with" during labor. And even then, he bugs me. "can I get you anything" sounds like a harmless and loving question until you're in labor and then it sounds like "Thank god you're going through this and not me." My mother lives in our basement and he offered to go get her, which sounds to me like "Man, it hurts just to watch you, so let me call in a sub, OK?"

I was actually glad when he started playing Pac Man on his blackberry. I love him to pieces and I love that he was so sad when he missed baby #5 but really, I "go into the zone" better alone.

I agree the mainstream forums are depressing. So sad. There's a gal in mine who drugs herself for everything- and she's proud of it. Every night she tells us "I'm going to take an ambien now, goodnight." Even tonight- when she could be in labor. And hoping for a VBAC. WTF???


A lot of people ask us about the mess, too. I just tell them we have hard floors (wood and tile) throughout the house, so it's no big deal. I think they're picturing birth waters, placental blood, and BM all over your marital bed.