I apologize in advance that this is so long, but felt I should explain in an effort to make my jumbled thoughts and worries at least somewhat clear. Hopefully some of you BTDT HB'ers will have some wonderful thoughts to share with me. I x-posted this from DIJ DDC in hopes that I'd get as much insight and wisdom as possible.
This is our fifth baby, but my DH are planning our first homebirth. Happily, he's fully on board and has been very supportive. I've done/been doing a lot of reading and such and feel reasonably educated, but was quite surprised when I got a little stressed out thinking about labor, where being prepared is concerned, yesterday. I always have posterior babies and horrid back labor, so that likelihood definitely occured to me and, if needed, I will be working to turn this one prior to BIRTHday, but...as a FT HB'er... I just wondered what some of you have done/will do regarding really knowing what to do when? Are you preparing in advance or just rolling with whatever comes?
Back in Dec/Jan, I looked into Bradley and Hypnobirthing classes in our area, but, with my DH's work schedule taking up all weeknight evenings, plus nobody to watch our kids (we're pretty new here and close family is 200+mi. away), neither one of those is an option. Both require quite the time committment and we just don't have it. I did read most of the HB'ing book, but found it rather difficult to follow without the class reinforcements and instructor examples, etc. (Just the way I learn best...)
Anyway...
Three of our four babies have been 'natural' (or close) and three out of four times we took 'classes' (um...through a hospital, so I think ya get me there...they did basically nothing for me when it really counted). However, my DH doesn't understand that I really want -and need- a different type of natural this time. (He's trying but thinks "you're an old pro - this is our fifth time"...) A more comfortable natural, I guess you could say. By that, I don't mean a painless natural, but just more in control, I guess. I don't know if that makes sense? I also want him to be well-rehearsed in knowing how to help me when it's crucial and I get to the point that I cannot coach him very well - whether that be encouraging specific position changes, changing mood in the room, massages, holding me, being quiet, encouraging certain breathing patterns/techniques (?), etc... Having given birth vaginally four times and read a lot over the years, I am not totally blank and I do have a clue, but I would really like to go into this feeling more sure of my...and our...self(ves). I hope I'm making an ounce of sense. I just need to feel ready for "the test" so to speak....without cramming...LOL! My biggest dream is that we come out of the other side not just saying, "We (and I) did it!" but that I also feel empowered and that sense of pride that goes with really earning the "A" on the test (not getting it out of luck).
I'd love to hear what others are doing or have done regarding this in the past. Please recommend away! TIA!
P.S. - We do have a MW and I do trust her to help me (us), but it's really important to me to be proactive through it all, too. I guess that goes pretty well hand-in-hand with homebirth in the first place.
This is our fifth baby, but my DH are planning our first homebirth. Happily, he's fully on board and has been very supportive. I've done/been doing a lot of reading and such and feel reasonably educated, but was quite surprised when I got a little stressed out thinking about labor, where being prepared is concerned, yesterday. I always have posterior babies and horrid back labor, so that likelihood definitely occured to me and, if needed, I will be working to turn this one prior to BIRTHday, but...as a FT HB'er... I just wondered what some of you have done/will do regarding really knowing what to do when? Are you preparing in advance or just rolling with whatever comes?
Back in Dec/Jan, I looked into Bradley and Hypnobirthing classes in our area, but, with my DH's work schedule taking up all weeknight evenings, plus nobody to watch our kids (we're pretty new here and close family is 200+mi. away), neither one of those is an option. Both require quite the time committment and we just don't have it. I did read most of the HB'ing book, but found it rather difficult to follow without the class reinforcements and instructor examples, etc. (Just the way I learn best...)
Anyway...
Three of our four babies have been 'natural' (or close) and three out of four times we took 'classes' (um...through a hospital, so I think ya get me there...they did basically nothing for me when it really counted). However, my DH doesn't understand that I really want -and need- a different type of natural this time. (He's trying but thinks "you're an old pro - this is our fifth time"...) A more comfortable natural, I guess you could say. By that, I don't mean a painless natural, but just more in control, I guess. I don't know if that makes sense? I also want him to be well-rehearsed in knowing how to help me when it's crucial and I get to the point that I cannot coach him very well - whether that be encouraging specific position changes, changing mood in the room, massages, holding me, being quiet, encouraging certain breathing patterns/techniques (?), etc... Having given birth vaginally four times and read a lot over the years, I am not totally blank and I do have a clue, but I would really like to go into this feeling more sure of my...and our...self(ves). I hope I'm making an ounce of sense. I just need to feel ready for "the test" so to speak....without cramming...LOL! My biggest dream is that we come out of the other side not just saying, "We (and I) did it!" but that I also feel empowered and that sense of pride that goes with really earning the "A" on the test (not getting it out of luck).
I'd love to hear what others are doing or have done regarding this in the past. Please recommend away! TIA!
P.S. - We do have a MW and I do trust her to help me (us), but it's really important to me to be proactive through it all, too. I guess that goes pretty well hand-in-hand with homebirth in the first place.
)...about 22 hours from noticeable ctx. to birth. My water didn't break until she was on her way out. My others were 6, 2.5, and 3ish hours, but my water was broken (AROM - an argh I won't go into here and definitely won't be doing this time). I just wonder if I'll progress quickly if my water breaks early on it's own? Only time will tell.
