Homebirthers: how's it going?

[amitymama]

Just wondering how our homebirthers are doing. Has anyone started to make preparations yet, get anything ready? Been reading any books or practicing any methods? Are you facing any difficulties or obstacles in obtaining your homebirth? Do many of your family and friends know?

[elisheva]

All is well here. I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow. Babe still seems very active and hasn't yet settled head down (my latest stressor, but I know it's too early to panic and there are lots of things to do before panicking...). I told my stepmom we're planning a homebirth. I don't know if she told my dad, but no one is harassing me about it, so I'm going to assume everyone is still ignorant of our birthing plans. We're not planning to tell anyone anything (other than we're pregnant) until after the baby is already here. Part of the reason I continued with my induction last time (which ended in unnecessary c/s) was that I had already called everyone and told them I was being induced - I felt that I couldn't call them back and tell them the induction was off. Stupid, I know. I just don't want that kind of pressure again. So, info will be provided on a need-to-know basis only!

[PassionateWriter]

my demons were fought finding the MW. and i won.

i cant wait. honestly, i am soo super excited. this will be my first home birth. after 2 unnecessarians and a VBAC in a birth center, i am super stoked for this!!!!

i need to order my birth kit but ive been reading. Ina May's books and Pushed.

going to the chiro. weekly has really helped.

[boobyfeeder]

After my last UC (most people think the m/w didn't make it in time), they all just assume I'm having a homebirth. Some people know about my UC this time, others are just told I'm seeing a m/w for care (I am). My FIL is pissing me off though, talking about how he hopes she is closer than the last one, etc. I keep saying, why? What difference does it make? Didn't we do fine on our own? He can't answer that. Butthead.

Anyway, preparation-wise, I'm waiting until 30 weeks to order anything. I do have a fishy pool, but that's it. I'm getting a little antsy, but I'm going to wait until I see my m/w next Friday to get a birth kit so I can see what she will need (she's coming after the birth). I think the baby is head down, though sometimes she wiggles into transverse. Still lots of time though. She's getting angry with her shrinking space, and lets me know (I got a foot in the ribs the other night). Very active child, I'm in for it when she arrives. Sigh.

[winginit]

I've done nothing! My mw clinic has a birthing pool that I will get after the person before me is done with it, who is due sometime mid-July. I imagine that once that is here I'll be inspired to get the rest of it together. I know I should be starting some perineal massage at this point...hmm...maybe I will. It'll be nice once all is close enough that I'm feeling the procrastination energy working!

[ryansma]

Things are good here. One more office appt before our home visit. We bought the fishy pool for labor and just need to buy all the accessories. And make the plan for what to do with ds in labor and during the birth.

[funfunkyfantastic]

I haven't started making preparations. I mean, the only preparations I need to make is to get an aquadoula tub. But since I can't use one of those before 37 weeks (as they'd just rush me off to the hospital) I figure i'll wait to reserve it until 37 weeks. That way I won't lose my deposit. I haven't really been reading any books. Reading instructional books just isn't all that exciting to me. I more read for pleasure than anything. Not practicing any methods yet... my birthing class starts in a couple weeks though. No difficulties or obstacles right now. Unless you count me failing my GD test. lol. I have to get the second test done if the midwife ever remembers to call me. People that know about the homebirth... My family and friends. People that don't know about the homebirth... DH's family and friends. lol. He's gone anyway so whatever. His family is just ultra conservative, so I don't need to hear from them how "dangerous" it is to give birth at home. Plus they were all raised by a doctor father and two of his aunts became nurses. So yes, they really REALLY believe in modern medicine. Not an advantage for me.

[JesseMomme]

I haven't done much of anything to prep. Mom gave me some leftover chux pads she had, and that's about all I have, but I didn't prep until I had the nesting urge with my other babies either Since I'm planning my third UC, pretty much everyone is expecting me to birth at home and we haven't heard a word about it. Not that we advertise it for acquaintances or anything. The most I got was my cousin telling me I just had to check out the area hospital "just in case" - I heard so many horror stories through my local moms group (I am not exaggerating, it's bad) that I'm not even going to bother to check it out, and if I have to transfer I've decided on a different hospital that's the same distance away. I told my cousin as much so she'd drop the subject already lol. And that's pretty much it.

The baby is doing well, I'm starting to feel like it's a boy and "he's" kicking the tar out of me right now. I've started feeling BH's over the past week or so too. I've been getting pretty moody and restless b/c of the SPD really limiting my activity level. The summer heat doesn't help.

[neshamamama]

no preparations here yet...I will order my birth kit at 36 weeks.

Right now I am trying to decide where to birth, here at my house or at my parents house ten minutes away... the pros of my house are that I don't have to go anywhere and it is ten minutes closer for the MW; the cons are that I would need to rent/buy a tub and do all of the prep work that goes along with it and there is not as much space in my house for everyone to spread out...The pros for my parents house is that they have a nice tub for birthing, no chance of the neighbor girl just showing up, I can labor in the pool; cons are that I would have to drive there (though i was there 2 hours before my last birth) and if it is the middle of the night it might be less convenient...

oh yeah and my parents offered...they think it would be cool to have me birth their grandchild in their house- lol. what do you all think?

[DocsNemesis]

We're ordering our birth supplies in a couple of weeks, ordering much less this time (I sooo didnt need all the stuff that was on the list; although admittidly the excess Chux pads made for great spots for art projects, lol), not doing a whole lot else. I had a homebirth with my last one and it was wonderful, but I learned a bit from it, so I'm getting ready for the actual birth a bit differently but since this is my 5th, I'm not too worried about preping for labor-btdt!

I am debating whether to get a pool or not. Last time she came so insanely quickly I couldnt have gotten it ready anyway and I cant leave it set up because my other kids wont leave it alone, hehe. So I dont think I will...I just wish I had a bigger bathtub.

[VeganCupcake]

My midwife's birth package includes a birth kit at 37 weeks, so I'm just planning on getting the few extras, like towels and sheets to be used during the birth, etc.

This baby still has his/her head up in my ribs, so I'm a bit worried about that. I have a few plans to help him/her turn. I know it's still early, but I'm a natural catastrophizer, so it's hard not to worry.

Most people don't know about our homebirth plans. Some who know are really irritating about it, some don't say anything about it, thankfully. I haven't told my family about it. They live 1000 miles away and wouldn't have anything good to say, so there's no need!

We've been doing Hypnobabies and I love it.

[emski4379]

I've been getting things together slowly. I ordered the birth kit because it was going to go up in price. I also got the fishy pool while they had it in stock. As for the rest, I've just been separating old towels when I do the laundry.

My next appt is next week (I'll be 28 weeks). So far everything is going smoothly. It's been an easy pregnancy. DH and I want to start reading the Bradley book. I've also been going to the chiro every week, and that has been helping.

As for who knows, some of our family does, and all of my friends do. If someone asks, I'll tell them, otherwise I just don't feel it's their business to know. None of our family lives anywhere nearby, so it's not like we'd be getting hospital visitors.

Baby still has lots of space to move around, so she hasn't settled in one spot yet.

[PassionateWriter]

Originally Posted by neshamamama

oh yeah and my parents offered...they think it would be cool to have me birth their grandchild in their house- lol. what do you all think?

i would be very thankful for parents like that.

[BabyHopes]

Wow! It has not even hit me yet that I am in my 3rd trimester! This pregnancy has just gone by sooooo quickly! Hubby and I still have not decided whether I should have a home birth or go to my midwifes birth center. This is my first baby so, to be honest, I am nervous about the mess of a home birth.... I really do not know what to expect so that makes me a bit anxious. On the other hand, I love the thought of not having to go anywhere after I have the baby and the rebelious side of me would just LOVE to tell everyone, "YES! i had the baby at home and everything is perfectly fine!"

I am 28 weeks and my next appt will be at 29 weeks with my midwife. We will begin doing childbirth education classes at the next visit so I am hoping that will make it all a little more real to me and give me an idea of what to look forward to.

What all comes in a birth kit? And what about the mess? is that really a concern?

[VeganCupcake]

BabyHopes, this is my first, too, but my understanding of the mess is that lots of people who have never considered a homebirth freak out about it, but it's not a big deal. The midwives are very used to dealing with it, it's not that messy, and they usually clean it up anyway. Some more experienced homebirthers can comment on this, I'm sure.

My birth kit includes pads, chux, cord clamp, etc. The list of things I need to supply includes towels and sheets to be soiled and plastic sheets or shower curtains for the bed and under/around the birth pool. That stuff will really contain the mess. I'm also told that one of my midwife's assistants is a master at removing stains from fabrics, so the mess doesn't worry me at all.

[mommathea]

My midwife gave me the birthkit list yesterday, but the site is down for another week or so(can't remember why) I am such a planner that I have to have everything done and ready by 36wks. So only 5 more weeks to have everything done for me.
I'm starting to write down some meals that I want cooked and frozen ahead of time.
It is kind of crazy that baby will be here so soon. This pregnancy has flown by so fast, plus we have our house on the market, that I'm still having a hard time processing that teh end of the pregnancy is so close.

We still haven't told all the family about the hb. Just the ones we know are supportive, or are smart enough not to open their mouths negativly.
At 37wks we have our home visit, I think it is pretty standard. only 2-3 more visits in the office till then, the next one is the home visit.
Now I'm getting the nesting thing going on just thinkng about all that needs to get done

[amitymama]

Thanks for sharing all of your news and plans, it's good to see what others are doing.

Me, I just don't feel like I can do or plan anything until I've passed this stupid GTT that I have next week. If I have GD it will be a serious struggle to keep my hb so I don't want to jinx it by getting things before then. Once I pass that (hopefully!) I will start getting things like towels and waterproof sheets/shower curtains together and also want to sort through the baby things we have up in the loft to see what we still need and what can be used again. I also need to have a 'birth prep' session with my two birth partners, DH and my best friend. That will probably be late July/early August. I'd like to have most everything done by then so that I can spend August relaxing before the final flurry of activity in early September, like ordering the birth pool, getting homeopathic kit together, etc..

[Azryel]

I packed up a closet with all of our homebirth supplies about a month ago. I still have a few things to get (a heating pad, a peri bottle, a list of emergency numbers), but otherwise feel more or less prepared. We may do a practice run with the birth tub. The biggest challenge with gathering stuff is all of the towels I have in the closet keep disappearing outside to dry the kids off after playing in the sprinklers. I guess I should probably get some extra towels.

This is my third birth, following two pain medication-free births, so I'm not too worried about labor and delivery, and haven't been doing much to prepare other than yoga and meditating every night.

I'm fortunate not to have any obstacles for the birth. My insurance covers it 100%, and even paid for my birth tub. The community I live in is generally supportive of homebirth. My close friends know we're planning a homebirth, and others know only if they've asked where I'll be delivering. It's not something I actively bring up, but also not something I hide. My in-laws don't know, I've left that decision up to DH. They live several states away.

* Jaime

[neshamamama]

just fyi...in the homebirth section there is a good list of things that you might want or need for a homebirth...lots of stuff you might never think of but make sense when you read them...

[MAdams]

one big obstacle Im having is finding a midwife to do a home birth.. oh.. and the money to have the home birth.