Homebirth Roll Call! UC or MW, come one, come all! - Page 3

[Bloomingstar]

First baby, first homebirth here My insurance covers the homebirth, but I have been paying my co-pay in chunks ($25/visit) here and there since I prefer it that way. I'm not sure what we'll end up having to pay after the birth that the insurance won't cover, but we've been saving for that eventuality anyway. My MW has a billing person who fights with the insurance companies, so I am not worried about it.

The thing that's throwing me for a loop is that we have to move by Dec. 1st!!! We rent our apartment and it is in a building that's all condos, and the owner of out unit is dealing with a foreclosure...so that basically means get out, sooner or later for us, and I prefer sooner. I DO NOT want to have to move with a newborn, so Dec. 1st it is--I'm due Dec. 29th. The process of finding a new apartment that I'll be giving birth in...it's a little crazymaking but I am choosing to view it as an opportunity to get into a more ideal space--I don't love our current apartment, so I am not too broken up about leaving it.

[applecider]

Originally Posted by Lemon Juice

Okay...a question For those of you doing a waterbirth...what do you plan on wearing, if anything, while you labor and deliver in the water? I don't want to be full on naked b/c I'm honestly not comfy doing that w/ a mw and her assistant I don't even know.

So...what to wear? I like what the mama was wearing on the Business of Being Born, the 1st waterbirth they showed. It was a batick looking shirt/dress, strapless.

I hadn't really thought about it! With DS, by that point, I was in no mind to give two craps what was going on. They covered me with a hand towel in the water. I was thinking maybe I would do like a sports bra or something, but honestly, I think I may prefer naked. I never thought I would be type of person...but here I am!

[MittensKittens]

Count me in too - second home birth, first UC!

[gretae]

I am probably one of the most modest people I know and wore and sarong and sports bra for the first few hours of labor and ended up completely nude in the tub. My guess is that is what will happen this time as well but will have a couple cami's and bras around in case my modesty should come back.

[etoilech]

I wore a yoga tank with a sports bra built in. Kind of a glamourmom style. It worked out pretty well. I took my underpants off when I went in the pool.

[fruitie]

I expect to end up naked in the tub. From what my friends (who have had kids already) tell me, clothes of any kind feel uncomfortable and confining during labor, and modesty goes out the window.

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by Lemon Juice

Okay...a question For those of you doing a waterbirth...what do you plan on wearing, if anything, while you labor and deliver in the water? I don't want to be full on naked b/c I'm honestly not comfy doing that w/ a mw and her assistant I don't even know.

So...what to wear? I like what the mama was wearing on the Business of Being Born, the 1st waterbirth they showed. It was a batick looking shirt/dress, strapless.

That was a pretty top in the bussiness of being born, I was thinking she looked better giving birth than I do going to the grocery store lol!

But, I don't wear anything for my water births (this will be #3). The 1st 2 I had on a sports bra when I got in the pool and quickly ripped it off, instictively. I'm normally very modest (I'm mormon, for goodness sake!) but I completely lose that during labor. I don't really feel naked, I just feel like a laboring woman. Also, my PTL contractions are so uncomfortable with clothes on, I would think wearing clothes might cause unnessecary pain. And, I like my breasts to be exposed so baby can nuzzle and nurse if he wishes the moment he's born. I tend not to have any sense of modesty for several weeks after birth.

I would just go with whatever makes you comfortable in the moment. You never know till you're there, you know?

[leavemealone]

I've never had a homebirth or waterbirth before, but I do have a basic bikini top that I plan on wearing during labor. I guess I plan on wearing nothing on the bottom, but I think I want a little coverage (and support!) on the top. If it get irritating, I'll take it off but for now I just plan on a bathing suit top.

I have the birthing tub from my MW in my house so this is all getting to be so real. It'll be more real when I have decided on a place and have set it up, but I'm starting to realize this will happen!

[Mamaperk]

I was naked for both water births and I'm usually very modest. Granted it was just my husband and children, but for my last birth my oldest 'child' was my 15yo son. I had planned to wear my bathing suit top and even had it on early in labor but when I got out of the pool to nurse my (then) 2 1/2 yo son in bed, it was making me feel cold cause it was still wet... so I took it off and put on a robe and then eventually got back in the water with full-on contractions and didn't have time to think about nudity or modesty much after that.

I'm 'planning' the bathing suit thing again but am hoping to put it on just before getting into the pool and keeping a robe and long tshirt around in case I need it.
My 18yo son isn't planning on being here this time so it will be less awkward since my oldest two are girls, and my youngest two are 5 and almost 3yo boys.

I'd probably try the sports bra if I had one ... maybe I'll look for a giant-sized one this week. LOL!

[applecider]

It IS so real now! We inflated and partially filled the birth pool today, it was so weird thinking that soon, I'll be laboring in it! DS and I sat in it for a bit, but it was cold. It really started me thinking about all the things I want to get done and I feel more motivated now, knowing that baby will be here soon.

[gretae]

I wondered if you all had any ideas about how to keep the water nice and warm. My last water birth was in a jacuzzi so there weren't any problems with temperature and it was the middle of the summer! This time I am using a birthing pool which doesn't appear to have a heater and I have a tempermental water heater from the furnace and I would imagine there would need to be some sort of device to keep the water warm. Any ideas?

[punkrawkmama27]

This is our 4th birth, 1st hb. We have a mw. I understand how it is to come up with that money for a hb, when you have other children (and other things come up). It seemed like every week we had some kind of emergency or something going on.

[applecider]

Originally Posted by gretae

I wondered if you all had any ideas about how to keep the water nice and warm. My last water birth was in a jacuzzi so there weren't any problems with temperature and it was the middle of the summer! This time I am using a birthing pool which doesn't appear to have a heater and I have a tempermental water heater from the furnace and I would imagine there would need to be some sort of device to keep the water warm. Any ideas?

I was just planning on covering the tub with a vinyl tablecloth when not in it and then maybe boiling some water on the stove to add if it gets chilly. I remember when I birthed in a jacuzzi tub last time, we really only needed to add hot water once. Plus, I was only going to fill it up part way and then when I get in, add more hot water.

[fruitie]

Originally Posted by gretae

I wondered if you all had any ideas about how to keep the water nice and warm. My last water birth was in a jacuzzi so there weren't any problems with temperature and it was the middle of the summer! This time I am using a birthing pool which doesn't appear to have a heater and I have a tempermental water heater from the furnace and I would imagine there would need to be some sort of device to keep the water warm. Any ideas?

If it is specifically a BIRTHING POOL it should have some kind of built-in heater thingy. At least the one I'm renting does - it's called an AquaDoula. Maybe there are other kinds that don't have the heater built-in but I would think that's pretty much the point of it being a birthing pool instead of just a kiddie pool or a stock tub, right?

[Mamaperk]

Originally Posted by gretae

I wondered if you all had any ideas about how to keep the water nice and warm. My last water birth was in a jacuzzi so there weren't any problems with temperature and it was the middle of the summer! This time I am using a birthing pool which doesn't appear to have a heater and I have a tempermental water heater from the furnace and I would imagine there would need to be some sort of device to keep the water warm. Any ideas?

Many women cover the pool when they aren't using it ... I was thinking of getting a couple of those clips that you find in the dollar store ... either the ones that you use to keep snack bags closed, or the heavier ones in the hardware isle (I'm planning on using a rubbermaid stock tank) ... if you are using a blow up pool, a huge blanket or plastic sheet over the top would probably work ... I have also heard of people covering with one of those foil looking blankets people use for camping ... not sure if you know what I mean.

For both of my UC waterbirths, we used the fill/drain thing from our kitchen sink to add hot water but DH had water boiling and heating on the stove too just for added warmth. First time we used a huge canning pot and the second time just a large pasta stock pot. I was plenty warm in my fishy pool! Hope that helps.

[alphasdaughter]

We are having our 1st home birth

Ds was born at the hosptial, but we have a planned hb for this lo. Really excited about making my own choices and labouring in a comfortable, relaxed environment!

[Lemon Juice]

Okay....what kind of birth pool did you get??? I have to get one asap....37 weeks is next week! So...it's between the 40 dollar seahorse one that we can keep and use in summer w/ the kids...or renting one w/ a heater...or just getting the seahorse one and renting the heater only...


tell me...what pool do you like?

[gretae]

Here's some motivation for everyone. It brought tears to my eyes to see it. It's called the birthing quilt and made by a mom who was going through a hard time http://www.littlelumpkin.blogspot.co...ing-quilt.html

The writing behind the image says "I was born for this, I am not afraid." I have repeated this when I start freaking out about going through birthing again and it calms me down.

I put this on the general pregnancy thread but wanted to make sure my ddc saw it.

[Lemon Juice]

Thanks for sharing : That is an amazing quilt and some wonderful words of wisdom. I love that saying

[Mamaperk]

Originally Posted by Lemon Juice

Okay....what kind of birth pool did you get??? I have to get one asap....37 weeks is next week! So...it's between the 40 dollar seahorse one that we can keep and use in summer w/ the kids...or renting one w/ a heater...or just getting the seahorse one and renting the heater only...


tell me...what pool do you like?

I used the fishy pool w/ my last two (it's 22 in high X 60 in diameter) ... I loved it but I am one who needs something really firm and solid to grasp while pushing and the fishy pool didn't allow for that. (I don't think the aqua doula rental would either ) ... this time - today actually - i purchased a rubbermaid stock tank which is sturdy and can be reused for future births (not that i'm planning on any more since this is #6) ... I got the 100 gallon tank once I actually saw it ... looks like a big deep bathtub ... I sat in it today when I got it home and it seems plenty room for me, although some women really like the circular shape of the rental pool or fishy pool to swim and float and move around in. Since I don't have experience with it yet I can't speak to the comfort of the stock tank ... I plan to pad it with a comforter and possibly a bean bag chair or pillows ... then throw a disposable pool liner over top before filling ... so it will be a little more comfortable.

ETA: Here is a thread on the horse trough/stock tank if you are interested: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=641024


Hope this helps a little ...