Who's homebirthing?

[AugustLia23]

I remember seeing a bunch of you on the getting to know you thread. I am so excited to be having another homebirth, and especially since it will be my last for a long while I want to savor every moment right up to it.

Who else is gonna homebirth, and are you going with a midwife or UC?

[greenmagick]

I am planning a hbac with a midwife. I am very excited :D

[maylea_moon]

Meeee! I'm planning on a home water birth with a very "hands-off" midwife.

[cbmr777]

We would like to have a homebirth but we're
1) a little nervous and
2) not sure of how to pay for it or get through the loopholes with the insurance company

I've had 1 OK military birth experience and 1 bad civilian hospital experience. We would really want to have a HB but am a bit fearful. I still need to find a MW or somebody who can help us through this, too, as I had an OB last time...

But we've heard so many great stories that we are really wanting this... :o

[maylea_moon]

We would like to have a homebirth but we're
1) a little nervous and
2) not sure of how to pay for it or get through the loopholes with the insurance company

I've had 1 OK military birth experience and 1 bad civilian hospital experience. We would really want to have a HB but am a bit fearful. I still need to find a MW or somebody who can help us through this, too, as I had an OB last time...

But we've heard so many great stories that we are really wanting this... :o

Our insurance isn't covering our midwife either. Most m/w's are really cool about payment plans though.

[naturegirl]

I am planning a home/waterbirth with the same mw that we had with ds. She was only there for about 3 hours before he was born and basically just checked me a couple of times and offered support. It was AWESOME! I was so relaxed and happy. I couldn't imagine it any other way. I think I would be so stressed and worried at the hospital. I would only go there for something complicated, risky or for emergencies.

Plus, I am planning on having a doula again also. Mine was great! Unfortunately, for me, she is having a baby in July so won't be available as my doula this time around. I am very excited for her though! This is her first baby. :)

[mnkygrl79]

ME ME ME! I'm also planning for a HB with a MW. My first was an induction in the hospital with a MW, but didn't go as I had planned/expected :dizzy:

I'm interviewing right now and hope to find a good fit. We'll be using our tax returns to pay for it ;-)

[allbrightmama]

You can count us in too!

My first birth was in a hospital with a wonderfully hands off midwife. My second was at a free standing birth center where for a good portion of my labor I was the only one awake. It was amazing! I was absolutely ecstatic during the pushing phase. As soon as it was over I wanted to do it again! We were back home in our own bed 4 hours later.

I am really looking forward to a homebirth. My laboring style requires that I be left alone with my body and my baby so I am hoping for a very unassisted homebirth with a midwife in attendance. I can't imagine anything will top my last birth experience but I can't wait to try!

[lactivist]

I am definitely planning a homebirth. My plan is to go UP/UC with probably one prenatal visit to a midwife for verication of pregnancy (makes paperwork much easier). That is what I did for the last one and it was great. I am also planning a waterbirth and want to get La Bassine birthtub. :)
Wendi

[UCmamaToMany]

Planning another unassisted waterbirth! Will be my 5th homebirth! wow

[Stacymom]

ME! :wave

Actually, I can't say for certain, yet. DH has been very, very opposed to the whole idea for years, and I just recently got him to agree to interview a midwife. I have really good vibes about her, and am so excited to meet her. And dh hasn't said out loud that he's game for it, but I think he will be persuaded. We have our first meeting set ups for next week.

I am so excited!

[tsfairy]

I'm planning a UC this time. Not totally sure about the extent of UP. I plan to see my OB at least once to establish a relationship (he's very HB-friendly and it was suggested to me by a MW I interviewed that he might even be UC-friendly.) I'll probably do most of my own "prentatal care" though.

[AugustLia23]

Great to see so many homebirth mammas! As of yet we are very undecided on which midwife we will see and if we will UC or not, but this babe will be born at home! Gotta remember I have time!

[flapjack]

Me! Fourth homebirth- and we won't be UC-ing, though we might "forget" to call the midwife in time.
Homebirth is legal and free on the NHS over here, but I moved from a town with an "average" homebirth rate to one with a totally crap, sucks, stinks, etc homebirthing statistic- 0.6% of babies here are born at home, which is a quarter of the national average. What I'm hoping is that the hospital will either provide me with the midwife I'm entitled to, no arguments, or even better that they will contract an independent midwife to provide the service they don't want to. The worst case scenario is that I spend the next 9 months worrying.

[Einen]

This will hopefully be my second homebirth. I have a great midwife. I can't wait for my first prenatal appt.!

We accidentally called her too late last time so my dh delivered the baby. She showed up a minute later.

[bhawkins]

Count me in! I'm planning my first HB. I just talked to my midwife and will be meeting up with her soon. I'm very excited!

[hazieluna]

I'm planning on a homebirth in a rental birthing pool with a midwife - does this not sound like we are playing Clue?. That was how my sister had my nephew - I was there for the entire process - and I loved it, it blew me away. So now I'm pregnant and that's how I want it too.

Btw what's UP and UC? Am I going to whack my head when I see what they stand for, like duh?

[sanguine_speed]

We're planning our first homebirth; a second with a midwife. We will def need a plan for PPH as I had this last time and it was devastating. Long story, but ended up in hospital without baby for a week. If I have a PPH at home, they won't take baby in when I'm admitted. It's sucky that way.
My midwife is "free" because I'm in Ontario.

[AugustLia23]

sanguine_speed, might alfalfa help? I took it to boost the baby's vitamin K levels and it seemed to help with my own clotting ability.

[sanguine_speed]

It might, but I'm looking for something more certain. This might mean an injection of oxytocin at crowning instead of waiting until the hemmhorage happens. The stakes are very high as I learned the last time. Not only was I separated from baby, I was very sick for weeks until I recovered from the blood loss. I'll have to discuss it with my midwife though. I would even go so far as to say it really impeded breastfeeding as I was so exhausted I could do almost nothing but lay in bed. Waking up to feed was simply out of the question, and I didn't have the energy to manage the pain I had with bfing, let alone get outside help at the time. Nevermind that, but since I passed out after delivery in sight of the nurses, the baby was kept in the nursery and given formula and a soother; not able to feed on demand. To explain how the baby was not allowed to be with me in the hospital as I said earlier--I had the hemmhorage, stayed in hospital, was discharged prematurely, ended up back in for a week, but without baby allowed with me. I wish I had known this could happen. Now I do and I'm going to try and be prepared.

[nankilicious]

Home water birth, with a mw who our insurance covers :) hopefully. We have our first appt in 2 weeks. Homebirth mws are extremely slim pickens here in Chicago.

My last birth was w/ mw at the hospital...not horrible, but not ideal.

[DylBear]

I would love one, I just dont think my dad would agree to it. :lol

[teniprice]

I want a HB so bad but my dh would never go for it. Not because he doesn't think they are great (his younger brother was a HB) but because it would cost us way too much out of pocket. Sooo, I am planning the most natural hospital birth as I can. ~sigh~

[bandgeek]

I swore after DS that I'd never step foot in a hospital to give birth again. So homebirth it is! With a midwife, unless I don't find one I love, and then I may try UC.

[flapjack]

nankilicious, one of the mamas from my 2005 DDC birthed at home with Homefirst and got on really well with them. I know they're doctors rather than midwives, but you'd get the insurance coverage.
I spoke to the senior community midwife yesterday who told me three times "we don't have any policies against homebirth at all here for you to fight against, if you want one, you can have one." So theoretically this sounds promising, though the statistics aren't great, about a quarter of the national average. I'm referred to my local CM who will come and start my antenatal care when she gets back off holiday.
Oh, and I lied about my EDD :( I figured I'm going to be late anyhow, so I used the 13/9 as a guideline.

[jmhammond]

I want a homebirth.

DH isn't quite there yet, but has said, "I know I want to do what YOU'RE most comfortable doing," and has agreed to meet a HB MW whom a friend used.

My son was a two-steps away from horrible birth in the hospital and both my husband and I have agreed that we will not be going back there if we can at all help it, although my OB was actually great (go figure, he wasn't
"on call" when I delivered...).

My m/c was handled by the MW I was seeing at a birthing center, and there were so many crappy things that happened, and the way we were treated, that I just don't want to go back there either.

I hope to write a GREAT HB birth story in about 9 months... :)

[debra_lea]

Possibly...

I delivered with a midwife in Cali for DS, she had a renovated old house turned birthing center. She had two assistants, but I always dealt with her directly. We became great friends by the time I delivered. I'm so sad she won't be delivering my second, but North Carolina is too far. I've fantasized about being incredibly wealthy and flying here her on my lear jet...but unless circumstances change, dramitically....

They have a nice birthing center here where I live, but it feels a little busy for me. There are 4 midwives and a zillion nurses. Not my quiet personalized relationship with my midwife in California.

So, I am thinking about homebirth. I want to wait until I'm a bit further along before I start looking for a midwife.

[stacyg]

We are seriously talking about a HB. It'll be our first. I've got to get in touch with the midwife and set up a meeting.

Our first two were born in a hospital. Had a really wonderful experience both times. Natural - Drug-free - No interventions! We were able to do what we wanted for the most part. But I'm leaning toward a hb this time. Just need to convince DH.

[beemama]

We delivered dd w/a CNM at the hospital, and it turned out to be a big intervention-fest. I had pubis symphasis disorder & they didn't know what to do with me... didn't even know what was wrong! I'm so glad I know more from the start this time.
There were 2 midwives then and I had to drive 75 miles to see them... now they're both gone. In this whole area, there is one homebirth midwife left, no CNM's that I'm aware of. I think we'll see the OB that the CNMs worked thru for prenatal because it is covered by my insurance & plan a homebirth with the midwife (I have to do some research to find her, she's not in the book).

[Wugmama]

This will be my second time with my same midwife. How sweet to be able to have a midwife you already feel so close to!

~Tracy

[arelyn]

We'll probably be having a UC (unassisted childbirth). There's no homebirth midwives here and I'm adament about homebirthing. We do have a retired OBGYN who'll come to homebirths and is really crunchy but I'm not really comfortable with guys poking around in me so I think we'll only call him if I freak out. I kind of want to go UP (unassisted pregnancy) but I'm nervous since it's my first and I don't have something to compare this to. I have time to think it over though.

[moodyred01]

:bgbounce :bgbounce :bgbounce Me! It will be my first hb! :bgbounce :bgbounce :bgbounce

[goddessgold1]

I plan on homebirthing with a midwife. :homebirth

[mimiharshe]

Count me in. I'll be a HBA2C! I'm very excited. I have one midwife I want to interview...I hope I like her! :lol Most midwives aren't great about doing a VBA2C, but it's happening one way or another!