Homebirth/UC mamas?

[Spirulina&Sage]

i've had two midwife assisted homebirths..
i loved my midwives and want them again but where we live now there are no midwives..im debating whether to go back to a city where they are a month or so before the birth (because who knows when it will happen with #3)..or to UC. i have some fears surrounding UC (both kids had shoulder dystocia and i bled quite heavily) but i also know that i can give birth naturally and that birth is a natural thing.

any other homebirthing or UC mamas here?

[*knittingmomma*]

We're really hoping to have a homebirth this time. We will interview a midwife on Monday and I'm really hoping my dh feels really comfortable with her as he's a little hesitant.

[lilylove]

Homebirth :D My first two were both born in the hospital. I can't even say how excited I am to stay home to birth this baby. I'm not sure how we will fund it, but come hell or high water this baby is being born at home! :lol

[gratefulbambina]

I had a horrible hospital birth the first time around and a beautiful homebirth the 2nd time. Definate homebirth here for this one too :)

[Fruitful4Him]

My 3rd birth was UC. Considering it this time around along with the hospital option.My labors are QUICK generally and any mw I would want to be there wouldn't be able to get here quick enough. My last baby (hospital) was 11 pounds and a bit sticky coming out (I was squatting).. soo.. just going over options over the rest of the pregnancy and feel like the right answer will will unfold in time.

[momonthebeach]

I am planning another homebirth. DS #1 was a hospital birth but DS#2 was born at home. After doing it at home, I can't imagine having a baby in a hospital!!
Katie

[pampered_mom]

Homebirth for me. Homebirth after cesarean actually. I've had the epitomy of the medicalized birth experience and I do not want a repeat. Trying to find the best fit for a midwife now.

[paniscus]

We are doing a homebirth also. I guess it is kind of a dream to UC because, to me, birth is such an intimate and private experience. But I would never be brave enough to do it. Especially since I had a complication with my son's birth. I like the comfort and safety of having a mw there to help *if* there was a problem or if I just need some support and guidance.

[bobandjess99]

We're planning our second UC...

[SharonAnne]

Homebirth. My first was a homebirth, too.

I love it when people say "You are really brave". Uh, no. I'm terrified of all the unnecessary crap at the hospital. :laugh:

[lilylove]

Homebirth. My first was a homebirth, too.

I love it when people say "You are really brave". Uh, no. I'm terrified of all the unnecessary crap at the hospital. :laugh:

YES!! That is it exactly for me!

[eloise24]

Homebirth sounds wonderful to me, but we have 10 boys who live with us at a residential program and . . . um . . . don't think it will be happening, hehehe. But we have an amazing birth center and amazing midwife very close, so that's actually okay with me!!

[TrishWSU]

UC here!! I had an amazing MW HB w/ dd, so amazing that I don't feel like I need the MW this time, lol!!

[Snowdrift]

Planning our second homebirth. I don't do hospitals. :)

[frogleymom]

I had two very nice, unmedicated hospital births... but they weren't exactly the births I'd envisioned. I REALLY want a homebirth this time, but we're moving in with my parents, and I have no idea how they'll react when I ask if I can birth in their house... they're pretty mainstream.

I've also looked into birth centers, but they're all too far from my parents, so I might be back at a hospital... with a midwife this time, for sure.

Emily

[g&a]

I want a homebirth so bad, just have to convince DH that everything will be ok. Secretly would love to UC, but would rather not have the divorce that would require. :lol I just feel so calm this time around, and I've done a lot of research, and I know where to do the research when stuff comes up, it's like why do I need someone to check on things for me??
Also, we're VBACing and live far from the hospital. So if we do require medical attention it would be slow to get. I'm hoping to find a midwife that is able to reassure DH because there is no way I am planning to have this baby in the hospital.

g.

[salt_phoenix]

This will be my 3rd homebirth... all 9 years apart. ;-)

[Tiffany_PartyOf5]

We are having a home possibly water birth but not UC.. Im not ready for that and since this is our last, its not ever gonna happen lol.. but def. a home birth and probably a water birth.. Water pissed me off with my last labor but it was a regular small bath tub and now we have a huge garden tub so maybe?

[crbyard]

I am also super-jazzed to have a homebirth after my first hospital nightmare. I feel like I am actually looking forward to the experience this time instead of dreading it. I finally switched insurance carriers and it is partially covered for me. I am hoping to barter the remaining cost with my husbands skills -- handyman/woodworking skills, that is. :lol

[naturemama1]

Yep, one of the two! We're building a relationship with a homebirth midwife who lives just a couple of blocks from us, and we'll decide as we go along how much to include her in the pregnancy and birth. We may do some or all prenatal care together, and we may or may not call her for the birth. Just seeing what develops. :)

[leewd]

Homebirth for me!!!

#1 was born in the hospital due to some factors that elevated my risk. It was still 100% natural, but I agree hospital was the right choice.

#2 was born at home with a MW, and I will be using the same MW for this birth.

I do not feel comfortable with UC since there is always a possiblity (however remote) of something going wrong. I want my "lifeguard" looking out for me.

OP - Are lay midwives illegal in your state or just hard to come by?

--LEE

[KateSt.]

:wave I'm a free-birthing Mama! This will be my 2nd UC, first one is in my siggy. :love

[wobit]

I'm planning to homebirth - at my parents' house. We may waterbirth, will definitely do some sort of hypnosis prep. Anyone who has guidance about hypnobirthing vs hypnobabies vs hypbirth drop me a pm please - I'd be grateful! We are interviewing midwives this week and next.

[frogleymom]

I'm planning to homebirth - at my parents' house. We may waterbirth, will definitely do some sort of hypnosis prep. Anyone who has guidance about hypnobirthing vs hypnobabies vs hypbirth drop me a pm please - I'd be grateful! We are interviewing midwives this week and next.

So, your parents are totally open to a homebirth at their home? We'll be living with my parents when this baby comes and as much as I'd love a home waterbirth, I'm not sure my very mainstream parents would be accepting of that. When I briefly mentioned homebirth as a possibility to my father he said, "I hope you find someplace to do that," meaning... not their house. I'm hoping I can convince them in the next seven months... but if there's any skeptical vibes in the house, I'm sure it'll affect my birthing.

Emily

[purplepaisleymama]

Having this one UC
#1 hospital (effectually curing me from seeking that out again)
#2 @ home with midwife
#3 @ home (actually my mom's house) with same midwife
#4 @ home (mom's again) midwife didn't make it (different midwife) dh caught
#5 @ home (mom's again) UC 5 weeks earlytransfer to hosp for breathing prob
I caught
and mc
we actually have a few friends who want to attend and help with the kiddos, so it will be a party!!!!!!!
laura

[kehliouise]

With the last pregnancy I had to drive to a birth center that was an hour and fifteen minutes from my house. It wasn't that bad, but I don't really want to do all that driving again. Especially at the end where you have to go every week. I would love to have a home birth. The home that we live in is actually where my grandmother and her siblings were born and that would be neat to give birth there. The midwife I used last time does homebirths, but she is not allowed to do them in my county because it is too far from a hospital. All of the hospitals are around an hour from my home (one is like thirty minutes). She also has to be near her office is case someone else goes into labor. When I delivered my son there were like two other women in various stages of labor that she needed to be close to in case of emergencies. She never had to leave me, but that was a possibility. I would be interested in UC but I don't know if I am confident enough.

[organic-momma]

It will (hopefully) be a second home water birth for us :)

[desert_mommi]

We're planning our second homebirth with a midwife. #1 was a waterbirth at a birth center with a midwife and though it was nice, it would have been better without the car trips. 2nd time around at home was great and we're looking forward to this one at home also.

[HoneyTree]

We've just barely started to talk about the possibilities. My first baby was a homebirth transfer to the hospital. I had the typically unfathomably cruel and horrendous hospital experience, but I know a heck of a lot more now than I did then. My insurance covers the o.b. that my midwife uses as her backup, but not my midwife, and dh and I and are still looking at our bank statement saying, "Say what? Another BABY?" So we'll probably wait a bit longer and see which factors emerge as the most pressing. Sigh... I need a couple more re-readings of Birthing from Within before I can even begin to imagine this.

[crbyard]

Well, I mass emailed all of the midwives in my area that seemed like they could travel to my home and asked about availability. Some of them are already booked!! These Bay Area Mamas are on the ball and are snatching up my midwives. I have an appointment to meet with one on Monday that comes highly recommended. Her fee is a little higher than I thought it would be, but I think that it just may be due to the expense of our area. What did you pay for your previous births? I was expecting a total of $3000, but this first one charges $4500. I am sure that I will continue interviewing to see what the range is, but whoever I feel comfortable with is who I will choose. Our family's finances are very tight, but after dd's hospital birth, DH and I both said that this time we will have a home birth no matter how much it costs!

[flapjack]

I'm booking an NHS homebirth. Swindon has a very low h/b rate, and the standard advice from those who have lived here for a while is to book an independent midwife- I'm not going to do that. We can't afford it and on principal, I HATE the idea of paying for a service that I already get for free because of my NI contributions.
There is, however, the possibility that I may forget to ring the midwives in time. So far, there's always been that point at 3-4cm where labour was hard enough that I needed to get someone there, and then I settled down again. DS1's birth was perfect, but DS2 had shoulder dystocia and I bled a lot, and DD had a nuchal hand that the midwife wanted to help with.

[Spirulina&Sage]

im thinking this baby will probbaly come too fast as well :duck:
our problem is that where we live there are No midwives..anywhere. i did just find out the name of the only woman ob out here who is all about natural birth and because its such a small hospital there is very little risk of c-section being pushed or epidural since they would have to airlift you to a bigger hospital an hour and a half away by road. im pretty much planning to UP but if i want to see someone i will be able to and she is "very nice, open minded and easygoing" plus since i have 2 homebirths under my belt :lol im pretty confident in most things. my only worry is bleeding and sticky shoulders but i really believe that if i needed help my dp could figure it out and or call the ambulance.
anyways..its so far down the road. but im panning on a water birth again and it will be winter and all cozy with the woodstove and snow outisde. the perfect baby birthing atmosphere

[flapjack]

Didn't someone write a children's book about that? All you need to do is knit the socks and you'll be sorted for a perfect Welcome-with-Love style hb :D

[Spirulina&Sage]

oh i love that book! and im so into knittinG socks these days :lol

[rootzdawta]

After a unmedicated, intervention-free, good hospital birth experience (as good as it gets), I'm so excited to be having this one at home. When I went into labor with my first, I had such an overwhelming urge to just stay at home. It felt like such a huge inconvenience to have to leave my house to have the baby. Not to mention that as a vegetarian, the food sucked. I stayed in the hospital for only one day and then I was ready to go--much to the dismay of the nurses (who actually "forgot" to do a test so I had to go back the next day). Anyway, I want this birth experience to be totally different from the first. It felt so medicalized the first time--I just want to be in the peace and quiet of my own home. I've got a great midwife lined up who comes with lots of recommendations--I'm going to meet with her in 3 weeks and I'm just so looking forward to birthing at home. :) It's a shame, though, that I can't tell my parents. They would freak out. They freaked out when I told them I was going with a CNM at a hospital. I hate to lie to them, but the story they get is that everything will be the same as last time. It still doesn't diminish my joy!!