is the midwife who came round the one you usually see? I am lucky that my midwife who I usually see and did the home check is very for homebirths. But, at my first antenatal class the idea wasn't even discussed as if hosptial was the only choice. and at my last appointment I saw a different midwife, she asked if i'd visited the hospital yet and i explained i'd booked for a homebirth she didn't have much to say at all.

As long as she didn't come up with medical reasons why you should have a hospital birth and you have had a normal pregnancy you should go with your instincts and plan to stay at home. I dont know how it works in your area but chances are that that midwife wont be there for the birth and you'l get someone with a more positive attitude!

To be honest I have yet to see the same mw twice! Have had just 4 appointments and one of them was to see dr at 20 week scan.There is no medical reason for not having a home birth.Just felt it was all very negative and they'd have much prefered me to change my mind and decide on a hospital birth instead! xx

out of my appointments so far i've seen 3 diff midwifes and only like 1 of them! also our antenatal classes were taken by a diff one each time so we got conflicting advice!

when i've told both my nans about having a home birth they were both really positive about thier experiences, i cant remember the extact year but my midwife explained that at some point the government decided that women should give birth in hospital. That is changing back now but is going to take time for minds to change. Apparently hospital based midwifes believe more in hospital births and community/private midwifes have more of an open view. My midwife used to be a private midwife and has delivered high risk babies at home. Unfortunatly chances are she wont be on call when my baby comes!

in the area i live only 1-2% of births are home births! only 2 midwifes are on call at a time, one of them from surrey, one from sussex. it could therefore take them longer to reach me and if someone else is having a home birth i could end up in hospital unless i completly refuse to go into hospital (although with the low take up it is unlikely) but until more people opt for home births then there is no need to have more midwifes on call!

how many weeks pregnant are you? i really think that you should push for what you want and ignore thier negativity. just read all the postive experiences of other people!

I would love a homebirth. OH is not keen at all but I'll keep working on him.

Lots of my friends have not had the most positive experience giving birth in hospital.

I'll have to see what midewife says when I finally get to meet her.

Rx

I'm 34 weeks +1.I was adament I have my home birth.The m/w has reluctantly agreed.They are on call from 37 weeks for me (June 18th) to 42 weeks.I am going to a baby fair on sunday and have joined our local NCT group.They are having a meeting on sun eve so it'll be nice to talk face to face with someone locally who has already had a home birth.I'm still going to have my home birth.Its just the " you'll have to have the injection for 3rd stage as you are more likely to haemorrhage","if your waters break and nothing happens for 24hrs you'll have to go to hospital to be induced" (I've read its fine to wait 96 hours!) and the "you'll have to ring early enough in labour as it could take us an hour to get from our house to yours if in the night"! (only if she walks!!) She didn't seem to see I'm not a stupid person ( I used to be an RGN before I had the kids) so am probably more anxious about hospitals as I used to work on a surgical ward!!,I would never endanger the life of my unborn (If I had any doubts I would be at the hosptal right away).I am just so overwhelmed by such negativity for something that millions of women do each day - some without any medical backup!!

It's such a shame that some mws and doctors still have this negative attitude. Mine have been really good, someone came around and explained all the risks and things that could go wrong, and I understand that they have to do that, but the mw that came was also saying how rare it is to have an emergency. She was really positive about homebirths and made us feel that it was completely up to us to decide. I'm really quite looking forward to it now, still feeling very scared of the pain and not knowing what to expect as it's my first, but I'm just hoping that nothing goes wrong so that I can get to be at home. Julieslot, it sounds to me like your mws just see homebirths as a hassle, as if they are quite happy working their clinic hours and don't want to be disturbed at any other time. I really hope that things work out for you and you get someone supportive on the day.

Well I met up with local NCT group yesterday and will again tomorrow.They have been fantastic with their support for my home birth.In my area only 0.2% of all the births are home births!! So I'm much more positive and determined to get the home birth I want xx Thanks for all your support xx

o i am so jealous,..hehehehe.... i had my third baby in march and so wanted a home birth.. everything was all sorted... credit on phone plastic decoratin sheets even a big tub of biscuits and a loaf of bread for toast for the midwives....... unfortunatly my waters broke and they were green... phoebe had pooed and i had to go to hospital to be monitored and had to deliver in hospital where medical help was at hand should i need it... oh well... maybe 4th time round i may be lucky... i not ttc at the minute going to wait a couple of years first...

congrats to all that had theor home births and good luck to the ladies waiting.. i have been told it is a wonderful experiance and its up to you where u have your baby whether its your first or 10th baby!!!

x x x x

and it is your right for a home birth.. if your mw is refusing, try to change her ( i did) or write to the health minister... search home births on google.. i did when i was having probs with my mw and there is a page that gives u info of where to complain to if you are being denied your homebirth.. as long as there is no medical reason why they are saying no

the more i read about home births the more i want 1, this is my first baby and am a lttle nervous incase anything went wrong as the nearest hospital is 20 minute away, but i'm more nervous of the idea of having my baby in a smelly, over crowded, dingy hospital wher i could be left for long periods of time and my oh sent home the minute i give birth, i really hate hospitals! plus i think that being at home the midwives anticipate any problems and are probably more cautious than if you were in hospital and would transfer you asap if anyhting seemed wrong, so i suppose it's just weighing up the pros and cons, i'm going to talk to my midwife on monday and see what she thinks xx

Good luck Lucylu! Hope your mws are as supportive as mine, I'm also having my first and feel much the same as you about hospitals. But as you say, the mws will transfer you if they have any doubts, and if you do have to be transferred it will be in a fully equipped ambulance, at least you won't have to do the dash to hospital in the back of someone's car and get stuck in a traffic jam!!
Let us know how it goes on Monday.

lucylu - dont worry bout things...have you spoken to your mw bout homebirths... i really wanted a homebbirth and partner was against it and my mw was able to give him so leaflets to read which really helped to settle him. It was mostly cause i live in the middle of no where and he was worried incase something happens....
basically when u first og into labour you phone mw office and say its started just so that the mw are aware and they can expect your phone call later on. once you make that call of when contractions are close enough together the mw comes out to you to check you over, and they phone ambulance control and give them your details so they are aware that they may be needed.. once the mw sees fit she calls in a second mw to help and then hey presto everything runs smoothly and lo has arrived.... the mw knows what to look for and if they think things are going to go wrong they will discuss this with you. u dont have to be transfered to hosptial if you dont want to but they let you know what they advise, so please dont worry they are all sorted and prepared....

like i mentioned before (ithink) google homebirths you will be surprised at what information is available

take care x x x

I would love to have a homebirth as this is my 4th & last baby!

History with previous 3 is induced twice due to pre-eclampsia and then last November induced at 37 weeks due to OC. However, the births have always been fine, ok first 2 were painful, back to back and very long so did have an epidural. Violets induction only took 2 hours with just gas and air.

My head says I am too far from the hospital, my heart says I want to be relaxed and do it at home, my midwife says get to 38 weeks without ANY problems whatsoever and she will discuss it with me!!!

If I lived nearer the hospital then I dont think I would even be questioning it...plus I am not having any tests this time and maybe seeing as I will be 42 I should be prepared and go into hospital.

Any opinions would be wonderful!!!

Carolyn xxx

Get in touch with your local NCT.They have been brilliant support for me.I'm 38 and having my 4th (and last!) My 1st was induced at 39 weeks (IUGR),2nd was a road traffic accident! (seat belt digging in started my contractions - was 4 days over due!) 3rd was 4 days over due (hope its not the same this time!!).Have felt fitter and enjoyed pregnancy this time.MW wasn't very keen but there is no medical reasonfor me not having a home birth.In fact getting in touch with NCTwas best thing I could have done.A lot of what MW said to me I feel was said to get me to change my mind to a hospital birth!NCT have provided me with lots of information and support.My home birth equipment is being delivered tomorrow! I didn't have any tests either xx

I'll do that - thank you!

I had our first little girl in hospital and although the exerience was amazing, I knew I wanted a home birth second time round. We had the planned home birth which was a beautifully calm experience, as our little girl slept through her new baby sister being born! They met just 20 minutes after and it was this freedom to involve all of the family that has led us to choose a home birth for baby number three. We can't wait!

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[Modified by: Kelly5878 on June 17, 2008 04:00 PM]

That sounds lovely, Kelly- I hope my experience goes as well. When is baby number 3 due?

Hi ladies! I am expecting baby no 3 in Nov and planning a HB this time. I had my last two in hospital and while there was nothing terrible out either birth they just werent especially positive experiences. Also, since having my boys who are going to be 10 and 8 this year, i have trained as a MW and have seen some such awful experiences in the hospital that there is no way i would choose to have my baby in hospital again! I spoke to my MW about HB right from my 10 week appt and she was surprisingly very supportive, even suggesting a waterbirth. So fingers crossed all stays going smoothly, and for all of you too!

I am planning a homebirth this time, I can't wait, my cousin had one and said it was the best way to labour.

was hoping to have a home birth - all planned but not to be as now 9 days over due and booked in to be induced tomorrow......never mind....have to do what is best for baby and me

good luck to all others planning home birth - try not to let midwifes put you off - they all seem to have diff opinions but on the day (or night) you'll get the most experienced midwifes and they're there just for you!

Baby Victoria arrived 08/07/08 home birth as planned.I have posted my birth story in the Babies due July.She was born a day before her official due date.She is 1 week old today.It was an amazing experience.I still can't quite believe it all happened and went so well.Would definately recommend it and wish I'd thought about this with my others xx