Hi
I thought I would share my homebirth story - this could be quite long.
I knew I wanted a homebirth right from the start of my pregnancy. At my booking in appointment I was told straight out no because I had hypertension in my last pregnancy (I always knew it was white coat hypertension and finally proved this but was bullied into being induced at term as a precaution). I had also suffered a third degree tear. It was a quick birth and I had my baby lying flat on my back (due to the monitoring), legs in stirrups and this was stated as the probable cause of the tear.
I knew I was entitled to a homebirth if I wanted one and spoke to AIMs and sent a letter to the HoM stating my intention.
All went fine until my 36 week appointment (ironically 4 days after my HB was booked in). I had managed to control my white coat hypertension through hypnotherapy but now they decided my baby was small and I was sent for a scan.
The baby was smaller than their charts expected but fluid levels, dopplers etc showed everything was fine and she was just naturally small. I was sent to ANDU for monitoring and everything was fine. However a consultant, who didn't even bother to come and actually speak to me, decided I should be sent to St Georges in London for a further scan.
The scan again showed everyting was fine, just a smaller than average baby, but St Georges recommended I be induced at 40 weeks. I was not happy with this as I saw no need for interference if everything was fine.
I had an appointment with my consultant, my BP was up, although fell to normal levels during the appoinment, he wanted me to go back up to ANDU for monitoring. Nothing else was said but when I checked my notes he had written IOL at 40 weeks without discussion with me. This was when I lost all faith with the hospital. I did not go to the ANDU appoinment feeling it was a waste of time.
I then began looking into an independent nidwife. I spoke to three and none felt IOL was necessary and they thought a HB would be fine. I had two more scans which were both fine. At that point I decided I could not be bothered to fight with the hospital for what I wanted. I was unhappy with them making decisions without discussion with me and with their 'lets intervene just in case' policy. I hired a wonderful Independent Midwife. It was a lot of money but worth every penny and wish I had done it from the start which would have saved me a lot of stress.
At 40+3 I went into labour naturally at 3am in the morning. It was the start of a long early labour stage lasting 17 1/2 hours. I must admit at one point feeling extremely tired and suffering from lack of sleep I thought of going to hospital just for some pethidine so I could have a rest. At 8.30pm the contractions got going and I knew they were actually doing something. As I had a fast labour last time I knew it was time to ring the midwife. She arrived at 9.15pm, sat quietly in the corner and let me get on with it. My husband rubbed my back to help me through. They started to slow right down so she suggested we change positions and eventually moved to the bathroom and I got in the bath. This was actually transition and went on for a long time but I was relatively calm through it so we didn't actually notice that that was what it was. About two hours later I felt an urge to push but it wasn't really happening in the bath. The baby's heartrate started to drop, this had happened with my first baby but instead of alarms going off and the room filling with people in a way that terrified myself and my husband, the midwife was calm and suggested we move into the bedroom and try a different position, the babys heartrate was then fine (the midwife later said that as it had happened before it was probably to do with the shape of my pelvis). At 0:45am baby Thea was born with me sitting on my husbands lap. I had the physiological third stage I wanted but was denied last time at the hospital. I had another tear which I know the midwife did her best to prevent but she was able to stitch at home. Thea weighed 6lb 9oz and looked early as she was covered in vernix. Actual labour lasted 4hr 15 mins
It was absolutely perfect and unlike last time (my hospital birth had left me upset and angry) I feel absolutely over the moon and proud about the birth. I feel immensely proud of my husband who was there with me, helping, all the way through (last time he was squeezed as far into the corner as possible absolutely terrified - not even able to hold my hand). He said it was the best experience of his life and is proud Thea was born with me sitting on his lap. I had no pain relief but only occasionally did it enter my head that I needed it. i felt in total control and knew exactly what was happening when.
I really recommend homebirth to anyone who thinks it might be for them.
