Anyone else having/had a homebirth?

Mink

Thought I would start a thread just for homebirthers (if any) as we're sometimes few and far between and would be nice to support each other etc.

Not interested in any scary stories/stats, have heard them all already, this is a support type thread, thanks.

Well I'm 23wks 3d on my 1st. I'm registered with the Rotunda and I've engaged a SECM (Self Employed Community Midwife). We've had our first meeting and the paperwork is going back to the HSE. Will be seeing her again in about a month and then every 2 weeks after that (GP in between). Now no need to go into Rotunda unless she deems it neccessary (woohoo). She's coming to me on Saturday mornings at the moment so I'm not having to miss work and my OH can be there.

Plan on labouring in a birthing pool & coming out for the delivery (my midwife doesn't do water births). No plans for hypnobirth, might resort to gas and air if comes to it.

Here's hoping for a complication free pregnancy & labour so I can have my homebirth!! So far so good, fingers crossed!

Squiggler

We planned a homebirth on our first, but our dates were way off and we ended up being transferred to hospital "post dates" because baby wasn't finished cooking.

We've been more careful this time about our dates, standard calculations are based on 28 day cycle and ovulation on day 14 - which is off by well over a week for me.

We've applied again this time and are keeping fingers firmly crossed. All going well we'll be seeing our SECM (same as last time) from about 20 weeks. 15 weeks yesterday, booking appointment with the Coombe tomorrow morning which I am really not looking forward to. I've never been a big fan of hospitals and after the way we were treated by them last pregnancy that has only strengthened and deepened.

It might be worth your while considering the Gentlebirth course (on CD). Good for relaxation and the positive visualisation/affirmation exercises are very good.

Anway, fingers crossed for you that all goes well and you get to have a safe and positive birthing experience

Mothman

Congratulations Mink, its going to be a wonderful experience, and you are benefiting already with midwife visiting you!

My 3 have been born at home, first 2 in water, latest out of water...almost outside

you may well have already read my account of the latest one. You contributed earlier to Birth stories thread.

liliq

Oh fab!! I'm so jealous! Ended up with an emergency section (in preplanned hospital delivery) on my first, so my confidence would be too completely shot for a homebirth if I was pregnant again.

I know of a few people through various facebook groups that have had homebirths, and every single one of them had an amazing experience! I'll copy the link to this thread and put it on the groups

Pachamammy

Hi Mink. I'm 37 weeks tomorrow so hopefully all systems go for my first home birth. This is my second baby. First was a hospital birth in the Rotunda and was generally a positive experience - won't bore anyone with the negative bits. Just feel like home birth cuts out all of the hard bits, like the transfer to hospital, being made to lie on your back for the trace on admission and blocking out what the hospital staff are saying so you can focus.


Have to say I found the GentleBirth programme brilliant last time and have been using it again. It's great for keeping you positive and looking forward to the birth, and helping you to filter out all of the negative rubbish that you hear.


Just wondering who your SECM is? I was under the impression that all of the SECMs facilitated water birth. I'm with Colette Donnelly and she does.

Mink

Pachamammy wrote: »

Just wondering who your SECM is? I was under the impression that all of the SECMs facilitated water birth. I'm with Colette Donnelly and she does.

Oh wow you're nearly there. If you get the time after baby comes, would love to hear your birth story. I'm with Susan Cooney, she's not on the HBA website but is on the HSE one. I found her after I couldn't get anyone on the HBA list who was available for my due date.

I'm not too bothered can't give birth in the pool, just definitely wanted to labour in it til as near the end as I can which she is fine with.

Mink

liliq wrote: »

Oh fab!! I'm so jealous! Ended up with an emergency section (in preplanned hospital delivery) on my first, so my confidence would be too completely shot for a homebirth if I was pregnant again.

I know of a few people through various facebook groups that have had homebirths, and every single one of them had an amazing experience! I'll copy the link to this thread and put it on the groups

Thanks liliq, my midwife tells me that you usually can't have a homebirth on a subsequent baby after a section, but if that subsequent birth goes fine, then you're next one (and ones after that) can be a homebirth.

Mink

Squiggler wrote: »

We planned a homebirth on our first, but our dates were way off and we ended up being transferred to hospital "post dates" because baby wasn't finished cooking.

We've been more careful this time about our dates, standard calculations are based on 28 day cycle and ovulation on day 14 - which is off by well over a week for me.

We've applied again this time and are keeping fingers firmly crossed. All going well we'll be seeing our SECM (same as last time) from about 20 weeks. 15 weeks yesterday, booking appointment with the Coombe tomorrow morning which I am really not looking forward to. I've never been a big fan of hospitals and after the way we were treated by them last pregnancy that has only strengthened and deepened.

It might be worth your while considering the Gentlebirth course (on CD). Good for relaxation and the positive visualisation/affirmation exercises are very good.

Anway, fingers crossed for you that all goes well and you get to have a safe and positive birthing experience

Thanks Squiggler and I hope you get your homebirth on this one. I have to say I'm worried that I'll either go too early or too late and have to transfer. But I went into this knowing that approx 40% of first timers get transferred to hospital anyway. I'll have a hospital bag packed so at least I'll be prepared for it and won't be devastated or anything. Just have to keep an open mind and go with the flow.

Mothman wrote: »

Congratulations Mink, its going to be a wonderful experience, and you are benefiting already with midwife visiting you!

My 3 have been born at home, first 2 in water, latest out of water...almost outside

you may well have already read my account of the latest one. You contributed earlier to Birth stories thread.

Thanks mothman, yes have read some of your stories, they are fantastic!

liliq

Mink wrote: »

Thanks liliq, my midwife tells me that you usually can't have a homebirth on a subsequent baby after a section, but if that subsequent birth goes fine, then you're next one (and ones after that) can be a homebirth.

Oh I didn't know that! That's deadly

Just thought I'd stick this https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003209947513
here. It's the Home Birth Association facebook page, which would have contact details etc for HBA Ireland.

iguana

When did you decide to have a homebirth Mink? And at what point in your pregnancy did you arrange it? I'm booked into Holles St and if I can get on the Domino scheme I will but there is some debate about whether I'm in the catchment area or not. I'm tempted reading through the labour stories to see if I can have a homebirth if I can't get on Domino. The hospital births don't appeal to me at all.

wmpdd3

Just for the op, i had my second child in jan and i was labouring in my bath up until 25 mins before i gave birth and i found it great. I didnt think it was really doing anything...until i got out! It just took the edge of everything enough so i could stick to the gentlebirthing. I had a pre arranged hospital birth but i live very close.

Pachamammy

Who knows, I might not even like the pool myself to either labour or birth in, it’s hard to know how you will feel on the day. I spent most of my labour last time standing up. Didn’t like the bath at all but think I didn’t have enough water in it maybe.

If you are interested in reading / watching some positive birth stuff, I would recommend Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth and the Orgasmic Birth movie and book. Your midwife might be able to lend them to you. Very empowering. Ina May is actually the speaker at this year’s HBA conference on April 29th. Am due on the 25th so not sure if I will make it – the irony of missing her because I’m actually giving birth….her book really helped me have a natural birth last time.

Iguana, if you would like a home birth, you should try to arrange it as soon as possible. The SECMs only take 3 or 4 clients a month.

Moonbeam

I would love a home birth if I ever have any more.
I had a very fast labour last time and would love the bath or birthing pool for pain relief.
I live too far from a hospital though.

TwoMums2Be

This is just a curious question but you might be able to answer it for me what happens if your midwife is with another client when you go into labour? Do they have a back up system in place?
Like I said I'm just curious as I feel I live too far from our nearest maternity hospital if a transfer was required.

ladypip

Hi girls, Im not pregnant myself but if I was to fall pregnant again Id love to try a homebirth. I have a question for you all though. Are you worried about the noise level and neighbours hearing? I only ask because i've been in a labour ward before and its pretty loud and scary sounding (I had an emergency c section so I dont know if id be a loud labouree) But the walls in my house are so thin and I live in a corner house really close to the path and road that my neighbours and any passers by would be able to hear if I were to scream and id worry they would call the Garda or an ambulance.

I really wish you all the best of luck with your births

Evil-p

Fab thread! I would love a home birth on my next. I delivered my first in the Rotunda and between menconiam in the waters and the baby presenting the wrong way around, i ended up with every intervention possible - epidural, drips, foreceps, bad tear......you name it :rolleyes:.

Anyway I would love a home birth on my next one. I am a cosleeping breastfeeding mammy so it would suit me so much better to be able to bring the baby into bed with. In the Rotunda they wouldn't let me and my little one was very unsettled in her crib at night.

My main concern is cost. We are not flush and i went public with my daughter. Can someone tell me what it ACTAULLY costs in reality? I'm not sure I understand the grants etc.

Best of luck to the girls waiting for their homebirth!! So exciting!!!

Mink

Evil-p wrote: »

My main concern is cost. We are not flush and i went public with my daughter. Can someone tell me what it ACTAULLY costs in reality? I'm not sure I understand the grants etc.

Best of luck to the girls waiting for their homebirth!! So exciting!!!

Thanks, yeah we're the same financially, it's tight. You could expect to pay up to a grand to the midwife. There really aren't any other costs as far as I know apart from bits and bobs you want to buy for the day.

Each midwife is different re their costs but I think the average is a grand. We're saving this up now. Because you're dealing with someone one on one you can work out a payment plan, it's not like you have to pay it up front.

Mink

ladypip wrote: »

Hi girls, Im not pregnant myself but if I was to fall pregnant again Id love to try a homebirth. I have a question for you all though. Are you worried about the noise level and neighbours hearing? I only ask because i've been in a labour ward before and its pretty loud and scary sounding (I had an emergency c section so I dont know if id be a loud labouree) But the walls in my house are so thin and I live in a corner house really close to the path and road that my neighbours and any passers by would be able to hear if I were to scream and id worry they would call the Garda or an ambulance.

I really wish you all the best of luck with your births

Haha, I'm trying not to think about this. I'm in a semi-d in a cul de sac. I'll warn the lady next door but I don't think anyone else will hear. If I were in your situation I'd put a sign on the door. Feck them, who cares.

My sister had a homebirth and they warned their neighbours both sides but they ended up not hearing anything.

Not all women scream. I reckon I'll be a grunter/growler. I'll have DSPCA showing up rather than the guards.

Mink

TwoMums2Be wrote: »

This is just a curious question but you might be able to answer it for me what happens if your midwife is with another client when you go into labour? Do they have a back up system in place?
Like I said I'm just curious as I feel I live too far from our nearest maternity hospital if a transfer was required.

It's up to you what you're comfortable with distance wise. I think the HSE limit is something like an hour from the hospital? I'm 30 mins (though an ambulance would do it faster). Also the ambulance drivers nearest you are alerted when you go into labour, given your address etc, just in case, so it's really A to B.

This happened to my friend (she had her first in a little flat around the corner from the Rotunda haha). The midwife got caught with another client. But then another independent midwife showed up 40 mins before baby born!!

If it happened to me and she got caught with someone else, I think I'd labour at home as much as I could and then go into hospital. I wouldn't want to do a homebirth with someone I didn't know, hadn't built up a birth plan with etc.

Mink

Pachamammy wrote: »

Who knows, I might not even like the pool myself to either labour or birth in, it’s hard to know how you will feel on the day. I spent most of my labour last time standing up. Didn’t like the bath at all but think I didn’t have enough water in it maybe.

If you are interested in reading / watching some positive birth stuff, I would recommend Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth and the Orgasmic Birth movie and book. Your midwife might be able to lend them to you. Very empowering. Ina May is actually the speaker at this year’s HBA conference on April 29th. Am due on the 25th so not sure if I will make it – the irony of missing her because I’m actually giving birth….her book really helped me have a natural birth last time.

Iguana, if you would like a home birth, you should try to arrange it as soon as possible. The SECMs only take 3 or 4 clients a month.

Ina May's book I'm interested in. I actually really need to start reading up more on the birth. I've read too much about just pregnancy!

To be honest, the Orgasmic Birth thing is way too far out there for me! Each to their own but not for me.

Mink

iguana wrote: »

When did you decide to have a homebirth Mink? And at what point in your pregnancy did you arrange it? I'm booked into Holles St and if I can get on the Domino scheme I will but there is some debate about whether I'm in the catchment area or not. I'm tempted reading through the labour stories to see if I can have a homebirth if I can't get on Domino. The hospital births don't appeal to me at all.

We'd always planned a homebirth. I have 4 friends who had all their babies at home with independent Midwives (in Dublin) and my sis had a homebirth through NHS in England with a pool. We really wanted to avoid interventions, increased anxiety from being in the hospital, we want as quiet and calm birth as possible (with as little chatter as possible), less risk of infections from hospital bugs, get into my own bed and working on latching, personalised care from the midwife to me and baby etc etc.

I found out I was pregnany at just before 5 weeks and I started called just before 6 weeks. Found it hard to find anyone (July is not great as some midwives away for hols) but eventually got someone & she's great!

See if you can fight to be included in the catchment area. You might well qualify for a homebirth.

iguana

Pachamammy wrote: »

Iguana, if you would like a home birth, you should try to arrange it as soon as possible. The SECMs only take 3 or 4 clients a month.

The other problem I have is that there is a 50/50 possibility I'll be moving to the UK before I give birth, so I don't want to make any bookings that I end up not using, but that another woman will lose out on because I took the place.

For my last (unsuccessful) pregnancy I lived in the UK and compared to there I'm really unhappy with the maternity care here. I accept that at the time I lived in Wimbledon which is an extremely affluent part of the world and was registered to Kingston midwifery clinic, which is wealthy yummy-mummy central, so my experiences weren't necessarily a like for like comparison of maternity services on the NHS compared to the HSE. But it's still left me very anxious about what's on offer here.

The maternity services in the UK seem so mother centred, in part because of organisations like the NCT which wield a lot of political power and influence over the NHS. They offer so much support and information to parents and make sure they know exactly what their rights are, while campaigning to improve those rights and making sure parents don't have to struggle to have the birth they want (where it's medically possible). Whereas here reading some of the stories on the birth stories thread make me feel ill. Not the difficulty or pain of labour but the way the parents are treated by the hospital staff.

Squiggler

My experiences with the booking clinic at the Coombe yesterday have done nothing to improve my opinion of hospital maternity services here, which couldn't possibly get any lower.

Lovely midwives - nasty, bullying, ego driven consultant. Even though we're not planning to have this baby there we now have a meeting scheduled with the head of the hospital (probably so he can have a go at bullying us too). Given that the last head of maternity hospital we dealt with killed our first child I can't say I welcome this development.

That and all the heavily pregnant women queuing for an hour to be admitted and then still standing around hours later waiting to see their consultants. No way could I face 5 months of that.

Maternity tourism anyone?

ceadaoin.

iguana wrote: »

The other problem I have is that there is a 50/50 possibility I'll be moving to the UK before I give birth, so I don't want to make any bookings that I end up not using, but that another woman will lose out on because I took the place.

For my last (unsuccessful) pregnancy I lived in the UK and compared to there I'm really unhappy with the maternity care here. I accept that at the time I lived in Wimbledon which is an extremely affluent part of the world and was registered to Kingston midwifery clinic, which wealthy yummy-mummy central, so my experiences weren't necessarily a like for like comparison of Maternity services on the NHS compared to the HSE. But it's still left me very anxious about what's on offer here.

The maternity services in the UK seem so mother centred, in part because of organisation like the NCT which wield a lot of political power and influences over the NHS. They offer so much support and information to parents and make sure they know exactly what their rights are, while campaigning to improve those rights and making sure parents don't have to struggle to have the birth they want (where it's medically possible). Whereas here reading some of the stories on the birth stories thread make me feel ill. Not the difficulty or pain of labour but the way the parents are treated by the hospital staff.

I live in Chiswick and gave birth to my daughter in Queen Charlottes birthing centre in West London in December. I can't praise the NHS staff highly enough, it really was a brilliant experience (aided by the NCT antenatal classes and Ina May Gaskin's book:D). I'm moving back to Ireland shortly and if I have another child I would be worried about the lack of options available. The stories I have heard do not seem positive at all. I would come back here just to give birth!

Mink

That's the thing re the system here, the staff at the maternity hospitals are generally really really lovely and do the best job they can but it's the system that's at fault as it is so strained. It really is at snapping point and this then leads to bad experiences and sometimes very unsafe experiences.

I think if you're going into hospital, whether it's public or private you have to be aware of all this and not expect to be treated like a princess haha nor for things to exactly to plan. There is only so much they can do for us with the resources they have.

Does anyone know if the hospitals featured on one born every minute are private or public? They seem so good for public and I especially like that there are birthing pool rooms available if you want them.

iguana

Mink wrote: »

Does anyone know if the hospitals featured on one born every minute are private or public? They seem so good for public and I especially like that there are birthing pool rooms available if you want them.

They are all NHS hospitals and honestly, there are much nicer hospitals in some areas. The HSE has plenty of resources but it uses them badly. People in the UK just won't take that type of service and money wastage. You'll hear plenty of complaining about the NHS from people in the UK but it's so far above the system we have here it's sickening.

iguana

I'm sorry to read about your baby squiggler. I really hope you have a healthy pregnancy and birth this time.

Funnyonion79

Hi Girls,

Can I join? I'm having a homebirth in November and have my first meeting with my midwife (SC) on Saturday.

This is my second baby and second planned homebirth - but unfortunately I ended up transferring to hospital the last time, as my labour just wasn't progressing (20 hours to get to 5cm and then I stalled as DD was back to back with me and couldn't turn). Ended up with epidural, episiotomy, forceps etc.

Have to say - I found the Rotunda great and had a very positive experience there, in spite of what I was prepared for, but I definitely would prefer to labour and birth at home and be able to give birth in whatever position I want to. Unfortunately, in the hospital with the trace on the baby and the epidural I had to give birth on my back, which I didn't want to do.

Hoping this homebirth succeeds! Best of luck to everyone!!

missis aggie

Hi,
Pregnant with my second baby and also planning a homebirth:) met my midwife last week and she is just wonderful I just hope all will go as planned and I will keep a close eye on this thread
Good luck ladies

Funnyonion79

Am I allowed to ask if anyone has used Susan before and how they found her? She sounds lovely on the phone...

Mink

Funnyonion79 wrote: »

Am I allowed to ask if anyone has used Susan before and how they found her? She sounds lovely on the phone...

Don't know if you're allowed but I'll PM you now shortly as I have her as my midwife