I also encourage the kids to be invilved both during the antenatal visits and at the birth. Check out my photos on FB you can see a 2 year old cutting the cord
LOL - you wouldn't believe it.. but that VERY thought popped into my head today as i watched my kids cutting off some of nanna's knitting wool LOL! I thought.. hmm.. i wonder if they could cut the cord! And it would mean a lot to me to have them at the birth. Tallon wasn't at Kayla's because of it all happening unexpected and he just stayed at the babysitters.. we thought we were just going for a checkup that morning because I'd been sick the night before and felt a few tightenings.

Thank you so much everyone. I've discovered today that my mum wouldn't really be terribly supportive of a homebirth.. but then I seem to have gone against all of her grains with most of the stuff I've done so far LOL.. so she's not opposed to it, just simply stated that she'd be worried if I did it. I have told her the benefits, and told her that I also want to clear things in my own mind as well by talking to a couple of midwives.

Maya - I rang Australian Unity today cos they have private midwife cover.. and with prior arrangement will cover a homebirth, but there's a 12 month waiting period Which is why I'm spewing I stopped looking into these options earlier. Oh well.

Pandora - no I haven't checked the latest fees and rebates for the OB. I'm actually figuring if I don't do homebirth, I might just go public with a doula.

TBH one of my main goals, if not a full on homebirth, is to just be able to labour at home and rock up at 10cm haha. My waters broke with Tallon and I ended up doing all my labouring in hospital, and of course with Kayla being prem I was in hospital the entire time too. So even just to do most of my labouring at home.. I'm assuming with the doula.. would make me happy

I think deep down it is what I want to do. I just need to allay those little niggling fears.. but then there's niggling fears for hospital too.. so I'm just a bit nervous all round to be honest! haha. I also feel like there's so much to think about at home.. where I'm going to do it.. how to mess-proof etc etc. But it really really does appeal. I would be pretty upset tho to plan a homebirth and have another prem I might be able to negotiate a 36 weeker at home.. but within myself I wouldn't like to have any earlier at home. My herbalist and I are onto it tho.. spoke to him today about whether he can help me get to term.

i know we can use the maternity payment, but that kinda needs to help out with a few other things too... will have to rethink all our carseats etc. I know it'd be well worth it, but money isn't something we can really ignore.

Thanks again everyone. so much to consider

And yes Alan - I think you deserve a nice Blue Mountains get away in January! LOL. Just squeeze in one birth.. you'll be right