Free birthing

[Kazbah]

Yes, I am booked into a hospital and plan on labouring at home for as long as I am comfortable before going to hospital. I would definately either call an ambulance or go to hospital if I felt I was not able to cope with the speed at what labour is progressing or the pain.

I just wanted to know what I would need to know should the situation of a unassisted birth were to occur and if I would need to call an ambulance and if I would then have to stay in hospital after the birth or if I would be discharged after being checked over or would that be up to me etc.

From looking at the other posts, it may make things easier if you do go to hospital / call an ambulance to register the birth etc. Plus getting the all-clear from doctors etc may take some of the heat off you from well-meaning family & friends who don't have the same rust in your body that you and your DP do.

No matter what you decide, it's so important to be well-educated about your choice, and well-done to you for demonstrating this.

[Mildez]

Meow I did not say my friend didn't have complications. She had a massive PPH of over 2000mls and ended up in ICU for 3days after her unintentional home birth. Her baby was fine. She woke up at 3am needing to poo, stood up and literally out flew her son by 301am. The placenta tore before the ambulance arrived hence why she has such a big bleed. I did not mention that part as I know of many stories where free birthing has been completely natural and have the expected outcome. I could write a novel of all the stories I know of free birthing both good and bad. Some I am sure you would all be very interested in hearing.

Like you Muminalice I also have worked in a large maternity hospital for a number of years as a midwife however I can not recall any instances where a term birth has gone so catastrophically wrong where the baby has died or suffered major disability because of lack of care during labour or from intervention. Certainly birth trauma and unneccessary intervention but no cases where it has meant the death or longterm health problems of the baby. Long term mental health for mum yes, birth rape and genital mutilation yes but not SB's or extremely poor neonatal outcomes that could be prevented. Obviously I have seen many, some unknown, some known but couldn't be prevented etc but none caused by birthing in hospitals. Yes I have heard of them occurring at other places but none where I work where the outcome would have been different if bub was born at home.

Be back later to reply to some of the repies to my previous posts.

[Little Chicken]

Mildez I was more talking about shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, massive APH that kind of thing...unexpected complications that can happen anywhere. The one I saw in hospital was caused by the refusal of a c-section so the outcome would have been the same reagrdless, the other at home was the lack of diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and subsequently eclampsia, again caused by refusal to be tested so again I doubt thr outcome would have been different.

[Nelle]

Hiya FT,

I think that to labour at home as long as you can is a great idea. If you do accidentally (or deliberately) give birth at home there are things to consider though. What will you do if your new baby needs assistance or resuscitation? Are you trained in that or will someone who is trained be there? What about yourself? Can you identify something like a haemorrhage and make the call about calling an ambulance? Have you someone to clean up? Can you identify a tear and make the call on if you want to leave it to heal naturally or get it seen to? How will your partner manage being the main support person for a labouring wife, then a recovering wife and a new baby?

I'm not actively trying to scare you away from anything. I do think these are realistic questions that you would do well to answer so you can decide the risks versus benefits fairly.

(On another note, with moving - as you get closer to the time of moving, will it become apparent where you're moving to? And when it does maybe you can really proactively seek out a doula/IM in the area?)

All the best. xo

[studentmum]

Wow, a lot of this thread is muddled up with repliers arguging with each other - this is NOT helpful for people who actually are interested in the answers to Fruit Tingles questions. I think some members need to chill out, apparent from her posts Fruit Tingles is a big girl capable of taking care of herself and doesn't need others "sticking up for her" - I know this is a bit of a rant but believe me, if you read through this thread you would be annoyed having to read petty arguing posts in between the 'answering the question' posts.

So what I actually wanted to say was, I am in a very similar situation to you FT, I am 500km from a major city and 100km from a major hospital. I have had 2 cs and a vba2c, I cannot fathom driving 100km in labour, also possibly with 3 kids at any time of day or night. I want this one's big sisters and brother to be there when he/she arrives, not an hour away. So far a mw for a hb is not an option and I so wanted that, now I am considering my lay birth assistant options, no go so far.

I have let dh know I am not happy, he thinks a 1 hr drive will be fine (he forgets all the cursing from the last drive, which was still a 40 min peak hr traffic drive in the city WITH a doula holding my hips all the way there! And NO kids) I do know a lady who had an unplanned hb and dh was the one who kept it all okay. I just don't think I could get my head around dh being the one 'in charge'???

Given the long drive option we have a baby kit, bulb suction, clamps, sharp scissors and fresh linen etc, also some large garbage bags and a comfy blanket to line the back of the 4wd where I will be on hands and knees if this damn drive is the only option left.

The just in case kit and car protection are the only items we have so far, in terms of baby knowledge dh knows noiught and I am a nurse although I will need to brush up on the new baby side of things.

I would recommend watching births where interventions were needed for sticky shoulders, cords around neck etc. You can't get dh to be a mw overnight but being aware and mentally prepared would have to be better than nothing right?

I can't think of anything else we've talked about yet, I still have ages to go, I do hope things go smoothly for you and I look forward to reading your birth story!

Good luck
Sarah

[Tegam]

hI Studnet mum! we are almost due at the same time. I am in the same place as you! DH delivered my last bub on his own as i only had a 10min labour, we had planned a HB with MW! LOL so it doesnt really matter that there is a hospital only 20minsw away for me! It was full on being on our own but we cant decide this tiime if we really only just want to be on our own this time! it is tiotally different for you as you are so far away and no MW. The vbac thing could freak others out to! I hope you get the birth you want! Great that you have along time to plan and think things thru. I think thats why DH and i delt with things so well last time as we had thought from day one we would probably be on our own. I look forward to talking to you more in the next few months! pity we arent in the same belly buddies! Maybe baby buddies

[AwesomeFoursome]

FT; I think staying at home for as long as possible is a great idea. With DS I was induced and had a very traumatic birth. With DD I stayed home as long as I felt I could handle it, when I got to hospital I was almost 8cms. DD was born 90 minutes after we arrived at the hospital. DS was with us for the birth. The hospital had a early discharge program so we went home 6 hours after DD was born. It all just went perfectly. I plan to stay home as long as possible with this one has well. My midwife has told me to call her if things happen too quickly to make it to the hospital. I don't know what she would but.