I know right??!! I just love that it getting more accessible :dance: even the simple reason that we are on thread #11...i started out on thread #1 :rofl: (and only joined just after conceiving DD2 i think! so lots and lots of action!)
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I know right??!! I just love that it getting more accessible :dance: even the simple reason that we are on thread #11...i started out on thread #1 :rofl: (and only joined just after conceiving DD2 i think! so lots and lots of action!)
I'm having some doubts around home birth and would like to explore my feelings with you guys. I want to choose home birth to avoid unnecessary interventions but the fact is hospitals themselves don't bother me. I quite like the idea of spending a few days in hospital TBH.
I'm unsure how to go about creating a birthing space for myself in my house - I have a small house and I'm not really sure where I would birth or set up a birth pool...
Thoughts? Anyone else have these doubts or work through them?
I'm a bit the same as you Dolly;) I like the hospital stay (in the private hossy I was in with DS it was more like a hotel, def don't think I'd enjoy a public stay in a shared ward at all!) But feel the best way for me to get the birth that I want and think is best, is to stay as far away from the hospital as possible!
I have a small house too, thinking the pool will only be able to fit in the kitchen/dining area at my place. I don't know if I'll really need much room to labour so I'm not *too* worried about having enough space, as long as I can set up the pool. Could move the dining table out that we rarely use in the weeks beforehand to kind of create a little 'zone' maybe? :think: hmmmm
I'm also considering having a cleaner and possibly some sort of meal service come in the first few weeks :D
I had no desire to go to hospital, but only had a small ish space to set up, and it was in the kitchen/main living area so couldn't set it up weeks before. I had the birth pool blown up sitting in the shed (on a blanket) ready to bring up when needed. I got some elastic wire cord from spotlight to hang up as a room divider between the kitchen/ lounge area and hung a cool keltic design sheet type thing i have had for years. i hemmed one edge of it like a curtain so it could just be pushed back until it was needed.
The baby change table was in another room with everything on it needed for the birth. The plan was for DH to bring the whole table out but he forgot that was his job. Having everything in one place meant that DH or the midwife knew where to look for stuff when i couldn't talk.
I had some fairy lights that i planned to put up, but didn't get around to it.
My Sept baby is still comfy/stubborn in my belly. 41+3 i think and starting to get frustrated because the program only lets me HB to 42w. Rub my back while i have a little sook?
Ambersky: argh! like you need the added pressure of a time limit! So so close now though, I am sending you beautiful birth blessings, it is so close :hug: Do you think that you have emotionally got yourself in the right zone? I know that I really needed to 'let go' in the last day before DD2 was born (ie a big snotty cry hahahaha). But maybe some time for yourself in a quiet space to have a chat with that gorgeous belly xx
Dolly: we live in a super tiny 2 bedroom edwardian terrace, space is a premium lol. I do think it is important to set up a little corner in the room where you think you would best like to birth in. We have a firplace in the space that i have etched out and on it have gathered the oil burner, a special birth/baby necklace thingo that I found in the US and the candles and some photos. As the pregnancy progresses you go into that space and 'tend to it' ITMS. dust the shelves off, start picturing the birth pool/birth space etc.
for DD2 we had the birth pool set up in the dining/kitchen...we didnt have instant hot water so wanted the pool to be close enough to the stove JIC we ran out of hot water lol. i had the pool set up from 38 weeks in the corner of the room and the dining table was just pushed a bit further away. when i did go into labour DH put the dining chairs outside and the dining table was pushed against the opposite wall and was used as the table for snacks and the midwives things. TBH i preferred the fact that it was a tiny, cave-like safe space. i was planning on moving the pool to be more central in the room but in the end wanted it kept in the corner so DH put up my hand written affirmations on the wall in that corner and the photos. it was really really lovely.
I'll try to put up a link to a photo that shows the space...
ok, here goes...https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...9&d=1349218103
There was literally like 2 steps to the fireplace directly in front of me and maybe 2.5 steps to the next wall/doorway. But it felt perfect. The important thing to note is that you then also have the post-birth space set up too. which in that case for us was my bedroom. we had set it up with nice sheets and oil burners and some very low lighting so that when we were ready we literally walked the couple of metres to the next room and lay down for the night :) DH and the midwives cleaned up the dining room space and put dinner on and a celebratory feast was had by all!
I like hospitals too, I grew up in them and had a lot of good times (strange I guess but true). I guess for me the key reasons not to birth there are::
* I'm not sick. When I'm sick, I want to be in the hospital. But, I'm not.
* Birth is a natural event, like taking a really big poo, having a period or having sex. Not really hospital material.
* Birth is intimate. I probably wouldn't be able to perform sexually in front of five random strangers, in a brightly lit room and under an obvious time restraint, so I can't see how I'd manage to spread 'em and push out a baby in the same conditions.
* Other people in hospital are sick. My immune system, and I assume my baby's immune system, are used to the germs in my house - but there's lots of things in a hospital I wouldn't want to expose my baby to.
Hospitals are great for a lot of things, but I can't help but feeling that birth should probably take place in the same kind of environment conception did.
I hear you on the small space though, DH and I live in a tiny inner-city one bedroom unit. The whole place is my birth-cave, and there's no room for a pool - even if I did feel comfortable risking my landlord's carpet :p I think that's alright though. Even in this tiny unit I figure I have more of my own space than I would in the public hospital - and if it gets too cramped, I can go labour in the park across the street or something :p
I have having a read of the past homebirth general discussion threads, and found some references to tax offset of homebirth expenses. i then checked out the ATO website and found this
http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/co...72.htm&page=12
We submitted tax a few weeks ago, but i just rang my tax dude and he is going to put an ammendment in for us. He said that the threshold is $2000. So, i am adding up our medical expenses now.
Just thought i'd mention it cos i hadn't heard of it until i went back to the homebirth general discussion #2 thread, and the info might help others having homebirths.
i'm working on something pretty cool too :shhh:
oh bum Ambersky. It used to be 43 weeks. Come on baby!
ooohhh HotI you cannot leave me hanging like that lol!
and yep, can vouch for the tax offset. We did with DD2 and have kept all our records etc for this pregnancy (well, what we have accumulated since we returned from OS).
Ok, i was hoping to finish it myself but i need a little help to fill in the gaps. These are all the planned homebirths i could find by going through the HB general discussion threads. Can you help me fill in any gaps, and check i have your details right. Ta
:
Planned Homebirths from the Homebirth General Discussion Threads
2008
Tegam – baby BOY born at home 22nd? August 2008
2009
*Infinity* - baby GIRL born 25th June 2009
Mayaness – baby GIRL born at home October 2009
Stoked – baby BOY born at home December 2009
2010
Lionsandbears – baby BOY born 26th July 2010
Alina0210 – baby GIRL born at home 7th August 2010
Antheia – baby BOY born at home 18th August 2010
Cassius2 – baby GIRL born at home 7th Sept 2010
Cricket – baby BOY born at home 15th September 2010
Roryrory – baby GIRL born at home 1st October 2010
Meow – baby BOY born at home 25th November 2010
MadB – baby GIRL born 23rd December 2010
Tegam – baby GIRL born at home 24th? December 2010
2011
Em… - baby GIRL born at home 6th January 2011
Limeslice – baby GIRL born 9th February 2011 vbac
Arcadia – baby BOY born at home March 2011
MrsNerdBurger – baby GIRL born at home 26th March 2011
Lady-bug - baby BOY born at home 19th? May 2011 vbac
Liz - baby GIRL born at home 13th? June 2011
PumpkinZulu - baby GIRL born 16th June 2011
Lions andbears - baby BOY born sleeping 16th June 2011
Helly- baby BOY born at home 27th June 2011
~Stoked~- baby BOY born at home 18th August 2011
Pip82 – baby GIRL born at home 10th September 2011
Artechim – baby GIRL born at home 13th September 2011
eutra_phalia - baby BOY born at home 20th November 2011
Sara - baby BOY born sleeping 22nd November 2011
2012
Jennifer13- Baby GIRL born at home 4th January 2012 vbac
Bella29- Baby GIRL born at home 10th January 2012 vbac
HotI - Baby BOY born at home 21st January 2012
*Ash*- Baby BOY born at home 14th February 2012
loulabelle - Baby BOY born at home 24th February 2012
Cricket - Baby GIRL born at home 15th May 2012
...Em - Baby BOY born at home 7th June 2012
BellyBelly - Baby GIRL born 11th August 2012
Tanya - Baby BOY born at home 16th August 2012
phynna - Baby GIRL born at home 8th September 2012
lady_neon - Baby BOY born 27th September 2012
i can make it pretty when we have details right, maybe put it as a sticky? do you want vbac etc details added?
ok, gotta take ds to dr but be back
DD was born in June, not July. Wow! How long did that take you? Big list. And look at all those names! How awesome is that? :)
Wow HotI! Great work! Love seeing how much it's grown every year :)
Ambersky - keeping you and your baby in my thoughts - hope your bub starts making it's journey earthside very soon x
Grraaaar just posted the longest post and lost it!!!
Shall try again later. Stupid laptop.
AH-MAZING work HotI!!! i was just thinking last night if there has been an increase overall in the last few years on Australia's homebirth rate. i feel that there is, but maybe this is just because i am now more aware of it?? but with the hospital programs etc surely there must be a rise??
Starting to get all my birth affirmation cards written up!! wahoo!
Thank you :heartbeat::
I don't know if this makes sense but i actually think i have been through my zone and come out the other side. I was so ready last week, now the pressure is there. But i have one thing very clear in my mind, and thats that i want to stay under the care of my MW. If i birth in hospital next week then i am absolutely confident she is the best person for me to be with. I know at this point there is no need for hospital, but i chose the program rather than an IM so that was part of the deal. Going to ask for a S&S tomorrow i think.
I totally get what you mean! will your midwife be able to attend with you (if the HIGHLY UNLIKELY) hospital birth happens?
I also recommend checking out some sites that have acupressure points etc that you can apply...i found them really helpful (there is one that is near the ankle which i found disturbingly effective lol (being a person that previously was a bit skeptical lol)
Yep, we did this with our tax too. I'm getting a nice return this year.:
Thanks for that wonderful list! Maybe we should make a sticky in the HB area so you don't have to keep it within the thread? :think: I'll ask. ;) Might be handy for those looking for HB stories too.
Ambersky, not long now. Hope the looming date is not putting you out of your groove too much. I saw a great phrase on FB the other day: it's an estimated due date, not an expiration date. :) Made me giggle!
We live in a big house, but the dining room was my birth space. I just moved everything out of it, dining table just outside with everything we needed.
I finished my birth video! Just need to drop off a copy to my doula and m/w and get DP to okay before it goes live. It'll be on my m/w's blog, so public, but not identifying us ITMS. Gave it to Mum the other day, along with the story in Birthings (which she loved). I feel like such a dag, but I've watched it several times for no reason and it still makes me cry. :hide:
Dolly - I love the idea of being tended to for three days, like you might get in hospital. But if my memory serves me correctly, there was nothing I got there that I didn't get at home (except for those nasty germs!). My Mum was here to do all our washing, DP took over the cooking, the midwives cleaned up after the birth, my cleaner came the next day for the house cleaning and my doula brought around yummy snacks and activities for DD1. I wasn't woken up by unfamiliar noises or for unnecessary checks. The menu at home was broader and adjusted to my taste ;) and my m/w came to me in my own bed. We were so well prepared there was nothing to do for a week or so anyway. And I didn't have to worry about what to wear lol.
Best of all, our new DD2 was never handled by anyone unfamiliar, or poked, or prodded, or taken out of my sight. The only sounds she heard were those she knew from inside me. The only faces she saw were those who loved her. The voices that spoke to her were welcoming her. Both of us were cocooned by love and our normal family life.
I love looking at her birth certificate and seeing our home address next to place of birth. And I love that our midwives are special to us and we to them.
My second m/w gave birth to a baby girl at home on the weekend - can't wait to meet her!
Just a quick one
Here's my little Man's birth story
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-my-little-man
sorry it has taken so long. they went to the back of the cupboard.:
3040
i think the photo might be upside down. one is navy with a bit of tartan trim and the other is a light blue with delicate flowers.
happy to deliver in melb, or post if you pay postage. they might both fit in a small prepaid postage bag.
Loved reading your birth story Em!! What a birth journey girl!
And a BIG congratulations to Ambersky on getting your home waterbirth!!!! WAHOO!!
Congratulations Ambersky!!!
Em - loved your birth story and am going to go and comment there now :)
Congrats Ambersky....
Ok so in prep for our home birth I have brought the book Hello baby, just waiting for it to arrive.. but Im sure I remember seeing a homebirth video of a member who's daughter was their and the daughter had a doll, the doll gave birth and also had the placenta as well.. does anyone know where you can get this doll? The only pg dolls i have found are stupid barbie ones which you take the belly off to get the baby out... not what I want
i have seen them on etsy...but the best person to ask is Bella29 as that was her birth video!
check out MamAmor dolls. just gorgeous!
i saw them but unfort they are very $$$$$$$$:
will check out etsy
I have a Mamamor doll, she is beautiful. She has a placenta and baby that tucks up in the tummy, and little latch-on buttons for nipples and the baby's mouth. And a wrap for baby wearing. Just lovely. I'm so glad I can use it for teaching DS about the process of birth.
ETA: my DS has weaned. Which is a relief, in a way, as it was becoming too painful. But a little sad to finish on a low note. We're still having lots of cuddles, and I expect he might relatch later in the pregnancy or after the birth.
:baby: Babies Arrived :homebirth:
Jennifer13- Baby GIRL born at home 4th January 2012
Bella29- Baby GIRL born at home 10th January
HotI - Baby BOY born at home 21st January
*Ash*- Baby BOY born at home 14th February
loulabelle - Baby BOY born at home 24th February
Cricket - Baby GIRL born at home 15th May
chocorama - May
...Em - Baby BOY born at home 7th June
BellyBelly - Baby GIRL born 11th August
Tanya - Baby BOY born at home 16th August
phynna - Baby GIRL born at home 8th September
lady_neon - Baby BOY born 27th September
Ambersky - Baby BOY born at home 3rd October
:pregnant: Babies On Their Way :bellyrubs:
Ice cream - September
Cassius - November
mirriumu - November
pumpkinzulu - December
turtlejane - January
Sara - February
Ree*Ree - March
Aimz - March
Bellany - March
Beatrix - April
Rubyshoes - April
HomeStyleMumma - May
Dollyroux - June
FYI Anyone in sydney,
:
Maternity Action Coalition
Just a reminder that we are giving away tickets to the Childbirth and the Law forum on this Friday in Sydney. Email president@maternitycoalition.org.au by 5pm TODAY to go in the draw. Please note the tickets are for the actual forum not the webinar so you need to be able to get to Parramatta in Sydney on Friday.
had my birth plan meeting today!!! have the green light for staying at home...highly unlikely that i will birth in the next 30ish hours lol....oh man, now that i have said it watch out hahahaha! sooo exciting to be at this stage! I am Big Kev excited lol.
How is everyone?
Had my HB group get together today. A new mama who was completely traumatised by her emergency c/s three months ago came along. She needed to unload so badly. :( I had tears for her. I hope this is the start of a positive journey and turnaround after her awful experience in hospital. She has PND but the relief when she could talk and not have her feelings minimised was obvious. To have others tell her that she was right, she was treated badly and lied to, that she had every right to have wanted a positive birth experience, I think that's what she really needed to hear (and is testament to why telling mothers that a 'healthy baby is all that matters' is so hurtful).
I am yet again saddened and angry that this is how another woman had to start her journey of motherhood. And feeling so relieved that for some of us there is choice and power.
We have our hbing week picnic on Sunday - anyone else have a local event?
Oh wow, that poor woman :( and to think that there are literally 1000s of others like her struggling with nowhere to turn for love and support...mostly because of the myth of a healthy baby being the only important aspect of birth.
We have a midwives picnic coming up too! I totally forgot...it must in the next few weeks. eep! i better double-check!
Got the girls to do some really lovely paintings today of their little sister in the womb :loveshower: I have them up in the birth room and it looks so so lovely! i just havent had a chance to organise a baby shower/blessingway, so this was an important part of trying to 'welcome' our little baby.
....sooooo quiet in here!
Did the Sydney conference happen? Did you get to go HotI and Jennifer??
I got the webinar, so have to watch it yet. Really want to! Have the Ina May Gaskin doco on Friday night and very keen to see that.
How are you doing, Cassius?
Ooo what's the ins may doco jen?!
yeah Jen! what is the doco???!!! You have me all intrigued!!!!
I am doing really well now! Thankfully the preterm labour stopped after 2 weeks of solid bedrest and now I feel completely normal for the gestation ITMS. I am eagerly awaiting Birth Day though....soooo excited that I get to have another birth experience at home :dance:
pool is up, pictures are up, candles are in place, birth music is sorted....just waiting on a baby :lol:
How exciting Cassius!!! Sounds like you're all ready to go now! :D
I just had my Hypnobabies home study course delivered this week, anyone here used it (or similar)? I just felt like I needed *something* to help cope with the pain, and it seems like a lot of women have heaps of success with it!
The film is called 'Birth Story' and Homebirth Access Sydney is having a preview screening. If you're in Sydney, you can find it on FB.
Sounds like you're all ready to go, Cassius! Is someone filming this time too?
Jenn: I will have various ipods and the computer set up to film...want to keep the camera for photos ITMS. I am hoping that the computer will pick up most of it though :)
Ree: I think any preparation along those lines is so invaluable. I did a calmbirth course with DD2 and it really transformed the rest of the pregnancy journey and, i believe, allowed me to fully embrace the birth itself: allowed me to feel totally joyous and welcoming of the waves/surges...very exciting stuff! I love it so much that i have had a refresher session and wow, so powerful and really got me zoned in. now i just need a baby :)