Homebirth General Discussion #11

**Cassius2** · October 3rd, 2012, 08:46 AM

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

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!

**Mirimum** · October 3rd, 2012, 09:12 AM

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 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

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

**HotI** · October 3rd, 2012, 09:56 AM

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

**onthefly** · October 3rd, 2012, 10:01 AM

oh bum Ambersky. It used to be 43 weeks. Come on baby!

**Cassius2** · October 3rd, 2012, 11:08 AM

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).

**PumpkinZulu** · October 3rd, 2012, 11:33 AM

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?

**e_p** · October 3rd, 2012, 11:57 AM

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

**lady_neon** · October 3rd, 2012, 12:36 PM

Grraaaar just posted the longest post and lost it!!!

Shall try again later. Stupid laptop.

**Cassius2** · October 3rd, 2012, 01:00 PM

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!

**Ambersky** · October 3rd, 2012, 01:25 PM

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

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

Thank you

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.

**Jennifer13** · October 3rd, 2012, 09:04 PM

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...tm&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

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?

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.

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!

**Eenee** · October 4th, 2012, 09:49 PM

Just a quick one

Here's my little Man's birth story

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...-my-little-man

**Cassius2** · October 5th, 2012, 09:07 AM

Loved reading your birth story Em!! What a birth journey girl!

And a BIG congratulations to Ambersky on getting your home waterbirth!!!! WAHOO!!

**e_p** · October 5th, 2012, 01:08 PM

Congratulations Ambersky!!!

Em - loved your birth story and am going to go and comment there now

**Beatrix** · October 5th, 2012, 03:38 PM

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