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I had both my bedroom and my main bathroom (with the big whirlpool tub) ready to use. They are only a few steps apart, so the midwives had access to their "stuff" wherever I chose to be. My main floor rooms don't have enough privacy for me to feel comfortable, there was enough space for everyone to move and work, and I knew I wanted to be in the bath anyways. It worked out pretty well that way.:
Sorry for delay in updating the list. Thought I did it earlier but gremlins must have eaten the post.
Most of my reasons were practical - I set up my birth pool etc in the kitchen (kinda open plan kitchen/lounge area). It had easy access to water for the pool, close to outside for emptying of pool, enough space, non carpet on floor. I would have liked the bathroom but it was too small.:
In order to make it more birthy, I ran an elastic wire along ceiling to hang large celtic mural bedsheety thing down that provided bit of privacy/intimacy. I was able to cover windows/doors with blinds. I had all my birthy stuff arranged on the change table that was in another room but the plan was to bring it out when labour started into the birth space and so everything would be on hand. (DH didn't listen to that part of the plan and so he had to keep going to get stuff).
It worked well. Afterwards, the midwives could sit at kitchen table doing their thing while I was in the pool still. At one stage, we closed the curtain and I could hear them chatting and having a cuppa etc with dh, while DS and I were just hugging and waiting for placenta.
We also dragged a mattress in later for me and DS to have a nap on.
Ahh yeah I wondered if I had to be close to a bathroom for water! I guess it's better to be close. Hmmm. I'll have to think about it now, not sure which room would be best.
you dont necessarily have to be close to the bathroom: you could just get a super long hose ;) I wanted my birth space in our formal lounge (has double sliders and a romantic-y fireplace and is very cosy) so DH went out and bought 10 metres of food-grade hosing lol. worked a treat :D
Arimeh- I have chosen my lounge area, I have chosen not to use a birthing pool, not a fan of water so didnt really looking hiring one. Plus i really doubt I would have time to blow up and fill plus we dont have the space to keep it blown up.
I have a mattress that has been covered with plastics then bedsheets put on behind one of my couches, and my plan is to bring it out and turn my couch around and labour like I have done with all 3 girls standing up or on all 4's using the couch as my balance/support. The midwives will set up their gear on the dinning room (open plan living so no seperater) on the kitchen table and we have access to hot water, kettle and heater right there.
I can use my bath or shower if I want to as well so I do have the water option.
38w 4d today.... this waiting game is kinda long!! Was hoping maybe the full moon last night would set me into labour, but nope nothing not even a tingle lately. DH is on holidays for 5 days starting today so the Midwife hopes that having him home 24/7 for the next few days will relax me enough to know he is right there and let my body go. Had app yesterday and baby is 2/5 engaged so its head down and they dont really expect much more til established labour seeing as it baby number 4. BP has gone back down so is normal and bubs is one active little thing. They love feeling my belly because you can literally feel the exact shape of bubs most of the time, legs hips butt... its weird!!!
My student midwife is very excited.... she is praying she makes it to the birth as none of her fellow students have even had the chance to be invited to a homebirth.
My midwife is very confident that once in labour I will be ok, just maybe the fear of knowing what and when is labour maybe holding me back.
So this morning I am running a nice warm bath, I have a mud mask and a hair treatment to go on. Going to shave and tidy everything up LOL then dry and straighten my hair once i get out. (lol whats the bet my water breaks when i have face full of mud and hair glob on ROFL
DH and dd3 have gone out for the morning to go shopping and do lunch so its just me and peace and quiet.
Getting in the right head space is huge for going into labour IMO. I think it held me back in my last birth. I was scared of a repeat of DS's birth (which turned out fine, but was tough for a while). DH and I had a chance to talk it through and pray about it, and I went into labour just a few hours later. I've re-read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth before my last few births and I find that a great reassuring book to read! Perfect for getting into the right frame of mind for birth.
Hope you have an enjoyable, relaxing (productive? ;) ) day getting ready for this baby Beatrix!
oh em gee hahahaha! that would make for the most hilariously awesome birth photos ever lol! :rofl::
Arimeh: I also got a big picnic blanket out (the rubber backed ones) and put that on the couch that was beside the pool and then covered the couch with a sheet tucked in. that way i had the option of getting out of pool and labouring differently. in the end i used it post birth and was still sopping wet from the pool so was super happy to have it on...plus the blood etc was contained and not ruining my WHITE fabric couch hahahaha (yes, i like to live on the edge lol).
HotI can you change the list I'm due November.
oh la la! a november baby :loveshower:
Quiet thread lately.... Hopefully that means everyone is doing well. :)
I saw my midwife this past week, and had a good visit. Got a final due date - Sept. 11, and heard baby's heart, etc. Everything is looking great. Also, gained less weight than I expected for the first time in the history of my pregnancies. ;) Bonus. And, the midwife who was my primary midwife last time around will be taking over my care now, which was a surprise. That's fine with me, although I hope that the one I've been seeing up until now will stay on for my care as a second, because she's really good. I asked a few questions about different tests, and which ones to pass on, etc., and she right away sent over different research papers and clinical guidelines, along with letting me know her thoughts on the matter. I really like being treated like a person who is intelligent enough to consider the facts and make an informed decision, instead of just being told what to do with some scare factors thrown in... (If you don't test for GBS your baby could DIE!)
Hope everyone else is having a good weekend!
Double post...
39 weeks today.
This is now the longest pg I have ever had.
Had 2-3 false starts where when I was just about to call midwife and it all disappears. It's so frustrating.
Come on baby mummy and daddy want to meet you!!!
Arimeh - we chose the dining room. It is a smallish space but enough room for the pool and space for everyone to be in there comfortably, and it's directly opposite our laundry for water :)
Thanks for everyone's input. I think we will put it in our bedroom, just have to move some stuff. Main reason is it was either there or in the open plan kitchen/dining area and that's really close to my neighbours house, plus its a huge bright room so thought I might feel too exposed? Plus its really echoey LOL
Thought if I was in my bedroom near my ensuite then I would feel secure and in a safe place. That's the theory anyway...
Go Bea!! Not long now!
Arimeh both my hbs were in the bedroom. I didn't have a birthpool either time because A) I may not have had time to bother and B) which was the main reason, because I'd already birthed before and knew I liked labouring in water but am definitely one of those women that prefers/needs to be on terra firma for actual delivery I didn't see the point. Turns out I only had time for a quick shower with dd2 and tried shower and bath with ds2 and hated both :)
Yay ness! Anytime now... Last night?? ;) hope you're feeling ok, my longest pg (39 +2) seemed to drag on FOREVER then all of a sudden everything just fell into place perfectly (albeit a little to fast for my liking). Rest up and enjoy this last bit of quiet time with your girls and dh :)
Double post
Nothing so far.
Been having bloody show (lots) since 4am but no contractions or anything. Midwife seems to think any day now. Lol I seem to think baby has inherited it's fathers stubborn PITA gene and wants to drive me mental.
Lol Beatrix. I went 40+6 and 42 weeks with my two! But anything after 37weeks seems to drag!