Homebirth General Discussion #15

[HotI]

Babies Arrived

- 2012 -
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
Cassius - Baby GIRL born at home 4th November
Ice cream - September
mirriumu - November
Pumpkinzulu - Baby GIRL born at home 12th December

- 2013 -
Sara - Baby BOY born 18th January 2013
turtlejane - Baby GIRL born at home 31st January 2013
Bellany - Baby BOYS born 14th March 2013
Ree*Ree - Baby BOY born 18th March 2013
Aimz - Baby BOY born at home 21st March 2013
Beatrix - Baby GIRL born at home 7th April 2013
Rubyshoes - Baby BOY born at home April 2013
Dollyroux - Baby BOY and GIRL born 29th April 2013
HomeStyleMumma - Baby GIRL born 8th May 2013
ladybirdflies - Baby GIRL born at home 23rd May 2013




Babies On Their Way


sepata - September
WilliamsMummy - September
Arimeh - September
Cricket - September
Loulabelle - September
Dot Face - October
Eenee - November
Sunnylove - November
TeniBear - December
*The_Mrs* - December
Jennifer13 - January
HotI - February
Arcadia - February
Glorious - March

[HotI]

I am so sorry The Mrs. Not sure if i missed you, or you fell off the list at same point. I just quote it each time, but maybe i quoted an old list.

Anyone had a doula and a midwife attend their homebirth? Just wondering what role the doula played. I am much more undecided this time about who i want at the birth. I kinda know what i don't want. and even if i think of a descriptor of who i do want, i don't know someone who matches the description itms. How much do doulas charge?

[Arimeh]

Anyone had a doula and a midwife attend their homebirth? Just wondering what role the doula played. I am much more undecided this time about who i want at the birth. I kinda know what i don't want. and even if i think of a descriptor of who i do want, i don't know someone who matches the description itms. How much do doulas charge?

I had a choice between two midwives for this birth - one that works with other midwives and two attend your birth, and the other midwife brings a doula instead.

There was $500 difference between their costs. I chose the two midwives, one for me, and one for the baby - just in case. Doulas are great at supporting women during childbirth but would they know how to handle a PPH if that happened at the same exact time as the baby stopped breathing and needed medical attention? I'm going with what is the safest option for me - and thats two midwives.

[*The_Mrs.*]

I love the idea of a doula but my midwife isn't a fan plus they charge $800- $1500 over here and since I wanted a birth photographer and my placenta encapsulated I can't swing all of them :/

[PumpkinZulu]

I'll be a doula at Teni's birth if she still wants me there at the time. Personally I think doulas are still valuable at homebirths, although having said that I decided not to call my doula in for DD2, our house was small and I felt overwhelmed with the number of people (2 midwives, Mum, DD1 and DH). For Teni, I'm planning on being an all rounder - grabbing towels and warm water for the pool, hanging out with Teni's DD, getting snacks for Teni and everyone else, taking photos. And of corse physical and verbal support if that's what she wants from me at any given time

I paid my doula $800 for DD1's birth. DD2 she did as my friend and for nothing

[Arimeh]

If I could only have one midwife at this birth and didn't have the choice of having two, I would definitely have a doula.

[meow]

I would have a few alarm bells about a MW who doesn't want a doula. What are her reasons?

I also had two MWs as the MWs I worked with only work that way to ensure they're covered in a "one for mother and one for baby" situation. But I also had a student MW who did all the stuff PZ mentioned for a doula except she stayed away from me as I had my connection with my H and MWs. She got me snacks (cut up icypoles into bite size pieces) and made me post-natal tea and prepared my peri-soak bath and all these little things. She also watched my son in another room as he didn't want to come in. She was great!

How are you feeling eenee? I think drinking smoothies is a great idea. And can someone make you a big pot of chicken broth? VERY healing and has all the amino acids you need without having to eat

[Eenee]

I am so sorry The Mrs. Not sure if i missed you, or you fell off the list at same point. I just quote it each time, but maybe i quoted an old list.

Anyone had a doula and a midwife attend their homebirth? Just wondering what role the doula played. I am much more undecided this time about who i want at the birth. I kinda know what i don't want. and even if i think of a descriptor of who i do want, i don't know someone who matches the description itms. How much do doulas charge?

I had student midwife both times as well as my MW and second MW (which usually came later), I don't feel I need a doula as my MW was pretty good at filling the role.

Thanks for the suggestions girls on the smoothies etc. but I'm dairy free which makes it hard. I have a dairy free protein powder which my MW wants me to be taking (as my diet is particularly lacking in protein) and it just tastes awful, the texture is horrid and makes me gag I haven't found a way to consume it yet...I have another appointment with MW on Thursday as my issues with food are just getting worse and considering there's a long way to go until Bub is due I don't know how much longer I can keep it up. I hate my mental health issues but they seem to be consuming me at the moment. I honestly don't know what can be done though, I feel like a bit of a lost cause.

[Cricket]

I love the idea of a doula but my midwife isn't a fan

That seems kind of odd to me. Why doesn't your midwife want a doula there? My midwives recommend them, and gave me a list of people I could call if I wanted.

I haven't ever had one myself, but from what I gather, the midwife is there to watch primarily over your physical health and safety. She will offer emotional support and encouragement too, of course, but that's not her first job. The doula is there to give you encouragement, keep you in a good mind set, and offer suggestions for making you more comfortable. So their roles overlap a little, but should be complementary.

As for what they charge, again, I think around here you can get quite a wide range, depending on the level of experience and the type of service offered. Some will do a number of prenatal visits and post partum visits, and that will increase the cost, of course. Some offer special services like photography, or mementos of the birth. You could consider having a student doula at your birth, if cost is a concern. They have to attend a certain number of births before they are certified, and often do that a little or no cost.

[TeniBear]

Well, PZ summed up what she'll be doing at my birth a lot better than I was going to Yeah, I'm having my two midwives plus her - she's there for the emotional/physical/run-around-like-a-headless-chook side of things, the midwives are there to ensure the baby and I come out of it intact. Of course there'll be some crossover there, but that's sort of how I see their basic roles...

[meow]

I honestly don't know what can be done though, I feel like a bit of a lost cause.

No you're not hon Honestly, the chicken broth would be amazing for you- first step to heal mental disorders attached to a eating disorders. I would HIGHLY recommend you get on an amino acid supplement too.

I have some great dairy free smoothies too- coconut milk is wonderful.

This would be REALLY good for to get in protien and the fats your poor brain needs.

From Loving Our Guts
GAPS Hot Chocolate.

• 1 pastured egg
• 1 TBSP Coconut Oil
• 2 TBSP Cocoa powder
• 1 TBSP Gelatin (optional)
• 1 TBSP butter (sub with extra coconut oil for dairy free or ghee for lactose & casein free)
• 1/8th tsp himalayan crystal salt
• 1 TBSP Honey
• 1 cup boiling water

Put all ingredients except water in the blender. Boil water and slowly pour over the rest of the ingredients while blending. Makes one serving.
I made this using a Hand Blender. I put all of the ingredients except water into a wide mouth qt jar. Then I poured in the water and quickly blended it all up.

[Eenee]

No you're not hon Honestly, the chicken broth would be amazing for you- first step to heal mental disorders attached to a eating disorders. I would HIGHLY recommend you get on an amino acid supplement too.

Sorry forgot to add as kids woke up (they were in the car asleep), I am that nutty I will only eat food freshly prepared by me and even then I can have complete meltdowns that the food is somehow 'contaminated'. Being pregnant has developed the eating disorder to another level of fear of listeria/food poisoning/contamination. I understand to a point that these thoughts are irrational but I get to a point where it consumes me so much that I can't not live by these strict rules. My midwife is aware I'm like this and she's been a great support (pretty much my only support), but I think it gets a bit beyond her to know what to do.

[*The_Mrs.*]

She just says that she can do everything a doula does. She is very hands on and does a lot more than a midwife should. In my state it is illegal for a midwife to deliver a VBAC and she is doing it anyways. I really trust her. To be honest though if I could afford it I would have a doula rather her feelings or not. Since I'm due around Xmas all of the doulas have jacked their prices up near me for having to be on call around then so I just can't afford it

[*The_Mrs.*]

Plus she is having a student midwife come along as well

[Arimeh]

She just says that she can do everything a doula does. She is very hands on and does a lot more than a midwife should. In my state it is illegal for a midwife to deliver a VBAC and she is doing it anyways. I really trust her. To be honest though if I could afford it I would have a doula rather her feelings or not. Since I'm due around Xmas all of the doulas have jacked their prices up near me for having to be on call around then so I just can't afford it

Illegal to deliver a VBAC!?!? WTH?!?!!? What state is that? How ridiculous.

[HotI]

it s not that far off what is happening here. more and more midwives no longer doing hbac s due to restrictions or fear of being reported for random reasons.

[Jennifer13]

Anyone had a doula and a midwife attend their homebirth? Just wondering what role the doula played. I am much more undecided this time about who i want at the birth. I kinda know what i don't want. and even if i think of a descriptor of who i do want, i don't know someone who matches the description itms. How much do doulas charge?

I had a friend as my doula, as well as my m/w and backup m/w. My doula has acted as birth support in the past, but is not 'qualified' as such (she should be, she was brilliant!). Will def be having her again. We gave her some gift vouchers as a thank you and a massage as well (she spent some time on her knees in an uncomfortable position!). I'm not sure how much a doula usually charges.

My doula was effectively the physical and emotional support with me, before my m/w arrived and during. She brought me drinks, massaged my back, came when it was only early labour and went for a walk with me, brought over extra food and stuff (that I didn't think of), just thought about the things I might need in birth before and during. Totally took the pressure of DP, who had no idea what to expect. Made for a really relaxed environment at the birth. Felt like everyone had their roles and stuck with those.

ETA: there weren't any HBAC restrictions on my m/ws. They did early on talk to me about risk and they signed one of their own forms to say they'd had a discussion with me about it, but that was all. When I saw the ob at the hospital she told me she had to say she'd advised me against a HBAC as well due to policy, but that she thought it was great and I'd be fine. So there's 'requirements' and there's the way they go about doing it.

[*The_Mrs.*]

Washington state. I'm in the USA and we aren't very vbac friendly