Homebirth General Discussion #15

**glorious** · August 22nd, 2013, 08:48 PM

DD has said she will make sure I have food and drink! We have a book called mumma midwife it's awesome and I think she will be a great help.

**Bella29** · August 22nd, 2013, 08:58 PM

How old is your dd glorious?

**glorious** · August 22nd, 2013, 09:23 PM

She is 6 but almost 7 when bubs is due! Very affectionate kinda kid who wants to be a midwife like her ma and grandma

**Bella29** · August 22nd, 2013, 09:31 PM

She is 6 but almost 7 when bubs is due! Very affectionate kinda kid who wants to be a midwife like her ma and grandma

That is a lovely age to see sibling born I think. So are you a Mw glorious?

**Arcadia** · August 23rd, 2013, 07:39 AM

Yay Bella!!! A line is a line!!! Bring on more HB babies!

I don't want my kids at the birth intentionally. Dd slept last time and that was perfect. I need 'me' time to get into the labour and birth. I think it would be ok if they were there without me really knowing, but I would plan around it (in fact I plan for them to be asleep lol).

**HotI** · August 23rd, 2013, 07:51 AM

My DD slept last time too. Would love it if they both slept through! I think it would be ok with one of them, but not both. Or i need another support person, and i don't know if there is someone who can come that would suit.

I just want a cupboard i can crawl into really (with a birth pool) and i can emerge when bub is out, just like i was playing hide and seek.

**Bella29** · August 23rd, 2013, 08:06 AM

My dd was at daycare most of the day when I was laboring. I dropped her off during early labour

. It was a bit funny when I had to stop and have a contraction. She came home at about 5:30 and could hear me but was fine. I had a doula/other Hb mamma, who came along and cared for her after having supported me thru the day. She came and kissed me, but didn't stay. Was bathed and gotten ready for bed just before I gave birth. She was with me within about 30 se nods of baby arriving and then left before coming back after the placenta was born. I don't think I would want her actively there and bored. Having said that, I have seen her sit incredibly still when she is fascinated. So maybe for this next one she will be good

. But yeah I will absolutely have a doula for them. Someone who understands the birth space and can make sure she is cared for in a way that honors both of our needs, with mine being the priority on the day.

**HotI** · August 23rd, 2013, 08:21 AM

For the September mums to be, are there any words or phrases you are using as a focus?

I breastfed Abby and read her a story and then sat on her bed while she fell asleep in early labour. It was once she was asleep that labour really kicked in, and then no breaks til he was here. I am a bit scared that this labour will be longer and i don't know if i can cope with that. i got off pretty lightly last time. Although bit longer in the pool would be nice!

**meow** · August 23rd, 2013, 09:05 AM

That list of birth videos sounds great! I had to watch a bunch to veto the ones to show my son. I found he wasn't bothered by the noise in the videos though yet he was by me. I used to read Hello Baby and add in the sound effects as the mama is pushing the baby out etc. That helped him get used to it.

I wasn't at all bothered by his presence in labour but I guess he's a pretty unique kid so maybe it was just his nature? He gave me a few cuddles in early labour in the morning while we were waiting for my H to come home. Then I didn't see him as I moved in the spare room to focus on labour and my H put him down for his nap. It was only when woke up about an hour before birth that he was really around for the birth I guess and even then I didn't see or hear him as he just peeked in the door and that was it.

**glorious** · August 23rd, 2013, 09:12 AM

DS was almost two when he was at dds birth I had prepared him and he was great. He didn't spend all his time in with us, would come and check up on me then off he would go and play with his grandma. At the time of birth he was outside but was trying to get back in as he heard me and knew something was happening.

**Arimeh** · August 23rd, 2013, 09:53 AM

Thanks guys. My mum sent me a text last night saying that we have to talk about all the what ifs and what could happen and how its all very dramatic - so we have to discuss "The Birth". I sent my SIL a message via facebook last night asking if I could call on her instead, and she said of course I can - so I'm getting her rosters since she's working to make sure we know who to call when I go into labour.

Was funny when I had Mary here yesterday, I love talking to her, and she was telling me about the week she spent with Ina May at a huge conference she was at (mind you - so jealous she got to meet Ina May, let alone hang out with her for the week!!!) and she told us a story about someone was holding a demonstration of a water birth, and Ina May was standing there at the pools, flicking fake poops into the water as they were talking!! Bahahahahahaha!!!!!! Apparently the demonstrators had no idea how these poops were getting there, and the people in the water were starting to freak out because they didn't know where they had come from. Hysterical!!!

Love Ina May. Just love her.

**meow** · August 23rd, 2013, 10:00 AM

Keepin' it real

I'm glad you're working on the plan for your kid's birth support xx

**Mum2twoBoys** · August 23rd, 2013, 11:21 AM

If you need hoti, you can put me down as a child minder. Happy to come there or have them here.

Not many words etc, but I'm more trying to get into a zone ready for labour.

**TeniBear** · August 23rd, 2013, 03:51 PM

HotI, I've got a big list of affirmations I've put together for myself and future doula clients - do you want me to send it to you? There's some long ones and some short ones, visualisations and the like... I sent it to Arimeh last week, hopefully it's helped

And if not, given other ideas at least.

**Arimeh** · August 23rd, 2013, 04:13 PM

I didn't get it Teni - I forgot to tell you. Dunno where it went, but it didn't come into my email.

hotI - I don't have anything in particular, I have lots of things on my cheat sheet though, affirmations, different things to try for pain relief, different relaxation techniques etc, and DH just goes through the list and tries something else if something isn't working. I also put out on my facebook for people to write me letters of support for something else to read after each contraction to prepare me for the next one coming. Like positive affirmation after positive affirmation type of thing.