Homebirth General Discussion #2

**Rouge** · May 19th, 2010, 08:12 PM

Here is where you left off...

**LionsandBears** · May 21st, 2010, 08:47 AM

Hi all. Just popping in as I'm getting closer now - 26wks today. getting very excited. A bit of a woo hoo for me - my PHI approved the homebirth, so we'll be getting $3k back (assuming all goes well and we have an actual homebirth). Very excited! As I have SPD, we're spending a lot of $$ on osteo, physio and acupuncture which we hadn't budgeted for, so this will come in handy.

We're also planning a water birth, though I see it as being a great tool that's there if I need it, but if I end up wanting to birth on land, I can do that while taking advantage of the birth pool to ease discomfort. Apparently with SPD i need to be careful not to slip in the water or something as that could make it worse.

Our IM is also quite conservative and won't take breech at home. I'm fine with that - there's breech and then there's breech. Some can be born safely vaginally and others can't. (though I'm hoping like hell bub isn't breech and will be using the acupuncturist for that too if necessary) the main reason we're having an IM is she is someone I can trust to be 100% on our side and not be intimidated by hospital protocol etc. She has her own rules, like no home breech, but that's cool. She also has a transfer arrangement with RWH, so we have that backup.

I'm also using hypnobabies home study course to prepare. It's very relaxing.

**Smoke Jaguar** · May 21st, 2010, 09:12 AM

it's difficult to slip in a birth pool at home...not enough room! Plus, with SPD you're best on your knees bending over the edge, with the pelvis at its widest and fully supported. Avoid labouring facing out. I waited till the baby had crowned before turning around to have her pulled out (she took too long for me to wait while she kicked at my insides!!). No idea what it's like to birth on land with SPD, I did water both times, on my knees.
Don't be afraid of the SPD during labour. It's the only time in the pg that SPD will actually work FOR you - it's widened your pelvis and is nice and flexy. As long as you're not moving your feet apart during labour - feet planted evenly and only pelvis width apart for rocking and pelvis swinging, for instance. HTH, if not, there's the Pelvic Instability Association you can google

**LionsandBears** · May 21st, 2010, 09:16 AM

Thanks for that Mayaness - I've been doing a bunch of reading. It does sound like there's an upside to SPD. An it makes me look forward to the birth, not just to meet bubba, but to hopefully have an end to this horrible constant pain! btw - did you have any issues getting in/out of the pool? I can't visualise how to do that without widening my legs apart.

**Roryrory** · May 21st, 2010, 09:16 AM

Man I cant wait to do it again

I know the feeling

**Smoke Jaguar** · May 21st, 2010, 09:54 AM

Pool sides are sturdy enough (depending on the pool - you using the Made In Water one?) for you to sit on on the dry side and pivot on your bum keeping your knees together, with support from your partner to swing to the other side. I was in such a hurry to be in water that I stepped over, albeit gingerly, but still separating and doing the uneven weight distrib thing...but I didn't notice cos I was in transition!

**~Stoked~** · May 21st, 2010, 10:16 AM

Hello.. I'm nearly 7 weeks preg and planning another homebirth, just had my last at home in December! So very close together! I can't wait to do it again!!!

**sneakysparkle** · May 21st, 2010, 09:31 PM

Hi ladies I hope you don't mind me popping in to ask a (silly) question?!
DH & I are looking into homebirth for any subsequent bubs we might have, and Ive just been thinking of random questions!
What did you do with things like the hearing test? Does it have to be done at a hospital? And the heel ***** test? (I know middies can do the heel *****, but does that get done at a later home visit?) Did you still do them?
TIA

**meow** · May 21st, 2010, 09:36 PM

Welcome stoked! That IS close together

Sneakysparkle- I just asked my midwife about these tests. She does the heel p.rick test at a post natal visit. She hadn't had any clients previously bother with the hearing test but as I am hearing impaired I woudl like to get it done. We still need to look into how to go about it. I may visit our backup hospital after the birth to get it done, or else get a referral through the MCHN. Not sure yet...

**~Stoked~** · May 21st, 2010, 11:42 PM

Thanks Meow!

Sneaky sparkle: Hearing test was done through MCHN and Guthrie was done by my midwife a couple of days after the birth (can't remember exactly how long after!, although i remember i cried my eyes out

).

**meow** · May 22nd, 2010, 07:35 AM

Stoked- how old was your son when he had the hearing test done? Did you ask about it at the first MCHN appointment then book it? We had a terrible time with the heel p.rick test last time too- my son wasn't feeding well so he was dehydrated and they couldn't get enough blood. He was screaming and we ended up having to stop and try again a few days later

**~Stoked~** · June 1st, 2010, 10:13 PM

Hi girls.. Have been meaning to post more often in here but having a six month old BF bub and being pregnant is tiring work!

Marcellus: I am going through the CMP too!! Had my last bub in dec at home and my midwife was so so good! Can't wait to do it all again! They provided my pool in the end because all the other women that were due around the same time had their bubs early, so they had spares, but otherwise you have to hire your own. Do you know which midwife you have been allocated yet?

**Ilithyia** · June 2nd, 2010, 01:56 PM

Hi All!

Thought it was time I came in and said Hi!

I am 10 weeks pregnant with baby #3 and am due around Christmas time.

This will be our first homebirth and I am already very, very excited!

I met with my Midwife a couple of weeks ago and she seem's perfect!

Anyhoo...I will try and keep up with you girls!

Looking forward to getting to you know all!
x

**Cassius2** · June 2nd, 2010, 02:46 PM

hi sara and welcome!

woo hoo for the HB! this is going to be my first HB too! pretty excited and also really excited that my DD can be there if she wants. i used to live in brisbane!! have to admit that i do miss the place alot...although it's been a good four years since i lived there so no doubt has changed alot and i probably couldnt find my way around anymore lol!

**onthefly** · June 2nd, 2010, 07:25 PM

Yeah, I have a place but still have to have my interview to asses my suitability for midwifery care. I guess it should be fine, just want to get it out of the way so it's official. And I'm keen to meet my midwife. Her name's Susan Cudlipp Stoked.
So there's somewhere you can hire pools if they run out? That's good to know.

yeah, it seems like as long as your midwife (and you) is happy then they're much more flexible than OBs/hospitals. One thing I was really interested to know was about going post-dates. Seems they get antsy after 42 weeks also. I really don't want to go that long again - hopefully it wont' be an issue.

Hi Sara and congratulations

**~Stoked~** · June 3rd, 2010, 12:06 AM

Oh Marcellus you will LOVE your midwife! She is also my midwife!! hehe! She is the greatest!... they won't even look at my application til i am 12 weeks but i have already told Sue and she is very happy to be there for me again! I was so sad to say goodbye after our journey together and told her it wouldn't be long til i'll be calling her again... i don't think she expected it to be THIS soon!

Hello and congratulations to everyone else!! It is such an exciting journey, homebirth is just amazing and i wish i could convince everyone to give it a go so no one missed out on such an awesome experience!

xxx

**~Stoked~** · June 22nd, 2010, 12:23 PM

Yes it is Taryn! They just called and asked if I'd mind if they moved the app to the week after. I used Swans last time. They were fine. I just really didn't want to have to be transferred there as I had heard so many bad stories (as you do!). But as a backup they were fine. I went to KEMH for my first and they were great (mind you that was over ten years ago!) so I was tempted to use them as a backup but thought that, as I'm already about 25 mins from Swans, if an emergency happened I'd rather go to the closest one!