Homebirth General Discussion #21

[Lily Dust]

You girls dont know how much i wish my name was on that list, but im on there is spirit =p

I think this every time I read June 2013 and my bub isn't there. Different circumstances but feel for you, hun

[meow]

Thanks everyone!! All the 2014 babies have still be born at home- luckily my little one made it out with me half way in the car getting ready to transfer

I never really felt like we needed to be in hospital but I also understood the implications of the small chance of a major bleed so the choice wasn't really there for my MW if she wanted to preserve her license and I wasn't sure not having access to those medications was a safe option either. So in the end we got the best of both worlds as we got to stay home and our MW still came in time to provide that medical support when I started bleeding after the placenta came out. I was talking to my MW today and she says she has provider guilt that I could have still gotten away without pitocin to stop the bleeding as she jumped to it rather than working through tinctures and things she normally would have gone for. But I know why she jumped to it and I don't feel bad about the decision made. If we had stalled and tried the usual slower approach then things may have been different and I may have ended up transferring in an ambulance after all. I'm glad I had no medications till after the placenta came out at least and having a small loss of blood means I'm feeling pretty well.

The birth was so fantastic! I wish I could have had quick ones all the time. It felt so wonderful to have my body so strong and powerful and just DO it! I seemed to have to work so hard in the previous births. I felt transition for a few contractions then baby dropped and engaged for two contractions then my uterus was pushing and waters then baby were crowning and birthing for the next maybe 4 contractions. So amazing. I'm in post bliss heaven.

Early labour was scary as the the hospital we were going to transfer to was insisting on IV saline and vaginal exam on admittance. I didn't want an IV but a vaginal exam is a non-negotiable "no" for me. My MW was frozen in indecision trying to work out what to do for me and it was my worst fears being realised. She said the doctor on call that night who was talking to has assisted some really great HB transfers but has also been a complete a-hole in the case of transfers where people have declined things... which is what I was doing. My H and I were having last minute talks about staying home unassisted and calling an ambulance at the last minute and our MW rang around the hospitals. She found one with a charge nurse who was totally on board and said I could decline anything and she was going to meet us at emergency and make sure to be with us at labour & delivery. I was so relieved and felt okay about the transfer after that. It was seriously at the 11th hour though! The new hospital was further for our MW and we live about half way between her and the hospital so when baby came out in the garage she was actually really close to our place and got to us about 5 minutes after the birth.

Will put all this into some sort of better written birth story soon! Enjoying our new little daughter now

[Cassius2]

Oh wow Ren!! Sounds like an amazing birth! How long was it all up? I remember you telling us about the long transition stages for your previous births so totally cool that it all passed so quickly this time (i love a short transition haha).

And what a champion midwife. good on her for finding a suitable back up at the 11th hour for you. That must of been a huge relief to know there was an option