Homebirth General Discussion #6

[Artechim]

HotI, I saw my midwife monthly from 8 weeks, then fortnightly from 30 weeks and now weekly from 36 weeks.

Pip, thanks but we are rural NZ - I don't even think we have Doulas in NZ and only get the occasional student midwife. The children have never been left with anyone else.

Will have to put my thinking cap on and come up with some way to make it work with the kids here. I feel rather unprepared for the whole birth atm, just haven't had the time to think about it properly. Midwife wants to do a birth plan next visit so perhaps that will give me the kick up the butt I need

[meow]

Artechim your homebirth will be beautiful!

My son was 2 years 9 months when his baby brother was born. He's autistic so we couldn't communicate with him much to prepare for the birth. He's very sensitive to loud noises, very clingy to mummy and would bang his head and get scared when I tried to practice the "noises mummy makes when the baby comes". We don't leave him with other people and debated what to do about support people for him. We ended up choosing my aunt and two pre-teen cousins who live an hour away as he enjoys my cousins company, but they missed the birth anyway.

We tried reading Hello Baby but he was obsessed with a small selection of books and would mostly ignore us reading it. We watched some births on youtube and that seemed pretty good.

On the day he was beautiful with me in early labour, as labour progressed my H was able to be in and out with him watching the TV then he put him down for his sleep. He woke up about 1 hour before baby was born. I was getting loud then and my H was in the pool with me. My MW checked on him and he chose to lie in his room for a while. When he got up he was brought into the room for a bit but he chose to leave and spent the birth playing with playdough in the kitchen. He clearly knew things were not like normal but he coped well and it wasn't till about 2 hours after birth that he started to flip out a bit over all the people and fuss (my aunt and cousins had also arrived by then) so we asked everyone to leave. He was calm then, we had a good cuddle and my H settled him to bed for his evening sleep.

[Tegam]

I feel rather unprepared for the whole birth atm, just haven't had the time to think about it properly.

I really just dont think you ever feel as prepared for the births after number 2. Birth one you prepare and often we prepare more for birth two as we try finding out all the 'i wish id known xyz..' With the 3rd or more birth you have two small children and a busy life!

I have read a million HB stories and i have just NEVER heard of kids flipping out....basically at the end of the day children are more inturned with their inner animal instincs than adulds are and birth is a natural process.... nothing to worry about!

And i promise that lack of preparation with the birth does not equal love for baby! Just wait til that little one is in your arms and the others are their meeting their new baby! Life will feel rather perfect!

STOKED:::: Where are you? Or have i missed something?

[Arcadia]

Kate I met my midwife at 14 weeks and then around monthly until 30 weeks but we often had to reschedule. After 30 weeks it was fortnightly then weekly from 36 weeks.

It's hard with midwives sometimes because they're often so busy with births, but dont worry you're rising in their priority every week and before you know it they'll be calling you every day to check in! Please please ring if you want to chat to your middie. They like feeling needed and I'm sure would hate to think you're not feeling looked after.

[Artechim]

Meow, your home birth sounds great! Must have been a relief when your DS coped so well.

Tegam, thanks. It is hard to prioritize the new baby in the order of things atm when the kids that are here take up so much time. I think it will be easier when but is physically here and we can get on with sorting out some sort of new order.

I had a talk with DH and we think that we will be alright with the kids - if they can't be resettled then DH will just watch telly with them calmly so there won't be any screaming. I just want to be left alone during labour so he only needs to make it in for the last 10 minutes anyway.

[Arcadia]

Artechim I was worried about dd and my labour, but my midwife said most labors happen at night and the kids meet their new sibling at breakfast...and thats basically what happened. Ds was born just after midnight and dd woke around 3am due to all the people leaving (3 midwives). It was perfect!

[HotI]

Yesterday i had a fall and i have hurt my self. Not sure exactly what i have hurt, it feels like i have maybe stretched something in my pelvis, and also have pain in my lower back and tummy. I think it's something i just have to rest up, but not sure whether i should see someone about it? And if so, who?

[Artechim]

HotI, I would give the midwife a call. Probably a pulled muscle or something and bub is fine, but it doesn't hurt to be on the safe side.

Arcadia, that is what we are planning to happen, hopefully it will be done and dusted with the kids none the wiser.

[Jennifer13]

Ouch Hot1! Is there anything you need to do about the hernia? I'm still getting mostly wiggles and low down movements, but I'm happy that I can feel something and that because I can't feel much it means that placenta is doing its job and growing in the best possible place. Nowhere near the exit!