Homebirth General Discussion #7

[Cassius2]

hi girls!

Arte: IKWYM about being 'above the pain'. it's kinda like you can 'hear' this dull part of your conciousness going: 'this could hurt', but the reality is that it doesnt. it was so cool to experience that with DD2s birth for me.

Bella: i am so with you on leaving a woman to birth. my midwife at one point asked me a question and i looked at her and just ignored the question (she got the hint ). that said, it was still mega important to have them there ITMS. to have the security of their warmth, love and support. and interesting dichotomy...

Me+Him+Bub: that is fantastic news! gotta love a decision made! you willnot regret a decision to plan a homebirth. the love, continuity and care you get is parallel to none.

[HotI]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. It has happened a few times recently.

I am talking to someone, and they ask where i am going to have baby. I say we are planning on having bub at home. Then they ask where i will go if a transfer is needed and spend 5 mins talking about the transfer/hospital process. Even if i try to cut that conversation they seem to want to continue. There are heaps more exciting things to talk about with homebirth than what the back up transfer plan is. I have wondered if people are just comfortable with the 'go to hospital' scenario and so that is why the questions go there.

Anybody else found this?

[HotI]

I remembered that i had this gorgeous purple & black celtic ish designed sheet thingo, and found it in the cupboard. I am going to hem one edge and i will string some elastic or cable across to hang it from to provide a privacy screen on one side of the birth pool. There is a wall on one side and window with curtains on another.

Also found some old backed curtains that i can use for drop sheets and then chuck them out later. I am getting a picture in my head of what my birth space will look like. A few months ago, i had no idea so it is nice to just let these ideas develop. I am writing them down when they come out, and will put them all together and show DH.

[HotI]

Babies Born


eutra_phalia - November 20

Sara - baby boy born sleeping 16w3d November 22



Babies On Their Way


Jennifer13 - January

Bella29 - January

HotI - January

Beansbeans - January

*Ash*- February

loulabelle - February

...Em - May

Cricket - May

ladybirdflies - July

[Artechim]

HotI, there is a bit of talk about transfers around here, because we are 1.5 hours from a half-arsed hospital and 2 hours from a decent one. If there is a need to transfer, either from the birth center or from home it is either a long and uncomfortable ambulance ride or the helicopter comes if it is more urgent. Quite a few of the ladies around here go directly to the hospital in early labour so they don't need to transfer later when it is more uncomfortable if there were any problems. Most of the comments are based around the dread of doing the very windy road to the city while in labour.
Nice that you are getting your birth space sorted. It is nice to be able to picture where it is going to happen.

[Bella29]

Hmm.. I am not experiencing that much Hot1 cos most of our freinds are Dr's and nurses and I prefer not to discuss it with them because they will only go on about how dangerous it is and try scare tactics. When ppl ask me where I am birthing I tell them that I have booked in to a local hospital where my DH works. Which is true cos I have that as my back up. I just fail to mention that I am actually planning a home birth unless I really think that they could be supportive of me.

Nicce to hear that you have an idea about your birth space. I am the same with hanging up privacy curtains. I just decided last week that instead of hemming a space to thread the cord thru, that I will just use pegs and peg up the sheets when the time is right, or I will get my birth support to do that when they arrive. I also bought a bunch of black plastic sheets for the floor at bunnings and one to go over the sheets on the bed, cos my mw has suggested that when I go into labour, I should put a plastic sheet down then make up sheets on top so that if they get messy, she can just remove the top layer before she leaves and tuck me into a fresh made bed. So that is all sorted now too. I still have to get a hose attachment from Bunnings and a fresh hose to transport water to the birth pool, but I will get that really soon.

It is so exciting!! So close for both of us! I really should wash all of my new MCN's and baby clothes but it still seems a fair way away for me before this baby arrives as it could be nearly 6 weeks from now.

Anyway, sorry they are focusing on the negatives instead of the positives that would be nicer. hope you find someone to just chat with.

xx Bella

[Cassius2]

HotI: i got those questions a fair bit as well. they were annoying. but by the end i had it down to a sentence lol.

Bella: make sure that the hose to the pool is a "food grade" hose. i was all set to use a garden hose before i got told off by the midwife hahaha! so funny walking in to clark rubber to buy that and explain to the old boy what it was intended for hahahaha.

[Bella29]

hehehe... yeah Cas I have had to try to explain a few times when buying things what I wanted things for.... It hasn't bothered me to explain to strangers in shops because they are paid to think the customer is always right!!! LOL! Like today when I bought the plastic in bunnings for the bed and floor.... I think that was the last thing the girl expected to hear, but it did make clear what I wanted it for and therefore what I needed.

[Ilithyia]

Babies Born


eutra_phalia - November 20

Sara - baby boy born sleeping 16w3d November 22



Babies On Their Way


Jennifer13 - January

Bella29 - January

HotI - January

Beansbeans - January

*Ash*- February

loulabelle - February

...Em - May

Cricket - May

ladybirdflies - July

Thank you so much for acknowleding us HotI.

I'm sitting here at work crying. Thank you hun. It means the world to me.
xxx

[Eenee]

Huge Sara

[*Ash*]

Love and hugs Sara.

[Tegam]

Never to be forgotten Sara!

[Arcadia]

Thinking of you Sara.

HotI...I used to get lots of crap about the back up plan too. I always said i had plans for the best case scenario (home birth) and worst case scenario (hospital). I used to ask people why they thought I should only plan for the worst case...surely the best case warrants planning too.

I'm getting so excited about the next home birth bub! Not long now!

[Jennifer13]

Sara - thinking of you. Thank you for sharing the story of Reid's birth with us.

Mostly ppl haven't asked about transfer, but I have offered the info if the conversation has progressed. Thankfully, probably because it's close now, I haven't had negativity. I have a fair few dr and nurse friends, but all they did was give me recommendations when I asked about obs at the local hospital. I think DP had one less than positive comment early on from a dr friend, but she didn't say anything to me. No idea why, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm less than approachable!

We got the hose from the friend who lent us the pool and took it with us to get fittings. It was a bit trickier and the hardware guy did ask if we really needed that hose, but we have everything we need. Next thing for DP to install! He put in the baby capsule for me yesterday.

Baby has settled into my pelvis again, I'm feeling more pressure on my bladder all of a sudden. And I'm really tired again by the end of the day. Not to mention completely disinterested in moving away from home. DP nearly got his head bitten off when he told me he wanted to have his employees over for a BBQ! They're going out somewhere instead. I think I'll start getting the room ready next weekend.

I'm still determined she'll be a January bub though!

[Cassius2]

Sara: I second Jennifer in thanking you for sharing Reid's birth journey. I am sorry that he grew wings xx

Jennifer: I was like that too. i had forgotten about that! basically if it wasnt just a waddle down the road then i wasnt interested in those last few weeks lol. which is a big change for me as i am usually out and about and exploring non stop. i wonder if it was like that because i was having baby at home?

it stayed that way after her birth as well. i really enjoyed the act of 'slow' parenting ITMS.

Arcadia: i sooo need to PM you for a catch up! finally out of illness and family visits! slack bum that i am!

[HotI]

I have just started having 'i'd like to be a hermit' feelings this week (just gone 35 weeks pg), fatigue has kicked in at the same time. Unfortunately, haven't organised christmas or other things so can't quite hermitise yet. Spending the day at home and doing some cleaning.

[Jennifer13]

M/w came today and I was right about baby dropping - she's engaged about half way and I'm measuring smaller now she's in launch position. *sigh* I now have the feeling I won't make it to Jan... Just a week more baby, please! I just seem to have finally almost gotten other things in order and I'd love the chance to rest up next week!

Hot1 - hope you get a chance to get everything done!

[Jennifer13]

Oooo I finally felt my first contractions!!!

I probably shouldn't sound so excited, but given I've never had BHs it's nice to know my uterus actually knows what to do! It was last night at first, after a day of running around. Went away after lying down (and having a brief nap), but it was so tight and hard. I had some lower back niggles first, a bit like period pain, and then the top of my tummy went all hard. It didn't hurt so much as feel really, really tight.

I've had it a little this morning as well.

I don't think it's a sign of anything imminent, but OMG I wouldn't mind getting this baby's head off my bladder and pelvis. I can hardly walk upright atm!

Oxygen arrives tomorrow. I'm tempted to get out and do some serious gardening again on the weekend - seems to have got things moving in the right direction last weekend!