homebirth general discussion #9

I'm hoping to be Sept rather than Oct.. Don't wish 42weeks on me! :lol:

I'm so itchy for my Midwife to call, I have been accepted to the CMP program in Perth, but am yet to hear from the Middy/s i have been given. I was on the CMP last time and it all got stuffed up and i swapped to an IM at 38w.. I'm going to stay relaxed and go with the flow this time.. My IM is not working unfortunately so that option is not there.. THe CMP is far from perfect but the other option was 1hr travel to hospy and i dont fancy that drive thanks very much.

Looking forward to getting to know our newbies!

Phynna, I'd love to read your birth story!

Ambersky, a springtime baby, how wonderful. We've had a couple of members go through that program.

Has anyone else noticed that the number of hospitals offering home birth is growing?

There's an online survey called Patient Opinion that collects feedback on users of health services. I filled it in for my home birth. You won't get much negative feedback on that particular health service!

I also submitted a campaign to GetUp about the end of indemnity insurance for IMs next year and the rights of Indigenous women removed from their community to give birth (thanks to Face of Birth for highlighting that) and they've asked me if I'd like to get involved in a new campaigning tool they're launching. I think I might do it, any publicity right?

Ambersky, do you know who your midwife is?

Welcome Phynna! :)

Saw my midwife on Monday. Things seem to be going well - baby nice and active, weight gain slowing down a little, thank goodness! Starting probiotics to lessen the chance of GBS, although I won't be testing. By the way, I saw a study which said that GBS was about 3x less likely to be transmitted to baby in a waterbirth. Good to know.
Midwife said "yes, you're just at that nice stage of pregnancy, where you're not too big yet, and everything's moving along nicely...." I was like "right, tell that to my aching back and hips! I've been ready to be done since about 20 weeks!" Oh well. We're getting there. One day at a time. :)

welcome phynna! I'd love to read your birth story!

DH's cousin's wife is due to have her first baby any day now. I am so proud of DH...he got an SMS from his aunty last night saying 'no baby yet so they're going to induce her next Wednesday.' When DH read the text out, he started with 'oh no' and a concerned face...then afterwards said 'they just need to leave her alone and let that baby be born when it's ready!' hehehe...reminded me of homebirth Ryan Gosling :lol:

I went out to a big shopping centre yesterday with C and actually started crying (in Myer!!) after seeing a beautiful, glowing heavily pregnant woman and then a woman with a newborn bub with the softest little cry. My belly feels so empty!!

Is anyone going to either of the Face of Birth sessions in Melbourne or Kilmore this week?

My SIL was labouring at home with her IM and everything was going well (planned hospital birth). things were going really well and the IM asked if she wanted to stay home , but they choose to go to hospital! crazyness. thankfully things went ok at the hospital.

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Is anyone going to either of the Face of Birth sessions in Melbourne or Kilmore this week?

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I'm going to the screening at MAMA in Kensington this Thursday - really looking forward to it :)

hi everyone, I just thought I would pop in and say hello!!! I saw the face of birth last week, loved it, and I got very excited that we get the chance to birth again this year! My DH is going to see it on Tuesday night.

I have my first appointment with HB midwife this week, can't wait, we will be 12 weeks by then. Sadly she has to go away for 6 months but will be back a month before we are due, so she can catch the baby, but we have to talk about care in the meantime. I have a few options but I guess we will know more on Wednesday.

I just bought a stack of Birthings magazines from the homebirth website, I love reading these, the birth stories, the articles and even the ads... Even though I have had three children already I still love reading these mags!

I have to read through all the above replies properly... I hope you are all well xx

Ladybirdflies - my birth story is in the new issue of Birthings that got mailed out on Friday. I can't wait to see it in print! Def going to put it away in her time capsule. And I might see if I can get some copies for my Mum, doula and sisters.

I've finished watching the meet the experts DVD from the Face of Birth. Loved the interviews with Dr Richard Porter and Sally Tracey especially. Robbie Davis-Floyd was interesting too.

I put in my feedback on my home birth, IM, hospital and GP on patientopinion (org au). It's a non profit org that gathers patient feedback on health services. You don't need to give the names of your care providers, but they do want suburbs and hospitals named. Good way to generate positive feedback on home birth!

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I'm going to the screening at MAMA in Kensington this Thursday - really looking forward to it :)

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ooh didn't know there was a kensington one. my mum was disappointed cos she is working wed night but might be able to do thurs- and that is closer to her too! will let you know if i accompany her!

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ooh didn't know there was a kensington one. my mum was disappointed cos she is working wed night but might be able to do thurs- and that is closer to her too! will let you know if i accompany her!

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oooh yes please do!! I'd love to meet you!! :) The screening I'm going to is at 10:30 and a mums & bubs session x

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Ambersky, do you know who your midwife is?

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Sorry missed your post.. Not yet, they said she should call me by 16w which is 10days away..

ooohh i wish i could go to the FOB screening in Kensington. it looks like i will be going there for some yoga classes when i get back. has anyone been there yet for other stuff?

i wish BB would do a screening...just like they did with BOBB. it was such a cool way for new members like myself to 'see' the face(s) of BB without the pressure of intimacy that dinners have ITMS.

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ooohh i wish i could go to the FOB screening in Kensington. it looks like i will be going there for some yoga classes when i get back. has anyone been there yet for other stuff?.

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I haven't been Cass but am thinking of going to one of their Mothers Group meetings - the one MG I sent to that my MCHN organises was awful so I won't be going back but I also don't really have any local friends so feel a bit isolated at times. Hoping it's a bit more homebirthing/babywearing/BFing friendly :)

Hey everyone,

Just thought I would check in with my progress. Can't believe I am 21 weeks already, and I haven't made it to my due date before, so knowing it could only be 18-19 weeks away spins me out.

I wish I knew more about midwifery care with my other two. It truly is the gold standard and runs rings around any other care. Its so easy to see how well it can work, when your midwife can read you and know you so well, therefore spot things going on in labour before they are even a problem. My midwife is very perceptive and switched on, even when I thought I was doing a good job putting on a smile when I was having a bad day.

I have my referral so I can claim from Medicare now, ironically from a GP (who works at MAMA) who used to work at the very same country clinic I have been visiting up here. He left due to a fall out but regularly keeps in touch with the GP I was seeing here, so he's going to chat to him and tell him he should read more into this and understand it so he can take over. The GP thinks he's probably just not looked into it enough which I am sure most GPs are doing.

I'm also very excited that Rhea Dempsey is going to be my birth attendant/doula - as soon as I trained with her in 2005 I knew I would want her at my next birth. Knew it would be a while but wow its all happening, and my midwife is also excited to be doing a birth with Rhea as she loves working with her. Feel like I am going to have an amazing birth team.

Moved around the bedroom this weekend to check out the best way to put the pool in, and after all that I think I want to move it again because I feel like I will want to be in the corner of the room, away from the door. Just have to wait for the right moment to tell my partner lol. Speaking of which, its great that my partner and his family seem so at ease with the midwife too and supportive of my choice to HB. Its a great feeling knowing there is no resistance or danger talk going on.

Other than that, been really slow to do anything else, no names picked, not much purchased etc. I think I know what I am having but I am not 100%, we're just going to keep it a surprise for now.

Jen - Sounds like a great idea - lots of us do it just have to keep plugging away so they realise it is a big issue - sadly organisations don't get how big this is. But if we keep asking for it to be addressed it will happen! Keep at it xx

oh kelly, i reckon i had the exact same epiphany! when i was getting my care through my IM with DD2 it was like the BIGGEST lightbulb moment: i couldnt believe that i had NO IDEA how amazing and wonderful the support was. i had no idea that it could be so amazing. it makes the birth process so much more special and secure...

21 weeks???!!! YAY!!!!

21 weeks - your pg is flying by! Just finished watching Rhea on the FOB experts DVD. Sounds like you have an amazing team.

Birthings mag arrived today and our story and photos are there! So exciting!

We have our HB get together on Thurs and I can finally give back the children's books that DD1 lost and I found online.

Also, I found second hand birth pools on Gumtree - for those of you who might be looking for one. If I'd known about that it would've made things easier when we were looking. Although I did well being able to borrow ours.

Hi Everyone...

Jen I just had a look online and the new magazine is not on there yet, so chuffed that you got your story in there, she will love that when she grows up. I might email them and see if I can buy it that way. I have already read through the ones I ordered plus all my old ones..

Hey girls. My story got published on a gf's blog called Greg - arious peach. (spaces and dash added for privacy.). There are some extra bits to the story, mostly at the start and end, plus lots of beautiful photos.


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How's DD2 doing now, Bella? I'm off to see your photos especially!

Shes much better today. Fever completely gone, so I am happy.


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oooohh thanks for the tip Bella...I am off for a looksie!

Hey ladies! I was just trying to sort out when this baby "should" be coming, and realized it could be in anything from 4 to 10 weeks. Hard to know what to plan for! I have an ultrasound date, and a LMP date, and the baby could come at anything from 37 to 42 weeks by either date. I just washed all the little pink sleepers and hope to get the cradle ready soon. :)
By the way, has anyone else noticed that they get more Braxton-hicks when reading birth stories? I sure do!

Photos look lovely, Bella! I wish I'd had my sister at my birth, to do both video and photos. I'm happy to have the ones we did get, but hers would have been better.

Next time, if there ever is one!

Cricket - wow, at least you won't be too focused on a particular date! I was only nervous about baby coming early, I really wanted to get past 40 wks (strange, I know). Knowing how small I cook my babies, I'd like them to stay for as long as possible.

DD2 weighed in at 5.745 kg clothed yesterday, which means she doubled her birth weight in 11 weeks. :o Admittedly, she was starting from a low base! But she has chubby rolls and elbow dimples - totally kissable!

Jennifer - you must be feeding that little lady nothing but cream. :) Great job mama! I love baby rolls and dimples.

Just saying hi girls. We moved into our new house last Friday. I moved us without hubby and with just one gf for support. My mum played with the baby in between bf's. It was hard work!! Anyway we r in now and whilst a long way from completely unpacked, I am pleased that we can live in the house comfortably now. It is an amazing house and we r so blessed! I will come back and say hello to u all later. Thinking of you girls who are close to due. xx

Sorry all about me this time


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Well done, Bella! Did it make you a little sad to leave your old house after birthing there? Silly qn I know, but we rent and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't birth in our forever house.

How are our May Mummas coming on? Your time is soon!

I got a call from my Midwife, she is coming for my first appointment on Tuesday - asked about her on a local birthy FB group and got a dozen women who adore her reply so i'm feeling so good right now :hooray:

Fantastic Ambersky!

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Well done, Bella! Did it make you a little sad to leave your old house after birthing there? Silly qn I know, but we rent and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't birth in our forever house.

How are our May Mummas coming on? Your time is soon!

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I wasn't sad to leave our old house. It was a lovely home and a lovely birth. But I have it in my heart. BUT I am very sentimental person about houses.

Hello everyone :wave:

Hi all,

All good here. Am 33weeks now so not long to go, or depends which way you look at it as the end can drag. Bub is head down. And all else is good as far as we know. DD has miraculously started to sleep better over night and if DH gets up to her he can usually settle her so haven't had to feed her overnight for the past few nights.

DH and I got into an argument the other night as he said we won't be cosleeping with this Bub :( but he was at my MW appointment yesterday and she said no she's allowed to til at least 4mths! Woohoo I love my MW so that's now given me 4mths which is better than none! Glad DH likes to listen to her!

Jen: i have wondered that too about leaving our house. i have had to wonder alot recently as it is a 2 bedroom terrace and 3 kids sharing a room could be a pinch as they get older...but i dont want to leave! such a lovely birth (and hopefully another!), so many memories. it is our first bought house, so maybe that is also why i am sentimental.

Em: 33 weeks????!!! wow, it is really coming up now :dance: are you starting to get into the zone? i love it when the bigger kids kick into a nice pattern before bub. we had that with DD1 and her TT. it came together in the month or two before and was a relief!

Cricket: and you too! so so close now!!! sending you lots and lots of birth blessings in this final countdown to bringing this wee one earthside :loveshower:

Ambersky: ooohhh it sounds so promising with your IM :leap:

AFM: travelling along well here. my homeopathic treatment is holding up so am feeling pretty good morning sickness wise. i havent really thought too much about the birth or anything. still too surreal and being so far from home it is hard to get into that space IYKWIM. i hope that by the time we get back that i am in the right headspace ITMS.

Lovely ambersky! You must be so excited!

Talking about excited Em it must seem so close to you now!! I love hitting that 30 week mark. It feels real and so close, but not so close that you feel like you have to be completely ready.

Wow Cas!! 9 weeks already! it just goes so fast!

Jen- I am sentimental about the house, but that being said, I LOVE our new house to bits!!! And I have so much video and photos of the house and the space that it is ok for me if that makes sense.

Talking about video's if you girls would like to see mine it is here..... Madeleine’s Birth – a HBAC video | Gregarious Peach

I hope you all swoon, cos I think it is a divine film. I was so blessed that my videographer is very very talented! So if any of you are brissy or surrounds girs, and want a birth video go talk to georgia at her blog. She is lovely and really "gets" birth.

Well it has been another really lopng day here, so I am headed couch side.

xx Bella

Bella- yay!! I'm dying to watch your video later today when I get a chance. Your birth story is amazing. I was thinking, your birth is more than a VBAC (though that is obviously important), to me it's also about birth after trauma. Then I got thinking- we need an EBAT acronym (empowered birth after trauma). Those are birth stories I'd like to read :D

We most likely wont move back into our old house. I don't feel too bad about that because I don't want to live there forever so eventually we go huh? Just have to take the precious memories with us. I kind of like that we had a HB there and then we're handing the house over to others. Good energy to leave behind :)

ETA: Oh. My.God. Bella!!!! You're freaking amazing! I'm all snotty now :lol: I fell in love with your husband too I'm sorry. God I love these men the way they sit there with such calm and smile back after hours of watching their treasured women labour. I'm not sure I'd be as good at it. And your sister is awesome for making such a fantastic video! i have serious envy! The snippets of your daughter and the dogs etc- those were all the bits I would have liked captured too. That was just a magic, magic video and you are one strong, beautiful woman Bella :loveshower:

Thank you meow :) sorry for making u all snotty! I really treasure it. It really captured what a family thing a home birth is. She did such an amazing job! She isn't my sister btw, just a good friend. Mine you the women who were with me thru my labour feel like sisters to me. I just love them to bits!


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I am a big giant snot-ball too!!!! :loveshower:

Oh Bella! it's just a magical, joyous video...i just love love love it! thank you so much for sharing this with us xx

Homebirth Australia shared it on FB... you're going viral Bella!

I don't know where I got the idea your sister filmed it... is it your sister that runs the blog? Maybe that was it?

Love it Bella, my MW shared it on her blog also!

Don't know meow, my sister has been sharing it everywhere tho :). I do think it will go viral. Not because I am vain and think my birth was any better than anyone else's, but just because I think Georgia did an amazing job with her cinematograph :). She is very talented.

I am so glad that you like it tho :). It makes me warm and fuzzy when I read all of your lovely comments :)


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Seems I'm joining back in here! Due mid December, which means crap, I need to find a midwife asap. No idea where to start, and I'll need someone who will still accept the baby bonus as payment. Where do you start in finding a midwife? Last time I just went through the Sunshine hospy HB program.