Really want a hb but unsupported by DH and family

[jackrose]

Amber4, I am sorry to read of your experiences and the position you are in. It is a hard enough road to travel when you first decide to look at homebirth, one even more stressful and difficult when your DH is not on board. (The good news is the decision gets easier and less stressful once you are on the homebirth path, from my experience)

I was about to respond with my thoughts, but after reading e_p's response, I just want to say "What she said!"

I was about to recommend starting with the documentaries "The Business of Being Born" and "The face of Birth" and go from there. I was also going to suggest that your DH does need to meet you in the middle with his research rather than just saying you must follow the status quo.

Basically what she said

I would also recommend seeing a birth counsellor to help both you and your DH go through some of your fears about the birth. You can speak with an IM and go through you hospital notes - a very worthwhile exercise for any mother about to go through birth again with unanswered questions from previous birth. In Melbourne there is a wonderful woman Rhea Dempsay who does counselling. She is AMAZING and if you can speak with her if you are in Melbourne, or get a referral from her to see someone locally, I think you would be able to work through a lot of the issues you listed above.

Another book I loved preparing for childbirth is "The thinking woman's guide to a better birth" by Henci Goer. Highly recommended for evidence based understanding about choices in childbirth.

Good luck.