Hi all. I dont know what to do. With my first son i had him at hospital. Everything went grate. I went in at 1:00am at 5cm and had him at 6:07am. I loved it, so with having a really good first birth for my second i wanted him at home. So 18 months later im having contractions every 10 mins so i call the midwife, she came round felt my tummy and said it will be ages yet. 4 hrs later im in real pain i phone her to come out But shes on another homebirth and they said i had to wait. So i had no drugs, my hubby fealt sick and my sister was abit scaired cause i wanted to push. I had to wait 1hr for another midwife to come from the other side of Sheffield. She came just in time. she walked in the room i was pushing. I thought it was abit messed up and everything went to pot, i told everyone thats i thought my homebirth was cack. But now im here 14 weeks pregnant and not knowing what to do... My hubby didnt like watching the first one (and i dont blame him cause i was there when my nice was born and i thought it was horid lol) but i still felt he was there with the second cause he was just upstairs and came strait down. I dont want to leave him out (cause he has the kids to watch too) and go to the hospital but i really dont want all that messing about again what if theres no midwife this time....
What would you do?

your home birth wasnt normal i should know i was there getting ready to deliver my nephew if the midwife didnt hurry up and come lol

Hi

I had my first baby in hospital, all was fine until the last minute, literally, when the doctor decided that the baby had turned his head and wouldn't come out naturally, if it wasn't for the emergency C section, Oliver wouldn't be here now. If I had been at home, it would have been to late. I would always go to hospital.

I always thought a homebirth sounded great but my boyfriend was really against it so I agreed to have a hospital birth. A friend of mine was due at the same time and planned a homebirth. Half way through her labour the baby started struggling so she had to get blue lighted to hospital which for her is quite a distance.
When my contractions started I went to Jessops on Friday night- they let me stay even though they weren't actually contractions so I could have some morphine because I was in so much agony- baby was back to back. It was always my plan to stay at home as long into the labour as possible too. I didn't want an epidural but by Saturday morning I was begging for one. My baby started to get distressed, her heartbeat dropped suddenly and I ended up having an assisted delivery and was very very close to having an emcs. I dread to think what it would have been like if I was at home- I would've ended up going into hospital anyway but I'm sure I would've been in so much more pain- if thats possible :)
I think homebirths sound wonderful but for me I'd always go hospital after my experience.

You have to do what you feel happiest with. People will tell you horror stories but if you look at the statistics home births have excellent outcomes. I planned a home birth but when my labour slowed down my midwifes were excellent and sent me straight to the hospital, they take no chances and they kept me really well informed. I hope this helps, being in control is the most important thing. If your happiest in the hospital i wouldn't worry about anyone elses comfort they'll get over it.

You can opt to have a home birth and change your mind at any time. And i'm sure if you explain all your concerns based on your previous experience your midwife will do her best to make sure it is better planned this time. Do you have a close friend who can be with you at home when you go into labour? That way your husband can stay upstairs (or wherever) with the other children and you'll have someone you're know with you until the midwife gets there.

Alternatively you could look into going to a birthing unit where you come home after a couple of hours (and let someone else have all the mess).

It's your decision but if you've got a good midwife she should be able to go through all the options with you so you can come to an informed decision.

Home births have good stats but then remember that anyone considered 'high risk' is unlikely to be permitted a home birth anyway - these are mostly low risk births ;)

I'm a bit shocked at the OP's story though! :o

Definately go for what you want rather than what anyone else wants you to do, after all it is your body and your baby. If you do a bit of research around birthing at home and hospital, you may feel more in control. I have to declare my interest - I am a HypnoBirthing childbirth educator, and have done loads of research around birth, and birthing at home. I would recommend that you find out, if you haven't already, about what exactly happens to your body during labour, and how your body works for you naturally to help labour along - among other things: natural release of endorphins, natural expulsion reflex, the amazing and well designed uterine muscles, the baby's head... I could go on, and would be happy to talk to you more about this if you are interested.

Anyway, my point is really this, find out about your body and how it works with your baby during labour. Books I'd highly recommend would be "Childbirth without fear" Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, "Homebirth", Nicky Wesson & "A Guide to Childbirth", Ina May Gaskin, "HypnoBirthing - The Mongon Method", Marie Mongon, or a lighter approach, which is new and really accessible is "Stand and Deliver" can't remember who it is by though. If you go for just the one I'd go for Childbirth without fear which is actually the basis of HypnoBirthing.

Loads of people will be out there telling you their stories - usually horror ones, as they are more sensational I suppose. Remember that each experience is different, and even your experiences of childbirth are different from the birth of your next lo. I would avoid all talk of negative experiences and concentrate on positive thoughts for your lo's entry into the world. There is a lot to be said for positive thinking - what the mind thinks the body will follow, and all that!
best wishes and sorry for the ramble... :)