Domino birth, can you shed some light???

Hi All,

I had an appointment with my midwife on Friday and we were talking about birthing options (I'm nearly 22 weeks and this is baby number 2) and as she knew I was keen on a homebirth but this is not an option for us as my husband is really really not comfortable with it.

Maggie, my mw, said that a Domino birth would be a good idea for us. She said that the community mw comes to your house to assess you before you go to Jessop. She said I could have a water birth if it's free and come home a couple of hours later.

This all sounds great, my questions are (I know I should have asked them at the appointment but I forgot)

Does the midwife come with you to the hospital and deliver the baby (all being well) or do you just go to the Jessop yourself and have one of the mw there deliver the baby?

How long is a few hours after the birth?

Is it more likely to be able to have a water birth if your own midwife comes with you?

Thanks guys any other info would be fab!

Anne xx

It is my understanding that a domino service is where the midwife who comes to assess you at home will then accompany you into hospital.

In my opinion all women should be offered a domino service because you are then guaranteed 'one to one' care from a midwife. Also if your labours cracking on and you decide to stay at home it's not a problem because you have a midwife.

Regarding the pool at Jessop Wing I understand that it is often in use but if your midwife phones ahead and asks them to prepare it for your arrival then you might have a better chance than most.

I think if all goes well you should be able to leave hospital within 6 hours of the birth.

Homebirth is fantastic and if you want to chat with other mums who have had homebirths in Sheffield then please join http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SheffieldHomeBirth/ for lots of information and support.

I could also arrange for my husband to talk to your husband about homebirth if you think that might help! He certainly took some persuading but wouldn't think twice about homebirth if we had anymore.

Michelle.

Domino = Domicillary In Out. The CM will come and assess you at home, transfer to hospital to deliver you, and then you will come home very soon after delivery - around 6 hours - can be as early as a couple of hours in theory, but in practice baby has to have first exam etc, and so more likely to be the 6 hours.

Hi Michelle, thanks for the offer but this really is not an option for us and I really like the sound of the Domino. I thought you got your/community midwife to come with you and deliver the baby. I really like the sound of this. Also your more likely to get a water birth as you have 1 on 1 care from your own midwife. You can only have a water birth if there is enough midwives at Jessop to do this (and it's free) as normally in labour it's two mums to one midwife and in the pool you need one midwife to yourself.

I'm now feeling calmer about it all now, despite my bad dreams!

I don't know much about the domino birth but I have been told that the min stay in hosp is 6hrs, as your baby needs vital checks ect. I want to stay in hospital as long as its possible

I was in 5 days with my daughter and this way seems like a compromise as I'm not having a homebirth which I would have really liked.

Yours will be here sooner than mines, it's so exciting isn't it?

I'm excited. But i'm scared too. I've been told to come home as soon as you can and i don't want to I need all the help I can get. Like on daft stuff like starting to breastfeed and also i've never in my life changed a boys nappy! I've changed so many girls nappys, but never a boys. And I know they have 'sensitive' bits ect. So scary the fact i'm going to have the responsibility of such a small and tiny babies life! By the size of me he ain't going to be tiny at all.. Ahh, i'm sure it'll all be fine!