Homebirth group Spring babies/water pool advice

[welshjo86]

Hi,

I'm 30 weeks pregnant with baby no.2 and have just transferred over to have a homebirth with one of the community teams attached to King's. Very excited about it all, and have been reading some information on the internet. Met my key midwife yesterday and feel so reassured that I have made the right decision. Boyfriend is a bit worried about the whole possibility of having to transfer issue but hoping to calm him down on that one. Just wondering if anyone else in a similar situation planning a homebirth in the next few months fancied meeting up and chatting through it. Or if anyone with past experience of homebirths wanted to join too that would be great!

Also, if anyone has a previously used water pool that I could borrow/buy or recommendations about good ones that would also be very helpful. The community team have one that you can use and just pay for a new liner but it's a rigid one (with a filter). I am pretty sure the one I used at King's last time was inflatable or had soft sides because I remember leaning on it for ages. But wasn't sure about the whole issue of inflatable pools and having to top up with hot water, sounds like it could get annoying, or you just wouldn't have time. Maybe I should just buy some inflatable pillows to use with the rigid one?!

Best,

Jo

[CocoC]

Hi Jo

I had my first baby at home in early December and am now a bit of a homebirth zealot! I can honestly say I enjoyed my birth experience. Yes, really :). I'd be delighted to grab a coffee with you and talk you through my experience and what I found really helpful. I had a birthpool in a box by the way, which you are welcome to borrow (it will just require a new liner for obvious reasons!). x

[Convex]

I had my first at home and am planning the second one now, due soon.

I had to transfer in after the birth for stitches so didn't get the lovely 'tea and toast in my own bed' experience but overall glad we did it at home.

I'm probably too close to my next birth to meet up but would be happy to meet you after this one is out! My husband has gotten a few gadgets based on his experience of last time so I will let you know if they were worth it afterwards!

Which team are you with?

[simonethebeaver]

I've had two home births and also happy to chat about them to you. I also know someone who may be able to lend you a pool.

[pebbles]

I too have had both my kids at home in pools and "loved" them.

The one piece of advice I would give you though is be mentally prepared to go into hospital. My friends who have wanted home births and they haven't happened for whatever reason have really struggled mentally during and now after the birth. Sorry that this sounds negative but I think with all birth preparations, we have to be ready for all eventualities.

Please feel free to pm me if you have any questions. Good luck and I pray it all goes smoothly.

ps - my first home birth was with the East Team from Kings and they were truly wonderful.

[sarahf]

Oh well done CocoC on your home birth! You bought some maternity clothes from me a while ago and am so pleased that you also had a wonderful home birth experience.

I had a home birth with my second because my first birth had been so straightforward. In comparison, I thought that the midwife support with a home birth was incredible (I was under Brierly's care). In particular, the post-natal care was faultless and they offer so much emotional and practical support - incl. feeding. The one positive if you have to transfer to hospital is that your midwife will go with you (unless another home birth that they have to attend), so it's a bit like having a doula.

With our first birth, I did a hypnobirthing course with Kristin Haywood. I found that this helped both times but impossible to say how I would have been without the techniques! I planned to use a pool both times but thigs happened too quickly!

All the best.

[welshjo86]

Thanks so much all for your replies! Really helpful - useful to know that the pool may not even sometimes be used too, I guess it can only be good if things progress quicker than you think as long as a midwife has turned up by then! Convex, it would be great to meet up after you've had no. 2 and got over the initial newborn stages - P.M me when you're feeling human again and we can arrange something - I like the sound of gadgets :). And would be great to meet up with Coco too, and to possibly borrow your pool in a box - I'll PM you my number. SimonetheBeaver if you'd be happy to meet up too we can do it all together? Any days that you both can/can't do. I am pretty flexible.

I am under the Brieley team, met my key midwife this week and she was amazing. Makes me feel so much more confident to know that the midwives I am under are really good, have heard only positive things about them. And the postnatal care sounds great, especially as I had problems feeding last time and it was so difficult to get support as in Christmas holidays!

Think (*think*) I am pretty prepared mentally to go into hospital during or after if needed. The hospital birth I had last time was absolutely fine, had a great midwife and no complaints so I really don't mind if end up giving birth there, especially as as you say likely that the Brieley midwife will come with you. Didn't have to use postnatal ward last time so that's the only thing I am a bit dubious about. Also my son is 2, grandparents live about an hour away and can pick him up and go back to theirs, unless obviously it all happens middle of the night - and the midwife said this does often happen. Which I guess is fine, unless you do have to transfer in and then bit of a bugger waking them up and having to put them in the ambulance with you, but guess answer to that is add some stuff for them to your hospital bag just in case and grandparents will just have to be woken up whatever time it is! I am sure my son would find it all ridiculously exciting being in an ambulance if that did end up happening .

Thanks again for all your advice! Jo xx

[simonethebeaver]

Glad you're excited! Happy to meet up whenever.

[polly hope]

Hi home birthers- just been reading this thread - hope you don't mind me hijacking it Jo - I am expecting no. 2 any minute now and had number 1 at home with help of Brierly team. we have just got our our birth pool and realised it has a socking great hole in it which is proving difficult to repair - just wondered if anyone has one we can borrow - we have the liner already for Eco birth pool regular and now am without pool. I am due in a week but last one came early so would much appreciate a swift reply - many thanks and happy to chat over the phone Jo if you want to talk HB it really made sense to me and I always felt so safe a well looked after by Brierly team,

Many thanks

Polly

[welshjo86]

No worries Polly! Hope you find a replacement pool swiftly and good luck with your 2nd HB :) Jo x

[Convex]

This happened to me with my first, was kindly lent one and couldn't find all the leaks! We bought one in the end as I didn't want to risk then same thing happening with another 2nd hand pool.

Paid extra for next day delivery and baby didn't show for another 2 weeks or so!