Hi all,

My first two children were precipitate labours (3hrs start to finish with my first and an hour and a half for the second). I had the most horrid journey to hospital last time - we started getting to the car the moment I had my first contraction, but it's over 40 minutes away and I needed to push twenty minutes into the journey so spent the rest of the time desperately fighting the urge to push. So I've decided to go for a home birth this time as I can't face another journey like that one!

The midwives have warned me that it may take them up to an hour to get to me, and I'm worried that could be too long. Of course, I may not have such a fast labour this time, but does anyone have any tips on how to cope with this in home birth?

Thanks,

Welly

I had a client who we anticipated would labour quickly. As soon as she looked like she as getting into established labour we called to give the mws an hours head start. She gave birth 3 hours after her waters went, 1 hour 40 mins from the onset of ctx and about 1 hour 10 of established labour. I don't think it would be outrageous of you to call them pretty much as soon as labour started to ensure even if they were delayed they would be there.

Hi

I had a homebirth in march last year, i bought a book called juju sundins birth skills and the information given in the book was a massive help to me during labour, i learnt about distraction techniques that enabled me to resist the urge to push during my labour...but at the same time...when baby is coming it is coming and it is very hard to ignore your bodies cues. in regards to what your midwife has said...this is an estimate and chances are that it may not take that long for them to meet you during labour. i would research homebirth as much as possible and also research hypnobirthing and distraction techniques before making a final decision. i have a cousin who is a paramedic and he has delivered a few babies now at home when the midwifery team couldnt attend quick enough, all of them happy and healthy but there are always risks no matter where you give birth. you really need to weigh up the pros and cons...imagine a mock scenario's for either side....if you need more information about homebirth the nct have some information on their website and also the homebirth.org website is brilliant for answering questions and flicking through other womens birth stories etc

x

I think if you're considering hospital that's 40 mins away versus home then you have to not only consider a scenario where you have a difficult journey to the hospital but also potentially giving birth in the car at the side of the road. A planned home birth where the baby beats the mws is probably preferable to an unassisted roadside birth where no one knows exactly where you are.....a woman fighting against her urges to birth is not a good thing at all....in fact it can be quite dangerous.

I'm facing the same issue and I started educating myself as if I was planning an unassisted birth - lots of videos for position etc and website what to do if things go wrong.
I am planning on calling midwife and husband as soon as I can tell its labour, then unlock the door, fill the tub and hop in. If they make it in time it would be a big bonus!

i had an unassisted birth a month ago the Mw's said they wouldnt be able to send someone we were insistent that we werent coming in and that we expected someone to come as per advice but they still never showed up and when i knew i was very close to delivery my OH called the ambulance the plan was to have them arrive just as i was "too far " to be transfered as i had been informed that this is what they would want to try to do if they assessed i wasnt close to delivering but even they didnt make it.
Read up loads on unassisted birthing and techniques and stuff, thankfully ive always had an interest in birth so have done lots of research over the years and both DH and I have first aid training and CRP for infants training so I was sure we could cope till help arrived if things didnt go as well as we hoped but AJ arrived nicely with no fuss and started breathing with no problems at all. I trusted that my body knew what to do and let the labour take control rather than trying to control it and Honestly i wouldnt change a thing about his birth it was perfect just me and DH and the Ambulance dispatcher (on the phone to DH )

Thanks all, I'll look into unassisted births and also the distraction techniques. I think it'll be better to potentially be at home without a midwife than in the car. I guess if I go into labour when my husband is at work, then it'll be 40 mins before he gets home then another 40 mins to the hospital, so that'll be totally hopeless.

Watch this space for me to post about my 26 hour labour!

Welly x