Hello girls, I have left it a little late in the day but have just decided a home birth is going to be our best option. I have always liked the idea and always been set on having a birthing pool so it makes sense for childcare reasons. I am just waiting for mw to get back to me to confirm its ok as I just moved into a new area with hubby.

All family is literally 2-2 1/2 hours away and I have a couple for friends but not close to watch DD if there is an emergency and I have to go into hospital or if baby comes to quick for family to get here as I really dont want DS here in the final stages of labour incase it upsets her or she tries to get in the pool

Anyone got any advice or been in my situation with a toddler, how were they around the pool? Do you do think its still doable to arrange a home birth at 35 weeks? I think I have found a pool t buy from a friend of a friend who wasn't able to home birth. Also, my waters broke and I never really went into Labour with DD and was induced with the drip and because my bp went really high as my body went into shock I had an epi and I am worried I wont cope any positive thoughts? I have never really experienced progressive labour, it was just back to back contractions from the off.

doh! wrong place!

Hi GossipGirly,

Did anybody respond to this post? Did it move to another section?

My youngest children haven't been as young as your toddler when I waterbirthed but they were all fine throught labour and birth. They helped set up the pool then carried on as usual playing etc. pretty much ignoring me. OH got them food etc. then at the very end they came to the edge of the pool and were very interested and completely occupied by watching what was going on so at that stage nobody needed to do anything for them.

They didn't try to get into the pool but I wouldn't have minded if they had done that as it was big enough. They did talk a little bit but not so much that it disturbed me. Just little comments about the water in the pool was warm and the baby was going to be coming out soon. They never got upset at me being in pain and I think that was because my OH and their older siblings were so chilled about it so there was no sense of panic or that anything wrong was happening. They didn't even need to be reimded to ask OH for stuff rather than me as usual. I think me on all fours rocking and very distracted opposed to OH who was in his usual state was reminder enough.

However, I did have my sister there especially as a support person for the children just in case they were disturbing me or I was upsetting them. She would have taken them out for a bit if needed or stayed with them at home if I transferred. Also, my kids are really calm children. We played it by ear and as they were fine we kept them around and it was wonderful to have them there.

To me it was important to have options as you can't anticipate how it will go. Can you hire a doula or another person just as back up in case you need them? Sometimes tranee doulas will work for free for the experience. How are your little ones with strangers? Most kids are fine around birthing Mum but I have heard of some getting upset and I can imagine that would be really tough on everybody in the middle of a birthing particularly if there were complications. We have a service here called Dial-an-angel which is fast emergency childcare and I think I would have falled back on their services if my sister hadn't been able to be there for me.

I hope you have a fantastic birth.