Forum : Pregnancy

i have a 3 1/2 yr old daughter and i am 30+4 weeks pregnant, due 26 November.
with my daughter i would have loved to have had a home birth but my partner was concerned what with her being our first. we therefore compromised and i went for a midwife led delivery. the midwife led unit is just a floor down from the delivery suite at my local hospital, so it has all the comforts of home but still has medical support on hand without requiring an ambulance ride! i laboured at home for 3 days with my daughter. when i did go to hospital (the midwife led unit) i found i was already fully dilated - i was thrilled! i had managed my labour at home, without pain relief and i was so close to delivering naturally too! the lights were dim in the room, there was a lovely bed, not a hospital bed, i had access to whatever i wanted (snacks, drinks etc just as you said for a home birth) and it was just like being at home. it was just me, my partner and the midwife. however, after 3 hours of pushing complications did happen and i ended up being taken up to the delivery unit, put on a syntocinon drip, given an epidural and a forceps delivery as my darling daughter had turned her head sideways and had got a bit stuck! i was a bit upset as it hadnt quite ended the way i had wanted it to but nevertheless a lovely experience!
i would love to have a home birth for this baby but due to what happened last time my partner wont let me. i told him that what happened before was a one off and the chances are this one will be fine, but he isnt having any of it! it's a shame as i know i can manage labour without pain relief but i will therefore be going for a midwife led birth again as a compromise.
as i said, i really liked it, it was just like being at home. although i would like a home birth, i do feel comforted knowing that medical help is literally a lift ride up a floor to the delivery unit! the hospital environment isnt particularly comfortable, but a midwife led unit is! the only down side to it is that once you've had your baby and if there werent any complications then it's 6 hours before you can be discharged, where of course with a home birth you are straight into your own bed. on the other side of that, with a 6 hour discharge there is chance for support from midwives with breastfeeding etc and you wont get that with a home birth - i think they tend to leave after only a couple of hours as they are still on duty for other call outs to home births etc. you'll need to check what arrangements are made for after birth with your own midwife
obviously with a home birth you are very restricted on your pain relief. but if there are any complications the midwives will obviously get you in to hospital as quickly as possible. your partner will be able to stay with you throughout even if you have a hospital birth though.
dont know if that helps you at all, but that is my story!