I had a home birth and was really glad I did.
Anything in particular that you would like to know?
In general, I was feeling very lathargic but restless during the day, tried to have a nap after lunch but couldn't settle, so gave up and went to Tesco's (the cats didn't like the whiska's I had got them so had to get them some more catfood). Feeling quite uncomfortable and starting to get period type pains when I got there so I grabbed a packaged sandwich for my OH just in case. Got to the checkout and was reasonably sure it was labour pains I was feeling so called OH a bit before 4pm from the queue to ask him to leave work then (he was 1hr 15mins drive away at best). I finally got home and asked my neighbour to come round a stay with me and help me put the TENS machine on. I sat on the fit ball which helped. I tried timing my contractions but they were 3mins apart which didn't seem right by what I was told. Decided to call the number anyway, told them the timings but that I wasn't sure because the contractions didn't last for that long. Every labour is different and that I was probably in labour any they were sending someone around for assessment. He arrived 5pm about 15mins before my OH got home. He examined me and said I was only 1cm dilated. He recommended a hot bath, so my OH ran one for me and I was only in there for about 15mins before I couldn't stand it anymore and had to sit on my fit ball again. Midwife re-examined me saying there wasn't likely to be much change, and was shocked to discover I was then 5cm dilated. He called for the other midwife to come with gas and air. She didn't arrive until about 30mins before LO turned up as she was fighting Reading area traffic. My LO was officially 5 days overdue when I went into labour and when the midwife broke my waters (as they hadn't completely broken on their own) there was signs of meconium in the waters. He said the baby was nearly there (I had been getting urges to push already), but because of this I should probably transfer to hospital. He gave me the choice do we push her out quickly or do we get an ambulance. There was no way I wanted to be in the back of an ambulance by this point so obviously I said stay. 2 pushes later and her head was out. He said he would tell me when to stop pushing when her head was out so he could check the cord wasn't around her neck. He didn't tell me to push (my OH said he had turned away for something), but you can tell when the head is through so I stopped anyway. Next push and she was out fully. The midwife gave her straight to my OH while I rested briefly on the edge of the bed (I had been standing up while in labour). They checked over LO first, then encouraged me to deliver the placenta. Once that was done I layed down and my OH gave me Ellie. They checked me over while I was holding her and trying to feed her. They then told me that I had tears and needed stitches but they didn't feel confident about them - he said "I am not even sure where this bit comes from". So they called an ambulance and we went to hospital. We all finally left there at 2am.
He also said he much rather do home births than be on the ward.
