Beginners guide to Home Births

Home Birth. My first thought would of been only hippies have homebirths, well I was totally wrong.

When I found out I was pregnant for the 3rd time it was a surprised shock. We were only only trying for 2 months and it took 6 months on our daughter, so I assumed it would take the same time or longer.

It was New Years Day when I peed on that stick and being my 3rd I knew the routine or so I thought.
At 27 going on 28 in July and already a mother of two, Jack 5, Emily 2, with both pregnancy's being straight forward and fast labours, (Jack 5 hours and a week early, Emily 2 hours and 3 days over induction) I knew how things would go this time, and hopefully the same as the others.

The day that changed everything was when I was talking with my best friend J, she asked would I not think about a homebirth seeing as both previous had been so great, I said " No way, I HAVE to have my baby in hospital!!" but i said Id look into it, to which I did.

I looked up on the Home Birth Association of Ireland web page, I read some info and looked up the midwives I saw a name I recognised Mary Cronin, so at 7pm  that night I rang Mary to see what the protocol was. Never did I think that, that phone call would not only change my birth plan but also my opinions on parenting and the way babies are just amazing.

So what did Mary say that changed everything well firstly she was so welcoming on the phone. She told me that the HSE will cover the cost of it. Which was great because as we all know babies are expensive enough themselves.
The process itself is very simple, I must get signed off by a consultant in CUMH first, and that's it. I meet Mary instead for all my hospital appointments and just go to my GP as normal throughout my pregnancy.
She told me the risk of having a homebirth but personally I dont like to focus on the negative and this could also happen in hospital but obviously in hospital you are closer to doctors if anything were to go wrong.but when I do go into labour she rings the ambulance to let them know Ive started labour so they are on stand by for the "just in case" scenario.

We made an appointment to meet when I was 8 weeks and I made my hospital appointment to be have my dating scan and to be signed off.
When I met Mary for the first time she welcomed me with a warm hug and a huge smile on her face, I was nervous because I didnt know what to expect. We went through my birth history, and she said Im an ideal candidate for homebirth. Our meeting went on for over 2 hours we just talked a little about everything just my life in general. I guess it was us getting to know each other, because after all this is the woman who is going to deliver my baby so I needed to feel safe and comfortable. Which I did. I felt I could tell her anything and to my suprise I let her in, which for me is a big deal.

When  I went home that evening it was all I could talk about. I was so excited that I was going to have my baby at home, in my own house. That my son and daughter could wake up one morning and their sibling will be there in our home. Minutes after she was born. That I could watch TV during labour or listening to whatever music I like, eat real food not hospital crap. That I can have a shower in MY shower, or that I didnt have to worry about what to pack in my hospital bag, I could have who I wanted there, take pictures or video it all, but the best part of all was I get to sleep in my own bed. Have my baby and then climb into my bed and have my husband by side through it all. It was what I looked forward to the most so snuggle up in bed with my baby and my husband.

Our next encounter was in the hospital where the consultant signed us off. I got the green light, I was over the moon and a little bit like "OK so this is actually going to happen". Our dating scan showed I was too early to see baby clearly, so had to go back 3 weeks later and baby was perfect. these were the only scans I had throughout my pregnancy which was something I had to get used to cause on my previous pregnancy I had a scan on most of my visits. So I leaned to just trust my body that it was doing everything right and baby was growing perfectly.

My pregnancy was textbook. Felt baby move. Belly grew with each month that passed. I really enjoyed my pregnancy, I felt amazing. Our bodies are truly gifted.

So as my belly grew, my knowledge of home births and pregnancy and life after baby grew too. As a third time mom I thought I knew all I need to know about pregnancy and birth, but this whole experience has opened my eyes to a whole new world.