I would love to hear advice on laboring at home

[Corina1987]

This is my first baby. I am due april 5. I want to labor for the most part at home. Tell me about your experience. Thank you!

[NDFanatik]

With my hospital birth I just stayed until I started losing focus with the real world, lol- that was 23hrs into my labor.  Had a 1hr drive to the hosp and got there 30mins before she was born. At home I just did normal things (cooking, cleaning, watching Blues Clues with kiddo) until I couldn't anymore, and then after that I focused on relaxing, doing anything that felt good, and spent a good amt of time in my bath tub).

Labored entirely at home the next time because I had a homebirth ;)  I recommend that, lo.. 

[Corina1987]

Thank you for sharing. That is very interesting. I never knew that you can go backwards in dilation. That's crazy you got pulled over at a time like that. I hope I feel empowered too. I'm excited to give birth but that's because I don't know how it exactly feels yet lol. I had painful pre term labor 7 hours sat and I slept through some of it too. It kept waking me up though. I hope you hav a great second birth too! Thank u for your well wishes. Some other people mentioned those books too. I have to buy them asap. Thanks!

Quoting Mitzi31:

I did a water birth at a birth center but I tried to do most of my laboring at home. I had no idea what to really expect. I read LOTS of books but that still didn't help to know what I'd feel until the time came since everyone is different.

THe best thing to do is relax. Lay on a couch or bed and focus on breathing (not lamaze breathing since that can actually bring your heart rate up which you don't want). Breathe deep and slow. Try your best NOT to tense up during a contraction. I dilated really quick at home and was a little worried we needed to leave earlier but when I got there I was only a 2. Luckily they kept me and gave me 2 hours to get to a 4 and I did. I KNOW I was dilated more than a 2 when I left home but it was an hour drive and you can actually go backwards in dilating if you're stressed. We ended up getting pulled over and then got an escort so I was so excited that my contractions started going backwards. When I was there and able to relax again I started dilating quickly. So don't worry about being in the car on the way to the hospital... it's very unlikely especially with a first baby that you'll deliver in the car. You're adrenaline kicks and usually keeps that from happening.

Listen to soft music. That helped me a lot. I was actually going to sleep in between contractions. Don't get me wrong it was painful and I was waking up during the contraction but every minute of sleep you can get is good. You will need it cause birthing is exhausting but you get this rush afterwards that is AMAZING!! I was on cloud nine! I took a shower an hour after giving birth and went home 4 hours after that. DD is 6 months now and I'm ready to get pregnant again. Honeslty the birthing was sooo empowering. I'm actually looking forward to it again! :-)

Good luck! You'll do great!

I read these books while pregnant and they were great!

Ina May's guide to natural child birth

Susan McCutcheon Nathural birth the Bradley way (this one is more technical and tells you HOW child brith happens which is very knowledgeable)

[Corina1987]

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you timed it perfectly. I hope I can know when to go into the hospital too. Maybe one day I will try home birth. You had contractions the whole 23 hours?

Quoting NDFanatik:

With my hospital birth I just stayed until I started losing focus with the real world, lol- that was 23hrs into my labor.  Had a 1hr drive to the hosp and got there 30mins before she was born. At home I just did normal things (cooking, cleaning, watching Blues Clues with kiddo) until I couldn't anymore, and then after that I focused on relaxing, doing anything that felt good, and spent a good amt of time in my bath tub).

Labored entirely at home the next time because I had a homebirth ;)  I recommend that, lo.. 

[NDFanatik]

Yep.  Woke up at 4am with them and they got progressively stronger over the next 25hrs until baby came :)  23hrs of that was at home.  I recommend a doula to help you figure out the timing- mine was the one who was like "Amy, get out of the tub.  If you want to make it we need to go now." 

Quoting Corina1987:

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you timed it perfectly. I hope I can know when to go into the hospital too. Maybe one day I will try home birth. You had contractions the whole 23 hours?

Quoting NDFanatik:

With my hospital birth I just stayed until I started losing focus with the real world, lol- that was 23hrs into my labor.  Had a 1hr drive to the hosp and got there 30mins before she was born. At home I just did normal things (cooking, cleaning, watching Blues Clues with kiddo) until I couldn't anymore, and then after that I focused on relaxing, doing anything that felt good, and spent a good amt of time in my bath tub).

Labored entirely at home the next time because I had a homebirth ;)  I recommend that, lo.. 

[Corina1987]

Were you timing contractions or did they not get very close or were they close the whole time?

Quoting NDFanatik:

Yep.  Woke up at 4am with them and they got progressively stronger over the next 25hrs until baby came :)  23hrs of that was at home.  I recommend a doula to help you figure out the timing- mine was the one who was like "Amy, get out of the tub.  If you want to make it we need to go now." 

Quoting Corina1987:

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you timed it perfectly. I hope I can know when to go into the hospital too. Maybe one day I will try home birth. You had contractions the whole 23 hours?

Quoting NDFanatik:

With my hospital birth I just stayed until I started losing focus with the real world, lol- that was 23hrs into my labor.  Had a 1hr drive to the hosp and got there 30mins before she was born. At home I just did normal things (cooking, cleaning, watching Blues Clues with kiddo) until I couldn't anymore, and then after that I focused on relaxing, doing anything that felt good, and spent a good amt of time in my bath tub).

Labored entirely at home the next time because I had a homebirth ;)  I recommend that, lo.. 

[NDFanatik]

I never actively timed my ctx. At one point mid day, they were about 7-10 mins apart just from general glancing at clock during my daily routine between ctx. My doula was the first one who timed them when she arrived at my home 21hrs into the labor- they never got regular though. It went like 2mins 3 2 4 2 6 4 3 5 2 2 7 4 3 up until I started pushing.

I didnt time my ctx with my last birth either- just kind of went with it.

Quoting Corina1987:

Were you timing contractions or did they not get very close or were they close the whole time?

Quoting NDFanatik:

Yep.  Woke up at 4am with them and they got progressively stronger over the next 25hrs until baby came :)  23hrs of that was at home.  I recommend a doula to help you figure out the timing- mine was the one who was like "Amy, get out of the tub.  If you want to make it we need to go now." 

Quoting Corina1987:

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you timed it perfectly. I hope I can know when to go into the hospital too. Maybe one day I will try home birth. You had contractions the whole 23 hours?

Quoting NDFanatik:

With my hospital birth I just stayed until I started losing focus with the real world, lol- that was 23hrs into my labor.  Had a 1hr drive to the hosp and got there 30mins before she was born. At home I just did normal things (cooking, cleaning, watching Blues Clues with kiddo) until I couldn't anymore, and then after that I focused on relaxing, doing anything that felt good, and spent a good amt of time in my bath tub).

Labored entirely at home the next time because I had a homebirth ;)  I recommend that, lo.. 

[Corina1987]

Update! On march 2 at 35 weeks pregnant with my first baby at 25years old, i went to visit a friend who worked in a hospital and as I was about to leave my water broke right there by the lobby. We rushed up to the labor delivery floor getting my water all over the elevator. This wasnt even my hospital.I gave them my birth plan and it was followed very close to what I wanted. I only had antibiotics and fluids by iv. I refused pitocin and all pain meds. My blood pressure wad high so I had to remain in bed.Luckily labor was progressing on its own. After a very intense hard labor and much screaming, my baby was born over 17 hours after my water broke on march3. As I held him,the nicu woman told me they would have to stay a week and be monitered away from me. She took him and checked him over. I heard her saying in disbelief that he looked great and wouldnt need nicu afterall. He weighed 5 lbs 12oz and was 18 1/2 inches. He got to room with me. When it was time for his check up before discharge, they realized he was jaundice and had lost too much weight. I was told we had to stay another day atleast and I had to supplement similac instead of exclusively breastfeeding. He had to be put under lights for jaundice. I cried alot and visited him every 3 hours to breast and bottle feed. The next day he got checked up and had bounced back. He was able to go home. We had his first check up yesterday and he has gained back his birth weight and is doing great. Nobody knows why my water broke so early,maybe my body did that to avoid preeclampsia. I just feel so blessed and happy!