On 6 Sep, 20:54, Owain wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
oblong wrote:
I'm planning a home birth
Why don't you just go to hospital like normal people?

Well, this is a DIY group.

Owain

(I am the OP, I posted using wrong account before)

lol! Yes, all you uk-diy-ers ought to be well into home births!

Thanks for the (relevant) responses, I'm reassured, I'll put the pool
over the load-bearing wall as it's a reasonable place to put it
anyway.

Regarding home birth.. I can't let some of the comments go un-
answered! Homebirth is as safe as hospital birth for normal low-risk
births based on the statistics, this is with trasfers to hospital
taken into account. Obviously hospital is needed in some situations
but these things rarely happen suddenly without warning. This is my
fourth baby but first home birth. First three very straight-forward
but hospital was just a really unpleasant experience for me, I really
want the full attention of a midwife and to be in my own relaxing
surroundings. The only differences for me will be...

a) I'll have the full attention of a midwife throughout
b) I'll be able to use the pool for relaxation and pain relief (have
used before but not allowed last time due to hospital staff issues -
def. does give pain relief, at least it did to me)
c) I won't have to travel in the middle of labour and then possibly
wait around and argue to be allowed into the delivery suite.
d) I'll be able to move around and not forced to lie on a bed being
monitored
e) I'll avoid not-needed interventions (experienced twice)
f) It'll be a great experience as opposed to a mildly traumatic one.

If you want to know more, this site expains it much better than I ever
could: http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

Having had three children, I've heard lots of women's experiences of
birth and I've rarely (actually maybe even never, I can't think of
one) heard a positive account of a **normal** hospital birth and have
never heard a negative account of a home birth, even the two that
resulted in transfer to hospital. Obviously the hospital stuff is
crucial when things go wrong and we're lucky to have all that too -
wouldn't want to be without it.

Thanks for all the comments.

jb.