I am very pro home birth - given the right circumstances of course! I was lucky enough to have my fourth child Phoebe in the comfort of my own home, and would like to share my experience. The week leading up to the birth, I was feeling fed up, and was anxious I wouldn't have everything ready for the (last minute) planned home water birth. I was frantically nesting! The day before, I'd been feeling pretty rough and had to keep going to the toilet, and by the evening was having random pains which I assumed were just very strong braxton hicks, but must have actually been very early contractions. During the night/early hours I couldn't get comfortable ...  Read the complete review

This is a subject close to my heart as I was lucky enough to have my second child, my son Sebastian at home six weeks ago. Having had my daughter in hospital with disinterested staff, a midwife only for the last hour of labour and an awful postnatal experience I was terrified at the thought of having to have my next baby in the hospital again. Thankfully as I had a very supportive midwife and a husband who had seen what the first labour had done to me and was 100% behind me, I booked a homebirth at 16 weeks. What is a homebirth? As the name suggests you labour and deliver at home with a midwife, only transferring to a hospital if an emergency ...  Read the complete review

Having a home birth was one of the best experiances in my life so far. i am a mother of three, and had my first two babies in hospital and had a home birth with my third. why did i want a home birth?.....i didnt have bad or horrible experiances having my first two daughters in hospital, there are a few different reasons why i decided to have a home birth first one being.... i just dont like hospitals! i remember when i was younger i fainted in one visiting my sister and every snce then i have always felt uncomfortable and nervous. My first two births were about 6 and 7 hours long, everything ran smoothly and i had gas and air and then i got to the ...  Read the complete review

With my 1st being nervous about the whole experience I opted for a hospital birth despite being given the choice, good job I did as went into labour a month early and had him 6hours later. Thorughout the labour the care was poor and the aftercare was none existant to the extent I didnt see a midwife for 12hrs after moving down to the post natal ward. It was then I asked for help breastfeeding to be told they were short and were some bottles in the fridge. I felt so let down. Even before I fell pregnant with my 2nd last year I had decide I wanted a homebirth, I had the same midwife and she was really supportive as was very pro homebirths, although we did agree ...  Read the complete review

My first birth at Frimley Park hospital was traumatic. Dont get me wrong, it was pretty much textbook as far as the actual birth was concerned, no complications, just a really long 3 day labour. Apart from the overwhelming pain of childbirth which, as a first time mother I had not prepared for, I was also treated very badly. My midwife (whom id never met before) was hardly at the birth, she seemed to wander in and out to check the machine she strapped me to, didnt really ask how I was feeling or offer me any encouragement, advice or support. I was left sucking on gas and air till I demanded to have an epidural. I was not made aware of when I was able to ...  Read the complete review