Discovery Home & Health

Hi ya guys,

Whta does everyone think off this programme, i find it all a bit boring really, cos most of the other programmes have some sort of diary of what they do at home anyway!

Smint

I have to admit that I am facinated by people that want to have a home birth. I couldn't think of anything worse! I am amazed by how many people want their children to be apart of the birth too, it was traumatising for my husband, I can only wonder what goes through a child's mind seeing their mums in so much pain!

I guess I am just not new-age enough. Give me a hospital bed and all the facilities available as back-up should the unexpected happen.

Hi Victoria,

I agree, id rather be in hosital, just icae anything happens, and i dont think i can have so many people watch me give birth at home!

Smint

i found it fantastic, very informative and shows that birth doesn't have to be traumatic to any of the family. it has made me feel that i would like my next baby at home as it is safer (no nasty hospital bugs) less likely to need any help and i can get on with my life afterwards. watching these programs we can see that normal labour and birth is a private thing, and being at home is very private. ok so maybe i would not want a camera person there, but let my labour slowly build and birth my baby without having to show my bits to whom ever walks through the door. as the unexpected is expected in hospital, it often happens just for that reason.

miss hooley

Its a great programme, you get to see birth the way its supposed to be. No unnecessary intervention, no unnecessary time limits etc.

My next birth is going to be a home birth and whilst I might not want a camera crew to be there I will be more than happy for the midwives to be there as well as my daughter and husband.

Considering the fact that hoebirths are at least as safe as hospital births, I know which one I would pick.

Katie

I watched Homebirth diaries and thought it was lovely. I had two homebirths (18 & 19 years ago) and it reminded me what a great experience it was. I loved being able to snuggle in bed with my baby and husband afterwards, I decided who was in the room when I gave birth, my other children got to meet the baby straight away and I didn't catch any nasty bugs (unlike my hospital experiences). Also, the midwife was with me all the time and asked me before she did anything. I can definitely say it is less painful.

We should have more programmes showing how wonderful childbirth can be instead of all the high-tech emergency stuff we get from programmes like Holby.

JM2P

Gill

I had a home waterbirth with my son last July (after a hospital birth with my daughter) and it was the most amazing thing I could have done! It's so relaxed and YOU are in control. No following hospital protocols, no risk of MRSA, your own surroundings to do what you want in....the list goes on. In a low risk pregnancy homebirth is as safe if not safer than hospital.

I had my mum there, my husband and my 2 1/2 year old daughter was around, but in bed. She would have loved to have seen the birth and had been avidly watching videos of birth that we had discussed together. My 2 mw's were fntastic, and they had no other women to tend to - another bonus!

I feel priviledged to watch Homebirth Diaries and found then inspirational and moving. Homebirth is a very intimate thing (no bright lights, bleeping machines, medical staff breezing in and out prodding and poking) and if Bernadette Bos is still filming them when I come to have my next baby I will be inviting her round too as after seeing her work I regret not taking her up on it this time.

Birth is not all Holby City! It has nothing to do with being New Age, just wanting a relaxed, natural atmosphere for you babiy's first view of the world.

I'm staggered people here think hospital birth is a safer/better option than home. What on earth do you base your information on? Episodes of Holby City? What a shame women are so prepared to hand over their bodies and minds and their babies to total strangers in the belief these strangers know them better than they know themselves. Give me more empowered women in Home Birth Diaries any day and less of the rubbish and abuse perpetuated by Portland babies and the like.

Victoria, birth shouldn't be traumatic - it should be a beautiful, calm incredible experience. Perhaps if you hadn't been in the hospital setting you wouldn't have been so traumatised and neither would your husband. Get real! Incidentally, things go wrong in hospital because of the interventions that happen. At home, your body does what it is designed to do itself, hence, no drama, no trauma

I have loved watching homebirth diaries and can't wait for the next lot. It is so great to see natural, non-intervention, births on the television.

I have had two babies in hospital and one at home and my homebirth was the most wonderful experience. I was on my territory, I had constant midwifery care, and best of all my older children met their brother minutes after he was born. I shall never forget my middle one running out into the street and shouting to his sister and my mum "I've got a baby brother!"

Please Discovery Health, keep making programmes like this which show birth as a normal event.

I think they've been fantastic & inspiring personally -would much rather watch women giving birth calmly at home that strapped to machines that go beep. My husband hates me watching birth on TV normally as I shout at the TV! (usually something like " get her off the bed, get mobile, no wonder she's having problems")

I had a Caesarean with my first ( not through choice!) and a hospital vaginal birth with #2 . #3 was at home -fantastic experience, and I'm planning HB again for #4.


Home birth is safe birth and good on DH for showing NORMAL BIRTH instead of the other Holby City type scenarios.

I think Homebirth Diaries is great. How refreshing to see birth being treated as a normal (although special) event. My children were in the house when I gave birth to my last baby, and are not traumatised at all - although I don't doubt they would be traumatised if they had been at a hospital birth! I certainly feel that way many years after giving birth in hospital.

As one of the midwives said, Homebirth is as safe, if not safer than a hospital birth for a normal pregnancy. It is wonderful to have the same midwife there throughout - no shift changes, fabulous not to have to travel somewhere in a car (uncomfortable while pregnany, agony while in labour) when labouring, comforting to have all your own things around you, and just fabulous to get into your own bed (no plastic mattress and pillow covers!) with your new family.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Victoria
[br

I guess I am just not new-age enough. Give me a hospital bed and all the facilities available as back-up should the unexpected happen.

---

How sad to read that you and Smint do not trust your bodies enough to do what it is so beautifully designed to do. Very sad.

Anyone who saw my first hospital birth which was a long labour ending in an emergency c/s would have been traumatised to a certain degree. Anyone who saw my hospital VBAC would have been touched, but everyone who saw my twin's HBAC was inspired, moved, motivated and empowered. I know it was having the at home that allowed me to achieve what I did. The hospital wanted to rip me open as they didn't trust my body - and their dis-trust was for no good reason.

I love Homebirth Diaries and can't wait for the next episodes! I hope it inspires more people to believe how normal and special birth is and that our bodies can give birth without being in hospital.

quote:

---

Originally posted by mrsbridgewater
[br] My children were in the house when I gave birth to my last baby, and are not traumatised at all

---

my older two are begging to be present at the birth this time -they've never quite forgiven us for not waking them to be there for #3 -They were in the next door room (it was, 4am, all quite speedy and no midwife there so I think we can be forgiven !)

I can't see that they'd be tramatised by a normal natural birth in their own home... stuff that happens in hospital is **infinitely** more scary!