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  |  Pregnancy  |  Labour/delivery  |  Home or hospital?
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Breastfeeding tips
Feeding and wellbeing advisor Vicki Scott provides some top tips on breastfeeding in public

Home or hospital?

continued from page 1
‘From the moment I knew I was pregnant, I wanted to have my first baby at home. I expected my midwife and GP to try and talk me out of it, but my midwife actually suggested it, and my GP thought that it was a great idea (probably because they both knew that I am terrified of doctors and hospitals).
The whole experience was great. My labour was quite long – over 33 hours. If I’d been in hospital, they would probably have intervened to speed things up, which would have scared me to death. As it was, I had a relatively easy birth with no tears. I would recommend a home birth to everybody. The midwives totally respected our wishes, and the relaxed atmosphere made the labour easier. This helped my speedy return to normal after the birth.’

Sometimes it’s not possible

‘I wanted a home birth with my second one, but as we were in temporary accommodation via the council, this wasn’t possible. It was just as well as I ended up having an emergency C-section.’

To be on the safe side

‘Speaking as a mum, I can understand your frustration. A home birth can be a wonderful experience. However, speaking as a nurse, I feel I would be more comfortable to deliver in hospital, where [the appropriate] equipment is ready and available. Unfortunately, complications can occur that do require intervention, and it’s good to have the specialists to hand.’

‘I have two wonderful daughters. I wanted to be in hospital because, if anything went wrong, then I would be in the right place for it to be dealt with promptly. Both my girls were quite big (9lb4oz and 9lb14oz). Neither had engaged fully, and both were overdue. I didn’t want a C-section but, if it proved necessary, then I wanted it done quickly.’



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