giving birth alone

[jerrydog]

Partly through choice and partly through necessity I will be giving birth alone. just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. I was planning to get a taxi but I don't know if this a good idea might stress me and poor taxi driver out as it's a 12 mile drive. Any response appreciated

[CSLewis]

Hi Jerrydog, is this your first birth? Are you planning on staying at home alone?

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Do you mean a homebirth with midwives? Or completely by yourself?

[Mumof3xox]

I think she means at a hospital? Due to the taxi ride

[jerrydog]

I mean at hospital. So midwives etc will be present but no birth partner

[CSLewis]

My best birth (I actually enjoyed it!) was the one where I was most 'alone'. The midwife didn't arrive in time, I laboured alone in the bath apart from the very last 5-10 mins, when my DH was really annoyingly on the phone to the paramedics and relaying their really unhelpful instructions. I'd have much preferred him to stay out of the room for the whole thing (I laboured and gave birth in the bath).

That may not sound ideal, but I felt very calm and in control of (almost) the whole process. Very weirdly, I'd had quite a strong premonition all throughout the pregnancy that I might end up birthing alone, and had read a lot of birth stories about unattended/unassisted birth, what to do if the baby doesn't breathe after birth, what positions to try in the event of shoulder dystocia, etc, so I felt very well prepared.

HOWEVER, that was my fifth birth, and my fourth at home, and I have a particular type of labour (pretty rapid), which by that point I was fairly expert upon - and I am the sort of person who always does a lot of reading and research, and is very self-sufficient during labour, not needing or wanting much support from others.

Sorry for the essay: I suppose my main point is that it depends very much on YOU; your mental attitude, your level of 'experience', the kinds of labours you may have already had, etc. HTH.

[CSLewis]

Is this your first birth?

[jerrydog]

This is my second child and my partner was there for first delivery but won't be present at this birth which is my choice. I could ask my sister or mum as we r close but I just don't really want them there if I'm honest.

[CSLewis]

Sorry Jerrydog, I was writing my post when you posted that you'd be at the hospital. I suppose the only tricky thing is not knowing if you'll 'click' with whomever ends up being your midwife. Your own birth partner Would be a known quantity (even if you don't think they'll be much help), and sometimes familiarity is what you need. There's not really any way of knowing what/who you'll want until you're actually in labour - and in that sense you're in the same boat as everybody else!

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Would you consider having a doula?

[AuntySib]

I totally get that you might prefer to be alone - I felt irritated by the people who were with me, who I felt were interrupting my concentration on getting the baby out.
However if you are going in a taxi, it might be better to have someone accompany you so as not to put too much responsibility onto the cab driver! You might also need someone to assist with carrying bags etc,and getting you booked in when you arrive.
There's also the fact that that if things don't go to plan you might need support.
So I think in your position I might ask Mum/sister to be available, even if you don't want them present for the actual birth.

[jerrydog]

No, I won't be having a doula. Auntysib, That's what I was thinking I think I may ask my sister/mum to drive me there. I am ok with being alone when actually giving birth it's more getting there and so on. My last birth was long and pretty awful but I don't think having partner there or anyone else helped at all

[AngieM2]

I think any woman on her own in a delivery suite will get really good support and care (probably over and above what you would get if accompanied). Good luck.