Hospital stay after a home birth?

[mixy]

I have a new friend that is planning her first homebirth for August.
She has asked me what i thought of going to the hospital for the night after the birth just for "obsevation." the babys father is not supportive at all of home birth and has said that he wants her to go to the hospital for at least the night after, to be sure everything is ok.
She will have a midwife with her for the birth.

[MilkOnTap]

Some may disagree - but I think if its going to keep the peace in the r'ship AND she still gets to have the homebirth and do all the 'work' at home and in her own environment, then I would concede and have one nights stay in hospital. By the time she actually gets into hospital, there is very little they can intervene in so not quite so much of a concern as birthing there as well.

Congrats on her making the decision to homebirth! She might find that by the time bub has arrived, hubby may realise that there isn't really any need to go into hospital after all :) Especially if she has a midwife for the birth :yes:

[doulacara]

IMHO it kind of ruins the niceness of a HB. If she is having a midwife, the midwife is more than qualified to assess whether the baby needs extra care and will no doubt be visiting every day or so anyway. Hospitals have a way of screwing up bf and bonding...also just IMO. ;)

Perhaps he will come around by the time the birth happens.....

My second bub was born in a birth centre and I left the same day without having seen a Dr the whole time I was there. DS was born at 9am and I didn't leave until about 7pm, so it wasn't like I rushed out. I was advised to take my DS to see our GP during his first week.

And that reminds me, I still haven't had a 6 week check after DS2 and he is 2.5 years now......

[numnum]

:no: stay at home

I couldn't think of anything worse than getting out of my own comfy bed and going to hospital.I wouldn't go to hospital unless bub or I were sick. Kinda defeats the purpose of hb in some ways.

SOunds to me like hubby has a lot of fears that need to be sorted before the birth otherwise they might impact on your friends birthspace.

[bubs_and_us]

i would stay home.

why would you want to get out of your nice comfy bed, with your nice fresh newborn, to get in the car and drive to the hospital? baby will be exposed to all kinds of infections, uncomfy bed for mumma, hospital routines. its not the best place for a mumma to rest and recover either.

[mixy]

thanks for your posts, these are very real reasons, i will put these to her, and see how she is feels about it. :)

[Claire-Bear]

What about dad?

He will miss out on that first night with his baby too. He wont be able to stay with them.

[Mum2Bella]

i was taken to hospital after my 3 home births
IMO it didnt ruin the niceness of a HB