How to plan a home birth

. For an inflatable home birthing pool, Pounds 39.95, go to www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk.

. www.homebirth.org.uk is a useful website for all those questions you dare not ask your GP, like "What if I get blood on the carpet?"

. If you're having problems with finding a suitable NHS midwife, try www.independentmidwives.org.uk for a qualified midwife who works outside the NHS but supports its aims and ideals.

. Although expensive, at Pounds 90, Home Birth, by Sheila Kitzinger, could help you prepare for a home birth.

. Find a doula - a dedicated labour companion who will support you through it all, providing advice on birthing positions, help with creating a birth plan and drug-free pain relief in the form of massage. www.doula.org.uk .

Women and fathers talk about why they chose home births on Home Birth Your Choice, a National Childbirth Trust video, Pounds 18 from ACE Graphics.

. Hire a TENS machine from Boots (Pounds 29.99 for four weeks) for drug-free pain relief. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) machines send electrical impulses to help you release endorphins and block pain messages travelling to the brain.

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