Has anyone had a 5th delivery at home?

[Needmorehands]

Had a consultant appt today and she suggested that because my unterus is so overworked (5th baby, surprise, but previous one was 6 yrs ago) I was a high risk for post partum haemorrage. I wondered if anyone else had been told this, or knew where I could find more information?
Thank you

[Chocolate254]

I wouldnt personally, Your dr is right, Its not worth the risk. Listen to your dr.

[flossyfloss]

I'm on my 5th and nobody has said this to me? I've actually been encouraged to consider home birth but I have decided on a hospital birth.

[PeaceLoveAndDixie]

Eh? I’ve only had four but no mention of this. In the absence of any other risk indicators I can’t see the problem.

[Chocolate254]

Have you both not, I was told this, Also when giving birth they kept worrying I was haemorraging, I had a dr keep on checking on me.

[Unicornberry]

Look into the likelihood of a PPH on a 5th baby (assuming no previous PPH?). I don't see it as a reason not to home birth, lots of things can be managed at home. It's your decision, not your doctors

[Chocolate254]

Do you have any idea how dangerous pph is unicorn? Its certainly not something that can be managed at home.

[mindutopia]

For the record, a PPH can be managed perfectly well at home and midwives do it all the time. They have the same medicines with them as would be used in hospital, though they may recommend you transfer in after, especially if you are feeling unwell. I had my first at home (which is different than your 5th obviously) and had a small PPH (550ml), just over what would have been considered 'ideal' blood loss, but still considered a PPH, and it was handled perfectly well. I had the jab and midwives did all the things they'd usually do. All was fine and they packed up and left about 2 hours later.

There is almost no evidence of an association between parity and PPH in British women, and where a couple of studies have shown a small increased risk, the researchers haven't been able to conclusively say whether or not this is related to parity (or other factors they didn't control properly for). Regardless, no study can tell you that you'll experience any increased risk, especially if you've had otherwise straightforward, there's no reason you have to opt for a hospital birth if you don't want one though. I would just weigh up what you're comfortable with and see how you feel and talk to your midwives about how they would manage your birth if you have any concerns. Ultimately, most out of hospital births (especially spontaneous natural labours) have significantly reduced risks of PPH (induction alone increases the risk by about 80%), so being at home may offset some of the negligible risk associated with multiparity anyway.

Here's the RCOG analysis of it, which I think lays it out very clearly (though they do recommend hospital births, it's not well supported by the evidence they actually present, I say this as a medical researcher who does this sort of analysis for a living). I would ignore the U.S. findings in this analysis as U.S. obstetric care is very different than in the UK and U.S. women overall have higher rates of PPH and other obstetric complications due to unrelated factors, and focus primarily on the British data.

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/parity-and-postpartum-haemorrhage---query-bank/

[Chocolate254]

If it can be managed perfectly well at home what happens when you really haemorrhage as you say yours wasnt alot lucky for you, But I think you will find midwives dont carry blood on them. So if you need a blood transfusion as in the case of my sister you need to be in the hospital.
Take a look on the nhs website, From my experience midwives take pph very seriously as do drs, Its not seen as a little problem particularly in child birth.

[Needmorehands]

That's interesting mindutopia, did you have a managed 3rd stage with your homebirth? Thank you very much for the link :)
Hi flossyfloss nice to meet someone else on their 5th, when are you due?
I'm trying to find some statistics of the likelihood or the increasing risk unicorns but in this country 5th babies are quite rare! It was the consultant's lack of information for me to back up her claims which left her looking slightly foolish, and me feeling as if she was trying scare tactics, which has brought me here looking for more information.
And I realise there is no value looking at statistics for brand multiparas from developing countries where 5th babies are more common. I hadn't got as far as the US having such a different a different birth culture to ours.
I am not unused to going against medical suggestions - having continues with plans for a repepat homebirth after finding I was GBS+ve with 2nd and 3rd pregnancies and all 4 babies have been fine

[flossyfloss]

Needmorehands I'm due January but there's talk of inducing me at the end of December when are you due?

I haven't really had any different treatment now I'm on number 5 than when I was having number 1!

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Not at home no but I had a quick discharge with my 5th. Born at 3:45pm home at 11pm. I had agreed with my Cons that no synto would be given post birth as it really isn't a hugely increased risk of pph assuming you've never hemorrhaged before (I've never even got close). However the consultant on the day decided otherwise & I was too exhausted to fight it & DH didn't think too.

[Balancingact12]

There are clearly different levels of pph, so posters who are commenting saying a pph can be easily managed at home are giving gravely wrong information. I had my first in hospital with a pph of TWO LITRES. It was absolutely awful and I needed two blood transfusions. My second birth also in hospital was a PPH aswell but “only just over 500ml” , yes still a pph but I practically skipped out of the hospital the next day after it whereas with my first after being in for 5 days I still couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without near passing out. If your dr is recommending a hospital birth , do it. They don’t recommend things for no reason!

[holidayparkquestion]

A huge pph is a huge risk factor for maternal death. I lost over 3 litres and ended up in intensive care - they were pumping blood in as I lost it.

If it's a likely risk / theyre recommending it I'd definitely go to hospital (and I'd aimed for a homebirth first time so I'm not anti - I just think people know ofnpwiple with a small pph and don't realise how serious it can be. A severe pph cannot be managed at home. )

[Afreshturkeyplease]

When i was pregnant with dc4 i was told that a home birth would not be wise. I didnt want one anyway though.

[Needmorehands]

Flossyfloss - not long now! How are you feeling? Isn't it bizarre the difference in treatment, I hate the phrase postcode lottery, but how else do you explain/describe it? I've agreed to extra scans at 28 and 32 weeks as she was concerned that the placenta might not be functioning perfectly - again because of my overworked uterus not being as easy to attach to as a nice new one
In my quest for facts to base a decision on I contacted AIMS (Association for Improvements in Maternity Services) and received a very interesting e-mail from them. The most recent paper published by RCOG in 2016 doesn't even mention having had 4 or more previous births on their list of factors which increase the risk of PPH! My consultant is talking from out of date information, and not accurately at that :( She suggested the risk could be as high as 50% yet the papers and studies discussed by the RCOG suggest that the risk rises from 6:1000 to 8:1000 - world's apart! Thank you all for your opinions and sharing your experiences

[user1471451564]

I had my 4th and 5th babies at home. Would have had my 6th there too but i went way over my due date and my midwives felt happier about me going into hospital so i did. Each labour/delivery is different for every woman. There are no guarentees for any of us. I suppose ultimately it's about weighing up the pros and cons and what you want. There are valid points from every angle but at the end of the day it's your choice. All the best for whatever you choose.

[user1471451564]

Excuse my spelling mistakes. Fat fingers on phone.

[flossyfloss]

I'm feeling pretty rubbish to be honest! I'm so tired and my body has really had enough! My pelvis needs retirement when are you due?

It is crazy how different it is, not one single professional has mentioned it being my 5th and treatment being any different, and I actually haemorrhaged after my third but they just skimmed over that at booking in! I hope you get some proper up to date medical advice soon rather than outdated guidance!

[Needmorehands]

Oh Flossy I'm sorry you're having such a hard time? Are you able to see a chiropractor about your pelvis at all? I would have run away with mine without a glance back at DH during my last pregnancy! I'm not too badly achey yet, just so tired. Hoping for teh 2nd trimester energy to kick in eventually!

Wow user 6! do you mind me asking about your age gaps? All my 4 have been born at home :) Hoping I don't go over, only number 3 was late so far...

[Rikalaily]

I had my 5th at home, I'm now expecting no.6 and have a homebirth planned again, no mention of PPH. I think there is a higher risk of PPH but it is a very small risk.

[Needmorehands]

Thank you @rikalaily, its nice not to be as unique as I currently feel! several families at school have 4, but can't think of any with 5DC - let alone home birthers!