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Childbirth

Do I stay at home and have an unplanned home birth or ask for a c section??

9 replies

MsBrandybuck · 25/07/2009 14:43

DB2 due in September. I am currently supposed to be delivering at hospital 30 miles away (45 min drive if no traffic). DH works shifts starting 3.30am in the opposite direction and would probably take an hour to get home.

The plan was that if DH was working he would go straight to the hospital as would be a lot quicker and my mum who lives in the same road as us would take me. However, our car failed its MOT this week, is being scrapped and we cannot afford to replace it. My mum has put DH on her insurance so at least he can get to work but that's our plan B gone.

I asked my sister if she would be willing to take me if necessary. Due to her and her DH's work situations it is unlikely. Her answer was "well everyone else manages ok, you'll have to call an ambulance"

My mum thinks everything will be fine because it was last time. When DS was born we lived on the outskirts of a city and a 20 minute drive to the hospital. We could have got a taxi easily, but now I dread to think how much it would cost for a 30 mile motorway journey, if we were able to find a company willing to take a woman in labour that far.

I would love a home birth, but too scared as if anything went wrong we are so far from the nearest hospital able to do anything. The local hospital is only 5 mins away but I'm not allowed to give birth there as I'm too old and fat. This town has a population of c90,000 and there are no birth facilities unless you are considered extremely low risk .

Oh and the most important factor as far as I'm concerned is my previous labour. First baby, very mild contractions started at 7am ish (only realised after ). Didn't ask for any pain relief until 9.30am when I was found to be 7cm. DS arrived at 11.06am after I'd been put on a Syntocinon drip (against my wishes)to "speed things up" . I now know this was because of meconium being present when my waters went at 4am, which was the only reason I went in before labour got going.

I really don't want to be induced and the hospital's policy is that they won't offer it due to my age unless I want it.
Sorry about the essay and for repeating myself from previous threads.

OP posts:

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Tiredmumno1 · 25/07/2009 20:12

Blimey i am so sorry but i am not to sure what to suggest. Have you spoken to the midwife? Would she think you would be ok with the home birth.

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LuluMaman · 25/07/2009 20:20

I would contact www.aims.org.uk as a matter of urgency

far better to press for a planned homebirht or use of the nearest hospital rather than a birth on the way to hosptial in a taxi, or ending up being delivered by paramedics

how old are you? why is your age an issue?

in all of the scenarios you discuss, a planned induction would surely be the best compromise , especially if you can request it.

do they automatically offer c.s after a certain age>?

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mumofmaniacs · 25/07/2009 20:21

Why wouldn't you go for a HB? Meconium aside (which is no way guaranteed this time) it sounds like you had a very good labour!

I may be wrong but if there was an emergency, wouldn't your local hospital be obliged to accept you on a blue light run? regardless of your age/weight???

Personally I would book a HB. You can always change your mind at the very last minute when you know what your facing (ie you could go into labour when DH is home/car available etc) BUT at least you know you have a plan in place incase you dont have the means to get to hospital.

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LynetteScavo · 25/07/2009 20:26

Well if you went itno labour when your DH was at work and you were having a home birth (if your midwife was OK with it) at least you would have a midwife, and an ambulance on call.

Re; the taxi - yes it would be expensive, but alsong as you go in early enough it should be fine( the driver wouldn't have to deliver the baby on the road side , and you'll just have to pay - call the taxi company to get an idea of how much it might be.(At least you'll save on car park charges!)

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jicky · 25/07/2009 20:28

Do you have any neighbours who would help ? With ds1 my GP said I needed to go to hospital right now, but shouldn't drive (my bp had shot up). Dh was a hour away by train, so I just called someone who I knew would be home and although was not a very good friend, was someone I knew and also knew would be happy to help.

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GirlsAreLoud · 25/07/2009 20:29

Have they offered you a c section then? Can't think why they would rather that.

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flowerybeanbag · 25/07/2009 20:29

If you really want a homebirth you should have one. But I don't think you should base your decision on what kind of birth you have on how much a taxi would cost you...

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nooka · 25/07/2009 20:36

Well an unplanned HB would be a bad idea, but as you are not due until September there is no reason for it to be unplanned. However if you are too high risk to give birth at your local hospital's birthing centre (is this a midwife led unit?), it is probably unlikely that you would be supported for a home birth.

Meconium in the waters isn't something that is particularly likely to happen again (I had this with ds but not dd), and otherwise it doesn't sound as if your previous labour was problematic.

I think you need more advice on your options, but I doubt that they will offer you either a HB or a c-section purely on the basis of your transport problems. I agree I'd steer clear of an induction if you can though.