We had a scare at 20wks when the four chambered heart view couldn't be seen. All was fine at the specialist scans done subsequently, but consultant has to err on side of caution and advised us that he can't 100% rule out any problem (though definitely has four chambers). He advised against home birth. But midwife said as he's discharged us back to community care then i am low risk and fine for home birth (36 wks now).
But now I feel unsure: I'd never forgive myself if there was a problem with the baby at birth and we were an ambulance ride from hospital (max 5-10mins) BUT, I'm no higher risk IMO than if we'd had no scans...as they don't pick up most heart defects prenatally anyway.
So has anyone else had extra scans, found nothing wrong, and chosen home birth? Or chosen midwife led unit etc? (Which is potentially my other option). Dh is happy to do what I want to do.
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Anyone had extra heart scans and chose home birth?
Misty9 · 11/03/2014 15:49
We have complications (although with me, not our baby) and our consultant said that he wanted me in hospital to give birth. Our midwife said I would be fine for a home birth, and really pushed it 
.
I am going by our consultant's opinion, I would trust a consultant far more than a midwife when it comes to opinions on potential issues/complications as that's what they see day in, day out, whereas midwives tend to deal with the routine stuff more (not bashing midwives in anyway, I think they do a great job).
I'm now having an ELCS though (my request), so all the discussion with midwife was a bit pointless. In your shoes I would definitely not have a homebirth, but you have to do what you feel is best.
green no I don't mind at all, I have severe PTSD from losing our son last spring and having to go through labour to get him out. The hospital we were with at the time really botched it and nearly killed me, and the staff were insensitive to the point of being abusive- that's just the tip of the iceberg though. We've since changed hospitals (new hospital are fantastic) and had an apology from the previous hospital.
I requested an ELCS as I couldn't face labour again, I was absolutely terrified that our little man wouldn't make it if I had a vb, and the consultant agreed to it on the basis of tokophobia and extreme anxiety about giving birth vaginally. The reasons our consultant wanted me in hospital regardless was that I have a badly damaged spinal chord (accident years ago, doesn't really affect me now) I had massive blood loss during labour with our son who we lost, and generally because of the trauma DH and I went through last time.
I do have other complications (blood clotting disorder, ribs detatching from sternum, predicted 10lbs+ baby, rhesus neg blood which has been badly managed by previous hospital, rare auto-immune condition which makes me allergic to most painkillers and antibiotics) but none which were seen as requiring a c-section, hence why it was granted on the basis of preserving my mental health. I asked on the childbirth bit of mumsnet about requesting an ELCS due to trauma and got lots of really good advice, primarily that if you want an ELCS, provided you have a medical reason for it (and severe anxiety about vb is classed as a medical reason) and have thought it through, they shouldn't refuse you in you keep insisting on it and don't back down. Hope that helps and hope it goes well for you tomorrow 
Sorry to hijack op.
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