To still have a homebirth?

[Homebirthquestion]

Sorry but posting here for traffic.

I'm 40+6 with a very low risk pregnancy. I'm under the care of the home birth team.

I came into hospital yesterday because the baby was very quiet. The trace was perfect and Dr discharged me as soon as she saw me. I was told to come back in today if movements were any different from normal.

They have been quiet again - sluggish and smaller but again trace is perfect.

Midwife has told me ahead of Dr coming that this automatically means they'll want to put me in for induction (not tonight) which means a home birth is off.

Does anyone know what my 'rights' are in this circumstance? Gut feeling is baby is quiet because it's really dropped low since friday and has less room to move.

Dr coming after eight o'clock. Any advice please?

Thanks Ida

Do they have a birthing centre? That way you could get the more natural birth experience but at the hospital? It's not widely publicized at my hospital but once you are in active labour (with an induction) as long as you aren't on a drip, you can use the birthing centre rather than the delivery suites. Might be worth considering?

Could YOU live with the guilt if your baby was damaged or worse just for the sake of your birth plan? Only you can answer this question.

In my opinion your babies safety is your first priority here. Wishing you a safe and happy birth op.

I was determined on a home birth this time round. Then I was classed high risk. Then I was holding out for the MLU. Then DD developed issues. Then I was hoping to escape continuous monitoring.
This PG has been a nightmare, DD will probably be poorly at birth and now all I care about is a healthy baby.
I know I'll never get the HWB id dreamed of, but it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. It's not really about me.
I know it's hard when you are set on how you want things to go, but how awful would it be if something went wrong.
Listen to what everyone has to say and make a sensible informed choice. Focus on the destination not the journey.

It is about you. It's okay to be disappointed you can't have thet birth experience you want. You can be at peace with knowing why tour experience will be different whilst still wishing you could have had something different. Your feelings about giving birth matter and I wish people would make such dismissive remarks about 'could you live with the guilt'. Could you live with thet guilt if you chose a hospital birth and a cascade of interventions led to your baby being hurt? They're such bullshit statements.

I think it would be fair to ask the Dr what the risks are of the induction, what the risks are of doing nothing etc. You don't have to be pushed into something just because it is policy, but if your Dr/midwives strongly recommend a particular path for your baby's safety I would listen.

*wouldn't

And a dozen other typos.

" Gut feeling is baby is quiet because it's really dropped low since friday and has less room to move. "

Don't go on "gut feeling", listen to the doctor.

I have three friends who have had baby's die at the end of their pregnancy's.

It happened to Amanda Holdren and Gary Barlow, for example, this risk occur for everyone.

Every time I attended our local Maternity Hospital emergency ward, with my niece last year (she had a difficult pregnancy) there were women whose baby's had died at 38-40 weeks.

On FB alone I have heard of two women whose placenta stopped functioning, both around 40 weeks. We take pregnancy as meaning we will have a baby, for granted, unless it has happened close to us.

I don't think anyone on here should give an opinion, but you need to be aware of the possible consequences.

Ask the doctor how important s/he thinks it is that the baby is born in the next 48 hours, based on the trace and a doppler placental blood flow scan.

If s/he really thinks you need to induce then I would do it.

If s/he thinks you are OK to go home and wait, then stick with the homebirth plan but ask for daily monitoring if you/they are worried.

And forget the whole 'could you cope with the guilt if...' comments. Whatever you plan things can go wrong.

Could you ask them to scan? Can't they check thr umbilical cord and placenta out to make sure that all is well?

'Its not about me' is not BULL SHIT.
My DD has a serious hole in the heart.
All I'm interested in is getting her out safely.
If I was told to stand on my head and break dance in order to get her through labour I would.
If a cesarean is called for as the safest option, so be it.

What saggy said.

My DC2 was an EMCS when they realised in early labour that she was breech. ECV wasn't an option (cord around her legs, low amniotic fluid), vaginal breech delivery was an option but risky - cord position had a high chance of prolapse plus risk of cord compression as her legs were delivered and so on. So I chose a section which went down as emergency due to me contracting /dilating. I went from the ultrasound room directly to theatre. Did I want to get cut open? Hell no. Did I want to have my baby taken out of me in a room full of medical staff? No. Did I want to be immobile for hours and then have a long recovery, compared to my previous vaginal birth? No.

Did I do it? Bloody yes I did it because it was the safest option for my baby, not me, her. I didn't want major surgery and I'd have been fine having a vaginal breech delivery, but she more than likely wouldn't have been, she'd have probably died. So I sucked it up, put what I wanted to one side, and got my backside down to theatre so that she had the best chance possible at a good outcome.

OP, I'd ask for a scan when the doctor comes around. Insist on one. A Doppler scan (to check placenta and blood flow) mainly but also to check position and well-being, then base your decision on that.

Dr has just been and said if I weren't so keen for a homebirth he'd induce tonight/ tomorrow or whenever I was ready.

He did point out this was because it's the second occurrence and seemed happy that I have felt movement today just not as vigorous. He thought it was probably down to changed baby position but said they have to cover all the bases which is why they offer induction.

Without me asking he offered a placental scan on Monday and is comfortable he doesn't need me back in tomorrow for monitoring.

All in all he didn't look concerned.

New midwife on shift also took one look at my trace (without knowing why I was in) and commented on what an active baby I have.

They're going to sweep me and send me home. I was 3cm on weds so fingers crossed.

I'm seeing my lovely midwife in the morning anyway and she's very sensible so I'd do whatever she suggested tbh.

Thats good news.
I hope you get the birth you want.

Thanks Saggy.

Good luck with your birth and baby girl. I hope it all goes smoothly.

I'm still 3cm so tbh if it doesn't look like it's heading for a soonish birth anyway. It's just nice for it not to have to happen if it's not medically necessary iyswim.

This baby is now acting like something out of Alien. I'm pretty mentally drained by this pregnancy. I've always been early before and have been expecting it for weeks now.

I vote takeaway curry on the way home and then a good seeing to.

Lucky MrHomeBirth!

Good luck OP,I would love a homebirth if I am lucky enough to have as another...wishing you a safe and peaceful delivery!

Unlikely. Poor dh has been treated to a snotty sobbing wife instead! Completely tiredness and hormones related but better out than in....

Baby is reacting to this by being Michael Flatley.

Thanks everyone. It was really helpful to have some great advice.

I was impressed the Dr offered the things suggested on here without me having to ask or push for the which made me feel more comfortable.

As others have said, no Obstetrician or midwife can force you to do anything- you can insist on a homebirth against medical advice if you chose to.

I would listen to the advice of your medical team, who will have all the facts before them- and be able to give you more useful advice than anyone on here.

We normally suggest induction after the 2nd episode of reduced fetal movements, even in the presence of a normal CTG tracing, once at term. If post dates, then we would strongly suggest induction. Even in a low risk pregnancy- because what you have is a low risk pregnancy- no pregnancy is risk free.

This is because reduced movements can be a sign of a baby trying to conserve energy- often related to placental problems- and is a risk factor for stillbirth/neonatal complications. Normal CTG's are reassuring- but reduced fetal movements are not- especially post dates. Relying on a CTG alone would be very poor clinical practice. I am not suggesting every baby whose mother experiences reduced movements is in trouble, but there is a possibility that this might be the case.

If advised to have an induction, I would. Ultimately, it is your decision- it depends on how you balance the risks vs your ideal plans.

Good luck, I know having had DD2 at home, that I would hold out in your situation as long as I felt comfortable with my choice.

Good luck

just read your last post- glad the obstetrician was happy to send you home and hope you get the birth you wanted.

I have had two homebirths but I am very risk averse. If there had been any suggestion of needing a hospital birth, I would have gone into hospital. Reduced movements would have made me worried.

Whatever you decide, I hope the labour and birth go well.

If it happens again tomorrow I think I'll go in and be induced.

It's being the most active it's been in two days at the moment.

You can insist, as others have said. That can only be your decision, based on foetal monitoring and discussion with your doctors. I had a home birth when I fell into several risk categories, but was happy that for me the risk was low, the risk categories being based on averages. Homebirth.org has some great information, although it is weighed strongly in favour of home birth and I personally wouldn't have gone for a home birth in all the situations they outline.

There is always an unknown quantity in childbirth, and medically managed childbirth isn't necessarily safer - as someone pointed out, there are risks to induction. It's for you to research and weigh up the relative risks of home birth, induction, and natural birth in hospital.