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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Home births and Ambulance availability

182 replies

Sleepsleepmeepmeep · 30/03/2020 18:27

I am due my last baby soon, about 6 weeks, although all of my others have come early so I wouldn't be surprised if it were 4 weeks.

I was planning a home birth and was quite excited about it (4th baby, easy natural labours except for dc1 vaccuum) but now I have seen that maybe as resources are stretched this may not be an option.

I was wondering, if I did have a home birth and needed an ambulance to transfer me to hospital, could I mot just drive in a car? I live about a minute drive from the hospital in heavy traffic, more like 10 minutes now the roads are so bare.
Is the ambulance for emergencies because they are equipt with whatever may be needed or is it just to get us to the hospital fast?
I have never needed an ambulance in labour so I dont know but factoring in calling for an ambulance and waiting for one, would it be so bad to take a car?

Just a thought- i wouldnt ask my midwife to bend the rules for me or anything although I would do anything to keep away from a hospital right now

OP posts:
Lynda07 · 31/03/2020 03:30

I don't think you could drive yourself to hospital but someone else could, husband for example, as long as the other children were cared for. That's probably what you meant, not that you would be driving whilst in labour.

Best not to anticipate what might not happen though - you'll probably give birth quite easily in your own bed and not need an ambulance - if you can find a midwife prepared to do home births in th current crisis.

Good luck.

oblada · 31/03/2020 07:28

Rainminusbow - I agree with you!

A lot of scaremongering here. Freebirthing isn't inherently riskier than a hospital birth especially in/despite this current climate. There are different risks to take into the equation. I wouldn't rule out free birthing but it needs to be an informed researched choice.

MyOtherProfile · 31/03/2020 07:32

Freebirthing is utterly irresponsible and not indicative of an attitude you hope to see in a parent.

I expect many of us would be dead or our children would, if we had obtusely set our minds on freebirthing.

And before you start again Rain it's not a question of attitude. With both of mine I went into labour expecting a natural birth and feeling confident.

oblada · 31/03/2020 07:35

Myotherprofile - don't be so ridiculous. It's a valid choice as long as it's researched properly.
I'm not saying it's for everyone but it can definitely make sense. We have over medicalised pregnancy and labour and there are good reasons for women to look into it further and decide what is best for them. It doesn't make them a bad parents.

DappledThings · 31/03/2020 07:48

Freebirthing is utterly irresponsible and not indicative of an attitude you hope to see in a parent

Quite. I'm horrified by the attitude of people insisting on their preference of a homebirth in such exceptional times at the expense of any safety considerations or what additional pressures they are putting on a terrifyingly stretched system.

QuiteTiredNeedSleep · 31/03/2020 08:14

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Whoareyoudududu · 31/03/2020 08:31

Home births are being cancelled in most trusts, contact your midwife for advice. You shouldn’t drive yourself to hospital whilst in labour, it’s dangerous and irresponsible.

Soontobe60 · 31/03/2020 09:25

@oblada

The problem about researching freebirth is that there are no accurate statistics available with regard to outcomes. That's because the NHS doesn't collect them. So you can read anecdotal stories of how wonderful and empowering having a freebirth was from women who successfully managed it, but none from women who went down this route and it ended disasterously. The only in effect I have read is from a woman in Australia, who's baby died, and even now she says she doesn't regret it, it was her choice and she 'respects' the outcome!

I had a nightmare first birth in hospital and was determined not to repeat the experience second time round. I opted for a home birth. Two weeks before my due date, baby had turned and was transverse so a home birth was off the cards. I was devastated to say the least. I went in two weeks overdue and ended up being induced due to high blood pressure. In the end, the birth turned out to be amazing. No pain relief, no midwife intervention, no VIs. The perfect birth. Now, I'd have no compunction to have a hopital birth if needed.

The whole concern about freebirthing is that if something does go wrong, then there is a high chance of it being catastrophic for both mother and baby. Why anyone in their right mind would take that risk I don't know. That's just crazy, and a step back into the dark ages when women had no choice.

oblada · 31/03/2020 09:45

Just because you don't get it doesn't mean it isn't a valid choice. Have some respect people.
I can fully understand someone choosing a free birth. Hospital births are far from being fully safe and I'm not convinced they are safer than free birthing in many cases - just because we have medical intervention at our finger tip doesn't make it safe. Often it is those interventions that cause problems. Get out of your bubble people. I'm not going to go round advocating free births but I will advocate the right for a woman to choose. It is recognised that the right to a free birth is enshrined as part of the human rights. Like it or not.

lmcneil003 · 31/03/2020 09:47

Go to hospital and put the NHS first.
You'll be fine in hospital.

OhClover · 31/03/2020 09:53

I understand people choosing a home birth, as distinct from a free birth. A free birth is a gamble with the life of your baby and utterly selfish and irresponsible.

ahiyarose78 · 31/03/2020 09:57

Don’t you have someone who can drive you to the hospital?

EarlGreyT · 31/03/2020 10:39

My Trust has failed to give me a reason as to why they have suspended home births, despite me asking the question many times.
Why would you bother wasting their time by asking-the answer is obvious, but in case you haven’t noticed we’re amidst a national crisis.

The trust quite frankly has much better things to be doing than answering stupid questions right now-you know, little things like looking after people who are dying from Covid19 and desperately trying to increase the capacity of ITU beds and the number of ventilators for people who are critically unwell. I can’t believe you would consider your question takes precedence over this.

mencken · 31/03/2020 10:48

just a thought, OP - you've got 3 other kids. Might be an idea to do whatever it takes to maximise your chance of surviving this birth with minimal damage, as you are needed to look after those 3 (and hopefully the 4th). So do what the professionals recommend, please.

Incontinencesucks · 31/03/2020 10:51

I think you need to weigh up the risks.

Coronavirus you could catch in hospital or from your midwife. Obviously higher risk in hospital statistics wise due to more people. However with this virus it's equal opportunity so only takes 1 to infect who could be a asymptomatic midwife either at hospital or your home...

Availability of staff. Hospital is likely to be very busy, less attentive? Your independent midwife is 1 on 1, so long as she's not or your not self isolating due to contact with affected person you have more attention.

Ambulance. Admittedly this is the one which would sway me. It's always been ambulance if available, not ready and waiting. In this current climate if you needed one, consider you probably won't get one quickly and they need to triage so if all ambulances are going to people needing respiratory assistance then you either you take up an ambulance one might need to save them or you might not get one in time.

Sorry to sound pessimistic but nowadays it's the reality. I've recently given birth and am so thankful i had the options i had. I don't envy those giving birth now, it must be very worrying.

RainMinusBow · 31/03/2020 10:52

@mencken Exactly why I'm home birthing in this current climate with IM support 😊

Joans3rddaughter · 31/03/2020 10:57

"Midwife bend the rules".
Will face disciplinary and possibly Striking Off Order from NMC.
Nobody should ever ask their Midwife to do this.

PurpleDaisies · 31/03/2020 11:00

Midwives bending the rules are opening themselves up to being sued, struck off and having to lice with potentially causing disability and death. No health card professional should be bending rules.

twinkletits99 · 31/03/2020 11:05

I wanted a home birth. Ended up being a high risk pregnancy and ended up consultant led. Was gutted when I couldn't give birth at home. So planned hospital and a water birth. Baby's heart rate dropped so couldn't have this either. Again, gutted but more terrified that baby was poorly. Ended up in hospital being induced which is exactly what I didn't want. When baby was born, he had to be resuscitated and intubated for reasons they hadn't identified at the time. Terrifying. Even if I was like risk this could've happened as it was unrelated to the reason for being high risk. Had I been at home, baby may not have made it. If we were in current circumstances, even lower chance. I look back now and am exceptionally glad I was in hospital, even if it didn't feel like it at the time. Giving birth is hard work and whilst you will get through it, you need to do it in the safest way possible. Not being able to have a home birth because you may not be able to get to hospital safely should things go wrong is a small price to pay to ensure safety for all. Best of luck x

DappledThings · 31/03/2020 11:31

The trust quite frankly has much better things to be doing than answering stupid questions right now-you know, little things like looking after people who are dying from Covid19 and desperately trying to increase the capacity of ITU beds and the number of ventilators for people who are critically unwell. I can’t believe you would consider your question takes precedence over this

Exactly.

Lifeisgenerallyfun · 31/03/2020 11:57

I suspect community midwives will be reassigned to hospitals to cover staff shortages where she can care for more than one patient, it doesn’t sound like you have a plan to get to hospital, you need to sort this out now even for a hospital birth. Hopefully you’ll be in and out b quickly but practically it sounds like you have little choice really.

Zomblie · 31/03/2020 12:57

I've had two attempted home births and two ambulance rides to hospital. One got his shoulders stuck, the others waters wouldn't break.

I can confirm that in neither situation would I have been in any way able to drive a car, I could barely walk to the ambulance. I was stuck in active labour with contractions happening every 2 minutes.

Midwives at home births are not allowed to do any interventions (at least they weren't in my are in 2010 and 2013).

MyOtherProfile · 31/03/2020 14:26

We have over medicalised pregnancy and labour and there are good reasons for women to look into it further

And thankfully we have radically cut mortality rates of both mothers and babies by having more support in hospital.

SingforAbsolution · 31/03/2020 15:33

@rosiejaune
It might be dangerous for you, if you have that attitude towards it, since mindset is very important when giving birth.

Are you saying that births that have gone very badly wrong are the fault of the labouring Mother then?

womanfromvenus · 31/03/2020 15:44

@MyOtherProfile a lot of women choose home birth because they’re in a low-risk category that are actually shown to have BETTER outcomes at home rather than going to hospital- sometimes stepping foot in a hospital can actually increase risk in other ways, so sometimes home birth is chosen for safety reasons by women.

Saying that, these are not ‘normal’ times at the moment and unfortunately women and hospitals alike are having to work around that. Sad but necessary in the fight against this virus.

Whilst it’s true that your only legal obligation is to register the birth of your baby before six weeks (scans, appointments, giving birth at hospital are all technically a CHOICE you can accept or decline at our own discretion) ‘freebirthing’ is really an entirely different kettle of fish to a home birth with trained midwives, and I’d urge anyone considering one to really look into the risks and benefits and weigh it up against attending hospital. I really feel for pregnant and birthing women at the moment but it’s just the unfortunate circumstances we are in.