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Birth clubs

Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

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Original poster

ANYONE HAD OR HAVING A HOMEBIRTH/USING INDEPENDANT MIDWIFE?

33 replies

totallyfloaty35 · 01/04/2006 13:28

Im pregnant with my 3rd and interested in a homebirth,i will have to have an independant midwife though as nhs very reluctant to let me have one.Has anyone had an independant midwife or a homebirth with the NHS?or are you having probs getting them to agree to let you have one.A mate had a homebirth on the nhs and never saw the same midwife ever,even at the birth was a completely new one.

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marinda · 01/04/2006 23:20

Has home birth and idependent midwife (Oct 2005 with 2nd baba)- great - cost but worth it. Very friendly and personal level of service - you certainly get what you pay for. Got water birth and stayed at home - tracy (the midwife0 AND THE BIRTH PARTNET Stayed all night - baby born in early hours - would THROUGHLY recommend it!!

marinda · 01/04/2006 23:21

spidermama · 01/04/2006 23:24

Hi TF35. I've had four homebirths with indie mws and I would thouroughly recommend it to anyone. Yes it costs and at times we really couldn't afford it but I just feel there are some things in life which I have to have my way.

It depends on your priorities too.

btw why is the NHS reluctant to agree to 'let' you have a homebirth? I thought every woman was entitled to a home birth these days.

If you're in London I can recommend some indie mws for you.

SueW · 02/04/2006 09:31

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

pupuce · 02/04/2006 09:41

ttf35 - I would always recommend a ind. MW if you have "special" needs. It is quite pricey but depending on your situation in might be worth it. In our Trust there are differing views of Ind. MW based on who she is.... one is no longer allowed in hospital after several incidents. One of which I am well aware of but I suspect she never tells her new clients this !
You can ask your community MW who she knows and what she thinks you do not need to agree with her opinion.
If you need a hospital transfer you arte quite likely to have your midwife turn into a "simple" birth partner as hospitals are not insured for her work on theior premises.

Original poster

totallyfloaty35 · 02/04/2006 10:00

Thanks for info ladies,i had c-section with 1st child and terrible time with an nhs midwife who nearly killed me and baby.Had private birth at john and lizzies with 2nd,had forceps but that was because i insisted on epidural very late on(wouldnt let them check how dilated i was)was 8cms so couldnt feel to push.
Thats why nhs are reluctant,but all other midwives are ok about it.

OP posts:

WideWebWitch · 02/04/2006 10:11

I've had 2 homebirths on the NHS, once in London and once in Bristol. I thoroughly recommend it.

pupuce · 02/04/2006 10:11

Well you've had 1 baby theough your vagina, you'll get another one though
They may be reluctant but they can't say no and you might find that once they've told you why they will be OK to support you as they will ahve done their "duty" to inform you of possible risks.

jollyhockeysticks · 02/04/2006 10:47

I'm a great beliver in home birth but are you sure you want one. You say you needed an epidural last time and wouldn't let the midwife check how dilated you were, you would need to let them check you if you were at home and you couldn't resort to any epidural at the last minute.

pupuce · 02/04/2006 10:56

I suspect at home she wouldn't have wanted an epidural and she said she had the epidural at 8cm... typical time to ask if you have coped well and suddenly feel scared. At home the scare factor is less. It is very very unusal for a woman who has had a vaginal birth before to request or need a transfer from a home birth to hospital.

Original poster

totallyfloaty35 · 02/04/2006 11:47

yes i was very irrational by that point,i thought they would say i was 2cms and i could wait,which is why they did at last place,but if id known i was 8cms i wouldnt have bothered.i dont much like epidurals,everything slows down so you need drug to speed it up!Also i was induced,i would not let them induce me this time unless there was a medical risk.Its just the expense of an independant midwife thats a worry,saying that i have yet to see anyone from the nhs hospital,i have only spoken to them on the phone,they keep cancelling my apts and telling me they are understaffed,also my local hospital had 2540 births last yr and only 54 were home births

OP posts:

cookie4 · 02/04/2006 12:23

Have had 4 homebirths. First 2 in water with IM and other 2 used water but babes not born in water and with NHS midwives. Firstly, I think IM's worth their weight in gold and certainly worth the money. Nhs mw's under huge pressure to stick to hospital guidelines unless you get a really good one. IM's are great wait and seeers! If I hadn't had my IM with my 1st, I'd have been shipped into hospital for definate. V long latent phase, slow dilatation and direct posterior position but I did it with her support. 2nd much quicker and easier. 3rd hard work but fine and 4th wonderful. Nothing compares with bringing babies into the world in the comfort and security of your own home. I have no idea why so many women have babies in hospital! As far as coping with difficult midwives not letting you have a homie, whose birth is it anyway? They are legally obliged to attend you at home but there may always be the unspoken "difficult mother" thing going on. If you're in any doubt, get an IM :o

Original poster

totallyfloaty35 · 02/04/2006 13:54

Thanks ladies,you have made my mind up for me will def book an IM.I live in sussex,anyone had an IM they recommend in this area?

OP posts:

wilbur · 02/04/2006 14:01

totallyfloaty - haven't read all of this but just to say I had a home birth after two hosp ones (an emergency c-section then a ventouse). NHS not keen on it because of birth history and other medical issues so I hired an independent midwife. Best money I ever spent, ds2's birth was amazing (still hurt like hell lol!) and calm and lovely and I'm still thrilled about it 8 months later. Good luck!

pupuce · 02/04/2006 14:09

South coast?

pupuce · 02/04/2006 14:10

Rosie Smith (I think) is lovely

pupuce · 02/04/2006 14:11

www.independentmidwives.org.uk/article6577.html

spidermama · 02/04/2006 14:29

TotallyF I'm in Brighton and had a mw here who was OK, but in the end she was my back up and I kept my South London mws as they were willing to come and attend the birth as they had already done two of mine.

I can give you the name of the Brighton one if you CAT me and a little more information about her. But I don't know how close you are to Brighton.

Alternatively the South London Independent mws are absolutely brilliant IME. They may be willing to come to you depending how far out of London you live.

Original poster

totallyfloaty35 · 02/04/2006 15:08

Spider,have CAT you

OP posts:

spidermama · 02/04/2006 15:14

OK will look out for that.
Meanwhile, \link{http://www.sussexindependentmidwives.co.uk/labouranddelivery.html\these} look interesting.

spidermama · 02/04/2006 22:02

Have CATed you back but it seems to take ages.

Original poster

totallyfloaty35 · 03/04/2006 10:43

Thanks spider,i spoke to sussex independant midwives,had long chat and they were lovely,so looks like i will be booking them thanks to all for sharing info with me.

OP posts:

pupuce · 05/04/2006 10:12

Totallyfloaty - not sure if you'll see this but I know that Brighton NHS midwives are actually supportive of (for example) breech home births so they would too for a VBAC.

Piffle · 05/04/2006 10:26

IN NZ I had an independent midwife, this was on the health service, it was superb.
If I could afford it, I would do it, for sure -

MissChief · 05/04/2006 10:31

had homebirth with NHS midwife - found lots of support locally from mws/GP no problem with them "letting" me have homebirth..was lucky in that I knew my mw - she'd been the one I'd mainly seen while pg and she was on duty for me around my due date. I honestly don't see how it could have been better had we paid and got an independent mw, she was truly brilliant.

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