ANYONE HAD OR HAVING A HOMEBIRTH/USING INDEPENDANT MIDWIFE?

[totallyfloaty35]

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.

I had an NHS homebirth and the midwife wasn't even present at the birth (mind you labour was only 22 minutes so I guess she had an excuse!)

I found it an amasing experience and would heartily recommend it, however, it is important to get your facts together before you request it so that you can show yourself to be well informed, be pushy but not rude (i.e. resolved that this is your right and you are excercising it) and also get up to date in the current views for your area. This should be enough if you keep working on them.

Oh yes, and the final one they seem to try to drop in when you think you are home and dry is your Iron (HB) levels are low - my advice would be to start from right at the begining of your pg making sure you keep then up with a very good diet and/or natural iron supplememts, that way you can take one more ball out of their court

Hope it all goes well for you

Thanks ladies,Worthing hospital only had 54 homebirths out of 2574 last year!My iron levels are always low,something to do with the fact im a Thallieseamia(sp?) carrier.So they cant use that one to stop me,as dr told me i could eat iron pills by the handful and it wouldnt do a fat lot. i might try Brighton hosp if worthing are difficult as £2600 is alot of money to find

hi - it does help to get them on side - yr local hospital isn't worse than average - 2% homebriths I think nationally, I guess they're trying to make sure you'll be ok..Iron levels are important too ( as I found out after having PPH!).
Good luck with it anyway.

Have you contacted Caroline Spear in Bognor Regis, she is a VBAC (nationwide) supporter and she knows the stuff really well.
You can find her details \link{http://doula.org.uk/findadoula/findadoula.php?region=12\here}
She had an independent midwife herself.

Thanks ladies,am now officially signed up with wonderful independant midwife.Will let you know how it goes

I had my second at home- and I can honestly say it was the best day of my life so far. Had NHS midwife, second one didn't arrive in time for actual birth. Both were great. My daughter arrived into a dimly lit room calmly and without screams (from her anyway!). 8 months later she is still the calmest, happiest baby ever! The midwife was so good that she stopped me pushing at the right time so I didn't tear so i didn't need horrible stitching as I did the first time. My son slept through the whole thing and awoke in the morning to discover he was a brother.

I wholeheartedly recommend it!

New independent midwives have set up in Essex - www.essexmidwiferypractice.co.uk
Im's give a much better level of care because they have more time for you and its lovely to have that trusting relationship - money well spent!