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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Consultant advising against homebirth - need some cheering up!

83 replies

wewishyouamerryKITTYmas · 16/12/2005 12:05

Had antenatal appt this morning (am 36 weeks) all along midwives have known and supported my decision to have a homebirth. Seen Consultant this morning and he basically was really against a homebirth said I would be much safer in hospital etc etc. He said that most consultants in Scotland were strongly against homebirths. He also said that since my first labour was 4h 20 mins I was not low risk for a homebirth as I could be even faster this time. He said baby could have foetal distress, I could have a bad tear and if anything were to happen with traffic etc it would not be a good idea. He said that because I had a straightforward labout with DD doens't mean that something couldn't go wrong with this one.

Feel a bit right now MW said he was only advising me that I can change my mind at any time and come into hospital as they have a labour-delivery-postnatal-discharge in the one room and I would be home in less than 6 hours.

I just feel a bit weepy about it all now, if I were to tell all this to DP he would insist I go into hospital. But surely it's just as risky as I woould have to call DP back from work if he's there, get a babysitter for DD, DP drive me to hospital etc rather that just call the MWs and them come out to me.

Any homebirthers or the lovely Mears out there to give me a few words of support.

OP posts:

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hunkermunker · 16/12/2005 12:09

Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry this consultant has been such an arse.

I've not had a homebirth (as you know from our Jan 06 thread, I wanted one, but have decided against it for diabetes-related complications), but I did lots of reading about it and I know that fast first labours are often given as a reason for planning a homebirth - ie you haven't got time to get to the hospital!

As for "most" consultants in Scotland being strongly against homebirth - I don't know whether that's true (I suspect he's talking out of his posterior), but consultants by the very nature of their role see women who are at higher risk in their pregnancies and labours.

It sounds like the midwife was a lot more positive. How do you feel about having a homebirth now?

PruniStuffing · 16/12/2005 12:17

Good god what difference does the nation you're in make to being behind a homebirth or not?
Unless you are out in the sticks, I suppose. How far to your nearest maternity unit? Are you on single track roads? Do they get gritted quickly?

Original poster

wewishyouamerryKITTYmas · 16/12/2005 12:21

No not in the sticks about 10-15 mins drive from hospital (dependent on traffic).

Just feel a bit deflated now and to be honest a bit scared (think it's the hormones) I've read loads on homebirths and this man spent a minute scanning my notes before deciding I was not low risk and therefore he was against me having a homebirth.

Apart from on here I have had v little support for my decision

OP posts:

katzglitterytree · 16/12/2005 12:26

i had an accidental home birth, had planned to go to hospital. DD2 was born just over 4 hours after my contractions started, they just didn't hurt so i didn't think they were the real thing!

The midwife will monitor you, if the traffic is bad then you can get an ambulance, my labour was quick and i had a 2nd degree tear which the second midwife sorted on our bed!

PruniStuffing · 16/12/2005 12:27

Sorry, he's a knob, really, isn't he? If he couldn't talk to you properly and tell you exactly what in your notes had flagged you up as being not low risk. The things that you mention are things that can happen to any woman/baby, there must be other criteria for deciding who is high/low risk. Can you arrange quickly to see your midwife and talkt his through with her?

katzglitterytree · 16/12/2005 12:28

should add since the birth was unplanned at home the midwife had very little on hand to sort stuff, thankfully i had agreed to a student midwife who had just enough time to dash to the midwifes car and get her bag, the home birth kit arrived 10 mins after the baby!! we had no problems just a fab if slightly ahocking birth expwerience

crunchie · 16/12/2005 12:31

My understanding is that all consultants are aginst homebirths tbh

They are also against VBAC and anything like that, because they would be without a job otherwise. Your journey to hospital is not that bad either. Far enough if you were in the depths of the islands, but.....

Tell him to jump in a lake

My SIL had a homebith, start to finish 2 1/2 hrs. And my brother is a consultant pediatrician.

tortoiseshell · 16/12/2005 12:32

Sounds like a load of rubbish - if there was a traffic problem then you're much better off being in a flashing blue light ambulance than stuck in a car in a traffic jam with what could be a fast labour. It really doesn't sound like you are a high risk patient - it isn't a given rule that if you have a straightforward first labour then the second will be, but it is more likely. If you have a bad tear they could transfer you at that point (again in an ambulance).

My experience of attitudes to homebirth is that it utterly depends on what area you are in and which 'specialist' you see - my mw's are very pro-homebirth, but friends have been persuaded not to for totally non-reasons - traffic might be bad, this might happen...

You're actually less likely to have complications in a homebirth anyway.

Good luck!

tortoiseshell · 16/12/2005 12:33

I think one problem with consultants is that they only tend to see the problematic births - they're only called in when things are going wrong, so their view is coloured by what can happen, rather than what usually does happen.

chjlly · 16/12/2005 12:34

If your Midwives are supporting your decision what is the problem - if most consultants were against it the midwives would know that too.

If something was to happen the can get an ambulance to get you to hospital in quick time!

Which hospital are you due to go to? I had dd at Wishaw, I wasn't impressed with the consultants that I saw conected to that hospital I had wanted a waterbirth which the midwives supported but because I had had a c. section with ds I was told I would be monitored the whole time which put me off the whole natural birth thing but after talking to a midwife she told me that i wouldn't be confined to a bed at all.

As it happened I ended up with a c. section anyway

stick to your guns girl!!

Original poster

wewishyouamerryKITTYmas · 16/12/2005 12:46

Thanks knew mumsnet would cheer me up, have been told all the way along that I was an ideal candidate for a homebirth, then he tells me this morning that I'm not due to a v fast first labour.

Chjlly - it's Wishaw General I would go to too!

I have thought about it and if there is a problem the MWs would pick it up and there is an ambulance on standby with a neonatal resus unit until the MWs call and tell them everything is well.

I'm having entenox and oxygen delivered as well as Diamorphine, Stematol and Syntometrin if I need it.

OP posts:

MistletAero · 16/12/2005 12:46

My labour with ds2 was pretty quick and I had a home birth - totally planned. First twinge around 6pm - called midwife - just to make her aware that this was it, but that I'd call her again later when contractions stronger. She came around 9pm. Ds arrived safely less than 2 hours later. Can't remember exact time, but it was the best out of my three birth experiences. Much more relaxed at home and therefore easier to cope with the pain etc. Would do what you feel comfortable with if there are no forseeable complications.

PeachyPlumFairy · 16/12/2005 13:33

I lost out on a home birth due to dodgy advice. If I were you I would contact a few hmebirth groups just to confirm what everyone here has said 9for my own peace of mind rather than anything else) and then go ahead anyway if I felt confident. Consultant sounds like an arse TBH.

Have you tried asking the directot of midwifery? Are not MW the experts in normal birth?

NotQuiteCockney · 16/12/2005 13:37

With a four-hour first labour, you're an excellent candidate for an accidental home birth, never mind an intentional one! (A friend of mine had a 4-hour second labour, and a 15-minute third one! She was planning a home birth, got an unassisted home birth!)

Seriously, I was going to say what tortoiseshell said - consultants only see births when they go wrong. So they expect problems.

And if you change your mind, you can always go in. Hard to change your mind and go back home, mid-way through.

PruniStuffing · 16/12/2005 13:39

Nosy question coming up - why stemetil? i only ask because I've used it a lot and it makes me drowsy. Are you having it as an anti-nausea drug?

MrsMillsletoe · 16/12/2005 13:45

So for yoou, he sounds like an arse.

I presume it's the same in Scotland, but once your MW establishes that you are in labour, she notifies the hospital who have a fully staffed ambulance on standby until she notifies them that all is well, after the baby is born. (that's what I was told anyway when I had my homebirth.)

You sound like a perfect candidate for homebirth anyway! Stick to your guns and finger crossed for you.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Enideepmidwinter · 16/12/2005 13:51

a mum I saw this morning had her last baby at home, she was born with the cord wrapped round her neck and wasn't breathing - they resuscitated her and she was fine. My point is that they did this at HOME and she didn't need to go in even for that seemingly serious complication.

Sid · 16/12/2005 14:15

My last two births (out of 4) were at home and they were fantastic. Midwife there just to look after me, and then another at the end for the baby - a really calm environment, no machinery, in my own clean bath 5 minutes afterwards, food when I wanted it - I am sure it all contributed to a much quicker recovery for me afterwards.

Katemum · 16/12/2005 14:45

My waters broke at 10.30pm and dd was born at 11.59 pm. Had a wonderful home birth and even if I had wanted to go into hospital (furthest thing from my mind!) there really wasn't time.
He seems to have given no proper reason for wanting you in hospital. If it were me I would ignore him.

KeepingMum · 16/12/2005 14:50

Just to re-assure you if you really can't get your homebirth - I had a really great birth epxerience at a birthing unit. Dd was born 20 minutes after getting there (nearly a car birth) and I was home within a couple of hours - mainly stitching up time. It was homely and I didn't see a doctor at all or have an internal.
It was all very different to ds, induced, 36+ labour, continuously monitored, hundreds of internals, ventouse and episiotomy.
Good luck which ever way it turns out.

Kelly1978 · 16/12/2005 14:53

stick to your guns. I thought a quick labour would mean you would be better havign a home birth. Also, you have the right to decide how you want to give birth. Hopefully mears will be about sometime.

geekgrrl · 16/12/2005 14:54

oh, what a load of cr@p. Have a look at www.homebirth.org.uk so you can make an informed decision.

fruitful · 16/12/2005 15:04

But if you decide on a hospital birth, you're going to stick around at home for as long as poss and then go in, anyway, aren't you? So best to have the midwives and kit at your home in case it does all go very quickly and you can't get in. And best to have the midwives there checking baby is not in distress, if the consultant is worried about that? You'll get less support if you plan a hospital birth. And planning a homebirth doesn't mean you have to have one. You can make the decision when you're in labour.

chjlly · 16/12/2005 15:11

Kitty - IME the roads to Wishaw are never that busy so getting there by Ambulance wouldn't take that long (although I don't know how far you are from there!)

As I said I think the consultants at Wishaw are a PIA as I went in a week before having dd as my tummy was looking like I was have contractions - I went in at 4am I came out at 8pm after the consultants still hadn't see me I discharged myself as I was obviously not in Labour or at a big risk!

I found the midwives (are you seen at Motherwell?) were a lot better!

ShortAndStripySolsticer · 16/12/2005 20:07

Kitty, I had a 4 hour birth in hospital with DD1 and planned a homebirth for DD2 because she was probably going to be as fast, if not faster. Seemed like the safer option in my mind (and my midwives, hospital, etc) than getting caught out. I'm not far from the hospitals either and knew we would be able to get in reasonably quickly if need be.

DD2 was born in 2 hours, I know we wouldn't have got to hospital in time for an enjoyable birth experience, if at all.

Have you had a chat with your midwife regarding the concerns the consultant has given you? Mine were great for answering specific queries, really comforting! I hope yours do the same for you

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