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Childbirth

Did you have your waters broken with a homebirth?

17 replies

laundrylover · 06/04/2006 15:26

I missed out on my homebirth last week due to a hospital policy of not rupturing membranes at home. My wonderful MWs are now trying to change this and need the names of hospitals that allow it as evidence.
Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

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Rhubarb · 06/04/2006 15:27

Nope, didn't have mine done, why do you need this?

sweetkitty · 06/04/2006 15:32

Yes I had mine broken at home never knew it wasn't allowed by some hospitals. I was in agony and baby was born 5 minutes after MW broke them.

I was under Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire Scotland.

laundrylover · 06/04/2006 15:39

My Mws want to find out which hospitals do allow it to add weight to their argument. Hopefully then if the policy is changed other people will not have to needlessly transfer to hospital.
Thanks sweetkitty - you two were quick off the mark!

OP posts:

MrsMills · 06/04/2006 15:53

Yes mine were broken at home,

Northumberland Health Care
Rake Lane
North Tyneside

RosiePosie · 06/04/2006 15:55

Yes, mine were broken this time, but only an hour before MW was due to go off shift - I'd laboured for several hours before hand, so I'm presuming it is only something they do as a last resort ( didn't fancy being introduced to a complete stranger in my living room, in the throes of labour when the shift change happened ). He was born within the hour, and if they hadn't been broken, I'd have been labouring for hours more. St Mary's, Isle of Wight.

I feel quite sad that you missed out on your homebirth because of some stupid hospital policy. How do you feel about it?

laundrylover · 06/04/2006 16:04

to be honest i just had to accept it RP. it was more annoying because i knew from my first birth that i would deliver as soon as it was done.
i would like to think that it has highlighted a problem though and maybe something can be done about it for other people (or my next ha ha!).
sorry no capitals as sleeping baby in sling!

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Lilliput · 06/04/2006 16:10

I had a home birth and waters were broken by the midwife, ds was born 19 minutes later and the mess was easily contained as we knew where and when everything was going to gush out .
The midwives were from Creswell Maternity Hospital, Dumfries.

agalch · 06/04/2006 18:12

Fab thread.I am planning a homebirth and i had heard from someone that where i am mw would not rupture membranes at home.I'm fairly near you sweetkitty so reassuring to hear your mw broke your waters.My local hospital is St Johns so will be asking my mw in May when i see her.
Where are you laundrylover?
Have you asked why the policy of not breaking waters laundrylover?

laundrylover · 06/04/2006 22:37

My hospital is Tameside in Gtr Manchester and it seems that it is an unwritten policy but that rupturing membranes counts as intervention which does not fit with a homebirth. My mw tried to 'accidently' pop them during an exam but there was so little water that the crochet hook was needed!
Have a look at my post in Birth Announcements if you want more details!!
Happy homebirth agalch and thanks to all who've posted so far...

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carol3 · 06/04/2006 22:48

hi had mine broken at home birth with dd2 6 years ago in though now, was in reading. Had dd3 had home also didn't think to ask policy on breaking waters she was born in gloucester. My waters went as she came out in the pool

wabbitintheheadlamps · 06/04/2006 23:39

Wimpy midwife was too wussy to break mine - even though I'd laboured 10 hours and each contraction was making the membranes bulge below baby's head and stopping his descent... She didn't even let me get up to wander round and let gravity help break my waters.... I ended up going into hospital - getting to the ambulance broke my waters and things progressed within a couple of hours after that.

My wimpy MW said she would have broken my waters if there was another MW present

Lilliput · 07/04/2006 10:22

Wabbitintheheadlamps, why on earth were there not 2 midwives present at your homebirth, I thought that was policy with all homebirths no matter where you live?

wabbitintheheadlamps · 07/04/2006 17:00

Oh wimpy midwife wanted me to get beyond 4cm before she called other midwife - She was too busy nattering about herself to twig that my waters needed breaking to help baby engage properly and continue his descent... and therefore widen my cervix beyond 4cm.

She was a stand-in and hadn't done a homebirth for about 3 years - my usual midwives were off that night

jwerb · 02/05/2006 19:45

Maybe too late for you now but my waters were broken at my homebirth. Macclesfield Hospital midwives.

zubb · 02/05/2006 19:53

lilliput - I think it's policy to have another midwife available if needed, but I had a homebirth with ds3 with just 1 midwife. Don't know the policy for rupturing membranes round here though - mine went as I had him.

laundrylover · 03/05/2006 10:27

Thanks for all these messages as still haven't got round to priniting this off for the MWs. will do it now....

OP posts:

CatherineG · 03/05/2006 10:54

not personally as mine went before labour started both times, but my friend had to have hers broken with both of hers, 2nd was a home birth

Cambs - under Addenbrookes (Rosie) hospital

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