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Childbirth

Anyone heard of a homebirth after an ECS?

66 replies

MeggLeVache · 08/04/2006 15:21

I am so scared of hospitals - had an awful time with ds - did not want to go to hospital and was coping fine at home then dh stupidly phoned the midwives on duty and they insisted we get to the hospital and it all went pear shaped from then on.

So, can I ask for a VBAC at home? Would a doula be a good idea. I have ages to worry about this as not due till the Autumn.
TIA

OP posts:

Report

motherinferior · 08/04/2006 15:27

Your community team is unlikely to agree to a home VBAC as both the RCM and the royal college of obstretricians and gynaecologists are opposed to home VBACs because of the (very small) risk of the scar rupturing. You do have a legal right, however, to insist on one; as I understand it you may run into practical difficulties with the team refusing to assist you. A doula would probably be a very good idea. IF you could afford it, an independent midwife might also be worth considering.

Some community teams will support you in your decision but they tend to be those focused pretty well entirely on home birth like some of the teams run by King's Hospital in south east London.

(I am not saying I agree with this, by the way - for the record I had one of my babies at home and am a big fan of home birth. I'm just re-stating what I've been told when I researched an article which covered this.)

motherinferior · 08/04/2006 15:27

I can also tell you that your second labour is likely to be easier than your first, wherever you have the baby.

MeggLeVache · 08/04/2006 15:28

Thanks MI
I will lookinot an IM too.

OP posts:

motherinferior · 08/04/2006 15:30

Ask your midwife for a home birth in any case. You never know.

bundle · 08/04/2006 15:35

i had a c/s first time, and a trial of labour 2nd time (ended up with crash section, literally 13 mins between me going wobbly and dd2 coming out) so would recommend - in retrospect - creating agood relationship wtih obst/midwives and going for that option rather than homebirth..i negotiated length of time before c/s considered etc etc and felt more in control than i think i would have at home. hth

motherinferior · 08/04/2006 15:36

Good idea

bundle · 08/04/2006 15:36

hello MI

MeggLeVache · 08/04/2006 16:21

Bundle. What was the reason for your first and second css though?

OP posts:

pupuce · 08/04/2006 16:39

Where do you live in the country ? You will find you do get some trusts who are happier than others to do VBACs at home.
Doulas do a lot of VBAC (I am a doula and mostly do VBACs or 1st time mums).
You can have a hospital birth with a doula you might find that helps too.... though the thing with a VBAC is to stay away from hospital as long as you can bear it to limit monitoting. And BTW you can ABSOLUTELY decline continuous monitoring.

pupuce · 08/04/2006 16:41

ECS could stand for elective caesarean.... I know you meant emergency.

motherearth · 08/04/2006 17:25

Hi,surely you should be putting the welfare of your baby before your own desire to stay out of hospital .Having a previous cs puts you and your baby at much higher risk of many complications-compared to if you had had a vd last time.Just one example is monitoring-as adverse as i am to unnecessary intervention it is well researched that your baby and you need close monitoring during your labour.These resources cannot practically happen at home-and if you insist i think there is enough shortage of midwives and cash flow in the nhs without providing probably 2 midwives a paedatrician a gp and ambulance on stand by-perhaps these resources would be better used in services elsewhere where they are more needed.Sorry to sound so callous but i just cant agree with mums wanting a home delivery when ther is any hint of complications or a risk to the babe.

Lulu68 · 08/04/2006 18:22

You are legally entitled to a homebirth, lots of women have had one after one or more sections, have a look at \link{http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homebirthUK/\this}, there is loads of advice here and they will be able to point you in the right direction for links as well. Also the Aims website is able to give you templates of letters to send to the Head of Midwifery at your local hospital - they are legally obliged to send a midwife to attend your birth if you ask them to............. You need to be prepared to fight for what you want (if you really want it!!)

HTH

Good luck

Lu

CarolinaMooncup · 08/04/2006 18:44

Motherearth, that's a shocking attitude .

First, you don't need continuous monitoring if you're having a vbac. There is evidence that intermittent monitoring and continuous support from an experience MW is just as effective at identifying potential uterine rupture/fetal distress.

Second, why would a homebirth require a paediatrician? Or a GP? The second MW isn't needed until just before the birth, just the same as for a hospital birth. And you're freeing up a bed in the labour ward .

CarolinaMooncup · 08/04/2006 18:44

Motherearth, that's a shocking attitude .

First, you don't need continuous monitoring if you're having a vbac. There is evidence that intermittent monitoring and continuous support from an experience MW is just as effective at identifying potential uterine rupture/fetal distress.

Second, why would a homebirth require a paediatrician? Or a GP? The second MW isn't needed until just before the birth, just the same as for a hospital birth. And you're freeing up a bed in the labour ward .

chipmonkey · 08/04/2006 19:00

I feel that the continuous monitoring I received during my trial of labour with ds2 hindered labour as it reduced my mobility considerably. My cervix failed to dilate, I was put on a synotocin drip which sped contrations up to the point where my scar began to rupture. I'll never know now but I do wonder whether if labour were allowed to progress without interference I would have delivered naturally.

CKMUM · 08/04/2006 19:47

Look at the home birth reference site homebirth.org.uk as they have lots of stories from women who have had home births despite previous complications or being told they shouldn't. My two birth stories have just been put up there.

Lulu68 · 08/04/2006 21:52

Well said CarolinaM I have had two natural deliveries after two sections and my 2nd section wouldn't have happened if I had been 'allowed' to move around - stupid me I didn't know any different, I thought the labour ward staff were there to support and encourage natural childbirth, how wrong was I?!

My last two births were empowering and quick, if my dh had been more confident and we didn't have paper thin walls then I would have been keener to birth at home but the actual act of birthing them myself was amazing. Go for it MeggLeVache you can do it, and yes a doula would be great, another person encouraging you and maybe to be there to support your dh.

doobydoo · 08/04/2006 21:56

My friend had a great home birth.She already had 2 kids..one born early then the other a caesar.Her recovery after the home birth was much better.She had a pool.She had to be very firm about waht she wanted.and i think she paid for a private midwife...but obviously that is not neccessary to have a homebirth.Stick to your guns and be positive.Good luck

ladyoracle · 08/04/2006 22:20

Hello MlV!
Not got long now, but will just give you these

\link{http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ukvbachbac/\ukvbac\hbac}
\link{http://www.aims.org.uk/\AIMS}

IMO, hbac is the surest and safest way to avoid a repeat c\s. You are legally entitled to birth at home, and your NHS trust has a duty to provide you with competent midwives. Go for it, and good luck...I'm about 7 weeks away from trying for a hba2cxx

Gillian76 · 08/04/2006 22:23

Motherearth, don't think there is any suggestion of risk to this baby...

MeggLeVache · 08/04/2006 22:27

Blimey Motherearth! So would you feel better if I'd hired an Independant Midwife then?

FWIW I thought that the reason my labour went tits up last time is because I was so distressed, strapped to a bed horizontally and sobbing throughout most of it. Prior to getting ot the hospital I was fine. Contrary to what many women on here say I took a while to recover from the C section which makes me dread having another. Of course my baby's health is paramount and if it were required I would have another in a shot. I just don't want it to be assumed(by the hospital consultant/s that I will have another C section and elect for one this time.

I'm in Kent BTW

OP posts:

Gillian76 · 08/04/2006 22:29

Meggy, you would find the \link{http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homebirthUK\yahoo homebirth UK group} very helpful.

The homebirth reference site is very good too.

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ladyoracle · 08/04/2006 22:34

If you book a HB now, you leave all options open to yourself, if things go wrong or if you feel differently later on, you can always go into hospital, even at the last minute, whereas doing it the other way round might be a different matter. Before hiring an IM, I'd see what kind of support you get (or not) from your usual ante natal team, you never know, my CM was cautious but very supportive when I booked my first hbac (which unfortunately didn't happen)

Your chances of avoiding another section are higher with homebirth, and I really hope (as I am for myself) that having a good birth would get rid of all the bad memories surrounding your c\s

MeggLeVache · 08/04/2006 22:36

Thanks LO.

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Laura032004 · 08/04/2006 22:38

MeggLeVache - I'll second the recommendations that you've already had for the homebirth group and the ukvbachbac group. I'm on both, and they are great at supporting people making these kind of decisions. FWIW my Community MW has been very supportive of my plans, far more so than I ever expected her to be. :)

motherearth - I don't think that your comments were particularly helpful at all. You also need to consider the welfare of the mother. MLV is most likely to avoid having a c/s by planning a homebirth, even if she ends up transferring, and she won't get any extra resources on top of what any mother delivering at home should expect.

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