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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Anyone had a homebirth in Bristol recently?

22 replies

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 09:40

I'm pregnant with DC2. I'd planned a HB with DC1 (2 years ago) but was transferred to hospital so didn't actually get it, which was disappointing but was for the best as it turned out.

I'd been hoping to plan a HB again but when I spoke to my MW she said that a lot has changed in the community MW set-up in the North Bristol Trust in the last 2 years and now hardly anyone gives birth at home because the midwives are effectively pooled from the whole trust so you could have someone coming from the other side of Bristol (which could take a fair while in my case, especially if there's traffic).

I don't mind having a MW I don't know (I wouldn't know the MW in hospital after all) but I'm worried about them taking a long time to arrive as my last labour was quite short and everyone keeps telling me that second babies are faster. I've also moved house since DC1 and am not as close to hospital as I was then (still only 25 mins but I was very close at old house) so am worried about getting there in time, which is why I'd prefer to plan for a homebirth so I don't have to worry about that. My MW here also doesn't seem as supportive of HB as the midwives I had for DC1, who were all really supportive and encouraging of HB.

So I just wanted to hear from anyone who's had (or had planned and transferred) a homebirth in North Bristol Trust recently and how it went. How long did the MW take to arrive? Did you feel that they weren't as geared up to HB as they perhaps could have been? Were your antenatal MW's supportive of your decision?

Thanks!

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LaRosaBella · 21/08/2013 10:45

I had a home birth in Bristol 5 months ago. I'm in horefield, not sure which trust that is!

I was really supported in having a homebirth, I was told that it may take a while before a mw could get to me as they come from all over bristol.

Before my homebirth my mw who happened to be the mw on call when I had my baby came round and did an assement and left all the kit there. I felt they were very geared up for it and were encouraging me to go for it.

When I went into labour she was there is about 30mins and left because I was only 1 cm and came back about two hours later ( when I phoned again, she got back to me in about 10 mins), and I was 7 cm and my baby was born shorty after. It was an amazing experience and I felt supported and well looked after.

I do think that it helped as I went into labour at 7:00 am so I was the first lady of the day to go into labour.

LaRosaBella · 21/08/2013 10:52

I think it is in the north trust, also I forgot to say I was about 5 mins away from Southmead hospital.

Original poster

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 10:56

Hi LaRosaBella - that's really reassuring to hear, thank you. Yes, I'm pretty sure Horfield is in North Bristol Trust. Maybe it's just my midwife. I'm at a different practice to the one I was with for DC1 and I've seen the same MW at every appointment so far, so I don't know if she's just a bit anti-hb or if things really have changed. It worried me when she said that they get very few homebirths now compared to just a few years ago though! Did you get told that?

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LaRosaBella · 21/08/2013 11:16

No, no one said anything like that just that since they have midwives coming from quite far it may take a little while to get to you. My midwife suggested I phoned as soon as I felt things happening to ensure a MW getting out in time.

I would go for it, and just phone as soon as you feel things are kicking off. I know Bristol is traffic heavy but I can't see them taking more than an hour tops to get to you even in the busiest of times.

Original poster

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 12:11

We're on the edge of the Trust area so if the midwife was coming from the other side of Bristol then I think it could easily be that long. It sounds like she came straight to you when you called though - I was worried they might be like the delivery suite who seem to be a bit un-bothered until contractions are very close together.

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LaRosaBella · 21/08/2013 12:22

My contractions did start pretty full on straight away, every 3 mins from the start so that may be why she came straight round, but if your labour starts off a bit slower phone them straight away so they're aware and they can try and make sure someone is around your area, I think that's how my MW explained it to me.

Has your MW saying no to the homebirth or is she just being quite off putting?

Original poster

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 12:49

She hasn't said no and I'm not high risk so I don't think she'd be able to say that anyway, but just said that there have been a lot of changes in the last couple of years and so now they have very few home births. It just made me feel like if I had a home birth I'd be a bit of an anomaly and they wouldn't be geared up to support it, so she recommended Southmead Birthing Suite or Cossham instead. Made me quite sad really if fewer women are opting for home births now because of changes the trust has made. Seems wrong and wanted to check with others.

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LaRosaBella · 21/08/2013 12:53

My midwife said that home births were becoming more popular and even though they are stretched, they love doing them!? The cossham birthing centre does look lovely though, it wasn't opened when my daughter was born else it may have been a contender.

slightlysoupstained · 21/08/2013 13:07

I didn't even think about having a home birth until my midwife suggested it as an option! I'm not 100% sure how long mine took to arrive - my partner phoned as soon as he got home. I'd have liked to have the midwife I'd seen through pregnancy, but she wasn't on duty at the time. The two I had were lovely though.

That was a year ago, and at the time my midwife explained that if called out during the day, it would be her or one of the other midwives at the practice, but during the night/bank holidays it would be whoever was on call from the pool, so might be from anywhere in Bristol.

Do you know there's a homebirth group in Bristol? They would be up-to-date with the latest arrangements in Bristol:
www.facebook.com/BristolHomeBirthGroup

slightlysoupstained · 21/08/2013 13:29

I got the same impression as LaRosaBella, fwiw - that the community midwives loved doing homebirths.

Original poster

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 14:35

slightlysoupstained - thanks for the link, I'll check that out.

I got that impression from the midwives at my last practice for DC1 too, they all seemed really pleased that I wanted a home birth. But this one was quite different which is why I wondered whether it was just her or whether it was because of the recent policy changes she mentioned. I'll ask again at my next appointment and see what she says this time.

Good to hear that it's not a universal experience across Bristol though.

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workingtitle · 21/08/2013 15:46

Sorry your midwife wasn't very positive about HB, Bakeoff. NBT and UBHT have invested a lot in new birth centres/suites recently, so maybe they're just pushing parents to use them. staff shortages can mean that midwives are moved to focus on hospitals (eg Trowbridge birthing centre has shut for the summer because RUH bath is understaffed).
It's 100% your right to request a home birth and be supported in that. There's a site somewhere with local stats for place of delivery...will try to find it. I would say even if rates have dropped a bit (shame if so!) the community midwives will still have experience of having delivered babies at home.
Do go to the home birth group--I've found my local one really helpful and supportive.

workingtitle · 21/08/2013 15:48

Ps it's not uncommon (I don't think) for MWs to be covering a large area. I spoke with my mw just this morning sh

workingtitle · 21/08/2013 15:53

Ps it's not uncommon (I don't think) for MWs to be covering a large area. I spoke with my mw just this morning about who might deliver if I get my hb and it could be any of a team of 15, and they might come from a fair distance. It sounds like yours was trying to put you off by saying it might take them time to reach you. I remember a while ago on mumsnet someone having a homebirth in a snow storm in the Peak District. The mw got to them!
Oh and one final thing (sorry I'm rambling) - they will probably take your own assessment of progress more seriously with no 2 if you are contracting and call requesting a mw come out.

Original poster

BakeOff · 21/08/2013 16:29

If it snows I'm definitely not leaving the house!! They can come to me.

That's good to know that it's normal for community midwives to cover large areas. They wouldn't do that if it resulted in lots of unassisted births would they... would they?

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QuietNinjaTardis · 21/08/2013 19:33

I'm pregnant at the mo and home birth was definitely an option when the midwife asked where I wanted to give birth. Think you might have a grumpy midwife!

Original poster

BakeOff · 22/08/2013 06:54

I think you're right!

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morethanmama · 22/08/2013 09:16

I didn't have a home birth but 5 months ago my midwife was actively encouraging me to consider it!!

SuperStrength · 24/08/2013 16:02

Another Bristol mum here, planning on a home birth for no. 3.
I'm a bit concerned as I have had 2 big babies, but have been pushed at a home birth from the 1st appointment with the m/w.

hettienne · 24/08/2013 16:08

I'm in UHBT rather than North Bristol and they have been nothing but positive about home births, and have been telling me about other homebirths they attended recently - think my midiwfe is more keen on a homebirth than I am!

Thesunrising · 24/08/2013 22:36

I had a home birth in South Bristol 2 years ago. Once I had actually managed to convince the midwife at the hospital that I was in an advanced state of labour (she kept parroting that because it was my first baby my labour would probably take many hours - it didnt), it took 1 hour for the first community midwife to arrive and another 20 minutes for the second. I gave birth an hour after the first arrived. The midwives were lovely when they got there, but overall I don't feel I got the support I had been reassured I would receive.

Original poster

BakeOff · 25/08/2013 21:07

Thanks for all your comments - I really appreciate it.

It seems quite hit and miss about how supportive community midwives are, but then again that's not really any different in hospital by all accounts. I think I'll ask again and if I draw a blank then I'll ask to speak to another midwife at the practice. The home birth group sounds good too so I'll be looking them up.

Glad the midwives arrived in time for you Thesunrising!

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