Birth plan advice needed: limited options abroad

[InFrance2014]

Hi all,

Posted here before about managed 3rd stage advice for France (thanks for help!), but following first ante-natal class would like some advice from those who've done homebirth. (I'm almost 32 weeks, 1st pregnancy).

Basically the more we hear the more medicalised it sounds e.g. we've been told that rule for everyone is no eating or drinking after arriving in hospital on the off-chance of needing a general anasthetic or blood transfusion, and that pushing should be on back or side only. [I plan to ignore both of these rules]

Full homebirth is not an option as no midwives available (due to insurance cost), and there is nothing like a mid-wife led centre near me. So it has to be hospital. The good thing is that it's only 5 mins drive, so my plan is to stay at home as long as possible, to avoid going in and then being stressed out by the hospital rules and inflexibilities.

My Qs: Is it dangerous to intentionally stay at home very late in labour (i.e. past 6/7cm), knowing I'll then transfer?
How can I check myself for dilation?
Under what circumstances should we absolutely go into hospital once in established labour, i.e. what danger signs?
We are thinking of buying birth pool to use at home and have found Juju Sundin's book very helpful on pain management advice as I'll have nothing else except paracetamol until going into hospital.

Thanks for any advice.

Anyone?
Sorry if long post put people off, was trying to give context!
My 3 Qs again:
Is it dangerous to intentionally stay at home very late in labour (i.e. past 6/7cm), knowing I'll then transfer (5 mins drive from hospital)?
How can I check myself for dilation?
Under what circumstances should we absolutely go into hospital once in established labour, i.e. what danger signs?

Thanks anyone who can help!

If you have had a low-risk pregnancy with an active baby, you would be encouraged to stay at home until YOU needed the hospital in the UK.

danger signs
: water broken over 24 hrs, nothing happening
: water broken and green and/or smelly
: more than a spoonful of fresh blood loss
: continuous abdominal pain
: baby not moving
: mother feverish

Its difficult to check your own dilatation. I did it but i'm a midwife.
I usually advise women to come and be seen when contracting every 3 minutes or if they feel such pelvic pressure during contractions it feels like they will poo themselves!

Best of luck for a normal birth.

Thanks for the advice Mayhew!

Just wanted to come back and say that I ended up with a great birth, in case anyone else is reading this in my position. No complications, it was very quick (6 hrs from waters breaking), and entirely positive.
Things I was worried about:

• language- my French isn't bad, and communication was fine, everyone understood, and it was all pretty cheerful. "Plus! plus! plus!" during pushing was easy get!
• avoiding mandatory hourly dilation checks - they left me to it in my room, as per my birth plan. Came in at 2cm, 4 hrs later was at 9!
• pain relief- wasn't pressured to have anything, i.e. epidural [although by the time I got checked had to go to the labour room]. Did it all as I'd hoped, with TENS, coaching from partner and a lot of bellowing (BIG THANK YOU to the Juju Sundin Birth Skills book!).
• position- I was afraid of being forced onto my back as per hospital policy. As it turned out, I started pushing in a squat to position the baby better, but got tired and got onto the bed, first on my side, then on my back, all my own choices. The metal foot rests which I hated the sight of on visits were useful to push against in the end!
• episiotomy- I requested that they ask my permission first rather than just do it, which was adhered to. No anasthetic available (normal), and although I definitely felt it, it was mixed in with the considerable muscle pain of pushing, so not nearly as dreadful as I'd feared.

All in all, anyone wanting a good experience near Bordeaux should consider the Hopital St Martin, a nice team, good care, and amenable to strange foreigners and their wishes!

Brilliant news! Gad do it all turned out ok for you x

Wow. France is so medicalised. Their section rate must be sky high. So glad you had a positive experience.

No answers to your questions, but wanted to say the Juju Sundin book is pretty good. It was the 'recommended reading' for my delivery unit (private and overseas). I thought it sounded a bit naff but some of the breathing and visualisation techniques were actually very helpful.