Suspension of Home birth service

[sheliabug]

I know that this will divide everyone options hugely, however all I want is constructive advice.

I have always wanted a home and never planned to go to hospital, however I had twins first and the choice was taken out of my hands, and thank god it was, as the delivery suite was amazing and saved my second twins life.

On becoming pregnant with my third child, I knew that this time around I would be at home. However, at my 9 week appointment I got told that the homebirth service for my NHS trust had been suspended. I have been fighting ever since to get a home birth and so far to no avail. I have written to my local MP, and the health secretary, and national papers. It has been broadcast in the papers and again this has made no difference.

I thought I had finally come to terms with the idea that I would be allowed it and at 32 weeks I really need to get my head around it. However, I haven't and feel completely devastated that this has happened.

I just wondered if anything like this had happened to anyone else and if anyone else managed to achieve the achievable, and if so how. I know time is running out but I think there might just be a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

[Mumzy]

Had Home births with ds2 and dd both amazing experiences compared to ds1 hospital birth. The fact a MW stayed with me throughout the HB labour and I was not 'hurried' along for the convenience of the hospital meant I emerged physically and psychologically in better shape. Also HB are more cost effective than hospital or MLU even the NHS agrees
www.nhs.uk/news/2012/04april/Pages/home-birth-cost-effective-labour.aspx

[CantUnderstandNewtonsTheory]

I'm shocked by this, homebirths cost the nhs so much less money than hospital births and I thought they had to offer this service!

I have had one in hospital and one at home and there was no comparison in terms of care! I only took a few hours of the mws time at home (only one as the second mw didn't make it) provided my own towels, sheets, food, hot water etc and besides the mw, a little bit of gas and air, local anaesthetic for stitching and the stitches (which I would have had in hospital too) I didn't really use any of the nhs' resources. NICE guidelines and many local policies state that a woman should be given 1 - 1 care in labour so you would still be taking a mw if you were to give birth in hospital, I understand that that often doesn't happen but imo we shouldn't be putting up with substandard unsafe care just because it is underfunded.

I wonder what would happen if you just refused to go into hospital?