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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Want a water birth but have been told Im not allowed - help

78 replies

Mistiek · 26/01/2007 18:01

Hello all this is my first time on a chat site - wish I had stumbled on this site earlier.

I get so frustrated with the dam system here and the consultants. I have had on and off unexplained bleeding through out my pregnancy so have had to see a consultant a few times already. As I never see the same consultant I am constantly asked what my plans are for the birth as I have had a previous c-sec. They have been trying to force me to have a VBAC from day one and nalthough I have decided to keep my C-sec date on the 29 March I have told my midwife that if baby arrives earlier on her own I would like to try for a VBAC.

Now at 31 weeks I am considering VBAC only to be told I can not have the water birth I so longed for and cant be as active as I want to be due to constant monitoring.

This crap that how you labour and birth is a womens own choice does not seem to be that way if you stick with the NHS! It does seem that the consultants have the last say!

I would like to look at possibly going private to have a water birth now, can anyone tell how I can find out the info I need? sorry for the long message...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

crimplene · 26/01/2007 21:09

yes, that's what i've realised. thanks so much for listening

Lio · 26/01/2007 21:10

Hi Mistiek, welcome. There is a great book that your library will get hold of for you called 'Your birth rights' by Pat Thomas. THere's no substitute for knowing your rights - I am not very assertive, but with the knowledge I gained from her book I was strong enough to refuse induction and admission to hospital, got the brilliant home birth I wanted. Hope you feel able to stand up for yourself, I know it can be really hard.

lulumama · 26/01/2007 21:11

no problems crimplene..hope you resolve everything.x

sazzybee · 26/01/2007 21:44

MistieK

I doubt you'd be able to get a water birth at St John & Lizzie's - they wouldn't let my friend have one as she'd had a c-section and same as you've been told, she's been told that she has to have constant monitoring if she wants a VBAC.

They're worried about the c-section splitting open apparently so I can see their POV although how often that happens I have no idea.

lulumama · 26/01/2007 21:45

very rarely.....can dig out some stats.....but a very small number...the irony is a waterbirth is good for VBAC as it support the uterus

sazzybee · 26/01/2007 21:53

Yes I can believe that it would. How ridiculous.

I'd think you'd be less likely to get one at private than NHS - from what I can see they're absolutely paranoid about getting sued and go for the 'safest' procedure every time.

Whichever way you go, the idea that you have choice about your birth seems more of an illusion the more I look into it

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 21:54

Hi hope you don't mind me jumping in on this but according to nct info sheet, seperation of scar tissue only happens to 0.5-2% of women who have a VBAC,and uterine rupture occurs in 0.3%,so it is very rare.
hope this helps

lulumama · 26/01/2007 21:55

thanks ! was trying to dig those stats out !

did you get my email , btw?

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 21:56

me?

lulumama · 26/01/2007 21:57

yep! did you not email me the other day ?

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 22:00

oh yes sorry ,thanks for that.Did you get the vistaprint info,thought it may be of use to you.I thought the freebies were great

lulumama · 26/01/2007 22:02

no i didn;t ! LOL!

do you have my other email addy, not my hotmail one?

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 22:03

How's it going btw?

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 22:06

no i dont think so .I sent it to address you sent to me from.If you go on vistaprint.com
they have alot of freebies buisness cards e.t.c.I'll search it and send to you

lulumama · 26/01/2007 22:08

thanks....will reply tomorrow and give you my other addy,

seem to suddenly have a lot to do, but no work yet ! application went off again to doula uk , so hope to be on there ASAP! will fill you in on email ! don;t want to take over the thread

xxxxx

viclb76 · 26/01/2007 22:10

i know.lol
speak soon

Mintpurple · 26/01/2007 22:14

"seperation of scar tissue only happens to 0.5-2% of women who have a VBAC,and uterine rupture occurs in 0.3%,so it is very rare"

Sorry to be sounding negative, but on these stats, 1 in 200 to 1 in 50 scar tissue seperation, and 1 in 330 rupture, which is totally catastrophic is not what I'd call great odds.

Ive seen scar ruptures and without very swift intervention, both mum and baby will die.

This is why the hospitals want some monitoring, and are not prepared to take the risk of this happening.

Again, sorry for sounding negative about this, and I dont expect everyone will agree, but I would not want to stake everything on those odds.

Original poster

Mistiek · 26/01/2007 22:36

I think I am being a bit misunderstood by some. I am not asking for a home birth but if the pool at the hospital is available I would like to give that a try - but am not allowed.

I am to paranoid to have a home birth as I know there are risks and would never put me or my baby girl in harms way for any small amount of risk. I would however like the option to try a water birth in the hospital - surely if I have to have baby's heart beat listened to regularly they can do this in the pool. (I have already decided to refuse being on a monitor constantly - as I just cant lie in bed for labour, I have to be active).

I dont care if they want to check the heart rate every freaking 10 min I just want to have the freedom to have the birth I choose in the hospital.

I suppose they are to dam scared about law suits. but like I said before what bugs me is that they have been forcing ther opinions on me from the start to have a VBAC and now that I am considering it I have to do it there way! Its just so frustrating...

OP posts:

mrsnoah · 26/01/2007 22:44

Do what a friend of mine suggested... get in the big bath and refuse to get out.
Voila! A water birth.

harpsichordcarrier · 26/01/2007 22:52

mintpurple - there are lots of warning signs with separation of scar tissue, and time to intervene if the mw is experienced enough to notice.
also - tell me this - what is the mortality morbidity rate for C section? how does this compare? because that is the realistic comparison.
not a "risk free" birth compared to a VBAC, but a C section.
not to mention the MRSA/infection risks of course

Mintpurple · 26/01/2007 23:10

The comparison is not valid.

Of course I would support anyones wish for a VBAC as that is much better than having a c/s, if the person so desires, and I would never try to discourage them.

Im merely commenting on the stats quoted by viclb76 and stand by my statement that they are not to be totally dismissed. Also making reference to why hospitals do not want to take these risks with patients.

I am not commenting on the rights or wrongs of either party.

As for MRSA etc, well coming to hospital at all exposes you to this risk, doesn't it?

mears · 26/01/2007 23:15

I really get annoyed when women are told 'they are not allowed'. You are given information and you then should choose what you want to do. In my unit women have requested to use the pool for labour. This is agreed with the consultant and as long as there is progress and the woman agreed to come out if there are problems, then that is fine. We have had successful pool VBAC and we have had no progress with repeat C/S.
When labour is allowed to start spontaneosly, the risk of uterine ruprure is very low. The pool is the best place to labour IMO. If ther eis lack of progress in the pool it can be a sign that labour will not progress well.
Ask to speak to the Supervisor of midwives at your hospital - she should be able to assist you in getting the type of birth you want.

DaisyMOO · 26/01/2007 23:17

Of course it's a valid comparison! When trying to make an informed choice about whether to have a VBAC or an elective CS you need to know the risks for both.

I don't think anyone was dismissing the risks of uterine rupture, just saying that the chance of it happening is very rare.

harpsichordcarrier · 26/01/2007 23:18

why is it not a valid comparison?
if the choice is beytween a VBAC and a C section, then surely the morbidity rates and mortality rates of a C section v a vaginal birth are entirely valid.
as for MRSA/infection: the chances of contracting a serious infection are much reduced with a home birth or in a birth centre/MLU. and considerably less for a SVB than for an operative one. a woman who goes into hospital in late first stage, has her baby vaginally, then goes home again the same day or next day is at much less risk than a woman who has major abdominal surgery and then remains in hopsital for, say, five days, recovering with a significant scar.
I haven;t even mentioned the chances of past operative complications with a c section (and risks to future fertility and pregnancies), which must also form part of the equation of risk

sazzybee · 26/01/2007 23:18

As far as I know they can't monitor you in the pool because of the danger of the electric and water combination.

Like you can't use a TENS

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