Is it possible to give birth in mlu after emc

[LadyPug]

I’m planning a VBAC for dc2 and have been told by consultant can’t have baby in the birth unit (even though it’s in the hospital close to labour ward). Does anyone know why this is? Can I contest it?

I don't see why it's an issue if the labour ward and consultant care Is in the same area. However I would understand if it was a stand alone birth centre x

Anxious reading your story is very interesting as I am sure, when I was doing my research and reading around the issue, I read something similar, about the readings on the machine being the last sign something is wrong and that abdominal/scar area pain is one of the indicators that happens much sooner. Hence the argument that constant monitoring isn’t really effective and there are other ways of monitoring the condition of the scar.

I think (and this is only my opinion), that that world of Vbac is a fairly new one as until not so long ago, vbac ladies were just sent down the csection route for subsequent births. Therefore, some hospitals are way ahead of others when it comes to how they handle vbac ladies. For me, the response of ‘well because that’s just how we do it here’ wasn’t good enough. Give me stats, explain the risks, let me try and understand the stats (like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent 🤓) and make the process one which we go through together. I think half the problems come when women are just told what they can and cannot do. From a medical perspective this may be the case, but sometimes I felt the medics forgot that sitting in front of them was a woman with feelings and worries and most likely with a negative birth experience behind them.

Also wanted to add that I’m glad everything was ok in the end Anxious

Really surprised to hear the hospital MLU won't let you attempt delivery there if there are no other complications other than previous section. Freestanding MLU fair enough, they have to have very strict risking out policies. But at a hospital MLU, you're usually only about 30 seconds further from the theatre if anything goes wrong. Hardly a huge difference!

Yes you do have a slightly higher risk of uterine rupture than you would had you never had a section, that's undeniable, but it seems very unreasonable not to allow you to give birth in what is just another section of the hospital. Worth talking to PALS? The fact is that plenty of hospital MLUs do allow otherwise low risk women to attempt VBAC there.

There is a case called Montgomery v Lanarkshire which may be of use to you. Basically says that once you've been appropriately counselled about the risks of particular options, the informed decision should be yours to make. It's about ELCS but you could argue the point applies to MLU entry (I'm not sure whether it does or not but it may bamboozle them!).