Homebirth and consultants.

[Nbg]

I spoke to my MW last week and we were discussing my plans for home birth.
I'm only 14 weeks atm but MW said she wants to get hold of my labour and birth notes from last time round as ds was a bit awkward lol.

Basically to cut a long story short, I had a relatively quick labour, 6 hours in the end. However when I started to push, ds slipped back up and turned transverse. The dr's and MW got him to move and he eventually came out via forceps face up.
He'd turned transverse a couple of times in the later stages of pregnancy but I knew when he did it as I could see and feel it happening and he would turn back after about a minute.

Now the MW said that when she gets hold of the notes obviously she'll have a better idea of what went on but that later on in my pregnancy I will have to see a consultant so that he can make the decision as to wether I can have a home birth or not.

Obviously if this baby is transverse when I am 40 weeks then I wont go ahead with a HB because of the risks but if the baby is not then IMO its not up to the consultant where I birth.
When I go into labour if I want to stay at home then theres nothing a consultant can do about it. Yes?
Unless he marches down to my house and pulls my arm up my back!

So is this the norm?
Has anyone else encountered problems like this and getting their HB?

You need to look on the AIMS website, that'll clue you in to all your rights etc.

Oooo right. Thank you Mars

I dont suppose you have a link to it? I've not heard of them before.

there you go honeysuckle sugarPIE!!!!!!!!!

awww lol thank you

Not a lot to add, but wishing you a fab homebirth!

Consultants are not experts in normal birth and are there to help you IF required.

He has no decisions to make, they are all yours. It is your decision to have a homebirth and your decision to transfer in if the need arises.

I cannot see how ds being transverse at times can have any bearing on this baby and his/her birth! All it would mean to me is that you might want to be more aware of OFP.

Stay strong!

Thanks Spam and thank you Klaw. I've added both sites to my faves to have a good read.

I think what riles me is that I said from the start i didnt want hospital intervention with anything apart from my scans.

My first one I was ill with through the pregnancy and the second they induced. I had my third at home supported by my consultant but NOT my GP who was very much against it. Of course I took no notice and had a great thrid birth fab in every way.

Thats good to hear GF.

ahh so that makes it seem that may be its quite subjective in terms of how the medical side feel about it , as your consultant supported you and gp didnt glitterfairy.

If so it will be easier to remain detached if someone feels its not appropriate. I think many women them selves know the level of risk attached. I know myself I was high risk due to aneamia and transfusion.

You make the decision about the homebirth - not the consultant. He can only advise you regarding what problems might occur. You are right - if you want to stay at home then it's your decision - nothing he can do about it.

The decision is yours. They cannot make you give birth in hospital. Full stop.

My 4th was going to be at home. I hired my lovel independent midwives and then we found it was twins and mutually agreed they would instead come with me into hospital. I was happy with that. Twin births can go very wrong. So in a sense I was self assessing the risk. In fact the first twin was born at home but that's a long story.

I'm feeling all empowered lol