okay, am getting really nervous now. all advise welcome!!!!!!!

[tinytoessize4]

haven't posted before, lurked though. lol am due on friday, was all geared up for natural homebirth but am absolutely terrified now. is first baby, normal midwife on annual leave, rang midwife two days ago as thought i was in labour - was told as it was my first that it was probably a false alarm. can't quite recognise when the contractions start and stop, constant back pain, leaking etc. poor partner stayed home yesterday as was in a right state! am seriously considering changing birth plans and opting for a ceasarean (family history of stillborn and complications - hypotension, large babies) and general anaesthetic, all out and gas oven in etc etc. am so tired of being preggers and not sleeping properly, not sure im mentally prepared for a natural anymore. have been told by my midwife team that i can only have gas and air and that if they see any distress itl be off to the hospital anyway, by which time i reckon il have freaked out. any tips on whether this is normal reaction to idea of intense pain with only partner for support (though he is a physio and i am a nurse)? please advise as to ceasarean pain relief - epi versus GA? and reassurance. have midwife appt tomorrow with locum mw then nothing until 42 weeks. by which point eep eep eep.

best of luck. had my ds in hospital. like previous poster it is very annoying when they keep telling you you're not in labour. In the end had E CS, because i'd had epi for pain relief they just topped me up and got on with it, think that was better than GA cause I still had my wits about me. Hope you get the natural birth you want but CS is not the end of the world. extra time in hospital does give you time to yourself with the baby more so than having hundreds of wellwishers to the house with no set visiting times. Not being able to drive is a pain but again helps you get settled at home with your baby without the pressure of feeling you should be "out there" or people will think you,re depressed. I know loads of people who had their lovely first weeks ruined because they somehow felt like a failure for having an ECS. Just hope for the best and expect the worst and things will probably turn out somewhere in the middle. x

Hi Tiny

Apparently you have a legal right to a home birth and a legal right to be attended by a mw during your home birth. having said that, an unplanned or unsupported hb doesn't sound appealing so maybe you need to consider changing mw or looking into an independent mw as an alternative.

Good luck