I’m 40+6 and have been plagued by pelvic problems since about week 22. I’ve been on crutches but haven’t had to use them for a month or so, but walking around yesterday triggered some awful pain and I can’t move my right leg properly without pain. Turning over in bed is incredibly painful and having a sweep a few days ago has brought it home just how much I don’t want to be manhandled in labour, just getting my knees apart was agony. My birth plan is pretty much ‘leave me alone and don’t even think about making me stay in a bed’. My first dc was a dreadful induction with a back to back baby that didn’t turn, thanks to being immobile on my back with epidural I think. Dc 2&3 were also back to back but turned on labour thanks to staying active, the last one was in the pool and that was lovely. I’ve pinned all my hopes on a birth pool being free this time as I really don’t see how I’m going to be able to stay active otherwise. Dh is very good at helping me, and he’s very tall and strong but I think even his stamina would wane after a few hours of having to physically support me if that’s what I need. My community midwife hasn’t been all that great at understanding the pain, are the hospital midwives likely to be more understanding? Several friends have told me to just get an epidural but I already have existing back problems, and my only birth with epidural so far was the worst yet so I really want to avoid one. I don’t really have the option to stay at home as long as I can once things kick off as my last two labours were 4 and 1 hours respectively, and we’re about 45 minutes from hospital.