Homebirth planned, told I need to have him in hospital.

[PollyBlue6]

I'm just abit gutted.

I'd got my heart set on a homebirth/water birth. Everything was OK.

Went for my last growth scan today to be told the fluid is still slightly raised and he's measuring big (8lbs 2) and I'm 39 weeks and they advise I have him in hospital because of the risks (cord prolapse, bleeding afterwards etc) and they want to monitor him when I'm in labour.... even though at my other growth scan it was okayed I have a homebirth and even though the fluid was raised, it was only slight.

I had PND with my 1st and it set in when I was in overnight as I was in so much pain.
Birth number 2 was great because I didn't have an overnight stay.

I was diagnosed with depression last year and terrified it's going to flare my PND up again, which was one of the reason for a homebirth.

I'm not even allowed a waterbirth either.

Has anyone got any positive stories of a complete change of birth plan but ended up being OK?

What's the rationale for no water birth? Hospitals have policies but you don't "have" to follow them. I had an off policy VBAC (they said no water birth as they wanted to continuously monitor but we compromised with intermittent monitoring) - not saying you should necessarily go against but ask what risk they're trying to guard against and weigh up the risks for yourself.

I will ask that, thank you.

It's because they want to monitor him and make sure he's OK which of course, I get completely and I will ask if I can do intermittent monitoring.

From what I gathered from my consultant he just wants to be safe than sorry and with other things being taken into consideration for us, (our street is awful so ambulance wouldn't get up if needed) I get it I'm just abit gutted!

This is my 3rd and last I've tried for a waterbirth everytime and never got one. Was hoping it was 3rd time lucky!

Totally understand. I would have loved a home birth too but felt safer being in hospital as I'd had a previous c section. For what it's worth I managed to make the room I was in really lovely with fairy lights, photos, relaxing music, lights dimmed etc - so there's definitely a lot you can do to make it feel less like a hospital - although obviously still not as nice as being at home. Just remember too that's ultimately it's up to you. I'm not saying have a home birth against medical advice but ask lots of questions as doctors will always opt for the safer rather than sorry approach but it's your body and baby and you can get to decide. Best of luck

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I wanted a water birth, ended up with an early induction, consultant led in hospital, DS got stuck and I had to be whisked down to surgery. I have never been so grateful to be in a hospital and for my baby to be safe and well so quickly. That's all that matters, not where they arrive but that mum and baby are both ok. I'd imagine at the moment they are trying to get people out of hospital as quickly as possible too, so fingers crossed you're not in there long

I think you can ask to be referred to the perinatal mental health team pre-emptively if you are concerned especially given previous PND and recent depressive episode. Hope it all goes ok.

Had a water birth with dc1. Desperate for one with dc2.

Wasn't allowed due to iugr. Was gutted and had an epidural. It was honestly the best thing- no pain pushing, no pain/soreness after shockingly (only had cramps due to breastfeeding).

If I have another, 100% skipping a natural birth - although I suppose it's easy to say when I got to experience it anyway

A change of plan isn't the end of the world, it's a different experience and it might actually turn out better.

I went into labour at 34 weeks and had to go into the labour suite. Only 1 pool and that wasn't available, they needed my room so soon that I didn't even get to finish my tea and toast afterwards. DH had to go home as he wasn't allowed over the night in the post natal ward and I gave birth in the middle of the night. I would have liked a water birth but the only thing that I really wanted was a chance to rest and spend the first night with DH, which we could have had I the midwife led suite I wanted. However complications with DD were picked up during the birth and they were abelle to whip her out safely without having to resort to an emergency C-section and the staff were all wonderful with us, we got so much input to look after her when she was too little to suck and we ended up breastfeeding for years. That was my only chance to give birth as I miscarried every other pregnancy. I am just so thankful that we managed to keep her through the pregnancy and that she survived the birth totally unimpaired that I can't care about anything now.

Hi OP is there a consultant midwife you can talk to? My local home birth team have a consultant midwife who specialises in home births.

They might give you a more balanced idea of risk.

I had a Homebirth with my DS who is my first baby. The Homebirth team made it very clear that the decision to give birth at home was 100% my choice and they would always support me in that. Nobody has so say you’re ‘allowed’ to have a home birth.

Thank you so much for all your help and stories.

I am definitely going to pack some things to make it less 'hospital' I didn't think I could do that.
I'm going to speak to my midwife tomorrow and tell her everything that went on today and ask if I can be referred to the MH team. She's aware of my wants for a homebirth and my depression. Oddly enough, I've been so well during this pregnancy its just this blip in the road.

I'll be having him in hospital, I don't want to risk a single thing I just need to mourn the homebirth first and be abit dramatic.

My husband has said he will sleep in the car and phone/text all night if he has too

Most hospitals have waterproof, wireless continuous monitoring that is safe to use in the pool. Could you ask if this is an option?

Also hospitals aren’t allowed to just say no. They can have a frank discussion with you about the risks of your decision, but you’re allowed to make an informed choice that is outside of guidance

My midwife was well on board with a homebirth but the consultant advises against it due to the risk of me bleeding due to an increase in fluid.
I'd rather be in hospital than experience that at home really, even if there is only a small possibility.

This is wonderful! Thank you so much.

The hospital is less daunting now that I could possibly get a waterbirth. We've even got one I've said we can bring our own if none are available!

I had planned a home birth and then was told I couldn't have one due to Covid. I was quite upset but the birth in the hospital was really quite lovely - very different to my first, which had been the experience that I really didn't want to replicate. Ten months on it couldn't matter less that I didn't get my homebirth!

Look for the upside and don't dwell on the past. Hospital birth is just one day out of your life, and the prize is giving your baby the very best and safest start in life that's possible.

I'm sorry you missed the waterbirth . Now you deserve to splash out on some really gorgeous bubble bath, fill that bath really deep, light a candle, turn on the music and wallow.

Little bit different in that I went from the birthing unit to the labour ward during my labour which are very different environments but I still requested all the bright lights were turned off and I had some electronic tea lignts. Made for a more relaxing environments so I'd definitely make a plan for what you'd like to take with you ☺️

Speak to the consultant midwife and say that as a compromise to your homebirth you will birth in hospital but you want to have your care in the birth centre/MLU and have low risk care with a pool/water birth and intermittent auscultation....or you'll have a HB against advice.
They will agree to the birth centre option.

Whatever birth you can arrange, I'd also ask how to maximise your chances of not having to stay in the postnatal ward overnight. For some reason they tend to be a bit hellish. Good luck!

I wanted a water birth due to medocal issues as i thought this would help keep me relaxed.
I ended up developing pre-eclampsia and needed an emergency induction.
I was so upset but when it came down to it my birth turned into an emergency situation for me and the labour lasted less than 2 hours. I fell unconscious twice following the birth and required a load of medical attention from a ridiculous number of people.
While it wasnt the birth i ever wanted i have never been so grateful to the staff who advised me that i was sick enough to need an emergency induction and to care for me in the way they did. They also ensured my DD was brought into the world quickly due to distress and cared for her amazingly while i was out of it.
It wasnt ideal, but im happy to have received the care i did and will always respect the midwife, consultants and anaeathetist for their care.

Things have probably changed a lot since I gave birth in 2010 but I did a lot of reading Mumsnet back then in the last stages of my labour and it honestly changed my labour experience for the better.

I went overdue by 14 days and the hospital were pushing me for induction and monitored labour. After a lot of reading and some incredibly knowledgeable poster on here I looks at the risks and statistics associated with delaying induction and also with constant monitoring versus intermittent.

It was my understanding there that the monitoring had no difference at all. The constant monitoring is helpful for the hospital as it requires less resources from them (ie you can be strapped in and left to it) whereas intermittent monitoring requires a midwife to do it so more resource intensive.

Constant monitoring has a negative effect on labour because you are then required to lay still, in position for hours thereby slowing down and sometimes unnecessarily complicating labour.

So, I wrote a birth plan, agreed to daily monitoring before labour and ended up 18 days overdue before allowing them to break my waters which brought in a very speedy labour. My birth plan was adhered to when I no longer had the strength to valise my wishes and in it I had requested no constant monitoring (my first labour was hideous with me strapped to the bed the entire time under the machine and an assisted forceps delivery under spinal block so I was really really desperate to avoid a similar outcome.

In the absence of constant monitoring the midwife even offered me the water birth I wanted because there was no reason not to but dc2 came so quick they hadn't even filled the pool yet!

All of the above is a long way of saying, do some research, look at the statistics, talk to your consultant. You do not HAVE to accept all of their suggestions without discussion. Ask the consultant what the actual statistics are. What is the risk? If you have to go to hospital (which I would have done in your shoes) you still do not have to have the whole labour over medicalised.

What I found was that being well informed on my own situation meant the medical staff treated me with more respect and worked with me to find compromises we were happy with.

Last stages of pregnancy not labour! I definitely did not read mn in labour!

Like a PP said, most hospitals have waterproof, wireless monitoring now, so can’t see why you couldn’t have a waterbirth and continuous monitoring at the same time. I had continuous monitoring with one of my DC, but was still able to get in and out of the bath/shower etc (the pools were already in use so weren’t an option for me on the day).
Worth asking about this anyway. Good luck!

@snowdropsandcrocuses sounds like things have definitely changed since you give birth. I had continued monitoring for my last DC. It was waterproof and wireless. I could walk around, bounce on the yoga ball, get in and out of the bath etc. I didn’t lie down for any of the labour, with the exception of one time to check how far dilated I was. I was constantly active, despite the monitoring

Many units are not able to offer home births at all currently, due to a dire shortage of midwives, hospitals in free-fall (esp A&E), very long waits for ambulances and a pandemic about to spiral even further.

Given that a homebirth requires 2 midwives and (statistically) has a reasonably high chance of emergency ambulance transfer to hospital, that is an awful lot of NHS facility.

My understanding (ex-obstetrician) is that you are not obliged to accept what a maternity unit offers you; likewise they are not obliged to agree to what they see as unsafe care that you request.

In practice, of course, a compromise is usually agreed. Totally agree, that a delivery suite birth can be just as free as regards mobility, wireless monitoring low-intervention etc.

Continuous monitoring is not a stick to beat you with, but advised in babies that are higher risk of complications, in order that these can be identified and treated safely.
Once your waters have gone, if all is well and labour progressing, continuous may not be needed, though.

Wishing you all the very best.

[quote twoofusburningmatches]@snowdropsandcrocuses sounds like things have definitely changed since you give birth. I had continued monitoring for my last DC. It was waterproof and wireless. I could walk around, bounce on the yoga ball, get in and out of the bath etc. I didn’t lie down for any of the labour, with the exception of one time to check how far dilated I was. I was constantly active, despite the monitoring[/quote]
I'm so glad things have changed! Honestly constant monitoring meant being strapped to a huge machine on a trolley next to the bed, laying on your back and 'try not to move' while they get a comprehensive reading of the heartbeat. With constant contractions I couldn't stay still and they couldn't get a good trace so I was strapped in for about 12 hours before being rushed to theatre for engender assisted delivery. And I'm only talking about 11 years ago here!