Home Birth only one mw per night on call in a big city is this normal?

[Ledodgy]

Mw has just come round with my home birth pack and has given me the on-call list. She said that at night there is only ever one mw on call and if this mw is attending another birth I have to go to hospital as no other mw will come out! She and another mw are on the list alternately every few days and she told me she can't actually deliver the baby , well then she said she can but only on a bed as she can't bend her knees as she's had an operation! Now is it me or does this sound like in reality i've got a hope in hell of getting this homebirth. I live in Liverpool and she said herself when I asked that homebirths are always quite busy but most people aren't as realistic as me and end up needing to go to hospital. She said as I had a 'nice' labour last time I should be fine but as far as I can see I won't be if just one other woman in Liverpool also wants a home birth goes into labour at the same time as me!

That's it Peachy. It all suddenly feels a bit too quick and Christmas isn't helping. I went at 39 +4 with my other too and i'm 38 weeks on Sunday.

*TWO

I've been lucky enough to be able to hire a MN Doula (jofeb) locally for an affordable cost, which I hope will help (ds's all born in hospitals but for various reasons would make life very hard this time).

I had thought about the doula too but would be worried that would look to dp like I didn't trust him to stand up for me. What a ridiculous situation for us both to be in though - berating ourselves for not being stronger in out resolve to stay at home when actually the health service should just have provided us with midwives when we needed them instead of playing some sick game of dare with our own and our babies' lives.

Sorry for the hijack LeDodgy. Hope mine and Pooka's experiences persuade to make a lot of noise now and really really hope you get your homebirth

Yeah my other two were born in hospital too. Ds was very quick though hence one of my reasons for a home birth this time not to mention child care. My best friend is like a doula she has had two children herself and she is the one person who can keep me calm she's been fab through my other births. She also won't take any sh*t when it comes to me or her family in the sense that if she feels at any point i'm being neglected or not getting the right care she will speak up.

She sounds fab, we don't have any friends or family closer than 60 miles away- there's a neighbour who could take them for maybe an hour, but 2 being SN any longer they'd have to go to Mum's, and as Dh would have to drive (Mum doesn't drive) I didn't want to be alone- hence the Doula.

It also means that should things go OK and I do deliver here, DH is free to keep an eye on kids as well. They may be there for last bit (well older 2) but only if Dh is with them.

Good luck. When are you due?
I know what you mean about child care We only have the in laws and last time mil proved herself to be somewhat unreliable choosing to leave me alone in early labour with a two year old because her dd had the flu and needed help with her children. [hmm The only other person who would have the children for any length of time is my best friend and I need her with me!

Still got 3 months to go- theoretically (have had a few bouts of contractions over the alst few weeks though so who knows?)
Last assignment at Uni due when i am 39 weeks - a presentationalso so cannot submit early- will have to speak to Lecturers if I get any more warning bouts about deferring until next year i think )not a huge problem as long as they let me)

Ledodgy - am in L'pool and had HB two years ago. Never once was told / warned about midwife not being available and did end up going into labour at 10pm on a weekend, so was using the on call. Don't know if its new, but am going for HB again in June so will watch how you go! Good luck - in the end the MW who delivered at home was just fab (never met her before or since).

Thanks Kayjayel i'll let you know. Oh yes whilst I'm here my gas and air is here and my box but the box is locked. I assume the mouth piece for the G&A are in the box. Am I allowed to open the box before the mw's get here because if they are running late I want gas and air so it's going to be opened anyway!

That made it sound like i'm in labour now. I'm not by the way!

There was only one midwife on duty in the midwife led birth unit when I had ds. And only one in the hospital birth centre as well. I imagine there were none for home births.