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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Home Birth Planned - Overdue

294 replies

LuckySalem · 11/01/2008 08:41

Hi all,

I'm currently 41 + 1 and hoping to have a home water birth.

According to my hospital they will only allow you to go Term + 12 which will take me to Tuesday.

I've had a sweep yesterday and apparently the "Presenting part (head) is still high" my notes say 3 above spine. Also in my notes on my 20wk scan (was 20+1) it was reading I was 19+6 and 19+2 depending on different measurements.

I'm absolutely petrified of having to go into hospital to be induced. What rights do I have to refuse the induction and still have a homebirth? Can I use the fact that at 20 weeks I was possibly only 19 and therefore now only actually 6 days over?

Thanks all

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me23 · 14/01/2008 20:32

just saw ur post lucy, it will happen soon enough hun, keep postive x

LuckySalem · 14/01/2008 20:32

SK - I've been sitting in my pool (without the water) leaning over the side and it makes it hurt like hell but hasn't made any difference yet.

Going swimming tomorrow morning to try and make it move. (they've got a jacuzzi too )

Starting to get back ache now which apparently is a good thing.

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lulumama · 14/01/2008 20:34

have a flapjack.....they are still warm...

now, you need to have a bath,dim the lights, have some candles lit, have a good talk to this baby and tell him to get his head tucked in and get ready for the exit.. i am serious, by the way !

those sorts of sharp pains can often mean dilation, so don;t lose heart

and you could well be in the latent stage, which is long and ardous due to baby;s head not putting lots of pressure on the cervix

channel the anger into something else, let it go and breeeeeeeeeathe

chin up chuck, baby is coming, just not as quick as you would like

LuckySalem · 14/01/2008 20:36

I'm just hoping that baby appears before Weds 9pm (I hate having a deadline!!)

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JingleyJen · 14/01/2008 20:36

if it helps LS when they checked my progress with DS2 at 4cms he was high up and facing the wrong way. just over an hour later he had turned and come down and OUT. Hurt much more than with DS1 but much much faster.

I guess what I am saying is that they can turn even at a very late stage!!

Good luck sweetie however it happens you are going to meet your little one really soon - very excited for you!

me23 · 14/01/2008 20:43

I also wanted to say, that this is your choice, you do not have to be induced if you don't want to be. Many women don't give birth until they get to 43 weeks. There is a slight increased risk the longer you take, but the risk is very small, so please do not let people scare you. The body is a very clever machine, and will not respond well to time limits and pressure so try not to think about it. best of luck I'll be checking in x

MaeWest · 14/01/2008 20:51

LS - Skim read your thread earlier today but didn't post. Just wanted to add support, had a homebirth 18 months ago, can understand the not wanting to go to hospital thing all too well. Hope things get moving for you soon.

MarsLady · 14/01/2008 23:29

ditto lulu re talking seriously to this baby.

More opening up of the legs as so eloquently described earlier lol! Also some sideways stair walking.... BUT don't exhaust yourself.

Really hoping that this post is moot and that your baby is practically (if not already) here!

NatalieJane · 15/01/2008 08:10

Oh no Jen I thought your message would be saying that you'd had the baby.

Right, first thing, Lota was right it is a boy (they are always too stubborn to come out).

Secondly, keep going with the nipple stim and sex.

Thirdly, do the stair walking and serious chats as described.

Fourthly, but most important of all, get some rest and stop worrying about hospital, it will not be half as bad as you have in your head, and what ever happens, how ever it happens, you are going to have that baby out very soon and none of the last week will matter one little bit. (Believe me, I had about 9 weeks in all of the stops and starts, and I can barely remember it now, well, I remember some of it, but it doesn't matter!!)

I don't normally do these, but big (((hugs))), now go and get a really GOF LOL

Hope you slept better last night xxxx

LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 08:11

Still no baby and hardly any sleep AGAIN!!

I went for my bath last night and spent the whole bath telling baby to stop star gazing (head wrong) and get in line but doesn't really feel much different. Although I am getting more back pain now.

I'm exhausted but going swimming today (or should that read floating) they've got a jacuzzi and a little river thing you can float in that pulls you round. Hoping that will ease it abit or help baby get right way around.

Got an appointment at hospital for 2pm to be monitored and I'm hoping someone there will have a conversation with me about induction as I want to be home ASAP and I want to know if that is possible after inductions. Also risks etc.

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NatalieJane · 15/01/2008 08:14

Monitoring is perfect timing to get those things sorted

If it helps at all, they were considering sending me home about 4 hours after I'd had George but then some consultant said I needed my BP still monitoring due to the PE. So I didn't get home till the next day, the fact they were going to send me home quickly just shows that as long as mum and baby are doing OK, then they can, and will, send you home

I have got to get DS1 ready for school, then I got mums and tots for as long as I can stand the stares and whispers, will be home about 10-ish, if you want a natter xxxx

LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 08:15

I won't be here then Nat, Going swimming.

Will try to speak to you some time later or something.

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NatalieJane · 15/01/2008 08:17

OK lovey Have fun at the pool, and if I don't catch you before 2, good luck!

Take it easy Jen, you need the strength for the birth

Lot's of love xxxx

LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 08:49

Someone just make me feel abit better.

I'm getting what feels like contractions but its only under my bump (and a little around my back) they feel like period pains (sharp aching) and are in the same place as a period pain.

2 seperate MWs have said it can't be labour cos of where they are. Please tell me it's doing something though? I've been sat on my birth ball or leaning out over the pool for over a day with these pains now and its not got any better. I'm starting to worry i'm not going to cope when "real labour" starts.

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LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 08:49

Esp. If i'm induced!!

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LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 08:53

Also just read through the homebirth site and it says if your induced while baby is in the wrong position (which I keep getting told it is) its more likely to end in a C-Section!!

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lulumama · 15/01/2008 09:00

oh honey

MarsLady · 15/01/2008 09:04

Honey you're clearly in the latent phase. Fret not. Things can change quickly (even if it doesn't seem so at the moment). Your body is doing more than you think. Don't let yourself be despondent.

Also... try not to fear the induction. Fear closes your body up. You don't need to have induction if you don't want to. When you are monitored they will be checking the baby's heart beat and the condition of the placenta. As long as all of that and you are good you don't need to be induced (unless you feel you want to). Should you be induced it might all go incredibly well and quickly. They would administer the gel and hopefully not need to move on to the syntocin.

Now once you are induced they start to clock watch. So... be mobile and don't be monitored on a bed. Ask for them to use a handheld sonicaid.

With induction because the contractions are being brought on they can often come incredibly quickly which doesn't give you or your body time to get used to them. This is where your breathing and gas and air will come in handy and also any relaxation techniques that work for you.

Should you have several rounds of gel and that not work they will suggest giving you syntocin. Syntocin (when it works) moves incredibly quickly and the strength of your contractions will jump right up. This is why they suggest an epidural.

Now... once you have the epi you need to be monitored. It doesn't matter what any one says about being mobile, that mobility can cause the belt/monitor to move and so they would want you in a position where you are still so that the heart rate can be seen. You can ask to sit on a birthing ball but sometimes because of the way the baby lies, your belly "hangs" it's very difficult to get. So, you could stand (which may be rather tiring) or kneel on the bed (put pillows.... Woolies do a cheap set of 2 for about £3-4.... under your knees). This will allow you to be upright. You can rest your head on the top of the back of the bed iyswim.

Inductions are given a time limit but depending on you and the consultant you can wait it out. However, if no progress is deemed to be made they will take you in for a caesarean birth. At some point during the whole process they will offer to break your waters to see if that speeds you along but it is no guarantee.

With an epidural the chances of an assisted delivery (ventouse, forceps) increase, however you can ask for assessment before being topped up, that way if you are at 10cm the epi will hopefully have worn down enough for you to push.

Does that help at all?

MarsLady · 15/01/2008 09:05
lulumama · 15/01/2008 09:07
LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 09:16

Hiya ladies,

I'm trying to keep my hopes up. I'm hoping that when I go to get monitored today they will say i'm really going OR that I don't have to be induced tomorrow.

I'm just scared is all and tired and hurting. lol

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LuckySalem · 15/01/2008 09:18

AND very unreasonably so Peed off with DP cos he can sleep as much as he wants (still is now!!)

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MarsLady · 15/01/2008 09:19

Darling... enjoy your swim! Let's take it an hour at a time.

So... think of lulu and I having a cake fest whilst we await your return!

redadmiral · 15/01/2008 09:30

Wasn't going to post again on this thread, but can't stop shouting 'A C-Section is not that bad!!!'

Also from my experience, if you go into hostpital and get monitored, waters broken, etc, remember not to lay on your back. I sometimes wondered if DD1 would have been in so much distress if I'd kept up and moving, but like you, I'd had no sleep for days and was too tired to think. Good luck, and you'll have your baby soon. xx

redadmiral · 15/01/2008 09:31

Sorry Marslady, just realised you've already said about keeping mobile! It's the only thing I regret about my experience...