After our first round of IVF we were lucky enough to fall pregnant, I'm 14 weeks and my pregnancy is consultant led due to it being IVF and my high BMI (over 40). I have my first appointment with the consultant in a couple of weeks and I'm terrified. I'm so worried they will tell me my only option for giving birth is to be in the hospital lying on my back in a bed hooked up to every kind of machine/monitoring device etc possible. This gives me extreme anxiety and I dread the idea of the birth itself. I've always wanted a water birth but know it's highly likely I will be told no.
For anyone with a high BMI, what have your experiences been like? I don't know what to expect. I may be worried for nothing but fear I'm not. We had to go abroad for IVF as couldn't get any treatment with the NHS. I want to be evaluated on an individual, specific to me basis rather than a blanket "oh you have a high BMI, this is the kind of birth experience you get" approach. I have no physical health issues but do have anxiety and struggle with mental health. Edinburgh Royal Infirmary will likely be where I will give birth unless I choose to have a home birth, not completely sure yet. Thank you for any advice or shared experiences! I never thought I would be as scared about birth as I am.
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Childbirth
Anxious/scared about first birth experience
SunflowerLady9 · 12/05/2022 14:52
SunflowerLady9 · 12/05/2022 21:41
@Attwoodsladyfriend With your section, how long after did you get to hold baby? Most I've seen on the midwife shows on Youtube (been watching several lately) it seems like mum is the last one to hold baby. It sounds daft but I really want to have the chance to right after they're born. But I have no idea how sections work and whether or not they go through that with you beforehand.
Neverreturntoathread · 12/05/2022 18:49
Ok so I didn’t have high BMI when I gave birth (I do now 😬) and I opted for the whole home birth with water tank thing, but I wanted to pop in and say
- my labour didn’t progress well in the water tank, it was too darn relaxing for the baby who wouldn’t budge.
- I had been brainwashed a bit about ‘active birth’ and did lots of moving around and squats etc and after a while of that I was so exhausted that contractions stopped and things got rather dangerous.
- I would have been so so grateful if anyone had offered me a bed to labour in!! As we were at home and expecting water birth I had no way to waterproof mine 🙈
- Labour didn’t get moving until I was lying flat on my back which felt wonderful tbh
- picked up an infection during birth and I blame the flippin water tank.
Not recommending anything in particular but if you do find yourself being advised to lie down in a hospital bed honestly go with it, there’s a lot to be said for it!
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