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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Home birth on the NHS?

29 replies

rouge · 30/12/2004 13:27

Was planning to use an indep midwife after terrible hospital experience last time round but am now thinking of seeing what the NHS has to offer before parting with my cash. I'm hoping that it will be sufficiently different from Day 1 that it won't remind me too much of last time. Thoughts / experiences much appreciated.

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AMerryScot · 30/12/2004 13:30

I've had 3 home births on The Health - no issues at all. Just told the midwife at the booking appointment that I wanted to deliver at home. Everyone was very enthusiastic about it.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 13:36

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WideWebWitch · 30/12/2004 14:34

I've had 2 home births, one in London in 1997 and one in Devon/Bristol in 2003 (we moved when I was pregnant) and both were fine on the NHS. Fantastic midwives first time and not quite as fantastic the second time but only because I didn't have time to build a relationship with any of them really but they were still a pretty lovely bunch. Why don't you see what the NHS service is like where you are before you try the independent midwife route? Don't forget you don't have to go to a GP, you can go straight to the midwives in some areas.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 14:52

Yes I think I will give the NHS a try to start with

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serenequeen · 30/12/2004 14:54

hmmm... my terrible hospital exp last time started as a planned homebirth on the nhs... i couldn't even get anyone to come out and assess me... however, it all depends how good your local community team is.

motherinfestivemood · 30/12/2004 14:56

Where are you? What's your community team like? I had my second baby as an NHS home birth and although I too was very nearly called into hospital ('I can't find anyone from your team' the twit at the labour ward said pathetically) I ended up with the most fantastic experience.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 14:58

Havent been to the GP yet so will find out what the team's like. I'm in London - N1

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motherinfestivemood · 30/12/2004 15:03

The other thing is that - without knowing the circumstances of your first birth, obviously - oh yes and while I remember, the thing you are unlikely to get support for on the NHS is a home VBAC - is that a second birth is in any case likely to be much, much easier than your first. It's not guaranteed, but it is very likely. I wrote a piece on this for one of the baby mags a while back. And indeed am one of the many women who had a total nightmare the first time, and nine months of absolute dread the second, culminating in a birth which was light years away from the horror of Day 1.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 15:07

MI, unfortunately the horrors of my 1st birth were due to a catalogue of errors and bullying from the hosp, rather than to any physical causes. (The hosp admitted this in writing.) Let's hope it is better next time round though anyway! Oh, and I didnt have a caesar so no concerns about VBAC

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motherinfestivemood · 30/12/2004 15:11

I see that WWW has already suggested a doula; I know your partner is a GP, but someone else could well be a good reassurance against the possibility that you do end up in hospital after all?

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 15:17

But if I find that my community midwives are supportive of homebirth, would I really need to splash out on a doula?

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serenequeen · 30/12/2004 15:22

you will get continuity of care from your doula at least. how are you going to reestablish trust in the "system" if you go down the nhs community midwives route? did you at least get good support from your community mws last time round during the ante natal period?

motherinfestivemood · 30/12/2004 15:23

I meant if you do find that despite opting for a home birth you end up going to hospital.

You're entitled to a home birth, don't forget. It's not a matter of whether they support it or not.

Must go, waily babe!

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 15:26

I didnt have community mws last time - chose a hosp other than the 2 attached to my GP's practice so had all my antenatal care in hospital - saw a diff mw every time, and none of them were present at the birth. Hoping going for a homebirth will mean a diff experience right from the start. If not I think I'll go for an indep mw - I know people who've had doulas and tbh I don't think they'd provide enough that's beyond what DH can do to justify the money

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WideWebWitch · 30/12/2004 15:37

Rouge, I think it will depend on the midwives you get. Got to go (baby clinging to my leg!) but will come back later if I can.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 15:39

Thanks. Yes, I agree. Will meet them first then decide.

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WideWebWitch · 30/12/2004 16:26

The way the midwife team I had in London worked was that you met all of them and although you didn't know who you'd get, it would at least definitely be one of them and there were only 6 of them. In Bristol it was similar, although there were about 12 of them. Is there a midwife led group near you? You could always ring the head of midwifery, explain your concerns and ask her what their policies are. You've nothing to lose at all since if they don't give you what you want (free!) you'll go elsewhere anyway.

Original poster

rouge · 30/12/2004 18:49

Yep - thanks www - I'll check them out and only fork out for an indep mw if I'm not happy. Will hopefully see my GP next week and set things in motion.

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AMerryScot · 30/12/2004 19:29

A word of caution about involving your GP...

GPs are not often supportive of homebirth, but it's nothing to do with them. It's something to discuss with your midwife - she is perfectly able to discuss your individual risk factors, and for you to come to a decision together. And, you can always change your mind as your pregnancy progresses.

The GP can do their bit of shared care (checking your wee and BP) regardless of where you are giving birth. They don't even need to know about your homebirth plans. The midwife is your main health care practitioner for pregnancy related matters.

WideWebWitch · 30/12/2004 19:39

Absolutely amerryscot! There was a thread on this rouge, I'll see if I can find it. You don't need to go to your GP at all if you don't want to!

WideWebWitch · 30/12/2004 19:47

Found it! Started by Mears (who is a midwife) here!

ChristmasBOOZA · 30/12/2004 20:25

Don't know how it works in your area rouge but in mine a home birth does not guarentee any sort of continuity of care. I think the chances are quite high if you give birth during the week and during the day but otherwise you just get the on-call midwife who could be anyone.

I was lucky in that the midwife I got on Saturday morning arriving about 7.30 am was on my team and had actually seen me at clinic (regular midwife missing) on the previous Thursday. I also remembered seeing her once post-natally after my first baby. So I had met her twice (once over 3 years earlier). I was far luckier in that she was an absolutely brilliant midwife who assisted me to have a lovely birth with DD.

But I think even if you don't get the continuity of care you have much else that is familiar at home and are much more in control which really helps IMO.

Original poster

rouge · 31/12/2004 12:52

Thanks booza - I obviously need to find out how it works round here

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Moomina · 31/12/2004 13:00

As www says, you don't even need to see your GP. Go straight to the midwives and you probably get a much better reception (not guaranteed of course, but what is?!) You can contact association of radical midwives too for loads of brilliant advice on midwife-led homebirths.

Original poster

rouge · 31/12/2004 13:23

Moomina, thanks for the link, that's really helpful. How do I contact the midwives directly? How do I find the number for this? BTW the GP I saw when I got pregnant with DD was definitely not supportive of homebirth but I've since heard that another GP (the one DD sees regularly, who's very nice) is - so maybe I should start with her??

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