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Childbirth

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

would a birth at a birthing centre be too risky for me?

14 replies

dinny · 19/11/2008 11:10

prev shoulder dystocia

??

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gabygirl · 19/11/2008 13:03

A couple of thoughts.....

  1. Would they be prepared to take you? Many wouldn't.

  2. What were the events surrounding the previous sd and how easily was it resolved? For example, if you'd had an epidural and a big baby this might have been part of the reason for it. If the SD was easily resolved then it might not be so much of an issue this time around. On the other hand if you gave birth in a position where there was plenty of room for your pelvis to open up, and you had a normal weight/size baby, but you still had a sd that was difficult to resolve.... well - different issues at play there.

I had SD with my second baby, who was huge. Didn't have same problem with my third as he was much smaller (controlled my blood sugars much more effectively in third pregnancy so had smaller baby).

dinny · 19/11/2008 13:51

thanks, Gabygirl

  1. hmmmm, would need to check it out
  1. had such a straightforward actove labour with ds - standing up during (4-hour) labour, then pushed kneeling up against bed

resolved with McRoberts

ds was 9.3 - is that normal weight or large?
I didn't have gd, would controlling my blood sugars this time mean the next one wasn't as big?

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Tangle · 19/11/2008 15:53

To add some more thoughts...

9lb3oz is about 4.15kg. Most countries take "large" to be over either 4kg or over 4.5kg - so your DS was a "large" baby, but not by a large amount. I can't really comment on the blood sugars question, but unless you've got diabetes of some form I wouldn't expect it to be an issue for you (although I'd be interested to know as DD was 9lb 12...)

I don't know if you've seen it, but this page from the homebirth website has quite a lot of information - and discusses lots of questions like how do you define SD and how would SD be handled differently in and out of a hospital environment. If I were in your position I would be trying to find research that looked at the repeat risk of SD and then trying to work out how comfortable I felt about different options. I'd factor what my HCPs had to say into the equation and then tell them what my decision was.

Whether or not their policy says women with previous SD are / are not "allowed" to use the birthing centre for subsequent babies may be a negotiable position - they may, in theory, be able to prevent you planning to use the birthing centre but they cannot prevent you from planning a home birth. Given the choice between supporting you at home and supporting you in the birthing centre they may well suddenly decide you'd be fine in the birthing centre after all...

dinny · 19/11/2008 19:08

thansk Tangle - I've wanted hb with both my previous deliveries but think I'd be too scared now - maybe I could insist on low-risk unit in hospitaL (not sure if you can insist as such though....)

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gabygirl · 19/11/2008 22:07

9.3 is a good size baby. In the US any baby over 8lbs 13 oz is considered 'very large'. Over here it's nearer 10lbs.

My first was 9lbs 6oz. I never had sugar in my urine or any of the other symptoms of GD - it was picked up by chance in my second pregnancy when I was being screened for something else (I had a scan at 32 weeks and was told my baby was already around 7lbs! A gtt followed). I only ever had borderline high blood sugars. I'm convinced that lots of women have slightly high blood sugar in pregnancy. I had PCOS before my pregnancy - sure this has something to do with it. I really think all women should be strongly encouraged to eat a diet which is low in refined carbs during pregnancy, plus lots of protein, wholegrains and green leafy vegetables. I rigorously controlled my diet in my third pregnancy and gave birth to a baby nearly 2lbs lighter than my second, even though my third was longer and had a bigger head circumference. Oh, and no repeat of the SD - thank goodness!

Tangle · 19/11/2008 22:52

Hmmm - my logic was more to use the HB thought as a bargaining chip. Your HCP's don't need to know whether or not you'd go through with a HB, but if they think you will that may well be enough for them to "let" you use the low risk unit or birthing centre in preference to having to support you in what they perceive as a high risk home birth... Work out what you want and feel comfortable with first and talk to the MWs - there may not be a problem at all, but even if things aren't straightforward there are always options and choices.

GG - you're diet sounds very sensible for all women as you say. Although I've got a nasty feeling that chocolate comes under the heading of refined carbs and that one I would struggle with. Then again I have the breaking strain of a kitkat when it comes to chocolate...

dinny · 20/11/2008 08:53

Gabygirl - could you give me an idea of what you ate on a typical day to avoid a massive baby!??! would be v helpful!

is it too late to start controlling diet at my stage (26 weeks, ish, I think)

I need some focus - I'm not overweight at all, but I do tend to eat whatever I want, esp when pg!

Tangle, yes, good thinking - though part of me is too scared to even try a vb

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gabygirl · 20/11/2008 13:11

No - I started my diet at 28 weeks.

Mornings would be porridge, or granary bread dipped in egg, fried. Fruit juice - just one glass a day, with breakfast. I ended up eating the same thing every day to make life easier.

Midmorning I'd have a handful of nuts plus a yogurt drink or glass of milk.

Lunch would be vegetable soups, oily fish on granary toast, or baked beans with grated cheese and other veg on the side. Lots of salads with avocados.

Dinner would be any protein foods (eggs, fish, meat) , plus veg in some form. Only very small amounts of potatoes. If rice then it would be a small amount of basmati or wild rice. If I had pasta I had it as a small side dish. Also tried to have wholemeal pasta. One piece of fruit for pudding, but no fruit between meals. No other restrictions on quantities, except on potatoes, pasta and rice, which should only be two or three tablespoonsful, not the basis of a whole meal. I also ate loads of curry made with pulses.

Sounds really boring doesn't it? Oh god, it was. I felt very restricted. Didn't like not being able to each much fruit.

I also supplemented with cinnamon, which is known to reduce blood sugars. I took about a gram a day. It's not recommended for pregancy - in first trimester it's rumoured to be linked to miscarriage, but I felt there was very scant evidence of harm in third trimester and felt it was more important to keep weight of baby down to avoid serious birth injuries.

On the plus side - I lost so much weight on this diet that within 2 weeks of the birth I was able to get into a size 10 pair of trousers. And my little boy is very very robust and healthy. He had the lowest birthweight but is the biggest of the three children in height. He's a very muscly and lean child. Bright too!

dinny · 20/11/2008 17:29

gabygirl, thank you for posting that, it's GREAT, a real help

interesting what you say about your ds being muscly and lean - ds has never been plump, even when born - he was REALLY tall, all his weight was in his height and build iyswim

he's so tall now too

but am going to do your diet as it can't do any harm - esp for the after-effects!

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gabygirl · 20/11/2008 23:20

Dinny - if you're looking for recipe ideas have a look at GI diet plans. Just don't cut down too much on calories.

My first two were very, very plump at birth. Actually my second looked like Robbie Coltrane, complete with FULL head of hair and belligerent stare!

dinny · 20/11/2008 23:21

thanks !

lol at Robbie C!

what did you put on your porridge? and is decaff tea/coffee ok?

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gabygirl · 21/11/2008 09:43

I put..... ahem...... cream on my porridge. and a tiny bit of brown sugar.

I drank decaff coffee as caffeine made my blood sugars go funny.

dinny · 21/11/2008 09:43

can you have milk?

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dinny · 04/12/2008 17:46

bump for GG and her fab advice!

have still been eating what I want and am determined tocut down a bit (argh, bloody Xmas though!)

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