Fast 1st labour but was put on Syntocinon drip so not sure my worries will be taken seriously

[MsBrandybuck]

I'm only just over 8 weeks but have my 1st midwife appointment tomorrow so presume I will have to give details of previous labour.

I'm getting a bit upset thinking about it and I know lots of women would love to have a quick labour but I found it traumatic and am dreading having another unnecessarily medicalised birth.

So here I am nearly 3 years on and I am high BMI and will be 43 by my due date. I want to give birth in my lovely local MLU but they don't take anyone other than low risk cases. Instead, I will almost certainly be told that I will have to go to the CLU 20 miles away. Everyone I know who has gone there has had an epidural and a lot have ended up with a c-section.

I was living in a different area when I had DS. I was 40 and overweight then so agreed to the CLU in my local hospital. My waters broke at 4.15am with signs of meconium so I was told to come in but not to hurry. Set off 7am and on the 20 minute journey I started getting period pain like cramps which came and went. Didn't hurt enough to take anything though so I didn't realise they were probably contractions [thick emoticon] and anyway I was told the first time could take days .

I was stuck on a bed for an hour and a half with a monitor strapped round me and apparently nothing much was being picked up (due to my excess fat?? ) so the midwife was surprised when I then asked for some painkillers as it getting tricky to handle. I was examined and found to be 7cm dilated so taken through to the delivery suite. I was given tablets to stop me feeling sick and so I didn't need to eat and a registrar came in and rammed a cannula into my hand. This hurt more than my contractions and I wasn't even given a choice. It had to be re-done the other side later. I was then told (while my DH had gone to move the car and get my bag) that they wanted to speed things up otherwise I might be there for days. I said I'd rather they didn't, mainly because I was scared of the pain of suddenly having stronger contractions and not building up naturally. I asked if I could have an epidural at the same time then and was told that was unnecessary so to see how I got on first. Within a fairly short time the gas and air was doing sod all and I was begging for an epidural having previously been terrified of having one. The anaesthetist was called, looked at me and said "You do realise epidurals don't always work properly on women of your size don't you?" She looked at me again and said "Do you feel a need to push?" So no time to do an epidural anyway, the MW gave me a shot of pethidine instead. The midwife had her back turned when DS literally shot out less than 5 minutes later. According to my notes all 3 stages took 1hr 50mins.

Sorry I didn't mean to pour the lot out but have found it therapeutic . I suppose my actual question is whether the speed will be taken into account for my birth choice this time round or whether they will put that down merely to the Syntocinon and go with the possible risks regarding my age and weight.

PS I think it is relevant that the CLU is an hour long drive from our home if we manage to avoid the rush hour. I would much prefer a home birth than one on the M5! At least if I am at the MLU and need to be transferred, this is done by ambulance with a midwife.

I was induced with my first and went from 4-10 in 45 minutes with a recorded total labor of 3 hours. when pregnant with #2 I asked if it would likely be a repeat of fast labor. My doctor told me that it dilation isn't really affected by pitocin (am in US) and that I would have dilated quickly anyway. well I had a natural labor with ds2 and again it was 3 hours. So I would say (in my non medical opinion) that you probably will have another short labor.

Good luck to you.

I was induced with my first - took 8 hours and was horrible; had my second naturally (in MLU) and was just over 3 hours of active labour until baby arrived and was great - so I suspect you'll probably labour again quite quickly. I think its important that you write a long list of questions to ask at your first midwife appointment to go through so you know precisely what options are open to you. Also, you may want to think about having a doula for this birth -they'll be able to advise you on options that may be open to you which the midwife/consultant wont necessarily do. Good luck.

Thanks MKG and dinkystinky

Off to appt now so will post properly later.

MsBrandybuck I don't have any answers for you but just wanted to say how angry I feel on your behalf for the way you were treated. It sounds appalling. And you sound like someone who could have had a straightforward, swift delivery without the need for those unplessant interventions. Best of luck for getting what you want, or at least being treated like a human being, this time.

Just wanted to say I had a v quick labour (2hrs 20mins) with my first, no drip though and know how shocking it can be.

You do have the right to choose a homebirth and there's a Yahoo hmebirth group where you can find out more about the risks/benefits. www.homebirth.org.uk/ also has lots of informtaion. You might find that if you tell your mw that you're thinking of a homebirth because of your quick labour last time and worries about getting to the CLU that the MLU suddenly becomes available to you

Back now and feeling upset again.

My proper booking in appt is in a month's time so previous pregnancies will be discussed then. However, I was told today that the only choice I have is which CLU to go to and a homebirth is not an option . If I call an ambulance in labour then I will be taken to the one where I'm booked in. The only slight surprise is that I have the choice of another CLU which although further away could well be easier to get to. Whatever happens, I will definitely be looking into hiring a doula.

Nuttygirl Thanks for the link, will be looking into that.

TheProvincialLady Thank you, although your post made me cry , with relief I think. Until now, I had convinced myself that it really hadn't been that bad .

MsBrandyBuck - that is awful! I am so sorry that the healthcare team around your way are just not listening to your concerns at all. Definitely look into getting a doula - its amazing how much stronger you feel when you know there is someone who is also fighting your corner with you - and I really hope that you get the birth you want, and deserve, this time round. The one thing I wish I'd known with my first birth was all about my right to say no and explore options - hopeully having a doula will make this available to you.

MrsBB - the CLU is NOT your only choice. It is up to you where you give birth. As long as you are making an informed choice there is nothing they can do. If you continue to have problems, write to your local supervisor of midwives TELLING her where you are giving birth and that you expect to provided with a supportive midwife. The Yahoo homebirth group has so many people who have faced similar difficulties and have loads of good advice. Many of them have researched their options based on similar circumstances to your own (high bmi etc) and will be able to point you to research backing your choices. uk.groups.yahoo.com/ in the search box type Homebirth UK and you'll be able to join the group. Also www.aims.org.uk/ are a good contact to help you with these issues too.

Mrs BB, I am so angry for you! Tell them where to stick it! As others have said, it is up to you where you give birth. I would think about saying 'well it's either the low risk unit or homebirth, take your pick'.

I would get a doula or brief your DH/DP as well so that your rights are respected in labour. I was horrified by the casual way I was treated in labour, and the doctor was so surprised when I questioned or even refused interventions. As medical professionals they are advising you, and you decide whether or not to take their advice, but they don't respect this when it comes to vulnerable patients (women in labour, the elderly etc).

Get yourself a doula, join the homebirth group. Even if you don't have a homebirth learning about your 'ultimate' rights can give you a lot of confidence if it comes to challenging decisions or assumptions.

Your first time experience WAS horrible. Birth shouldn't be like that and you have so much time to ensure it isn't next time.

Good luck and congratulations on your pg.

Sorry I haven't replied earlier. Trying not to get stressed by this but haven't been sleeping well and this is making my sickness worse.

Have read lots on the homebirth site and this is starting to really appeal to me. I have another month before my next appt so will do lots of research and probably ask more questions on here. Have already found old threads concerning the hospitals I've been told to choose from and they don't exactly lay any of my fears to rest . Thanks for all your support, it makes a huge difference

MsBrandy: you may find that your second labour is different. My first was about 3 hrs start to finish (albeit with mild crampy pains the day before) and was all rather rushed and scary. No time for pain relief, had to have an episiotomy as the baby's hb was dropping (had meconium as well).

Second labour was a complete contrast, I read up on thigns that can mess up labour (the prob first time is that I stopped pushing and ended up flat on my back on the bed), plus I found I was GBS + so needed antibiotics in labour at least 4 hours before delivery. Went to the hospital earlier than before, had lovely (homebirth) mw who basically left us to it (I put in my notes that I didn't want lots of people round or continuous monitoring), had the lights dimmed and just got on with things until transition when everything went a bit mad, but still pushed out DS2 (8 lb 10) on G&A in 15 minutes. The first stage was so different, I felt in control thanks to the mw, and it was much longer (show + waters leaking at about midnight, into hospital by 2am, DS2 born 8:30am) so everything built up more naturally.

You'll be in a MUCH better position with DC2, you know what you want and what you don't want to happen and you're also in stronger position with mws and docs - they're less likely to fob you off as an inexperienced new mum. I'd say do some research, hire a doula if you can afford it and speak your mind!

oh and I'd def go for a hb if I had the space - as I say the hb mw I had was lovely and much more hands-off than the hospital ones which I appreciated.

Thank you EffiePerine, lovely to hear such a positive birth story. Can I ask whether this was in a MLU or CLU?

MLU. I wasn't sure if I could get in due to the GBS thing, but just walked in on the day - it's down the corridor from the CLU so that made things easier.

Even in a CLU you can ask for the birth environment you want - a doula and/or supportive birth partner may help in making sure you get what you want!

Cannot understand why they would give you syntocinon when your labour was progressing so well and so quickly naturtally. There is a liklihood that your next labour will be quick but I think what caused your bad expeirence was not the speed but the way you were treated. I would demand a homebirth if you feel you would like one and make sure you call the midwife quickly!

Update after my 2nd midwife appointment ...

I had along chat with the midwife on Wednesday and now feeling more positive.

The MW thinks the reason I was put on syntocinon when everything seemed to be already progressing so well is that there was until fairly recently a protocol of delivering within 12 hours when meconium was present in the waters. I gave birth in a different area of the country so MW can't be certain about this, but she thinks with a first time labour they would have wanted to ensure that my contractions continued at the same rate.

I am also getting a much better choice of where I will give birth this time but I will post separately about that when I have a chance later.