Homebirth wanted - consultant might try to veto

[robinia]

I'm hoping to have a homebirth but when I saw the midwife recently she said the consultant may try to dissuade me as with two of my previous deliveries there was meconium in the waters. I've done a bit of research and apparently just because it's happened before doesn't mean to say it will happen again. Have also looked at my notes from those deliveries and both were "old meconium stained" and there was nothing wrong with the babies.

Assuming I manage to get the homebirth, and assuming the same were to happen again, is it routine to transfer during labour to hospital (last baby was only 10 minutes from waters breaking to birth anyway) and/or is it routine that the baby has to be observed for 24 hours post delivery in hospital?

Would be grateful for any help - would rather stay at home as am fed up with hospitals.

Meant to add - but obviously don't want to put baby at risk.

I'm not sure about the whole transferring to hospital thing, but my gut says with the first bit... if it isn't caused by something that will definately happen again, then you stamp your feet, know your rights, and tell em that you are having your baby wherever you feel like it!!!

I think I probably will do some "foot-stamping" if necessary, but really want to know at what stage I've got stop stamping feet and accept that hospital is the best place for baby.

Hi Robina,
I had planned a homebirth for my first, but had meconium stained waters. Midwife took one look and said I would have to go to hospital (much to my upset). Turned out that ds was transverse oblique, and I had a c-section later that day. They weren't sure when the staining happened, as there weren't any other signs of distress. Second time round waters were clear (still ended up with a c-section!). However, my waters break very early (never really went into labour first time, and had to be induced 3 days later with no 2).

Hope that is helpful!

Hi Robyn
I had my fourth at home and it all went well. I had to transfer to another doctor to get what I wanted because my GP would not agree with a home birth, she enjoyed telling megreat horror stories! I went on to have another baby and let the hospital rule the roost on my care. She was induced too early and I ended up having an emergency c section, then lost six pints of blood due to their incompetence. I have recently got in touch with an independent midwife because we would like another and we are scared that all could happen again. She was fabulous! Basically you know what your body is capable of, talk to as many people as you can; independant midwives are brilliant because they give you it straight without having a consultant hovering. Were you made to worry about the meconium or was it just mentioned. Surf the net! Please don't give up for the birth you want. It seems to be forgotten that us women were designed very well for birth. If transfer was necessary they would get you there pretty smartish. Sorry could go on forever but I really hate bullies and this seems to be what the NHS establishment is turning into....sorry now I'm getting political!!!

robina, my DD1 was born in hospital, my DD2 was born at home. There was meconium in DD2's waters and it wasn't concsidered a problem at all. We didn't go to hospital at all, it wasn't even mentioned. This was what I wrote in birth announcements following my homebirth in case you'd like to see!

Message withdrawn

Hi robinia, How many babies have you had altogether? Apart from the meconium in those two deliveries has everything else been straight forward? I would not think that meconium in previous delivery alone with no other past complications is a reason not to have a home birth. It does not mean it will happen again this time. A planned homebirth should be very safe if there are no other complicating factors. I would talk it through with your consultant just to be certain there are no other factors in your past history which may be cause for concern and if not then go for it. If you are asking at what point you should stop the 'foot stamping' and go to hospital, in my opinion I would say that if when you are in labour the midwife who is attending at your home becomes concerned about the progress of things and requests that you transfer to hospital then you do so at that point. This is because the very fact that she is asking you to transfer means that she is concerned you may need help that is either beyond her training or beyond the facilities available at home.

hi robina,where are you based?there are many homebirth support groups in the uk you will find them on the home birth uk website,i will get back to you about your medical issues,im a doula so ill look in my books and let you know the facts about risk.how many weeks pregnant are you.i had a hospital birth with dd and a home waterbirth with ds and the homebirth was a great experiance.in my understanding there are not many reasons these days as to why you cant have a hb i have found some mw discourage it due to there lack of experiance.

At the end of the day, it will be your informed decision where you choose to birth - and neither the consultant nor anyone else can veto it. I see that the AIMS website has already been mentioned. On there it says something about the Secretary of State for Health wanting to be notified if women are having difficulty obtaining home births in their area. I'm sure if you write to the Supervisor of Midwifery for your area, set out your wishes and ask for a response in writing, making reference to your inclination to take the matter further, you will rapidly find they are more supportive.

The community midwife did this with me. Although she stressed my legal right to a home birth, she was insistent that I see the consultant at week 37 so that I could be given all the alleged risks (and no doubt told the error of my ways...). Therefore if I continue to press for a home birth, I have absolved them from all blame if something goes wrong. It doesn't fill you with confidence though - and really I want to have a plan for the birth (at least in terms of where I'll be) well before week 37...

Incidentally - I have heard of women being told that they 'have to' birth in hospital so that the paediatrician can assess their child promptly. Which is fine - except that I don't believe the same on-call paediatrician can't be summoned to assess the potentially comprised child if you give birth at home and then have to transfer by ambulance.

Thanks for all the replies.

fluffybunnyfeet - six pints of blood

badgerbadger - that's what I wanted to read - I'm sure my meconium has been fairly insignificant - hospital notes record it as "old meconium stained" - and that being the case, no need to transfer (in my, as yet not fully educated, opinion).

girrafski - thanks for the links. I've looked at the homebirth one already but the other two are new to me.

singsong - I've had two other babies but they were both premature - apparently meconium is much less likely in prem babies anyway. (prematurity shouldn't be an issue as last two babies were both 39+6)

bumptobabies - I'm 20 weeks.

Really hope I don't have to get stroppy because then I'll be wondering if I'm really doing the right thing.