Homebirth after previous forceps delivery?

[Crazycatlady]

Anyone done it?

Bit of background - last birth was horrific. 3 days labour, posterior, high head due to too much fluid, continuous monitoring, epidural, late augmentation of labour for anterior lip, delayed second stage, theatre forceps delivery with episiotomy, 3rd degree tear, shoulder dystocia, apgar score of 1, resus needed and DD didn't breathe for 3 mins...

But I had wanted a homebirth. Wasn't allowed in the end because of all the extra fluid (polyhydramnios, but very mild).

Am now 5 weeks PG and thinking about birth already. I'd really like to try for a homebirth. Would really like to hear stories (successful or otherwise) if anyone has tried for a homebirth after a previous traumatic delivery or CS. Is it even possible?

Bump

Hello ALittleBit! Thanks for the bump...

I think I'm going to have to work quite hard to find anyone who's done this

yes it's possible. i had a very long first labour with far too much intervention and ending with a ventouse delivery (there was muttering about forceps but thankfully ventouse worked)

i had a homebirth with my second (posterior!) baby and it was fabulous

i know at least 4 people who have had hbac too!

Thanks thisisyesterday. Did you have any difficulties in requesting a homebirth or was your midwife relaxed about it? Just preparing myself for dealing with the inevitable hospital protocol...

Well I had a failed ventouse and then forceps for my first birth and I'm hoping to have a homebirth this time round. Midwife is happy with this but luckily I live in an area which is pro-homebirths.

Good luck!

my midwife was a bit like "are you sure you can manage the pain?" cos i'd had EVERYTHING first time round, and she was worried that I had had problems because he was big (9lb 1) and that I would have trouble delivering another big baby.

actually, she was quite negative overall, but she didn't actively try and stop me having a homebirth, and the other midwives I spoke to at my booking appt etc were all really supportive.

That's good news cyrli

I also live in a pro-homebirth area (Lambeth) so am hoping my plans will be supported. But I don't want to get my hopes up either... if it's really not a good idea then I need to get my head round hospital birth again..

Ooh thanks yesterday, must have been posting at the same time. Was your second a big baby in the end?

i had a homebirth after forceps delivery - nobody ever seemed to think this would be a problem
i did however hire a doula to make sure that the same problems i had during my first birth did not occur again - the preventable ones, that is

I had a forceps with 3rd degree tear the first (and only) time I have given birth. I have been advised to have a c section next time as if I need the loo, I have to get there pretty quickly due to slight loss of muscle control. TBH I don't want a c section and I am going to wait until the time comes to decide and hopefully deliver vaginally again but the consultant I saw after 8 months did say that if I tear again, the damage will be much worse than before. Not to put you off or anything, I really like the idea of a home birth so I hope you get what you want.

Brunettelady these forceps deliveries are brutal aren't they? When I had my follow up with the consultant we agreed that next time I will try for natural birth (hence desire for homebirth) but that if my labour doesn't progress well to go straight for a c section as there is no way I'm having forceps a second time.

I've been symptom-free since about 3 months after giving birth, although I know the muscle is slightly weakened I haven't had any 'urgency' or the dreaded incontinence. The consultant did warn that if any symptoms related to my previous tear show up during my next pregnancy that I should go for a CS, so I'm really hoping that won't happen, and am doing my pelvic floor exercises like mad!

That's interesting that the consultant said any future tears will be much worse in terms of damage. I asked that specific question and my consultant said the risk was about the same as someone who has never given birth, and in fact, they don't really know until the time comes... not particularly reassuring, but not awful news all the same.

Are you in London by any chance? I saw Dr Oteng-Ntim at St Thomas's (where DD was born) and he was fab and lovely (even if the giant anal probe they scanned me with was a bit shocking!)

My birth plan said no forceps if possible. Obviously these things don't work out. I never even looked at them as I didn't want to know what they were 'putting up there'. I still don't know what forceps look like and have no plans to find out.

I have read recently though that if you did tear before, the muscles are more stretched and have less chance of tearing again, which I did find reassuring.

The hosp also said they will moniter size of next baby as DS was 8lb 11oz and he was 10 days early. I'd dread to think if I was overdue

No I'm not in London, I'm down the Westcountry. Oh and the anal probe!!!! Ugghhh. I saw a machine outside the room before I went in and said to my DH, is that the machine. He kindly told me no, but after I found out it was. The doc was lovely though.

my second was 9lb 5, and my third was 9lb 11 (both homebirths)
number 2 was also posterior, so had a long pushing stage, but all well

also i was told the same about tears, although with my first I only had a second degree tear, rather than third like you, so bad, but not too bad.

i think that because you have scar tissue there and that isn't stretchy then if you do tear it will probably be in the same place, but i don't think it means it will necessarily be as bad.

fwiw i didn't tear at all with my subsequent babies, despite them being bigger and both of them hbaving bigger heads