Meeting NHS consultant tomrow. How can I convince him to let me a waterbirth after a ECS?

[Flavs07]

A bit of background info first: I had my DS1 2 ½ years ago by EMCS because he was undiagnosed breach. Labour in itself went well, contractions started 7 am, I got to the hospital just after midday and was 5 cm dilated. Got in the pool by 4 pm I was fully dilated and ready. Luckily the MW had a last check and realised that she could see his bottom, instead of his head. I rushed to the operation theatre and had a CS: DS1 and I were safe so it was a successful outcome. My aim now is to convince the consultant that I can have my second baby in the hospital pool. I don't want a homebirth as I am a bit scared in case something goes wrong but I really, really want a waterbirth! While in the pool, I thought the pain was bearable: I had the space to move and was in my own little world. This is in contrast with the time I was waiting for the pool to be filled, in which I was in agony , very aware of everything going on around me and frankly quite nervous and scared.

How can I persuade the consultant from St Mary's Hospital in London to let me try fora waterbirth again this time? I am willing to get out of the pool the moment there is a problem but I read so much about it and I know that there is only a small change that things can go wrong. I feel their policy of continue monitoring is mostly to protect the hospital and think that is so unfair! Now I have been told I could, in theory, push for a home waterbirth but I am too scared of doing that, in case something goes wrong. I could lie and ?threaten? to have a homebirth but I am not sure I will sound convincing. BTW, I had a scan yesterday and this baby is fine, the pregnancy so far has been without any hitch and the baby is head down.

Any ideas how to win this battle?

The title should read EmCS

I think you need to say its your birth and your choice, and whilst you don't want to take any risks by being at home you really want a natural water birth. Say you would appreciate a midwife attending you if experienced in VBAC and that you are happy to have some CFM on arrival and if the doppler monitoring indicates its required.

Point out that you should dilate normally, as even with breech baby you dilated normally.

FWIW I declined all internals when DS1 and DS2 born so had that been me they would have arrived bottom first.

I had a waterbirth 'signed' off for my upcoming dc2 at St Thomas'. The way I did this was to insist I wanted a homebirth. I read up on homebirths and knew all the details, plus said I accepted the risk of uterine rupture. Then I 'gave in' and decide to be on the home from home section of St T's. Then I had a meeting with the home from home midwife and she agreed to a waterbirth.

I am now having an elective C section but that's a different story.

Like any negotiation - start with some wriggle round!

on and I am a VBAC or not anymore I guess!

Thanks so much for the advice! I had the appointment with the consultant this morning and it was a waste of time. He was nice, but frankly I think he assumed I knew nothing about childbirth. He talked about the pros and cons of VB versus another CS, went on to mention forceps, ventouse, etc. I then explained to him what I feel and what I wanted, using all the arguments I learnt at MN only to have him say that it is the MW decision so I had to talk to them. He did say that he thinks it is very unlikely that they will agree.

I then tried to book an appointment at 37 weeks with the MWs only to be told that they were fully booked so I must have an appointment with my GP! What is the use of that?! I insisted and insisted and finally they gave me an appointment in 10 days.

I am so disheartened by the whole thing, don't think I will get anywhere at St Mary's.

I think you will need to be very firm with midwife - and any it might be ok - some midwifes very pro natural birth after CS - emphasis that dr said it was up to them, and that its your right to have the birth you want and that you could if you wanted to have water birth at home, just you think it safer to have water birth in hospital etc because if anything unexpected does happen you are in hospital etc.

Hey there

Just been through same scenario as you and had a great vbac last Wednesday. Didn't make it to the pool but only because I was fully dilated when arrived at hospital and pool was being cleaned.

You sound a well informed, reasonable woman and your hospital needs to listen to you. My advice is don't take no for an answer and keep asking. Find out which midwives are supportive to your cause and get them to tell you who to see to get an official go ahead. You and birth partner cannot be negotiating finer detail when you arrive in labour!

Find out who consultant midwife is and which obstetricians are willing to go off policy for a highly motivated woman with a healthy prgnancy.

I was initially told I had to use labour ward, had to be continuously monitored, had to have cannula - all things that filled me with dread. I was lucky enough to eventually after lots of asking and lots of nos get backing of consultant midwife and obs, who wrote a birth plan with me which we were all 100% happy with and that was circulated to all key people at hospital so there would be no confusion on arrival about how my labour was to be managed.

It was great. I felt like a VIP in the end because everyone seemed to know who I was. I was at the Royal Free by the way and cannot rate my personal experience highly enough. I also have a friend who had a water vbac at the Whittington three months ago but they only agreed it in the last week of pregnancy which made for tense time for her.

Good luck!

xxx

It is your body, your birth and your choice. It makes me mad how many women are bullied into births they wouldn't have chosen. When I was T+13 a registrar tried to put the fear up me by telling me I was putting my baby at risk by refusing induction, when the monitor I was hooked up to at that very moment showed no such thing.

Stand firm. Tell the MWs that if you can't give birth in a pool at the hospital, you'll do it at home. Surely they will see the sense in you being at hospital rather than at home. Your baby can still be monitored while in the pool (I had a WB and the baby was monitored every 15 minutes). Your BP can be taken while in the pool. You are far less likely to go down the route of forceps etc if you can move around and have the labour your body is asking for.

Is your DP supportive? If you can't sound convincing when threatening to have a HB, can your DP do it for you?

Have you considered hiring a doula? We didn't in the end, but I understand that they can really help with fighting your corner.

If your consultant is no help you can ask to see another consultant. Although MWs are often more supportive of VBAC anyway. When we got the consultant's agreement to no CFM (went by the wayside in the event, but that's another story), the midwife positively encouraged me to go for a waterbirth. As it happened the pool was in use, but the MWs were all brilliant. Sorry, a bit rambly.

But the main thing is that it really is your choice.

When I saw a consultant about my ELCS I said one of the reasons I wanted an ELCS is that I wouldn't be allowed a waterbirth (NICE guidelines) however she said some of the midwives at my hospital (Frimley) would allow waterbirths VBAC, as a VBAC you will be dealt with by midwives so it's probably worth asking for an appointment with the head midwife/midwife consultant (not 100% sure what they are calleD) and discussing your options with her.

I don't understand why you can't have a WB this time if baby isn't a breech presentation. Surely that was the only reason last time you needed an emergency CS and if it's the right way down this time then shouldn't nec. be more risky for you. Am I being thick about this?

Apparently they don't have a underwater doppler so they can't monitor the baby continuously. And because of the risk of rupture I have to be continuously monitored. It is basically their policy: no VBAC allowed to have a Waterbirth. Full stop.

However, a lot happened since I last posted and the latest is that we met a Independent Midwife on Sunday and DH has agreed to have her help us. The way we now see it now is that she can help us with all her knowledge and take the guess work out of the whole labouring at home before we go to the hospital. I am considering a home water birth now but DH is not so keen. I am meeting her again Friday to discuss the home wwaterbirth possibility further.

Anyway, on her advise I am now trying to switching to UCHL. I am also hoping the UCHL have a more relaxed approched to VBAC waterbirths/homebirths.

I hope all this last minute changes means that I am given the opportunity to try for the birth I want. As some of you said it is so sad that we women have to fight so much to have our wished taken into consideration...