Midwives over here please- bmi advice needed

[onadietcokebreak]

Hi

Just wanted some opinions please on bmi.

Is there a magic number before I'm considered high risk and made to go to the dreadful hospital and not mid wife led unit?

Also is bmi a consideration in home births?

Last time they didn't want me at midwife led but after seeing consultant who supported me and not putting on much weight I was able to labour on midwife led. Unfortunately DS was back to back, I was exhausted after 48hrs of strong c

Whoops pressed post too soon

48hrs oF strong contractions I was transferee to hosp,

I was left for a further 15hrs mainly alone and told you aren't in labour.

He was born just 5 mins after being transfered to labour ward.

I can't bear the thought of going back there.

Bmi is 48.6 I am ashamed.

Some places I know 35, some 30.

Depends if you have other risks (like gestational diabetes) - get in touch with MLU and/or delivery manager or a supervisor of midwives.

you can be stopped from birthing in the birth centre, because it's considered private property, but you can't be stopped from having a homebirth, even though they might discourage it. Have you considered this as an option?

My BMI is about the same and I have been classed as high risk due to this, being forty and having a difficult last pregnancy.
But the hospital midwives have told me that I will pronely be able to deliver in theMLU as long as everything is ok on the day.
I don't know if it makes a difference but the MLU is actually inside the hospital here.

Thanks that's not good news is it?

I had hoped the hosp had improved since samcam gave birth there. Yet according to friends recent experiences the Pms wonderful experience must have been a one off.

Any idea on how to go out of county? Would be a much longer journey

Sorry that was in relation to at your cervix.

Yes homebirth I would consider.

Previous labour was painful and long but uneventful risks wise

to change hospital just get the GP to refer you.

Our MLU is a 20 minute ambulance drive away so think that is why they are so strict on risks.

Last time I remember consultant was a bit confused as to why I had been referred. There wax concern about DS being large baby and shoulder dystoia. Consultant said he was normal range and would send letter of support. However he also made it clear that it was up to midwife in charge whether to admit me when time came.

They did and were fab. Blood pressure raised slightly do she transfered me in hope they would do drip/waters.

She was very disappointed when she heard my story if being left alone and not checked. ( 6hrs into admission they still hadn't done obs on me- and only did when a nurse friend arrived disgusted)

Is it that simple?

I think I'm going to have to. I'm only 7 wks and this us really upsetting me.

My BMI was 41 at my booking, I was classed as a medium risk by my unhelpful and frankly not very nice first midwife. I'm now 35 weeks and have been cleared to have the water birth my initial midwife told me would be impossible at my booking appointment. If a MLU was available in my area I would also be able to go there now too, but there isn't. I haven't had any problems, bar SPD, which is not a complication to do with my weight.

Not sure if this helps you any, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have about my experience so far.

Thank you.

I'm planning on taking up walking and swimming to keep fit and active.

Going to do slimming world although will prob keep nothing down because of heartburn.

I'm also going to look into homebirth.

I think it's really important that you speak to you community midwives about your feelings and options (the phone number for your midwife supervisors should be somewhere in your green notes, mine is on a separate sheet with loads of other phone numbers for all sorts of groups, hospitals and organisations).
They will be able to tell you the exact criteria for the midwife led unit as well as whether there is any chance of getting them to let you birth there anyway - they might.

In terms of pain relief and homebirth, the painrelief for homebirths is the same as for midwife led units, they provide you with entonox, and you can get a prescription for pethidine or diamorphine from your GP to keep in your fridge, but you need to ask about it. Homebirths are also fabulous because you have the option of having a birth pool, should you want one :)

but like I said, your SOM would be the best to discuss all of this with. Personally, if I wanted to birth in the MLU but couldn't I would opt for a homebirth, because you can't be denied one (see www.homebirth.org.uk/ for fabulous information).

Good luck!

Thank you so much.

I Want to be prepared with info for booking in appt.

I would much rather be in MLU than homebirth to be honest. But homebirth is preferred over hospital.

DP is anti homebirth.

I think my BMI was 47 at booking appointment and my MW said as long as I stay healthy and dont have any complications during my pregnancy I could go to the MLU if I wanted to so worth a discussion and dont let them push you into anything.

I am going to the hospital as consultant lead care for totally un weight related issues.

The best thing I have learned from MN is that sometimes you need to stand up for yourself and dont be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are not happy with the 1st, ask for facts and stats if needed to back you up

Thank you for posting this. I've had a similar experience, had my heart set on the local MLU + birth pool to be told my BMI is over the cut off. I know it's early days (I'm only 9 weeks) but am a bit gutted as I don't want to end up in our local labour ward if I can help it. Now I'm quite keen on the homebirth idea :)

Totally unrelated to BMI but a midwife who runs this course im doing told us this story of a couple of years ago where this woman was pregnant and she refused every ante-natal test, scans and everything else! She had a homebirth and had a midwife there to deliver the baby. Baby was born fine, but the woman needed to push again, so she did. And then a foot appeared. . . .

Basically my point is, it's nobodys business but yours if you want a homebirth!

Totally off the point there I know but does anyone get what im saying?

becsparkel Im going to raise with supervisor of midwives can you do the same?

melly19- I can condone what she did as I feel that is actually quite irresponsible but thats a whole different debate.

I'm BMI about 39 or 40 at conception. So far I have not been classified as high risk, and told I can go to MLU and have water birth if I want to (in Hackney, London) so I think it depends on the protocols in your own hospital etc. This is all assuming I don't develop any conditions that make me high risk (so far so good - touch wood - at 35 weeks). Also, the MLU is in the hospital through some double doors from the obstetric unit, which I suppose minimises the risk - nobody's a 20 minute ambulance journey away from anything!

You can always argue your case with the midwife/consultant if it's important to you. And if they're not budging on blanket rules, try another hospital. You can self-refer anywhere, as far as I know, just ring up the hospital you want to go to, ask them about their policies and then how you go about self-referring.

My midwife said she would speak to the manager, but it really depends what my BMI later on I think. Currently I'm 36 and the cut off is 35!! I got all wound up thinking I should go on a diet and try to lose weight but now I'm more chilled about it.

DH is v keen on a home birth and the local hospital is only 10 minutes away, so that's getting my vote at the moment... can you really keep pethidine in the fridge on stand by?! :o

Let me know how you get on with the supervisor? I'm seeing my midwife in May, so I'll report back!

My midwife is lovely. Provisionally booked me in for MLU with a review a 36wks.

Sadly she is retiring before then.

Just need to stay healthy and eat well.

She was super impressed with my blood pressure too.