ABO Incompatability - Where to have my baby :(

[LyraBelaqua]

Hiya

Am really just needing some guidance from other pregnant women as seem to have exhausted any advice from my DH and family. What would you do ...

I had my last DD in a quiet little maternity unit 30 miles from the nearest hospital. It's all very pleasant there and the food is great, MW lovely etc.

After a smooth delivery and a lovely first day relaxing (was only mum in unit) I was told my DD had jaundice due to blood incompatibility and needed transfering. I had to ring hubby as he was at work, to pick us up and he drove us to hospital and dropped us off at maternity unit. I was fine with this at the time.

Anyway lots of waiting around later, with no information, no food, no painkillers, a baby who wouldn't feed as was too sleepy due to jaundice and full of needle holes, a leaking maternity towel and soiled trousers, I was given a side room and could finally sort myself out.

In the end baby stayed below the treatment line so didn't need phototherapy and we stayed in for a few days.

This time I asked GP to go through with me the likeliness of ABO incompatibility reoccuring and my GP surgery had no record of there being anything wrong with DD. She spoke to Paediatricians at hospital and has received a letter advising me to have baby in hospital due to the 50/50 chance of it happening again and baby needing treatment this time. They also said if I wanted to give birth in MW led unit that would be 'ok' as long as I was prepared to transfer if need be.

Long and short of it is DH wants me to have baby in MW unit as its nicer, quicker to get to etc and I agree except I'm scared of having to be transferred again and being left alone again and DH says he 'can't guarentee he'd be able to stay with me and doesn't want to get my hopes up' (bloody man). I think if I had been in hosp in first place maybe experience would have been nicer for me.

My pregnancy brain is mixing everything up and I don't know what to do!!! What would you do please?

I don't know if I've misunderstood but I thought that blood incompatability was ruled out by having antid jabs? Forgive me if I've completely missed the point on that one.

I think I'd quite like to labour in the nice maternity unit again and risk having to do the half hour travel if needed to transfer.

Just out of interest, why can't DH be with you? Doesn't he get paternity leave? Such a shame you'd have to be on your own.

Hi yes the incompatability was because she is A- I'm O- so Anti D useless against it. DH works for a very small company and it would be very awkward for him to drop everything suddenly, hence me being annoyed :) twas the same last time with me just seeing people at visiting times even though Dads could visit all day.

Thanks for answering it just helps me put stuff into perspective. It is a 50/50 chance so everything could be absolutely fine if baby has my blood group :) Think I'm just hormonal.

op, your body your rules.
the birth unit might not want to take you anyway because of the risk.

Do what YOU want. Book the hospital and if needs be tell DH that's what they've told you to do.

Hi Lyra, I really feel for you as I have a similar problem. ABO incompatibility first time round - phototherapy for a week. Second time round I really prepared myself for a week's stay - it happened again and stayed in for photo. I'm currently pregnant with 3rd baby and I actually posted here how likely it is this baby will inherit my husband's A+ (I'm 0+) and the baby becoming jaundiced. Someone kindly responded and the link to the thread is here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1252143-Blood-groups-jaundice
I personally am trying for a homebirth with the view of transferring in for the treatment of the baby. For me, giving birth where I feel comfortable is important and if the baby does become jaundiced I'll go in so that they can administer phototherapy.
Good luck!