Quick question please reply

[Becky2406]

If your under a consultant will it stop u having a water birth or the birth you wanted. Will u be put on the bed and monitored and not allowed to move ?? I'm really concerned that my bmi I is high and I'll be put under a consultant and my dream of a active / water birth will be a no go :(
Thank you

Just being under a consultant won't stop you having the water birth you want. If you're under consultant led care simply for having a high BMI with no other problems you will still be a low risk pregnancy. The problems come if your BMI leads to other issues (most commonly gestational diabetes). Try to keep a healthy diet and gentle exercise to lower your risks of developing this.

I have been consultant led each time and with both ds' I wasn't stuck on a bed, its too painful! They just monitored to check contractions were starting then both of mine were quick births, 3 hours and 20 mins! So maybe they didn't have time for more monitoring.

I have to see a consultant too because of BMI, I talked to my midwife about it because I was so upset - (I really want a water birth), she said she is going to arrange a meeting with the supervising midwife, and she will explain all the risks, and then you can basically find a compromise or go ahead and do it anyway, they are all about choice, as far as possible whilst still keeping you and baby safe.

You can decline consultant care.

I'm not saying you should but you can.

You can also plan a home birth, where you can have a pool and be as active as you wish.

The thing is, the specific consultant's very unlikely to be there when you give birth and any consultant will only show up if there's a major problem assert yourself -- I kept being told I was high risk as nearly 40 and had done IVF, but it was a tick list thing as in fact everything else was normal. By the way my midwife said that surely water birth would assist someone slightly overweight as it would take some of the strain off the body? Read the NICE guidelines too.

Oh also you could 'start at home' and hire your own birthing pool and then transfer to hospital when necessary -- they don't generally want you in too early anyway.

I am seeing a consultant for high bmi and thyroid issues, but still low risk and allowed a water birth

You may have to put up a fight for this, of you plan a home birth you can labour however you like. However I know that the hospital policy near me is no waterbirth if bmi over 30 or weigh more than 90kgs they say this isfor safety issues I.e if you collapse in pool and mws need to the woman out. Frankly I think bmi of 30 is too low as my bmi is 30 and I'm 20kgs under 90kgs!

Thank you for all the replays it's so helpful I'm trying to eat better and will be more active. I'm hoping I can have a water birth as its my 4th and last and I take a long time so I'd be happier in hospital (1st dd took 15hours 2nd dd took 46.5 hours and 3rd dd was 18hours all times from regular contractions and 3cm so from 1st contraction it's longer ! ) I will push as much as I can for a water birth but I also know u can only plan so much for birth. Thank you lady's for the replays :)