Natural labour after high-risk complications last time

[partyskirt]

After a perfect pregnancy I had a terrible labour last time: induction, forceps, cord round neck, infection, baby in SCBU for a week.

I'm pregnant again and want to know if I'll even get a chance to try for a midwife-led ward this time or whether I'll be taken straight to the proper hospital.

I hated it last time as I spent so much time attached to machines, lying on my back, it absolutely killed, and also the induction was horrible.

If pregnancy is normal do you think they will let me go the 'normal' route, despite my record? Only very early weeks of pregnancy, so haven't asked my dr yet.

Hi,
Sorry you had such an awful experience. My first birth was awful (planned home but ended up in hospital same route as you bar SCBU) but going the home birth route again with a wonderful one to one midwife.
What happened last time was circumstantial to that birth and there should be no reason why you can't have a positive birth experience this time, wherever you want that to be. Inductions are more likely to lead to instrumental births due to some of the reasons you describe (not being able to move, being fully continuously monitored (which research highlights does not improve outcomes but increases intervention rates), forcing your body to do something it may not be ready to do etc.), unless the infection was GBS confirmed by a positive blood culture (from what you describe unlikely as baby would have been on antibiotics for longer (I'm a NICU nurse)) then you may need to have antibiotics during labour but that shouldn't stop you having a natural birth.
If I was you, I would speak to a supervisor of midwives/midwife consultant about your worries who can then go through everything with you.
Get fully informed to ensure you can make fully informed decisions. Remember that you have the right to birth where you want. x

It shouldn't stop you! I had an abruption, induced at 33+5, with ds1 and was monitored closely with ds2 because of it, but all normal. Would have been able to use birthing centre if I hadn't needed to be induced on due date due to placenta issues with no.1....