vbac for third baby, 2nd one vbac, now told need constant monitoring again, anyone given birth at Southampton or had similar experience?

[Janus]

Just been to Princess Anne hospital in Southampton today, have recently moved to area and 33 weeks pregnant.
Despite my local midwife saying that, as I have 'tested' my scar by having a vbac I could go on their 'natural' labour ward, I was told today at Southampton that I couldn't and would have to go to their one for 'high risk', involving lots of monitoring.
Bloody pissed off, what's the point in having a vbac if I then have to fight all this crap all over again for my third? Apparently, as I have now had, quote, 'lots' of babies I am more at risk of rupturing my uterus and so this is why I need more monitoring than a 'normal' birth. What a crock, does that mean everyone on their third baby has constant monitoring?
I feel so despondent, I hated the constant monitoring with my second birth, strapped up on the bed, etc. I want to move around, even had visions of finally getting a water birth!
They have relented and said I could go under the care of a 'consultant midwife' but I have a strong suspicion that when I get there on the day there may not be one there and I'll be back to constant monitoring.
Anyone had any similar experience?? Sorry, not very likely but feel the need to rant!

I've just read the abstract that moaningminnie linked. Over a sample of 13532 women, the results seem pretty conclusive to me. I'll be printing that one off and waving it in front of any one who tries to scare me with daft stories of repeat vbac. Thanks mm

Pinkbubble, I hear what you are saying, I think I would have lost my first baby too if I had not been in hospital BUT she was NOT constantly monitored, only monitored when my pushing had lasted 2 hours, probably exactly the same as you, I bet you weren't continuously monitored, just monitored more when things weren't progressing properly. Therefore, if things are all going well, with monitoring but NOT continuously, surely they will pick up on anything likely to go wrong long before it does go wrong. I'm in no way saying I want no monitoring, I just want to be able to move around for most of the time and not be strapped to a bloody bed.
I absolutely think this is all just to cover backs and make sure that if anything goes wrong I'm not going to sue their ass. I don't honestly think this is about what they consider to be my best option, just the sad state of affairs that everyone has to worry about getting sued.
As Franke and others have mentioned, I think it is just about us being strong on the day. We had exactly the same with the second and I was like a broken record saying 'I don't want a cs' and I do think if I hadn't they would have gone for a cs but they managed to get her out with forceps, a much better senario for me. Now the battle begins with not wanting a cs and not wanting constant monitoring. My dp is fantastic too and absolutely goes along with what I want.
Thanks for the links Klaw, I shall read tonight.

Just a quick note - Im going for my 2nd VBAC in July (not in your area tho'). During my first, I did have continuous monitoring but I was moving around, on my ball etc. The mw just kept adjusting the monitors whenever they got moved. OK, it wasn't great but it was better than being pinned to the bed. This time, the consultant has suggested that, all being well, she would be happy for me to labour in the pool in the early stages but would advise being monitored during later stages.

Janus, I never got to the stage of pushing, it was just as I had arrived in the delivery room.

Janus, I didn't really get the chance to move around with the monitor on, but I don't think that had anything to do with the midwife more my lack of ability to move having 3-4 contractions every 10 minutes from the start of labour. Next time, I would definitely ask to get into a different position first. I was told that the monitor was only going on until they had shown that DD wasn't in distress and then it could come off. Unfortunately DD was in distress so it stayed on and I'm glad that it did. However, I do wonder if DD was in distress partly because I was in a terrible position given that as soon as she 'got around the bend' she wasn't in distress at all. Mind you, I managed to concentrate on pushing very well whilst on my back with my feet on two willing volunteers

Put it this way, after a CS, then a VBAC with spinal, episiotemy and forceps because of feckign CTG trace, I plan to stay at home if there's a next time!!!

Consultant said I would not be 'allowed' to use the new CMU being built at the hospital but I know that we now have a new Consultant Midwive tasked with Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic (an initiative in Scotland), which includes VBAC, so I have high hopes that she will open the doors to VBAC in the CMU.

The Childbirth Revolution may be a slow movement but it is gathering momentum.....

It was also interesting chatting to dd's Playgroup Supervisor, who is older than I am, and had a VBAC more than 20 years ago...

She doesn't know what the fuss is, she just got on and did it. They didn't do all the scaremongering back then, they seemed to believe in women's bodies more....

How things change......