Discharging yourself from consultant led care? Is this possible?

[FeedTheBeast]

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help with the following querey...

My consultant has strongly advised against my home/hypno/water birth plans, and said I must go into hospital. (Husband will now not agree to homebirth.) She has also strongly advised against water birth in hospital - reasons being that as I have had weakness in arms and legs due to severe Vit D (&calcium) deficiency, "they may not be able to get me out of the pool easily if there was a problem"

Now I would have thought that being supported in water, to ease transition between positions and to ease the burden of my weight on my limbs would be a useful thing? I can still walk etc, I am not immobile at all. Is it really that hard to climb out of an oversized bath when in labour?

I have since found out that she was the Consultant debating AGAINST the introduction of birthing pools at the hospital, (the pool it has just been installed in the last couple of weeks).

Does anyone know how I go about requesting another consultant, or how likely is it that you can be 'released' from consultant care and go back to midwife led care? (Originally under consultant due to long term Thyroid prob, been worse than useless, but there you go!) Or do you think she is right and I should just accept her reasoning?

Thanks

I remember that when I had my first, one of the consultants would have no part of water births. If you wanted to be considered for the pool and were assigned to that consultant (everyone was assigned to one or other of the consultants, even if you never saw one during the whole process), you had to request to change. It was a matter of speaking to the hospital midwives and signing a form.

That way, at least, you'd get a second opinion.

i had consultant care in my first pregnancy and got discharged at 28 weeks as wanted to use birthcentre (and couldn't use it if under consultant care) - my specialist agreed (i have underactive thyroid) and said that once into 3rd trimester with thyroid under control i no longer needed consultant care...

i spoke to thyroid specialist who called obstetric consultant to say that i no longer needed consultant care as thyroid under control at 28 weeks and no need for further testing so got discharged to midwife care and so i could use birthcentre.

in this pregnancy and with DS refused consultant care (was terrible) and have seen GP instead for thyroid tests has been so much better but i do need to check with birthcentre as it says on my notes that i refused consultant care.

re: the pool - you should be able to climb out yourself (between contractions though) but in emergercy they might need to help you out.

Thank you for your replies, I have just found out I'm going to visit the labour ward on Sunday so will try and discuss with the midwives then.

My obstetric consultant had refused my request for water birth, (but is otherwise very lovely and concientious Dr), The thyroid consultant has never met me, and even wrote to me saying my current dose of Thyroxine was fine- even though she managed to refer to an incorrect doseage! Ah well.

I think that if I ever have another baby then I would also refuse the consultant care and stick with my GP as you have done MumNWLondon and be more insistant on staying at home (assuming all goes well this time of course)

Thanks again

FeedTheBeast