# Northern Ireland Homebirth... this is gonna be a nightmare.



## NuKe

I am 100% for having a homebirth. Planning on getting a pool and using natal hypnotherapy. I've been looking into it and I reckon I'm going to have an utter nightmare fighting for it. It's not my legal right. On mainland UK, yes it is. Northern Ireland... :nope: What a bloody joke. If anyone has any links or advice, I'd love it! :flower:


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## Mum2b_Claire

I'm not sure how things work over there but can you afford an independent midwife at all?


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## NuKe

they don't exist here!!! :grr: because homebirths are virtually unheardof, theres no demand! theres a doula network but no private mws! :cry:


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## sam2eb

I had my daughter in the home from home ward at the ulster hospital.

Not the same as a homebirth but it was nice and the midwife left us to it and only got involved when I needed to push.

It's crap that there aren't the same options for us here than on the mainland x


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## NuKe

i agree sam. its really unfair. i live quite a while away from the ulster so thats not really an option!

and come check out our NI thread in the local buddies section!


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## Tampa

Did you know they're taking that right from women in Scotland too? My SIL is an ex mw, she is disgusted at the way things are going. At the moment it's just a couple of health boards, but more will follow suit. It'll all be to save money. Also, independent mw are, or will soon be, unable to practice, because of changes made to their indemnity insurance - mw can only be insured if they are contracted to the NHS. 

It's ridiculous! :(


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## NuKe

:nope:


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## jenny82

Wow I didn't know it was so difficult here! Tbh, a homebirth only fleetingly crossed my mind as I don't think it would work in our house, but I would've really loved to have one. Have you asked at the docs/hospital yet, or is it just common knowledge that they are to be fought for?

Congrats btw!! Woohoo :D


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## NuKe

ty jenny! i spoke to the hospital and they said it shouldnt be a problem... but ive still to talk to my comm mw so we'll see!


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## jenny82

Good luck! I hope they say yes, it'd be such a wonderful experience. I didn't really like the hospital - well, the birth was fine, but the stay was not. :/


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## NuKe

exact same as me then! birth was great... hated everything following that. barry being sent home, loads of babies crying all night, ridiculously hot, and the next day- i was in the bed next to the window and the sun was pelting down on me, i was sweating like an absolute beast as its so hot in that ward already, but they wudnt let me close the curtains!


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## jenny82

Which hospital was it? I was in the royal,and am again :dohh:

On my last day, they had no running water...!


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## NuKe

:shock:

The royal last time, antrim this time :wacko:


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## jenny82

I wanted the Mater this time but they only have one birthing pool whereas the Royal have 2, so didn't want to risk a pool not being free. 

Am hoping its an in and out job. I don't want to be hanging round those busy, overcrowded wards!


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## NuKe

well i had an epidural (bloody thing didnt make a blind bit of difference), so even though it hadnt worked they still put a catheter in. so i had to stay overnight to make sure i was weeing properly :wacko: but even at that, i discharged myself 21 hours after giving birth!


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## Waiting4bb

That's a real shame! You would think homebirthing would be an option no matter what. Someone needs to get off their butt and fix that system! Good luck!!!


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## Speccy

Oh what a nightmare - I do hope you can get the support to have a homebirth. There was a report on BBC Newsline the other week about how they are trying to change the system to promote home births and to have more midwife-led units and to encourage more people to use them. Will probably take years to get anything done though :shrug: Good luck!


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## NuKe

Aw thanks Speccy! It irritates me sometimes that although we are part of the UK, there are sooo many things that we don't benefit from. This being a prime example, another being reasonably priced bloody car insurance!


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## Speccy

Urgh yes, and it takes them bloody forever to get anything done at Stormont. Have you seen the ad on TV for car insurance though that says at the bottom "excluding England, Wales and Scotland" - cracks me up every time :haha:


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## NuKe

:rofl:


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## diz

God what a nightmare! I really hope you get the home birth you want. Sounds like you had a right old time of it in hospital x


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## Speccy

NuKe I just wanted to let you know that at my yoga class last night there was a woman having a home birth. At 37 weeks they'll deliver gas & air to her home and she has 2 midwives on 24 hour call. She says they've all been very supportive. A positive story then - fingers crossed it won't be as hard as you fear!


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## NuKe

oh speccy that makes me feel better! sounds good!!


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## jenny82

I've been thinking about this soo much recently. I had to go to the hospital last week to get anti-d and it put me off going there even more! I would love to do it at home, but I'm nearly 100% sure I've left it too late. I don't even have any MW appointments left. I'm such a dope - I should have gone with my instinct months ago.

What do you think? Is it worth contacting my MW about it?


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## NuKe

i think you definitely should. the lateness shouldn't matter! you might still have a month left! ring her anyway, and be firm!! good luck and let me know how it goes!!


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## jenny82

Cheers I will do! Luckily (for me, maybe not so much her) she gave me her mobile number. Have just texted OH - gonna wait to see what kinda reply he gives me :D


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## NuKe

i essentially just TOLD barry i was having a hb :haha: after all its me having the baby! are you going to get a pool? theres a ton on ebay!!


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## jenny82

Yup we would have to. Just not sure how it works - do they assign you a MW on call and they bring everything with them? What about G&A?


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## NuKe

yep they can bring G&A! im honestly not too sure how it works with mws!!


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## jenny82

I phoned NTC & my midwife yesterday - couldn't get them so left messages, but didn't get a response. Phoned the GP there now though (they only take calls from 12 :dohh:) and...surprisingly, didn't get the shutdown I was expecting!

The doctor is going to look into it for me! The GPs don't support it but she said that its up to me at the end of the day. She is going to phone the hospital & my MW and get back to me later. Eeek!


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## NuKe

omg that's BRILLIANT!!! :happydance:

I'm over the moon for you!! This is going to be a yes, and realistically, if it's a no... just don't accept it. And reiterate that your GP said it's YOUR choice. :hugs: Keep me posted!!


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## jenny82

GP phoned back. Shes made an appointment with the consultant at the royal tomorrow for me. Am a bit gobsmacked! They may still say no so not getting my hopes up altogether but its still really good progress :D


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## NuKe

they can't say no! if you are low risk, there is NO REASON why not. low staff isnt your problem. they will try and scare you into hospital, trust me it happened to me. but stick to your guns! if you go into labour and say ur not going to hospital, they aren't going to leave you by yourself!!


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## jenny82

Haha its so devious! Only problem now is that I'm shitting myself :dohh: 

OH is on board. He was very skeptical yesterday but after doing some reading and chatting it over, he is quite up for it :) Only problem is I've no pool yet but can't order it until I speak to the consultant tomorrow.

My mum is at my house but I'm scared to tell her as she'll be totally against it. Last time I brought it up, she shouted me down for not going to the hospital to get a 'break'. Hmmm I got no break at the hospital the last time :haha:


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## Speccy

Oooh how exciting Jenny! I'm glad you've had such a quick response, and don't let them tell you no! Good luck x


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## NuKe

my mums very against the idea too, but i told her to shut up and her going on about how much safer i wud be in hosp wasnt going to change my mind!


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## jenny82

Arghh!! Everything might be off :(

I put the wrong petrol in the car this morning. £30 for the wrong unleaded, £40 for the pickup, £80-100 for the garage. Might have to cancel everything because I now can't afford the pool. Typical :cry:


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## Blah11

You don't need a pool :shrug: Did you specifically want a water birth? Your hospital might not even have any free either.


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## jenny82

No I want a pool. I had a water birth the last time and have my heart set on it again. My hospital had 2 so getting one wouldnt really have been an issue. I could actually thump myself. Really really bloody hard :(

Awk OH is sweet. He set to use the credit card and go to
My appointment, so maybe not all hope is lost :thumbup:


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## Blah11

I'll have my fingers crossed :)!


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## NuKe

Blah11 said:


> I'll have my fingers crossed :)!

Me too! Let us know!!


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## jenny82

Am back! Was quite positive but they are just worried about the timescale, especially because I was early the last time. They said that if I used the pool at the hospital, I can be discharged straight from the delivery suite so that was at least something. 

What do you if it's think? Am just worried about getting the pool in time. They won't be able to confirm the MWs until at least Friday but if I waited until then to buy a pool, I'd be waiting until about Tuesday for delivery. The wee dude arrived on that day (39+2) the last time :dohh: Argh am kicking myself for not standing up for what I wanted sooner :/

Nuke even if I can't go ahead with it, I was shocked at how open they were to the idea. You might not find yourself with such a fight after all!

Oh, they also offered me a sweep, but I said no :haha: Am not ready just yet!


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## NuKe

im glad ur having a good response! i was considering the delivery suite - home option but half the reason i want to have this kid at home is so i dont have an epi, which i KNOW ill end up having in hospital, and i dont want that- it didn't work last time and I got more panicked by that than anything else!


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## jenny82

I was too late for an epidural, so am hoping it'll be the same this time hehe.

Have you any birthing centres up your direction? They can't administer epidurals afaik so you couldn't go down that route anyway, even if you decided you wanted to!


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## jenny82

Ok loooong chat with OH last night. Think I'm going for the 2nd option - ie hospital pool & home straight after :(

He is happier this way and after the stresses we had yesterday (worst day ever!) it makes sense for us as a family to do it this way instead of the other way. Am really gutted tbh but its my own fault for not sorting it sooner. At least i know that its a definite for the *next* baby...in like 5 years :haha:

Thanks for your support though. I'm at least confident about the birth, even though its not in the place I want it to be in. Keep me up to date with your progress though Nuke!!


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## NuKe

ru on my fb jenny? 
i am getting a bit of pressure from my oh to do delivery suite to home as well, hes all 'what if something happens' but we live 10 mins from the hospital! 5 if we wer in an ambulance! Hes making me doubt myself. Need to have a long chat with him too i think. I dont think he understands that the main reason i want the hb is so he doesnt have to leave us!! 
I wasnt too late for the epi... But went 3-9 cm in an hour so obviously pops was in a hurry to get out and meet us! It was the same with my mum wen she was having my brother, though he was near a 10-lber! Poor woman!


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## tazgirl

Hi Nuke, are you still going for a home birth?

I am going to ask my community midwife tomorrow about it at my checkup appt. Expecting a fight tbh, had EMCS last time tho I do have major doubts about if that was really necessary. Disappointing to see that we dont have the same rights here in N.Ireland as the rest of the UK so cant even use that argument. TBH not expecting an argument from the midwife as it was her put the idea in my head after I had my DS in 2007. The consultant tho I expect will be another matter.


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## NuKe

I haven't had any problems whatsoever! My mw is all for it as long as i stay low risk! same with the consultant! you shud come over to the NI threads tazgirl ;)


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