# Meconium in waters - what do you think?



## goddess25

SO I was at my midwife appointment yesterday and I have been planning ona homebirth as long as my husband comes around... however yesterday my MW told me that because I had meconium stained waters last time with my son there is a high chance it will happen again.. she told me that at that stage they wont have time to transfer me to the hospital and although they are trained to deal with resucitation etc its obviously not ideal.

What do you think? Have tried googling it but cant really find anything, do you think this is true?


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## Rmar

https://midwifethinking.com/2010/10/09/the-curse-of-meconium-stained-liquor/

This explains it pretty well but remember your MW doesn't sound like dealing with meconium in the waters is something within her comfort level. By the sounds of it, she is trying to push you towards a hospital delivery? You could try printing this out and discussing it with her and sussing out how she would actually deal with it.


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## Mervs Mum

Have a read here.....

https://www.homebirth.org.uk/meconium.htm

Meconium needs to be viewed in context really. :)


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## xxema&bumpmjx

i would do wht you are comfortable doin hun its your birth an if the mw is not supportive id ask for another mw good look xx


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## kiwimama

I wonder why it is that you are more likely to have subsequent babies pass meconium in utero if a previous baby has done? :shrug:


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## snagglepat

It is true, at least as far as I've been able to establish that it is more likely that you'd have meconium again, but like others have said, it needs to be taken in context. If the meconium is old and all other signs are that the baby and you are healthy and happy then there's no great reason for concern. If the meconium is fresh and/or thick/excessive and it's combined with changes to the baby's heart rate that might indicate distress then you might want to think differently. 

I asked my (very experienced independent) midwife about this recently when a client had to transfer in to hospital when her waters went and there was meconium, even though there was no other reason for concern - it was just policy. She was appalled. However, she is able to make clinical decisions based purely on the situation she's faced with whereas the NHS midwives have their trust's policies to work to - whether they agree with them or not. 

I have been at two births where there was a lot of thick, fresh meconium and both babies needed suction and a bit of help in the first few minutes to get going, though they were both fine shortly afterwards. The level of support they needed could have been provided at home - some suction, a good rub down and some wafts from the oxygen canister while they got their breathing going (though both happened in hospital). I know that's just anecdotal but I know I won't feel too stressed out if there's meconium in my waters this time unless there are other problems arising with it.

Gina. x


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## Rmar

In reference to the subsequent babies thing, would anyone know what that statistic would involve? Like, did anyone look into whether it was more likely to happen in subsequent babies because of distress or because of having a mature gut or was that factor not looked at?


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## luna28

I have never read or been taught it is more likely in subsequent babies, I'd like to see the research you have read on this snagglepat, as it makes no sense. Meconium is a physiological response to either maturity or fetal distress it is an individual response dependent on that particular baby.


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## Mervs Mum

Perhaps snagglepat is speaking from her experiences supporting birthing women rather than reading a paper on the subject?


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## snagglepat

Sorry yes, I should have made that clear. It's purely anecdotal. I've supported multiple women (8 immediately off the top of my head in the last couple of years) who have had this in more than one labour. I agree, it's hard to see why this would be the case unless like you suggest, the maturity of the gut is a somewhat genetic factor and a proper study may not back that up.

Gina.


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## goddess25

I see my Midwife again on the 29th I will ask her a bit more about it then.. and ask if there are some reference materials to explain why this might happen. She did not say it would but that it was certainly more likely to happen again.


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