# Devastated !



## TeddysGirl

I've been planning a home birth, surrounded by Christmas lights and having my pets there and being able to go to my own bed since before I even knew I was pregnant.

I have just had a call from my midwife and my iron levels are too low for a home birth.

I haven't stopped crying !


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## cosmicgirlxxx

You're 36 weeks? Can you not work on getting those levels up in the next few weeks? I have anaemia also so know how rubbish it is. Not sure how long it takes to get levels up so i might be talking rubbing ((hugs)) x


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## TeddysGirl

I probably could get my levels up but doubt they would retest me !

I will try my hardest and see if she will retest me at my 38 or 39 week appointment


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## BunnyN

What are your actual levels?. If it is a case of being boarderline then you could work on improving it and say you want a HB anyway. You are in the UK so it is your choice not theirs. They have to support your choice. Of course that is only if you are comfortable with the idea but I'd at least do a bit of research about it before writing off the idea. I dont know what it is like where you live because I dont live in the UK anymore but I can get basic blood tests done at a lab privately. I get the results the same day and its not that expensive.


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## UponAStar

Oh no! :( I hope you are able to get your levels up and have the home birth you've always dreamed of! I think a private lab sounds like a great option (assuming it is available where you live) if your midwife won't retest. I don't have any input or suggestions that haven't already been mentioned so I will offer a virtual hug instead. :hugs2:<3

Best wishes xo


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## MindUtopia

What are your levels? Usually they like them to be above 10, but just because they're lower doesn't mean you can't still have a home birth if you want. It's always your choice. The added risk with low iron is that if you were to have a PPH, you would be much sicker with already low iron (because PPH usually causes anaemia after the fact). So that would suck, but you'd still feel just as unwell in hospital and need extra intervention. Usually in that case, they would offer you a transfusion (you would have to transfer into hospital for this, but it wouldn't be an emergency thing, just they'd let you come in when you're ready and you could probably go home the same day) and they recommend you take high potency supplements for a few weeks after birth. It sucks a lot, but it can happen wherever you are and isn't specifically a risk for home birth. The good thing about home birth is you are significantly less likely to have a PPH at home than in hospital, so actually being at home might be protective for you. 

You also have plenty of time to take iron now and get your levels up. My levels were great in pregnancy (13.9 and 12.1) and I didn't have a PPH, but I still became anaemic after birth. I didn't opt for the transfusion though it was offered to me. I started to feel a bit better just after taking the tablets on my own, so decided to stick to that unless I started to feel really unwell again. I took high potency iron tablets (the 200mg ones, maybe twice a day?) plus one Spatone sachet and 500mg of vitamin C at every meal (so 3x a day). That brought my levels up in about a week. Postnatally I was measured as an HB of 6 and then a 9 a bit later, so really low! I had a home birth and I'm not sure if actually my levels were low to start or they dropped after (like I said, iron was good all pregnancy and I didn't have a PPH). 

You definitely can bring your levels up and you don't need them to re-test you. You can birth at home with any iron levels anyway, though they might advise against it. It's ultimately your choice 100% and they have a duty of care to support that choice. But if you feel well, I wouldn't be too worried. Even when my levels were a 9, I felt horrible. I could barely walk without passing out. Every time I stood up my heart would race so fast I could feel it pounding in my chest and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. If you are going about your day otherwise feeling fine, then your iron is high enough that it's keeping you healthy and feeling good and that's a good sign. But don't sit on your laurels. Get yourself on the really high doses of iron (Boots has them - ask for high potency iron tablets, usually they are 200mg per tablet), add in both Spatone and Floradix, and take loads of vitamin C or drink a small glass of orange juice with each meal.


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## TeddysGirl

Well my midwife said my iron levels were 91 and they like them to be a minimum of 95 before 'allowing' a home birth. I don't feel anaemic.....obviously I'm tired....I'm 9 months pregnant but I don't feel dizzy or faint or anything.

I am going to start taking SpaTone and eating loads more green leafy veg and also staying away from antacids as much as possible and see if I can get my iron levels up and see if she will retest me at my 38 or 39 week appointment, if I make it that far. I doubt she will willingly retest me though.


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## HopefulEm

Don't let her bully you! They don't get to say what you're "allowed", it's your birth and your choice in the UK. There are a lot of personal reasons why homebirths make midwives uncomfortable, so there are those of them who will jump at any excuse to avoid it. 

Do the research to find out what you trust to be safest and what you feel most comfortable with, and then make your own decision!


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## skyesmom

if she refuses to retest you, can you pay for a private iron testing in a week or two? it's a small investment given that she won't "allow" you to birth at home otherwise.


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## TeddysGirl

How would I go about getting a private blood test ? Is that even possible in the UK.

I went to have a look around the hospital birthing suite (they call it the dolphin suite) just incase and told her my iron levels were 91 and she said they only take people upto a level 90 in the dolphin suite or I have to be in a normal room. 

So my plan is to say something along these lines (a bit of a lie) to my midwife in hopes she retests me "I went to go see the dolphin suite and told the midwife giving me the tour my iron level and she suggested I ask you to retest my levels so they can make sure I am above 90 so I can give birth in dolphin suite"

I have been taking 2 spatone a day, plus my prenatal, plus eating healthily, staying away from my antacids and eating lots of vitamin c rich foods so hopefully my levels have gone up. I'm tempted to take 3 spatone a day just to make sure. what do you guys think ?


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## BunnyN

Your body is only capable of absorbing so much iron at a time so I don't know if upping the dose could help or not. Folic acid is supposed to boost iron absorption too.


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## skyesmom

i think there are many small private labs where you can get your blood drawn for an iron level test. just google! at least in all other EU countries, these kind of labs are common.


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## DaisyDreamer

Also eating fruits with VitC in it (red bell pepper is a great choice to oranges/grapefruit) will help you absorb more iron! Really hope you get to have your home birth dear !!


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## Pearls18

When my iron levels were low I told them I would do everything I could to bring them up but would still be having a home birth and refused to be tested again (they wanted to test me again at 38 weeks to see if they had gone up) low iron doesn't mean you're at any increased risk of excess bleeding just that if you did it would be a harder recovery, for me the risk of a hospital birth outweighed the risk of my possibly low iron levels. I had my perfect home birth in my Christmassy house 2 years ago :)

They can't disallow a home birth.


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## BunnyN

Any news TeddysGirl?


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## TeddysGirl

Midwife refused to retest my iron levels.
She also wrote in my notes without my consent that I will be having active management of 3rd stage (which I have now crossed out).
She also said she wants to do a sweep on boxing day (6 days over due by scan, only 1 day overdue my ovulation) and she wants to induce me on 30th. Unless baby is at risk I am refusing both.

God I hate my midwife !


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## BunnyN

Wow, she really doesnt seem good at listening! 

I think its shocking that they wont retest your iron if thats all that is holding you back from having a HB. Have you decided if you will go ahead with a HB anyway or are you planning on hospital? If your MW wont retest I wonder if your GP would if you just go and ask to be checked because you are worried that it was a bit low?

It seems a bit to me like she is one of those MWs who doesnt really support HB and will always find a reason why you 'can't' have a HB. As far as sweeps and being induced stick it out and do what you feel comfortable with. She clearly doesnt really care much about more than paperwork. Are they basing your dates on your dating scan? I knew for sure my dates with DS and when I got my dating scan it put me a week ahead. I was stressed out by it because my first was 10 days late and I had a bit of a fight with them about induction (she came naturally, on the day I would have accepted a sweep). I got a private scan and it agreed with my dates so just goes to show they are not always as acurate as they say.


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## skyesmom

geez she sounds very disrespectful! she cares more about pushing her will than listening to your wishes. but it is YOUR birth not hers and if i were you i'd look into getting another midwife, even if it is just a few weeks to the birth, or hiring a doula that will then deal with her, if she can't be taken out of the equation.

google up a private lab and get those iron level checked, it is not one of those expensive lab tests.

don't let this person rip you off the birth you want. because what she did now wouldn't deprive you only of your home birth, it would also destroy a natural/water birth in the hospital.


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## TeddysGirl

I think she is dead against me having a home birth because I am due 20th and she lives just round the corner from me so if she's on call Xmas day and I go into labour then it would be her that would have to come.

I'm not very good at sticking up for myself and neither is my OH, my mum on the other hand had a home birth with my brother in 1994 and is on the same page as me so I have spoken to her, told her mh wishes and asked for her to come with me to my next appointment and she agreed so she will kick arse and hopefully the midwife will listen


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## BunnyN

That sounds like a good idea. And dont forget you can always just call on the day and say you are in labour and not going in. They have to send someone.


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## diz

What she is doing and saying is bullshit. She should re-test your HB if you have requested her to do so. Even if you tell her that you do not wish for your HB to be re-tested, and you have made an informed decision to give birth at home inspire of your HB being 91, then thats your choice and they have to attend you. xx


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## mrssat

I'm sorry I'd seriously be going over this lady's head. I know it's hard to stick up for yourself but you'll feel so good if you do & so bad if you let this lady bully you into doing something you don't want to do. This is probably the most important day of your life have it pan out how you want it. Be in control. I think it's clear she doesn't was xmas day ruined for her or any colleagues. Glad you have your mum backing you, strength in numbers. GL & try some sex to get things moving near the time, worked a treat for me xx


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## Srrme

I'm so sorry! My Midwife checked iron at 36 weeks just incase they were low so we could increase them and test again at 38-39 weeks. I definitely wouldn't be having that! She's bullying you!


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## kittylady

It's your choice not hers. They are not allowed to say you are not allowed only to advise. The nice guidelines and the nhs choice guarantee gives you the right to birth where you choose!! I should no, they told me I'd be on a labour ward being monitored, I had a water birth at home. The other fallacy is when they say they are short staffed, they have a duty of care to come to a home birth, I had 2 out of area midwives and one from my own area. Stand your ground girl!!


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## smileyfaces

Sorry I know this is old but how did it turn out?? Just read through and I'm curious to know what happened! Really hope you got your home birth!!


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