Advice please: I'm not allowed a home birth

[Kess]

I got told the other day at my booking appointment that although I could book in for a homebirth, if the hospital was busy they'd insist on me coming in so they didn't have to take up a midwife on me being at home. I had read some of the quoted above and thought that they HAD to attend at home and I could refuse to go to hospital, but I asked and she said they'd just leave me to labour at home alone. Apparently a couple of cases over the past couple of years have clarified the issue, and they're not obligated to send someone to attend you at home if you refuse to go into hospital.

That's crap! They have agency midwives they can call in if they're short staffed.

They're not obliged to send a midwife out to you no, but I've been researching homebirths since I was first pregnant with my son two years ago, and I have never heard of them refusing point blank to come out when a woman has actually been in labour (though I have certainly heard of them trying it on!)

I'm not sure if your "That's crap!" is directed at me or the system, but I can assure you that is what I was told they would do, and although up to a couple of years ago the law implied the had to attend, a couple of court cases have since clarified that them offering a hospital place is sufficient to be fulfilling their legal duty to provide a midwifery service. I agree they should bring in bank midwives, and that their staffing issues shouldn't dictate where we give birth, but I'm not sure I want to risk being left alone in my first labour.

 

[lousielou]

Eek, no - it was directed at the system, not you! Sorry, I can see how that might have been misinterpreted I don't doubt for a second that that's what you've been told, and I certainly understand your reluctance to risk being left alone in labour...

 

[TattiesMum]

I got told the other day at my booking appointment that although I could book in for a homebirth, if the hospital was busy they'd insist on me coming in so they didn't have to take up a midwife on me being at home. I had read some of the quoted above and thought that they HAD to attend at home and I could refuse to go to hospital, but I asked and she said they'd just leave me to labour at home alone. Apparently a couple of cases over the past couple of years have clarified the issue, and they're not obligated to send someone to attend you at home if you refuse to go into hospital.

I'm now planning on getting an Independent Midwife since then I can get to know and trust them before hand (rather than getting a random midwife, one of a team of 20 or more) and they will definitely come no matter how busy the darn hospital is!

The hospital midwife issue is total mis-direction ... they are trying to bullshit you Hon

It only applies if you are on Consultant Led Care If you are on Midwifery Led care and under the Community Midwives (who are attached to GP surgeries rather than to the hospital) then it doesn't even come up .... because community midwives don't deliver babies in the hospital - so it doesn't matter HOW busy the hospital is

I don't post in here often .... mainly because I find it SO bloody frustrating that, 19 years down the line, women are still being fed the same bollocks and getting the same resistance to Home Birthing that I got when I had my 2nd and then 3rd babies at home

I would recommend going to your GP and telling him/her that you want a home birth under his auspices. If he is reluctant to do it then ask him to refer you to another local GP who WILL support you and provide the midwifery services. GP's get a ton of money for having us on their books (and even more once baby arrives) so it motivates them to be a bit more helpful

I know there are lots of websites and so on out there, but one book that I found absolutely invaluable when fighting for HB was this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/Home-Birth-Practical-Nicky-Wesson/dp/1905177062 It has been revised so it's up to date The best thing about it is that she covers all of the objections that you are likely to meet from doctors, consultants and midwives and gives you the tools and ammunition you need to sucessfully argue your case..... It's also GREAT for re-assuring OH's who are getting cold feet after listening to the midwife's doom and gloom.

Good Luck Hon There is nothing like giving birth in your own home

 

[Kess]

The hospital midwife issue is total mis-direction ... they are trying to bullshit you Hon

It only applies if you are on Consultant Led Care If you are on Midwifery Led care and under the Community Midwives (who are attached to GP surgeries rather than to the hospital) then it doesn't even come up .... because community led midwives don't deliver babies in the hospital - so it doesn't matter HOW busy the hospital is

You're kidding!! I'm going to innocently ask the midwife when she comes out next Saturday if community midwives work in the hospital and see what she says. If she's been lying to me I'd like to watch her squirm.

 

[winegums]

That's right Kess community midwives do not deliver in hospitals at all!

basically they tell you to go to hospital due to 'shortages' or something else... unfortunately this a line they fob a LOT of people off with

however if you have planned a home birth with them and you go in to labour at home and phone them they NEED to send someone, no matter what even if its a midwife from another trust they can get someone there 99% of the time. It is their duty of care

There was a story in the paper recently as well a home birth called her midwives to come, they came (2 of them i think) and she didnt want any help or even want them to talk or ANYTHING but it was their duty to be there for her. She ended up having twins and had complications, she still wouldnt let them help and one of them died while the midwives were helpless as she could of sued them if they had tried to do anything and she told them not to

slightly off topic but yeh........ they turn up!

 

[lolly25]

Hi hun i know how you feel, this time im aiming for a vbac ( previously had a normal delivery). I must of hit lucky at the hospital booking in. Im not planning on a home birth after a discusion with the OH. I told the MW i expected to be able to have a water birth and be treated as low risk, but because of my obstetric history i was refered to a consultant, which i could choose which one, which i asked the mw which consultant was supportive of vbac and natural delivery. I attended the appointment with the consultant and after a discussion it has been put in my notes and signed by her that i am to be treated as a 'low risk' woman and that if i still choose to, be allowed to birth in the pool.

 

[ellie]

i dont know too much about this but wnated to send i wanted a home birth and was gutted to end up with an emergency section, but next time (if we have any more!) i want a vbac and i woudl LOVE a home birth. I had sort of presumed i would be pressured to be in a consultant led unit but after my experience with consultants last time, i dont really want them anywehre near me!
I hope you've got some good info to arm yourself with now. Stick to your guns! I am so sick of birth being so over medicalised.

 

[Celesse]

In my area, and possibly others the community midwives on duty will get called in to work in the hospital if there is a staff shortage in the hospital they are unable to cover. This happened when I was approx 38 weeks pg and my midwife told me it was lucky I hadn't gone into labour as the on-call community midwives where all on labour ward delivering hospital babies.

The problem with labour ward is sometimes it can be empty and sometimes its standing room only. And if a lot of women go into labour at the same time they have to find the midwives from somewhere. Once they have rung people at home, minimised the staff on post natal and antenatal wards and got what they can from agencies, community midwives are the only ones left.

 

[winegums]

ohh see thats what i would have guesed but i had to interview a midwife for some coursework and i did a hospital and a community and i asked the community one if they went to the hospital if it was short staffed and she said they never worked in hospitals they always used bank midwives as theres so many! maybe thats just my area though?

 

[TattiesMum]

ohh see thats what i would have guesed but i had to interview a midwife for some coursework and i did a hospital and a community and i asked the community one if they went to the hospital if it was short staffed and she said they never worked in hospitals they always used bank midwives as theres so many! maybe thats just my area though?

It's the same where I live Winegums - the community midwives NEVER work in the hospital - it's simply not in their remit

 

[sammiwry]

Winegums out of interest where in Surrey are you as I'm having problems trying to get a home birth but I'm Guildford way.

 

[winegums]

I'm further in... towards epsom area! its a pain isnt it!

 

[sammiwry]

It is very much a pain, the reasoning I'm being given is because I'm out of area to that hospital..

 

[Celesse]

Found some more interesting reading for you: https://www.childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/gecpc3ch38.pdf
Which is from a maternity text book, the chapter focusing on birth after a section.
link to the whole book is: https://www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ClickedLink=194&ck=10218&area=2

I've booked marked it ready for when I get my BFP and start my own HBAC campaign. I've already read a fair bit and nothing has made me feel I need to go into hospital. In fact all the research I have read on VBAC has swayed me from plan-for-both, to plan-for-home.

 

[winegums]

Thank you Celesse that's really helpful! xx