Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[lozzy21]

Again they cannot stop you from having your baby at home. Its not like they can come tie you up and drag you there.

Take the iron tablets and make sure you eat plenty of iron rich foods and hopefully it will be fine in 2 weeks.

 

[gina8177]

Could you take something like floravit before you get your iron tablets? I also don't get why it would take 2 days to write a prescription.

I would also eat tons of iron rich foods.

 

[lozzy21]

Pregnant women can become deficient in iron, so make sure you have plenty of iron-rich foods. Try to have some food or drink containing vitamin C, such as fruit or vegetables or a glass of fruit juice, with any iron-rich meals because this might help your body absorb iron.

Tea and coffee can make it harder for our bodies to absorb iron, so cutting down on these drinks at meal times could help to improve iron levels in the body.

If the iron level in your blood becomes low, your GP or midwife will advise you to take iron supplements.

Good sources of iron include:

•red meat
•pulses
•bread
•green vegetables
•fortified breakfast cereals


Dunno if that would be of any help got it from https://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/pregnancy/whenyrpregnant/

 

[Mervs Mum]

I am low on iron when I'm not pregnant and really struggled to get it above 10 but after the last blood test I simply refused anymore. while you wait for the script get some Spatone or Floradix as Gina suggested to get the ball rolling - Spatone is in large Tescos and most good chemists like Boots.

It's a bit of a grey area really because I thought that they'd advise a managed 3rd stage for me with the iron being on the low side. However the MW who delivered Sid at home talked to me early on in labour and said it shouldnt be a problem and we'd play it by ear. I ended up with a physiological 3rd stage and average loss (1ltr) and no one ever check my iron again! My second birth / pregnancy was almost identical and I left the birth centre with iron at 9. something. I think being at home helps with the iron levels because you can stay in bed and rest properly at home which you simply cant in hospital. I almost fainted after the packing up and journey home from the birth centre where after a HB I moved from bed to lounge and that was it!

 

[wannabubba#4]

Went to Holland and Barratt and bought some Spatone already lol - as I read on the homebirth org site that it was recommended lol.

I am hoping my mw isn't so negative on Fri -pro birth; whereas the one I spoke to today had tried to put me off in the past due to my spd pain and in general doesn't seem to think home births are a great idea - so hopefully I'll get some sound advice and support on Friday. Just felt so dejected this morning after getting the letter, speaking to anti- homebirth mw and then getting shafted from the docs rerescription. Been a bit of an emotional day lol- but am getting things into perspective now, so thanks ladies xxx
My other baby's never arrived 2 or 3 weeks early so chances are this one wont either lol and that gives me a few weeks to sort out my hb levels- plus I only got told my Hb level on the phone, I'll get to see the whole FBC on Fri- and I'll be able to see if it's possibly haemodilutional or not.

I will just have to suffer the spd for as long as it takes I s'pose

Thanks for listening, and letting me get if off my chest, fx'd all goes well and my next Hb is better xx xx

 

[MandaAnda]

Having SPD is not an indication for a hospital birth anyway. I had SPD and would've fared much better at home on that front. You're more comfortable and able to move around into positions that suit your SPD much easier at home. Some people also (erroneously) think that you may want an epidural more due to having SPD, and in truth, having an epidural is actually a bad idea with SPD, as you could injure yourself, not being able to feel when you should stop flexing/adducting a joint. There's a bit on the homebirth.org site about it in the section "You can't have a home birth because..."

 

[wannabubba#4]

Having SPD is not an indication for a hospital birth anyway. I had SPD and would've fared much better at home on that front. You're more comfortable and able to move around into positions that suit your SPD much easier at home. Some people also (erroneously) think that you may want an epidural more due to having SPD, and in truth, having an epidural is actually a bad idea with SPD, as you could injure yourself, not being able to feel when you should stop flexing/adducting a joint. There's a bit on the homebirth.org site about it in the section "You can't have a home birth because..."

Lol -yep already had this conversation with my first anti -homebirth mw lol -she advised me to go for hospital birth as she said I'd need an epi lol -I just said I don't think they were recommended for spd due to trauma risk and after delivering three babies already on G&A I have no intention of having one this time either.

This is why I am hoping tha ttomorrow my mw wil be more positive -pro hb and never even questioned my spd -like you have said, its easier to potter about at home and be more mobile which all helps

xx xx

I am sure LO isn't planning on coming soon anyway, so plenty of time to get my Hb up a bit -thanks ladies - Uber- emotional day yesterday, thanks for the support and reassurance xxxx

 

[madasa]

Received a letter this morning from my mw saying that I need iron tabs as I am anaemic, so I thought I'd better phone and see exactly what. I phoned the CMU and she said my HB is 9.7; prev 11.4 and before that 14.
Also, she said I cant deliver at CMU or home with it being that low -they'll get me started on iron tabs, and recheck in 2 weeks

Have been crying ever since, cant believe it could all get taken away from me now

Went to the docs they said they'll get my script within next 48 hours -why not get someone to write me one now; I am sure given the circumstances someone wouldn't mind TOO much

I am so sore with my spd, I was hoping to speak to someone about the chance of an earlier sweep too, but no chance of that now either and I am getting sorer and sorer and really fed up and cry cry cry . So p*ssed off.

Any advice ladies? My homebirth team leader is coming on Friday to see me.

Thanks xxxx

OK, first of all - DO NOT PANIC! Do you FEEL anaemic? If not, then it could be normal haemodilution (sp?) - you have a higher blood olume due to being pregnant, which means the iron is more dilute, but you still hae the same amount as before. Im doing this in a hurry, so sorry if I repeat anything anyone has already said!!

Homebirth with low Hb levels

https://www.wombecology.com/maternalemotional.html

Excerpt:^ ^

In many countries, the amount of red blood cells pigment (haemoglobin concentration) is routinely measured in pregnancy. There is a widespread belief that this test can effectively detect anaemia and iron deficiency. In fact, this test cannot diagnose iron deficiency because the blood volume of pregnant women is supposed to increase dramatically, so the haemoglobin concentration indicates first the degree of blood dilution, an effect of placental activity. A large British study, involving more than 150,000 pregnancies (17), found that the highest average birth weight was in the group of women who had a haemoglobin concentration between 8.5 and 9.5. Furthermore, when the haemoglobin concentration fails to fall below 10.5 there is an increased risk of low birth weight, preterm birth and pre-eclampsia. The regrettable consequence of routine evaluation of haemoglobin concentration is that, all over the world, millions of pregnant women are wrongly told that they are anaemic and are given iron supplements. There is a tendency both to overlook the side effects of iron (constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, etc.) and to forget that iron inhibits the absorption of such an important growth factor as zinc (18)....

The tablets I was prescribed (ferrous sulphate) made me HORRIBLY constipated. I'll be honest, if I had to choose between passing poo like THAT again, or giving birth, I take the giiving birth, thank you. I asked for a different prescription and got Ferrous Glucomate, which was a little better, but not much. My sister and mum recommended Floridex, which I couldn't find.

In the end, I ditched the prescription tablets and took Spatone (which you can get from Boots), the side effects disappeared and my Hb went up to a level "acceptable" for homebirths in my area So my advice is 1.) DON'T WORRY, and 2.) try a natural, liquid supplement (like Spatone or Floridex), which is easier for your body to absorb.

 

[wannabubba#4]

Thanks Madasa - I dont feel anaemic but then 9.7 isn't that low -I have had patients with Hb of 6-7 and not had many symptoms lol. And I am so immobile now, that I cant do anything quick enough to see if it makes me MORE breathless lol ( baby still sitting up high, so gonna expect to br abit short of breath with only half lung capacity haha )

I was just so down yday -and tearful; mad preggy hormones really took over my more sensible head I tell ya lol


Anyway started on Spatone yesterday and making sure I get plenty of Vit C -my diet is normally quite good tbh and I ingest enough iron but probably a bit lacking on the Vit C- so plenty OJ and broccolli lol - and also cuting down on tea -I drink loads (decaff of course but still forgot about the inhibiting iron factor )

Also I never knew prunes were such a good source of iron - more than beef, sardines etc WOW who'd have thought -not that I am a great fan of prunes, lol - but a few cartons of prune juice over the next week wont kill me haha

So mw due tomorrow to go over my proposed home birth -I will get to see all my blood results then too, as I only asked about Hb on the phone -so I'll have a better idea if it's haemodilution or not too.

FX'd all goes well, although DH put it all into perspective when he said
' healthy baby is all we want/ need -everything else is just decoration!!'.. and he's right of course. xx

thanks again xx

 

[madasa]

It's kinda true about a healthy baby being the main thing.... but don't sell yourself short. Your experience is important as well. A good birth experience is good for you AND your baby. FX'd everything goes well! 9.7 isn't THAT low, mine was below 9 and I got it up to 10.5 before my due date, by taking Spatone with orange juice. Best of luck!

 

[wannabubba#4]

It's kinda true about a healthy baby being the main thing.... but don't sell yourself short. Your experience is important as well. A good birth experience is good for you AND your baby. FX'd everything goes well! 9.7 isn't THAT low, mine was below 9 and I got it up to 10.5 before my due date, by taking Spatone with orange juice. Best of luck!

How long did it take you to get your Hb up? My mw reckons about 1g per week, so at that rate I'll be 10.7 by next Wed/ Thurs anyway.

xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Mine never really changed but they can check another aspect (you may have already mentioned this but I dont know the technical name ) which shows your iron 'stores' I think.....mine were rubbish on that too (I'm veggie which might not help)..........my MW just made sure I was doing what I could.

 

[gina8177]

Time for a totally random rant - I've been off work for my stress fracture and tendinitis for almost 6 weeks. Of this time, 2 was approved through STD, 2 was basic sick leave from work and now I am using up vacation time while we wait to find out if the company deciding if I qualify for short term disability will approve my claim, which they have been battling.

So I have a follow up appointment at my dr today and she tells me that they are basically giving the impression on how it couldn't have been serious if I didn't have an x-ray done and they want me to see an orthopedic surgeon.

First off, how dare you even suggest an x-ray during pregnancy, that is completely unethical. Second, what the heck is an orthopedic surgeon going to do. At this point my foot has almost completely healed because I've been resting it and I still can't have an x-ray or bone density scan and who knows when that appointment will come through.

I was so pissed off that I phoned my HR contact and told her how I felt. Of course she was all like we don't deal with the medical side, blah blah, that's why we hire this company. So I phoned my contact at this company and she totally tried to talk circles around it. She was all like of course we wouldn't expect you to have an x-ray, blah blah.

I feel better letting them know how unimpressed I was.

My Dr. told me that lately she has had huge issues with insurance companies and pregnant women. She says they have been battling these claims and doing everything they can not to approve them.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I cant believe they would suggest you werent serious if you refused an xray!!! You're pregnant FFS!!!

 

[nightkd]

Hey all, just to update (haven't had a chance to read back and catch up yet!) I had baby Evelyn Rose on 21st of June at 11:44pm, spent 29 hours labouring at home (the pool was great!) before going into hospital to have epidural and so on because I was having terrible back labour - no idea why, but it was so intense, I couldn't sleep and started getting frustrated...the epidural unfortunately barely touched it, but I managed to get some sleep at the hospital and delivered vaginally in the end.... 43 hours after labour started!!!

Got a 2nd degree tear but bubba and me got home last night and are both absolutely fine (if not a little achey!)... I'm trying to write up a birth story, but have so much to say, it may take me a while!!

I've felt a little upset upon coming home and see everything still set up for a homebirth (the MW literally thought I was ready to push, but I got stuck at 5cm for HOURS) but at the end of the day, I am just happy to have my bubba here safe and sound and tbh having the opportunity to labour at home before going into hospital (where they were really supportive (mostly)) has given me a lot more experience than just having a homebirth would - I'm actually not all that upset about what happened, I tried my hardest...DH thinks I'm a bit weird to not think of it as a traumatic experience, but I feel pretty empowered even if it didn't go to absolute plan...the birth story should explain better anyway!

 

[gina8177]

Congrats Nightkd and welcome to Evelyn. I am glad that you feel empowered and went with what felt right to you! She is adorable!

MM - I know, it totally enraged me. I was pretty darn pissy for a while!

And GREAT news! Had my scan today and baby has flipped, he is now head down! I am pretty sure he flipped Monday night after one session with the acupuncturist and one session with moxibustion at home. Totally made my day, now I feel like I can continue to prep for his arrival!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Great news Gina!

Well done Nightkd - glad you're feeling good about everything despite it not quite going to plan. Looking forward to reading your story

 

[wannabubba#4]

Fab news Gina about baby turning ,and sorry you are having a hard time with your claim - have to agree with MM - what pregnant woman WOULD accept an x-ray in pregnancy? - stupid asses!!!

Nightkd -congrats on baby Evelyn -looking forward to your birth story -glad you managed to still feel empowered and have a positive experience. xx


Well my mw has just been and was lovely.

What a difference a positive pro- homebith midwife can make to a person's frame of mind!!!

She wasn't concerned about my Hb level at all- as long as I was fully informed of risks etc (which I am - still dont feel anaemaic!!and 9.7 isn't that low tbh), am taking my iron tabs and OJ then she is happy. I told her I was informed it would impact my homebirth decision, and she just asked ' why?? have you changed your mind??' I, of course said no -and she said' not a problem then' woohoo -She was really positive - I so want it now haha

So they are delivering my birthing delivery pack over the weekend yay!!! So excited !!!

woohoo!!!

Just waiting on me being ready to pop now haha

Have a fabbie day ladies xxxxxx

 

[MadamRose]

Hi im due on the 6th October and really want a homebirth (could i please be added to the list) my OH has finally come round to the idea, it would be our 1st child other than a MC. now im having problems with midwives telling me diffrent things. i have opened a thred about this if you would mind having a quick look thanks

 

[Rachiebaby24]

Congratulations Nightkd!!! Welcome to the world Evelyn!