Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[PeanutBean]

Welcome!

 

[minibeast]

hello i'm looking for some advice.. i had an appointment with my midwife yesterday (not my normal one because she was 'on holiday' even though i only saw her last week and she didn't mention the next appointment wouldn't be with her.
i told them i would really like a home birth, and even though i told my midwife well over a month ago now, they said a form should have been filled out and wasn't, at the time she just said it was fine. yesterday, they filled out the form and told me 'we want more women to have home births and encourage it' but said if there isn't 2 midwives available i wont be able to stay at home. i said i'd read that if i gave enough warning they could make arragements to make sure there would be someone to help (i made a thread on here a while ago and someone kindly gave me a link to a homebirth website) but they dismissed that. i don't know what to do now, i feel stressed out and don't feel like a fight but am really set on staying at home. x

 

[lucky3]

i have been told that they can['t guarentee a homebirth, if there is a rush on or bad weather etc. But I was told you can chose to have a homebirth whenever you like.... i know what you mean about not wanting to fight it tho...you don't want an antogonised midwife delivering you.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I replied in your other thread

 

[snagglepat]

Hi Minibeast,

You CAN have a homebirth and they HAVE to provide appropriate care. You've given them warning, they've even told you that they're trying to increase the home birth rate so if when you go into labour you call them and they say 'sorry, no staff' you simply tell them that you expect them to find a midwife because you are having your baby now and you're not going anywhere. A friend of mine experienced this and told them that it wasn't a problem, she would just call an independent midwife to attend her and send them the bill - they soon found a midwife and she was fabulous! They have on call lists, they have back-ups. It's not your problem! It's outrageous that they're still using this tactic so that they don't have to go on call. It's their job!

This might be the page you were pointed to in the past. It's got a good section on how to deal with staff shortages and is well worth a read: https://www.homebirth.org.uk/homebirthuk.htm

Good luck!

Gina. x

 

[Mervs Mum]

Hey Snaggle arent you busy??!!

 

[PeanutBean]

^ That's what I was thinking!

By the way, I've gone into link overdrive on the GBS thread for anyone who is interested.

 

[Jenniflower]

Well, everything is pretty much set. I'll be full-term on Monday. Had my pool delivered today. MW came by to do the assessment and left the home birth kit. Sent off my placental encapsulation forms. Did my music playlists today- one list for relaxing, one for energy. Have my last NCT class tomorrow. Have my first doula antenatal meeting on Sunday. Going to practice blowing up and filling the pool on Sunday. Going to re-read my birth preferences and might make some small changes to it.

Chugging RLT, taking Starflower orally and vaginally. Not doing the perineal massage as regularly as I should, though.

Just need to buy some cheap towels and plastic covers and make sure the freezer is well stocked with food.

Overwhelmed? A little. Anxious? Just a tad. Excited? Yes. (I think). So many emotions!

I haven't read everything yet, just getting caught up, but wanted to say DH found shower curtains at pound land! They're actually really great. Not as stiff as I would have imagined and totally water proof. I tested it by throwing water all over it on the floor! hahaha. Only issue is they're pink, but I suppose it's not a big deal what colour they are! haha

 

[Jenniflower]

hello i'm looking for some advice.. i had an appointment with my midwife yesterday (not my normal one because she was 'on holiday' even though i only saw her last week and she didn't mention the next appointment wouldn't be with her.
i told them i would really like a home birth, and even though i told my midwife well over a month ago now, they said a form should have been filled out and wasn't, at the time she just said it was fine. yesterday, they filled out the form and told me 'we want more women to have home births and encourage it' but said if there isn't 2 midwives available i wont be able to stay at home. i said i'd read that if i gave enough warning they could make arragements to make sure there would be someone to help (i made a thread on here a while ago and someone kindly gave me a link to a homebirth website) but they dismissed that. i don't know what to do now, i feel stressed out and don't feel like a fight but am really set on staying at home. x

GRRRRR this angers me! Here's a great excert from the AIMS.org.uk site:

Many women expecting to give birth at home are subjected to a variety of tactics to persuade them into hospital, such as: 'we are short of midwives' or 'if you go into labour at the weekend/between 6pm and 8am' or 'midwife Bloggs will be on holiday' (and any number of similar alternatives). The following is not an unusual experience:

Dear AIMS,

I've planned a home birth with my midwife but I have just been told (at 37 weeks) that there are 5 other women due at the same time wanting home births and there is only one midwife on call. I've been told that if more than one of us goes into labour at the same time, it's on a "first come, first served" basis and there is a likelihood I will have to go into hospital.

I thought that I had a right to a home birth, and feel very upset to be told at this stage it may not be possible. They have suggested that I book an independent midwife but I really cannot afford this, and should I have to pay for this service?

I am really worried that if I go into labour I won't get the services of an NHS midwife anyway! What I can do?

This kind of tactic is very common. Women have a right to a home birth, the Government suppports a home birth service and the Trust has a responsibility to provide the service.

This is the only area in our consumer society where an increasing demand for a particular service is not met by increasing production (i.e. providing more midwives) but by telling the customers that they have to use a different service!

In AIMS' experience women who are determined to give birth at home, who make it absolutely clear (preferably in writing) that they have no intention of going into hospital to solve the Trust's staffing problems, are eventually provided with a midwife. To do otherwise, would leave the Trust in an indefensible position were a disaster to occur as a result of their failure to provide a midwife.

If you are faced with this dilemma we recommend that you send a letter to the Chief Executive of the Maternity Unit along these lines:

Dear

I have been informed that you have a shortage of midwives and when I call in labour the Trust may not be able to send one and I shall, therefore, have to come into hospital. I understand that it is Government policy that the NHS should support women who intend to birth at home. In a House of Commons debate (20 Dec, 2000) Lord Hunt of King's Heath stated: 'The Government want (sic) to ensure that, where it is clinically appropriate, if a woman wishes to have a home birth she should receive the appropriate support from the health service. At the end of the day, it must be the woman's choice'.

Your midwives have been aware of my intention to give birth at home since ...(insert date). I have no intention of taking the additional risk of a hospital birth in order to alleviate your staff shortages, although I am prepared to transfer to hospital should a medical complication arise. I suggest that, if your hospital is short of midwives, you contact the Independent Midwives Association and arrange an extra-contractual referral.

I expect a midwife to attend when I call her in labour. Should a midwife not arrive and any untoward event occur that is related to your failure to respond to my needs and those of my baby, my family will take appropriate action and we shall hold you and the Director of Midwifery personally responsible for this failure.

If, when you ring for a midwife when you are in labour, you are still told that a midwife cannot attend because they are short staffed, we suggest that you, or your partner, responds as follows:

'What is your name and your status? (Make a note of who it is). 'I have no intention of putting myself or my baby at risk of travelling in labour to the hospital and exposing us to the additional risks of a hospital delivery. If you fail to send a midwife and any untoward event occurs which can be attributed to your failure to provide a midwife you can rest assured that my family will take appropriate action'.

So far, in every case to date that we know of, the Trust has provided a midwife. You may also wish to ensure that the authorities know that there are problems in your area so you could also send copies to the contacts listed below.

 

[Mervs Mum]

No Snaggle today........

 

[pimento1979]

She was on Facebook early this morning, but nothing since then... hoping it's good news!

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

I was thinking that, and she was adamant on Jan 15th...lol

 

[snagglepat]

Me maybe, not this little one. I've spent the day at my in-laws setting up FIL's new computer for him, hence not being about online. I have also done a little bit of ritual work, reminding myself of the need to surrender, both in birth itself and the lead up to it. I've nearly finished the placenta bag too, which is an unfinished task that may have been holding me back. It's a wonderful wild night out there tonight, but I've given up trying to read anything into anything now.

Happy birthday Manda.

Best wishes all round,

Gina. x

 

[Mervs Mum]

Plenty of time yet Snaggle. Did you crochet your new placenta bag? What colour is it? x

 

[Amy_K]

Yay - am 37 weeks today, so all clear to give birth at home anytime in the next 5 weeks! Although I really hope it won't take that long...

 

[Anababe]

for reaching 37 weeks Amy! Hope LO doesnt keep you waiting too long

 

[Anababe]

I don't know what's happened to me but this natural birthing stuff is so addictive!! I came here knowing id considered a home birth mainly because I couldn't relax in hospital, but I thought id be doing everything exactly the same as I would be in hospital only at home.. I still assumed id be giving birth lay on my back on my bed, NEVER considered a water birth until looking through these threads and now that's what I'm planning.

I keep reading different threads and thinking 'oh I might like to try that' things that I would never have even considered with my others. It was only couple days ago I was saying how squeamish I was and now after reading a thread on it I'm thinking i might like to cut the cord myself! haha

Its crazy, I spent every day leading up to the births of my sons dreading what I had coming, wishing for it to be over quickly and feeling so scared at the pain I was going to go through. Now I'm feeling totally different, I'm looking forward to it and feel so positive about it all. I cant wait to deliver my little girl and remember every moment What have you done to me

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

thats brilliant! I love how empowering hearing other peoples stories are!!! After looking at everything on here I feel so much more confident my body can do what it's designed to do without intervention

 

[Mervs Mum]

 

[Bournefree]

I don't know what's happened to me but this natural birthing stuff is so addictive!! I came here knowing id considered a home birth mainly because I couldn't relax in hospital, but I thought id be doing everything exactly the same as I would be in hospital only at home.. I still assumed id be giving birth lay on my back on my bed, NEVER considered a water birth until looking through these threads and now that's what I'm planning.

I keep reading different threads and thinking 'oh I might like to try that' things that I would never have even considered with my others. It was only couple days ago I was saying how squeamish I was and now after reading a thread on it I'm thinking i might like to cut the cord myself! haha

Its crazy, I spent every day leading up to the births of my sons dreading what I had coming, wishing for it to be over quickly and feeling so scared at the pain I was going to go through. Now I'm feeling totally different, I'm looking forward to it and feel so positive about it all. I cant wait to deliver my little girl and remember every moment What have you done to me

It really changes you dosen't it! It just creeps in like a little idea, and then you find yourself such a birth advocate, and can't imagine being scared. It is brilliant you feel so informed and empowered!
xXx