Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[Mark&Annie]

Hello Tentatively joining your group! I hoped I could have a home birth if we found a house and got moved and settled before baby arrives! Soooo we have had our offer accepted, mortgage approved, just waiting for all the paper work to be sorted and we will own our first home! There's a lot of work to do, but we hope to be in by May, baby is due 3rd August so I'm hoping this is now a possibility for me
Joshuas birth was straight forward so there's no issues with my Midwife, however when I move I have to change doctors, and my friend who uses them, says she's a bit of an old gal who isn't really pro home birth!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Welcome to the group Mark and Annie!

Amy you never know what might happen and as you said you have enough knowledge to have a really positive induction experience. Looking forward to hearing all about it and seeing your LO xx

 

[KittenKat]

Thought I would add a little update from me.

Finally have moved and still looking at getting a HB, have a MW appointment later this week (second appointment wih my new team) and will be letting her know my intentions.

OH is still very much on board for it, even after all these months I am still reeling a little that it was partially his suggestion. He has had me researching birthing pools because he knows how much I have wanted one with the last two and not got there, first time because daughter arrived before pool was filled deep enough and second time because someone beat me to the use of the pool lol

 

[SmokyJoe78]

Amy - that's exactly what happened to me - induced at 17days past EDD. DS arrived 18 days past.
I know exactly how you feel The way I think about it is you've just got to make the best decision for you at the time and being past your EDD is absolutely exhausting.
Maybe on Weds you can have a prostin gel and then go home, where it's probably more likely to work?



Hello Mark&Annie

 

[Bournefree]

Thinking of you Amy.. These consultants can feel so tiring at times! What on earth are they doing talking about you as if you are not even there! - Glad you gave them a kick up the backside! ;-) Please don’t be bullied into doing anything you are uncomfortable with - Look for evidence to be induced. I’m really not trying to pressurise you the other way - just don’t want to have any regrets. - I hope you know what I mean.
Let them have a look on Wednesday (if you get there, everything crossed you don’t), there are stages to induction, you can go for another sweep, you can try the gels and peccaries, (and go home after that for it to take effect - any old way, it needs time to act). I know you know this, but IV induction can be pretty intensive on mum, esp if your cervix isn’t quite ready, and to force it open with strong chemically induced contractions. Plus the Syntocin, doesn’t have any of the loved up effect of the natural stuff! Your body has already started a process.. It won’t stop. 2cm is still 2cm! I know it is really hard and the pressure is emence, but you have been pregnant for a long time, what is a few more days?
You and snagglepat have been my inspiration on how to approach the "overdue". Please just make the right choice for you. Either way. Honestly.
I don’t want to pressure you stick with it - I just want to remind you it is always an option to just wait, esp if there isn’t any indicators otherwise.

Luna - That is appalling treatment, and treatment in the right word - how you are spoken to is part of the skill that any healthcare professional should have in there medicine cabinet! You can have your homebirth Luna if you want to; you know it, I know it, we all know it - why don’t they?! There is a sever lack in education.

My little rant:
It is ridiculess what happens to Homebirth mums - It’s seems that once you have made a choice to have a Homebirth; they go out of there way to advise you of all of the risks (don’t ever see anyone else who is planning a birthing centre, or a hospital birth have to be told about all of the risks of any child birth!!).. And send you for all sorts of tests, that your not even indicated for. It is as though, the basic science has gone out of the window.. But we are meant to just except it??! I think it is totally unfair! Personally, I’m ok with all the extra risk talk, as I won’t be rattled or coxed into a birth choice without evidence; the benefit of my questioning personality (OH would say confrontational, but in a good way!) and experience with my first. But what happens to all the other women? About 12% of women start at some point in pregnancy wanting a homebirth, and only just under 3% manage to get one - of course there are many other factors, but I wonder how many of these women are persuaded out of their choice??? I'm so pleased (and a tad jealous), when I see mums with supportive health professionals!

Yeah Abz, why shouldn’t we be talking about our birth choices right from the start? How nonsense is it to do it right at the end!

Hey Markandannie - moving AND having a baby.. aren’t those the top 2 of stresses in life?! Hahaha - I’ve done it too though! It is going to be so great being in your new home, and thinking this is the place your going to have your baby! Congratulations!

KittenKat, at least at home, you won’t have someone else in the pool when you want to use it!! (well I hope not!?) Brilliant your OH is really excited about it! Could he have a chat to some of the other dads of our lovely mums?!

Love to you all, You must be wondering why the big post from me? Well, I have been able to get on the internet, but since my cute little girl and me accidentally spilt orange juice all over the laptop, I hadn’t been able to use the spacebar!!!! I never knew how important that button was in my life! Well I’ve hocked up a separate keyboard.. So it’s all systems go again!!!
I apologise in advance for my prolific posting that is to come, while I catch up and comment on almost everything!!! God it feels good!;-)
XxxX

 

[chuck]

did anyone else catch he Group b Strep piece on This morning today?

while I agree it is awful that there are babies dying due to the effects of GBS not being detected and that perhaps there isn't enough info around for expectant Mums about GBs it was such a lot of scare mongering!!

The Dr said that even if you do get swabbed by the NHS it's test is only around 50% effective so we should all be forking out to get it done privately! Way to go to cause people worry!

 

[PeanutBean]

I didn't see it (I consider myself above This Morning ) the most recent strep B thread in third tri made a revival with someone quoting that the finances of the NHS are a disgrace to not be covering this as a "mandatory" test and that Dr TV whoever said the NHS test is 50% accurate. Forgive me but 50% is chance which would render it as useful a test as pissing in the wind. Naturally I corrected this (it's 50% false negative, the positives are accurate). I also added that it's not as simple as finances. This is the stance I got from the GBS support group (or should I call them campaign group). Lots of good info on their site but it is clear their agenda is to get all women tested and all quarter of the populations that carry pumped with antibiotics.

But I guess people are just like that. Why doesn't the NHS give those drugs or do that intervention because 1 in 10000 people/babies die etc etc. There's rarely any consideration about why it might not be advisable to use an untested treatment or one without sufficient evidence or one that carries its own risks etc.

In my world I had a MW appointment today and all was well, she said all fine still for the homebirth but they have no pools anymore! Fortunately I have a friend who had already offered so I'm borrowing that. Phew! A also finally rang the consultant MW and left a message so there's no escaping the debrief now! My MW said I really must find time to do it, it's important to go through this before the labour. She said it in a rather good stern concerned kind of way so I made the call.

 

[Mark&Annie]

Crikey, I am yet to have anyone tell me it's not a good idea, everyone I speak to seems to think it's a great idea, especially for a second baby when my first labour was 10 days early and only 7 hours. Even my Mum and Gran, my Mum wishes she could have done it, and for my Gran, it was normal! I think Mark has a few concerns, but we are so close to the hospital I think he'll get used to the idea. I hope I get a supportive MW, but if not, I have a friend who is a midwife and she's great and giving me loads of info. Unfortunately she doesn't work my end of the country!

 

[chuck]

I think I may have just stirred up a hornets nest in 3rd tri in the GBS thread.

LOl someone mentioned they thought it was bad how 'they put the blinkers on us' by not telling people/testing for GBS...I said its not a case of having blinkers put on but shouldnt we be responsible for informing OURSELVES about risks etc and not leaving it to the NHS?

I'm preparing for a flaming...teehee

 

[luna28]

Peanut you have summed up how I feel about GBS testing a lot more easily than I could have!
I am hoping my blood results will be back tomorrow, am sure the thyroids will be fine am curious to know what my hb is as I feel fine have been taking 2x spatone a day and eating iron rich foods. However they were 9.9 at 28 weeks and could have dropped more in the 6 weeks before I started spatone (only started about 10 days ago)
I just hope they are at least 9 for my own level of acceptability! would be great if they were closer to 10.5 to get mws off my back also had ferritn levels done so hope these are 10 or more.

 

[PeanutBean]

Is there another new thread cropped up in third tri chuck? I best go see... Been busy actually working so not looked beyond my use cp yet today.

 

[luna28]

sorry am sure this has been asked and answered many times but I have missed it, how do I get a bnb homebirth hopeful ticker?

 

[KandyKinz]

I have my midwifery home visit and GBS swab today. Joy!

I've decided I am definitly going to do the risk factor approach in regards to GBS this time around though hopefully I'll just swab negative like the last two times.

Got my fingers crossed though this time I've been forgetting to take my acidophilus so I may not be so lucky....

Gotta go clean so my midwife doesn't think I'm a total slob.......

 

[Bournefree]

sorry am sure this has been asked and answered many times but I have missed it, how do I get a bnb homebirth hopeful ticker?

First page of this thread.
Xx

 

[chuck]

Yeah theres a new one, lots of ladies going and paying the £30 odd quid for test now.

Here's the this Morning item
https://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/health/prenatal-infection-prevention-month

I just think it's all so..OMFG your baby is going to die!! Damn the NHS to hell kind of thing.

Meh maybe it's just me and I like items to be a bit more informed and less bias?

 

[chuck]

haha cheers PB...I knew you'd have some better input than me!

 

[PeanutBean]

Look I'm sorry but the risk of death is 1/10000! I need to get some stats for other causes of natal mortality. Anyone know any without my searching?

Listening to the programme now but have already commented on the thread.

 

[chuck]

it really badly done IMO.

But then we're particularly good at our research -we've had to be to get what we want.

 

[PeanutBean]

Show thoughts:
1) It's NOT the same Strep that causes Strep thraot, that's Strep A!!!
2) 1/4 of a million babies born to GBS mums. How??? In 2009 we had 179,000 births. So 125,000 of these were born to carriers? He just said himself that a quarter of mums are carriers. That makes 44,750 babies born to carriers.
3) Yes 700 babies a year infected, yes about 70 die.
4) NHS test 50% reliable. What bollocks!
5) Are they being paid by Medisave by any chance?
6) Fails to mention how much higher the incidence of GBS in the US is.
7) Implies that having a test means the baby can't die, even the antibiotics can't guarantee that.
8) Glad he mentioned the test is 35-37 weeks at least.
9) Talking crap about treating with antibiotics for up to 10 days after birth! Baby has nothing is mum has at least 4 hours of IV.

Wow what a piece of ill-researched balls. Going to make these comments acceptable and post in that thread too.

 

[Amy_K]

Thinking of you Amy.. These consultants can feel so tiring at times! What on earth are they doing talking about you as if you are not even there! - Glad you gave them a kick up the backside! ;-) Please don’t be bullied into doing anything you are uncomfortable with - Look for evidence to be induced. I’m really not trying to pressurise you the other way - just don’t want to have any regrets. - I hope you know what I mean.
Let them have a look on Wednesday (if you get there, everything crossed you don’t), there are stages to induction, you can go for another sweep, you can try the gels and peccaries, (and go home after that for it to take effect - any old way, it needs time to act). I know you know this, but IV induction can be pretty intensive on mum, esp if your cervix isn’t quite ready, and to force it open with strong chemically induced contractions. Plus the Syntocin, doesn’t have any of the loved up effect of the natural stuff! Your body has already started a process.. It won’t stop. 2cm is still 2cm! I know it is really hard and the pressure is emence, but you have been pregnant for a long time, what is a few more days?
You and snagglepat have been my inspiration on how to approach the "overdue". Please just make the right choice for you. Either way. Honestly.
I don’t want to pressure you stick with it - I just want to remind you it is always an option to just wait, esp if there isn’t any indicators otherwise.

Thank you very much Bourne Free. Thanks to all the ladies here for their support and encouragement. Ideally I would have liked to wait longer, I still believe that my body will eventually go into labour naturally, but my husband is more nervous about the risks and even though he would have supported me waiting until Thursday, he is starting to get anxious. After a lot of soul searching we reached the decision together that I go in tomorrow.

That said, I'll be pushing to take everything as slowly as possible. I know what to expect from being induced at the same hospital 2 and a half years ago and I fought each intervention each step of the way that time. We still ended up having to go 'all the way it' as it were, but more on my timetable than theirs, which was a small victory looking back. This time around I am far more informed and my body is further along. I hope that prostroglandin alone will be enough to get things going and it won't require the oxytoxin drip.

Whatever happens I'll still be aiming to birth bubs as gently, peacefully and naturally as possible.