Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[PeanutBean]

Well done about chuck. :thunmbup: He's a total cutie!

 

[Mark&Annie]

Just a quick question for anyone who might know!

I just got my blood test result from my 28 week check up, I'm low in Iron and slightly in HB... got some iron and folic acid tablets - is this likely to affect whether I can have a home birth?

 

[rachiedata]

Chuck he's FAB. Beautiful chubby cheeks and a lovely moulded head in the first one from the nice slow pushing! Cheers for the poke, hopefully poke + curry tonight + relaxing hypno today might put my son in the right frame of mind to start making a move. If he's like me he'll have to be getting ready and organised to leave now... if he's like OH he'll only wake up 15 mins before he has to be out the door

 

[moomin_troll]

Just a quick question for anyone who might know!

I just got my blood test result from my 28 week check up, I'm low in Iron and slightly in HB... got some iron and folic acid tablets - is this likely to affect whether I can have a home birth?

im having my bloods done wednesday and then a glucose test tomo but i dont think this will effect a homebirth altho u never no some mws might try to make it a bigger deal then it actualy is

 

[cranberry987]

Id think if the tablets are able to normalise things then youre good to go.

 

[SmokyJoe78]

Great photos Chuck and I love love love his name

 

[MandaAnda]

Just a quick question for anyone who might know!

I just got my blood test result from my 28 week check up, I'm low in Iron and slightly in HB... got some iron and folic acid tablets - is this likely to affect whether I can have a home birth?

Some midwifery teams may use this as a reason. Try Spatone and orange juice - a lot of the girls in this thread say it's helped better than any amount of bunging-up iron tablets! And arming yourself with information never hurts!

 

[PeanutBean]

Nice guidelines are 8.5 for ob unit. From about 7 and below the risk of pph is significantly increased. My me told me I just scraped in a homebirth at 10.1 as the hospital's policy was 10. I said I would just say no to going into hospital. As it happens I had a retained placenta so had to transfer after the birth and despite this in itself being risky for pph the ob was utterly unconcerned about my iron levels and indeed my blood wasn't even checked!

 

[KandyKinz]

I haven't been on here much recently and was just so PLEASED to come on here and see that you got your VBAC Chuck You have one super CUTE baby!!!!!! Congrats!

 

[sam#3]

OT but LOVE youe tattoos chuck!!!!! lush baby piccys he is scrummy xx

 

[Bournefree]

Warning - big post!! Lol (Catching up after a weekend visiting OH’s family in Wales)

Hi Cranberry, welcome to the thread, you are really going to enjoy planning your home birth… and don’t worry too much about your OH, they do come round.
Plus what is wonderful about a home birth from the partners perspective (as well as all the other too numerous advantages for you and as a family) is that although things are changing in hospitals, partners can really feel maligned and sidelined in a hospital or birth centre birth - as though they are on the peripheral. With a home birth however, there is increased involvement of the partner and they are with you for the whole birth journey (unless you tell them to leave you - I was threatening my OH to “toughen up” with my first pregnancy, as I didn’t want to be worrying about him in labour, or else I would be sending him out to the pub! Lol - he was for labour and birth a total invaluable star. I really needed his comfort and support. It has bought us so much closer than I thought possible)
Also I agree with PB - put them straight about your notes. I would be crossing though the ticked box, initial it, and then you can either leave it blank or state your preference for a home birth now on it, with a date - also as PB said you can decide what you are going to do for birth right into labour.. You never really get “booked” it is just there as a heads up to the heath teams.
Also I can’t believe you had an internal USS and your OH wasn’t allowed in that is appalling!! They can’t refuse you an attendant of your choice to be present.

Congratulations on your booking appointment Blaze, I have found that a majority of Mws really love a home birth, It is there domain, as it were - they are the bastions of women and normal birth.. And they also really get to shine in the this role in a home birth. Some women do have problems with there Mws; but unfortunately this is mostly down to the Mws lack of confidence in their skills. (who wants them anyways - I would say to any women find another one, if they encounter this negativity)

Oh Chuck, I love his name!!! Stanley just makes me smile! He is so beautiful!!! Love his deep eyes in the first pic - made up for you. It is all the women that make this such am amazing place to be.. You!

MarkandAnnie - Diet is the most successful way to get your iron levels up. (green veg, meats - you might be a vegi, but don’t let anyone tell you that is a problem - have a look on the internet. It is better absorbed with Vitamin C
Spatone comes highly recommended by the ladies here who had “low” levels. You have loads of time. What are you levels if you don’t me asking>? You can go as low as 8 or under before there is serious concern of complications (as per NICE guidelines, as PB says, I wanted to give you a link, I don‘t have great internet access at the moment but you should it look up “NICE guidelines on Intrapartum Care&#8220
Bear in mind a drop in HB and Iron is normal in pregnancy - after all is it the number of RBC and HB per unit of blood, you have a greater volume of blood in pregnancy, and the Iron and red blood cell counts have to be taken into consideration along-side your platelet counts (this gives a good indications if your levels are widely out) Remember the [bracketed] “normal ranges” besides your haematology results are for NON-pregnant average adults.

Jenni and Kandi - how are you both? I’ve been thinking of you and you lovely new additions to your families! Please share pictures (cheeky I know¬!)

Rachie, hope your baba is more like you and just being organised and getting ready! Though I’m sure you’ll be cool with a surprise if the little one decides to come with that niggley latent labour!

Moonim - good luck with the GT test and results - though, remember even having a positive GDM result is not a barrier to a home birth assisted by the NHS (I can prove that with my first!) Also, you know you don’t have to be stuck in the unit for the whole 2 hours sat on your bum twiddling your fingers!.. If you want to move about, move about, do what is normal for you.

Me - nothing much is going on with my home birth fight. (not to worry any new mums to the group, my case isn't usual, they just don't have the birthing staff available in my area... and if I could offer any advice to new mums it would be to ask direct questions about the staffing set-up for provision for home births in your NHS trust)
I have a meeting with the Chief Executive of my Trust with the Complaints Manager (AKA wet-blanket) and the CExec of the PCT - So 3 against 1 and a half (DD had to come too, I have no alternative), I worried, in all honestly, that I'm going to cry.. and then the meeting dissembles into them thinking "silly emotional pregnant women, why can't she see we are offering her the hospital?" I'm determined to try not to get too upset, but I feel that I'm going to find it hard. I do think that I should show my emotions (how can I not?!), but I don't want to break down to the point of incoherence!
Also have been pursuing the Parliamentary and Health service Ombudsman. I have a contact who is very supportive, but their powers can be limited..
And then there is the legal stuff which I’m awaiting conformation. I haven’t given up on the legal proceedings, but have to wait (time I don’t have really), fingers crossed it works out.

XxXx

 

[cranberry987]

Thanks I actually wrote in big capital letters NOT DISCUSSED just so they see it kinda wish I'd just corrected it now but as with all things it seemed like a good idea at the time

Hope your meeting/s go well. Can you take someone independent to advocate for you? Don't go near pals. Theyre not interested in the patients side, they're there to field complaints and minimise the escalation for the hospital.

 

[Bournefree]

Thanks Cranberry. I feel the same way about PALS!
I have been racking my brains as to who else can come with me. I can't afford for my solicitor to be present, I don't have family who live locally and my friends all have little ones to look after too - though that could be interesting.. lots of todlers running amock! ;-)
XxX

 

[cranberry987]

What about https://www.seap.org.uk/ not exactly sure if they'd be the right ppl. Just found them on action4advocacy website. They help ppl with nhs complaints. Might bf only those with mental health problems/ learning disabilities tho

 

[Bournefree]

HAHAHAHA - this could be a mental health problem, they are trying their hardest to test my mental health!!!
Thanks
XxX

 

[chuck]

thanks ladies...and BF saying about his eyes, we're very very chuffed that all seems present and correct.

I have a genetic eye condition that can be barely noticeable or lead to severe visual impairment- the biggest indicator of having it is a lack of iris, but he has 2 lovely eyes with stony grey irises at the mo!

We're to hospital tomorrow to have a little check with an ophthalmologist...haha good luck to them getting him to open those eyes though!

In other news I am now the owner of what the Sun may describe as a pair of Bristols....blimey are my bewbs big and sore! Stanley is feeding well and even spitting up so there must be plenty of bewb juice there.

I do have one nip that is starting to get a bit scabby but hey ho hoping it toughens up soon. I'm already doing so much better with BF'ing than I did with Dewi every feed is a blessing.

 

[moomin_troll]

well going for my test today was a waste of time! i spent an hour yesterday trying to talk to someone on the phone about my test and no one would talk to me. i didnt no i wasnt supposed to eat so i got there and was sent home again.....so now havwe to wait for another test which i might just turn down.

zanes not well so i was really pissed off that i got him up for nothing. this is just one of the reasons i hate my local hospital, u dont get any info then are expected to just no everything!
ive got 28 wk bloods tomo so thats always fun hahaha

ive got my doula sorted which im happy about...cant believe im going to have another baby within the next 12-14 weeks :S

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

ah Chuck, Stanley is gorgeous! and so wide eyed hope the BF keeps getting better. I swear my nipples are indestructable now lol!

I can definately advocate Spatone - tho i got pretty sick of orange juice, anything except grape juice is good to stick it in. It's a pretty easy solution to stop MWs potentially getting nervous and making you feel uncomfortable/stressed! I took 2 a day until my 30wk bloods and when I got back into their "normal" levels dropped to one. They're good after birth as well

Bourne, good luck with your meeting, hope it goes well and some progress is made soon!!

 

[rachiedata]

Moomin that is so annoying for you If you don't feel like its necessary, then turn it down. Sounds like it has caused you more hassle than its worth.

Argh I am having mother in law issues! She upset OH last night by getting pissed off with him for not replying to a text from her sooner - think she thought we'd had the baby and just plain forgot to tell her, I mean how likely is that? Now she's put on her facebook that I am "brave" for having a home birth... patronising, I am not brave, just sensible!! Wish I could pack off to "birth camp" or something for the next few weeks to wait it out without other people, just me and OH and a nice midwife on call!

 

[moomin_troll]

ive got my mil coming to see us on friday....im not looking forward to it seen as i dont have my oh between us anymore.
she thinks homebirths are stupid and dangerous, shes a ex midwife. one of those that think being flat on ur back in a hospital bed is the way to go when infact it causes more problems.

i think she forgets i dont have to bother with her anymore so im just waiting for her negative comments about my plans and doula.
i can imagine her wanting to be there....hell no lol
i might just forget to tell her when coreys born lol