Hi Ladies.
Not done much posting lately. I am now officially on team Hospital Birth. Ironically its going to be going into hospital that will give the best chance at a low stress, empowering, natural birth where I am in control.
My 20 week consultant appointment was horrible, where I was told how stupid it was to have a home VBAC and that no one would support me and that I would no help until the point I called up MAU in labour and refused to come in, where a midwife who hadn't delivered a VBAC for at least 10 years would begridingly come out to me and try and convince me to transfer. Now I although I know that the consultant fed me a big pile of B/S it got me worried about the institutional attitude at the RVI, which was the attitude I'd observed in several staff memebers I'd met including the community midwife who did my booking. At the same appointment in the spirit of open mindedness also asked about the care I could achieve in hospital. I was told birth centre (a floor down from consultant led labour ward) was 100% no. Then got told they would try and be flexible, but in the same sentance told me I wouldn't be allowed in the bath during labour.
So I transfered my care to another hospital, the QE in Gateshead. I got an appointment a couple of weeks later. I spoke to a lovely midwife who could totally see where I was coming from and said I didn't need to see the consultant again cos they wouldn't have anything useful to say! She listened to the birth plan and said that she wasn't able to ok it, but got me an appointment with the head of labour ward to go through the birth plan. The midwife also said to me that she would love it if she was on duty when I came in, to be able to help me achieve my positive birth.
Meeting with head of labour ward was also very positive. She didn't say no to anything in my birth plan. She did give me some facts on why some things are recommended. As well she told me that recently they had a lady VBAC and deliever in the pool, with intermitant monitoring (obvisouly at the ladies request and against advice but they still allowed her to do it). They are also hoping to get some mobile CTG's in the next few months, but can't guarentee it will be before my D-day. Head of labour ward is also pro-doula and suggested getting one. Next step is a meeting with head of labour ward, a consultant and myself to get the final birth plan written up. They will go through everything that is against normal advise with me and the meeting so the midwife looking after me in labour wont have to and I can just get on and have a baby. The birth plan then gets signed off by all 3 of us and placed at front of the notes.
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The reality of home as a location for me would have meant I was worried about the attitude I'd be met with when I called up in labour, worried about the midwife send out to me if I didn't know her that she could just want to transfer me in, worried that I'd transfer into the RVI and be met with "I told you so" looks. And all that worry was setting me up to fail and wouldn't be good in helping me labour. Even a strong birthing partner and experienced doula couldn't relieve the amount of anxiety I had about it.
I spoke to my own midwife yesterday and she has taken me off the home birth list. She is taking the fact I was refused admission to the birthing centre to her superisors meeting. She wants women who are high risk and informed to have the option of delivering in the birthing centre, rather than feeling pushed into home birth, or in my case another city! She was talking about suggesting allowing women in even if the home birth team had to go and look after them on the birthing centre to give "high risk" women more options.
I guess I'm now home birthing in mind, if not in location.
so I am assuming now that s/he won't revert back to breech/transverse now!
thanks for the tip!
although i'm sorry for what you had to go through to get to where you are now 
I hope everything goes a lot more smoothly from now on, and like you say, once the plan is in place you can just focus on getting on and having a baby and let them worry about the rest of it!
we scheduled my home visit for 2 weeks from yesterday - i have 2 weeks to get things together, then it will be a matter of waiting for the baby... yikes!
