Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[wannabubba#4]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

 

[EternalRose]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

Rachiebaby24 is definately your lady hun she is planning a homebirth too..

MM I really hope your sweep has worked your next on the list!! YAY

 

[Janidog]

Back from the consultant MW.

She went through all my notes and long story short she says she agrees that induction would have been an over reaction at 37+4 and I did right to stick to my guns. She said to see what the growth and doppler scan says on thursday and take it from there. She put lots of notes on my record for the MWs who would come out to me at home so they arent put off by all the extra stuff the Dr has been doing. She said so long as I am happy to be at home she thinks there is no reason to have him anywhere else.

She asked me if there was anything she could do to help me and I said 'I'll have a stretch and sweep!' half jokingly.....so she said no probs lets see if we cant get this baby to come before thursday!

Still 1-2cm and soft. She could feel his head and my water bag tensing as I had a tightening. She gave me the most thorough S&S ever! Not painful, mildly uncomfy at worst but she was up there a while!!

If you find yourself being pushed around by consultants over your HB plans I would definitely recommend speaking to a consultant MW if your hospital has such a thing.

Wow your consultant midwife sounds great! Let's hope the stretch and sweep works!

My plans for a home birth may be flying slightly out of the window, as I was rushed to hospital this evening to be monitored for possible pre-eclampsia. The midwife came round this evening to go through my home birth plan and found protein in my urine, odema and slightly raised blood pressure. I don't fit into any of the risk categories so the doctor thinks it would be very unusual for me to have it, but wants to keep a very close eye on me for the next few days/weeks. I'm going back tomorrow morning for more monitoring. Too tired to research and find out exactly what this means for home birth tonight, but am happy just to go with the flow for the moment. Also, just after they took me off the monitor I also had about five quite painful contractions and am still having the occasional niggle.

Ooohhhhh keeping everything crossed that this is it

 

[kty1989]

hey sorry i haven't been on in a while

celesee she so beautiful, glad your both well.

MM can't belive how nice ur mw is fingers crossed the sweep work and good luck hope it all goes well

freckleonear, try not to worry you may be lucky and they will find nothing wrong, and you'll still get your hb.

i'm just back from my consultant had growth and liquor scan, Dr couldn't find anything wrong so have spent the last 2 weeks traveling back and forth to hospital for nothing only good point is it means i get to have my HB

 

[Rachiebaby24]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

Hiya Hun!!

I have SPD very bad (also on crutches and using a belt). I am still planning a homebirth and will not let it affect my decision so if you really want a HB you dont have to let it stand in your way.

My midwife said it will not affect my homebirth if i am willing to go through labour without pain relief, i.e epi..... The only thing it may affect is it may limit the positions you can get comfortable in (for example i cannot get on all fours...far too painful).

I really dont want an epidural and i feel i will be more relaxed at home. Have you considered a birthing pool for the SPD pain rather than for the labour pain. Also, make a mental note of the position that you find yourself more confortable in.....mine is on my side.

Be aware though that the consultant may try and put you off having a homeborth - mine did - but i am adamant. I would rather see how i labour at home and if the worst comes to worst, i will ask to be transferred. I would rather that than go to hospital first and wished i stayed at home. On the plus side of a homebirth, your midwife will know how bad your SPD is....much more than a mw you never met before at a hospital. I had SPD with my first daughter (though not as bad) and i found being on all fours and standing was sooo painful but the mw's at the hospital kept telling me to "get up" when all i wanted to do was lay on my side which i found so comfy....in the end I ignored them...and only turned on my back to push by which point i didnt care about any pain...i was getting her out!!!

Oh and apparently, having SPD means your second stage labour is quicker....so it does have its advantages!!

The way I am viewing it is......no pain is worst than labour pains....so i have a few extra pains when i open my legs, turn over etc....so be it....its still not going to kill me and i know i will be strong enough to cope with it as long as i can get into a position where it isnt so bad.

Im here to chat if you need to and look out for my birth story!! Hopefully wont be far off given the pains i am getting!!!

Its hard isnt it....i have serious cabin fever and cant even drive anymore!!!

 

[Rachiebaby24]

Hey girls....quick question......has anyone had a glucose check and when did you have it.....the past 4/5 days have been feeling sick, dizzy and faint and unbelievably thirsty and tired......symptoms of gestational diabetes??

I woke up yesterday at 9am.....went back to bed at 11.30am and slept until 6pm!! Same today!! Although it has to be said im not sleeping great at night....

an im so thirsty.....literally glass after glass after glass.....

Havent seen my mw for over a month.....due to see her on 30th March but not sure to wait or see a doctor?

Oh....and anyone find themselves they cant breathe when sitting or laying down.....im finding it really hard to breathe....

Sorry for the moaning post....

I had gestational diabetes, although quite mildly. Some of the things you're describing, is defiantly the way that I felt at the same stage in pregnancy (I was diagnosed at about 34wks) However, I couldn't say whether that was because of the GD or just because of the last stages of pregnancy?? (I did have a very sweet tooth for a while too!)

Make a Drs appointment and take a wee sample with you - your dr can then test it there and then to see if there is any glucose in your urine. I wouldn't go for the Glucose Tolerance test at the hospital unless you have some evidence in your urine - even if it is offered.

My reasoning is that being diagnosed with GD was a real nightmare. It was thrown in my face by my Obst, Dietician and Endocrinologist (and the associated nurses) I had to do fingerprick tests of my blood sugars before and after every meal. (all of which were normal, i have to add - making me wonder if I REALLY ever had it?) Also I changed my diet as I could risk having a big baby - as that would have meant me deciding to go into hospital. So for the final weeks I was more or less on a Atkins type diet (low carbs, low sugar - but lots of veg and meat) Plus, you might think that you have allot of appointments NOW to go to, but add in all the others they send you for, if you have GD!!! I was up the hospital twice a week, every week, and also seeing my MW once a week! It wasn't fun at all!

See what your urine comes back as, and then go from there. Of course if you do have glucose in your urine, then get the GTTest done - but be prepared for a massive fight on your hands if you want a HB. Not that it is impossible - as I fought it all the way, and did get my HB.

Let us know how you get on - I'll certainly be here to support you if you do have GD and want a HB!

xXx

Hiya....thanks for the reply!! I finally got through to my MW!! Seeing her on Monday so will ait until then.....

I did think it may be the effects of the last stages of pregnancy but i dont remember feeling like this with Maley....

My "down below" is sore from going loo so many times and wiping and again today, I slept until 2pm and im tired again......and i had a good nights sleep so i shouldnt be this tired.....

I will take some wee on monday and im prepared for the backlash if i do have it....but nothing is going to stop me having a homebirth and i will definately not have a c-section unless absolutely necessary for the health of me and baby.....

 

[wannabubba#4]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

Hiya Hun!!

I have SPD very bad (also on crutches and using a belt). I am still planning a homebirth and will not let it affect my decision so if you really want a HB you dont have to let it stand in your way.

My midwife said it will not affect my homebirth if i am willing to go through labour without pain relief, i.e epi..... The only thing it may affect is it may limit the positions you can get comfortable in (for example i cannot get on all fours...far too painful).

I really dont want an epidural and i feel i will be more relaxed at home. Have you considered a birthing pool for the SPD pain rather than for the labour pain. Also, make a mental note of the position that you find yourself more confortable in.....mine is on my side.

Be aware though that the consultant may try and put you off having a homeborth - mine did - but i am adamant. I would rather see how i labour at home and if the worst comes to worst, i will ask to be transferred. I would rather that than go to hospital first and wished i stayed at home. On the plus side of a homebirth, your midwife will know how bad your SPD is....much more than a mw you never met before at a hospital. I had SPD with my first daughter (though not as bad) and i found being on all fours and standing was sooo painful but the mw's at the hospital kept telling me to "get up" when all i wanted to do was lay on my side which i found so comfy....in the end I ignored them...and only turned on my back to push by which point i didnt care about any pain...i was getting her out!!!

Oh and apparently, having SPD means your second stage labour is quicker....so it does have its advantages!!

The way I am viewing it is......no pain is worst than labour pains....so i have a few extra pains when i open my legs, turn over etc....so be it....its still not going to kill me and i know i will be strong enough to cope with it as long as i can get into a position where it isnt so bad.

Im here to chat if you need to and look out for my birth story!! Hopefully wont be far off given the pains i am getting!!!

Its hard isnt it....i have serious cabin fever and cant even drive anymore!!!

Hi - thanks for this

Can midwifes refuse to assist in home deliveries? My last labour was so quick, less than 2 hours start to finish and we only just made it to the hospital in time. If I have to go to the consultant led unit -and the labour is as short then we'll not make it. If it's not a planned homebirth and he comes at home /on the motorway etc -then they'll make me stay in hospital due to increased infection risks etc and I really dont want to be in hospital at all.

Midwife said I have to go consultant led for pain relief options (I dont want an epi ,and didn't really think they were recommended for spd sufferers anyway and I took a bad reaction to pethidine before so its entenox all the way) and also she said for positions in labour lol - what positions can a consultant led unit get me into that I can't get into myself lol haha -

I protested loudly, but she jsut smiled and said we'll discuss it later on.


Are you hiring /have bought a pool for home? -and how do you get in to it? -I can't lift my feet more than a few cms which is why my mw has said no birthingpool either -too dangerous if I cant get out in an emergency.


So looking forward to reading your successful home birthing story. Hope all goes really well for you. It must be good, to see the light at the end of the tunnel -I cant believe I still have 16 weeks to go

xx

edited to say -I also have torn abdo muscles -wearing a full bump support aswell as my pelvic support lol - would this maybe make an impact???

 

[MandaAnda]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

Although I didn't end up delivering at home (for other reasons - grade III meconium stained liquor), I had SPD and was planning a home birth. I wasn't on crutches but was in quite a lot of pain. Epidurals are actually contraindicated in mums with SPD, as you can unknowingly (due to the analgesic effect) extend the affected joints too far and cause damage. I delivered in hospital with the same pain relief I would've had at home - TENS and a bit of gas and air. No epidural. SPD is thought to make the second stage faster, and my entire labour was under 8 hours. I'll plan my next birth for at home as well, hopefully with a pool this time, SPD or not.

 

[Bournefree]

Are you hiring /have bought a pool for home? -and how do you get in to it? -I can't lift my feet more than a few cms which is why my mw has said no birthingpool either -too dangerous if I cant get out in an emergency.

I didn't have your conditions ladies; but with regards to getting in and out of the pool - I hope I can help on that one a bit.

Getting in was no trouble for me - but getting out, as I was in considerable pain from a full leg cramp, was a different story! I was helped out with the aid of a normal dinning room chair. The chair was place side-ways on to the birthing pool, I climbed up the sides on the pool from my front, grabbed hold of the chair, up enough till I could turn and get my bottom up over the side and then on to the chair, I pivoted my legs, and I was out!

I'm sure that you could do this whilst restricted with SPD... and although I have never experianced SPD, I'm sure that getting in HAS to be easier - sit on a chair, and swing in with your legs, I should imagine. You will tell me?

I found the water during labour, (and before it really got going) a massive beniefit - It supported all of my body weight, it was calming, and soothing - and that has to be great for SPD.

It shouldn't be a consideration, but unfortunatly we don't have enough birthing pools in the UK - So I have said it before and I will say it again (sorry ladies!) but the only way to guarantee to have a water-birth is at home.

I bought mine from EBay, £50. The sides are high.. (as the depth coming right up your back is very nice!) I'd say about 60cm - You are going to have to consider if you could get into a bath with sides that high??

Sorry I know I'm a bit non-comittal here - but I haven't experianced your pain or your restriction. You are the best judge of how it will effect you.. but it doesn't mean you don't have options! Of course, there are plenty of videos on the net, where a paddling pool has been used, you don't HAVE to have high sides! I could imagine, with a paddling pool you could lay on your side very supported. It's your birth afterall. Find what you feel comfortable with.
xxx

 

[Pops]

Morning ladies

ER, the book has arrived, I shall be making a start on it today seeing as I am stuck in bed! At least I have some good reading!!

Celesse, how absolutley beautiful

And more for you Lisa, I am over the moon for you that all is going well and can not wait to get that text to say The Boy is on his way!!!

xxx

 

[carries]

Hi -As the q says above really lol

My mw has told me that I need to go consultant led due to severe spd and jsut wondering if nayone has experience of having ahome birth with spd (symphis pubis dysfunction / or pelvic girdle pain).

I am on crutches a lot of the time, and she is worried about my pain -but having had three kidsand never before wanting or needing an epidural then I wonder if its neccessary to deliver in a hsopital just for that reason?

xx xx

I have SPD )although have managed to avoid crutches so far) and spoke to my midwife about this yesterday. She clarified there was no medical reason at all to have a hospital birth purely due to SPD and so am still on for my homebirth.

The only reason as far as I can tell for opting for a hospital birth is pain managment. Obviously if at home you cant have the epidural.

To my mind, if this is the case there is no reason that you cant start off at home and if you find you cant cope with the pain, transfer.

Hope your SPD isn't getting you down too much. I have had a weekend of tears and frustration as it was so bad but seems to be a bit better today and yesterday.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Oh i hope you enjoy the book Pops. It really sealed the deal for me and even though it's not just about home birth but just an approach to birth in general, it made me even more sure that HB is the right thing for me.

Nothing to report here labour wise. Pops will update when I do go into labour proper. I've just watched a program which featured a hypno home water birth and I have to confess to getting a bit excited at the prospect that it could be me any day now! Tomorrow I'm back at the hospital for a follow up growth scan so finger crossed I'll be sent home again, after another sweep and left to crack on!

Hope everyone's well and plans are shaping up nicely on the HB front

 

[carries]

I had a dream last night you had the baby MM! I had to pop on today to see if I was right (which I obviously am not but sounds hopeful!)

Celesse, your LO really is beautiful. Hope you are settling into motherhood well which I am sure you are!

 

[urbanbumpkin]

Hope everyone is well.

I just had my appointment with the midwife at home. We went through all the stuff like when she would turn up, what they provided etc. It was all pretty straightforward and she seemed happy enough.

Here is a rundown if anyone wants to know:

We get our packs sometime during week 36-week 37 depending on the delivery driver's routes, schedule etc. We get a big metal tin with all the re-suss stuff, drugs, etc in , and then gas canisters in two separate bags with oxygen and entonox in.

All she asked we provide is towels to dry off after coming out of the pool, and a mirror so she can see what is going on no matter what position I am in. I was expecting them to have one themselves - I was imagining them as a bit like the ones you see in spy films to look under cars for bombs!

And when we set up the pool she asked to make sure there was room to walk all the way round it, and recommended that I sit and kneel in it a bit before putting water in to check it is comfy enough. If not then she said get an old duvet or something and put that underneath.

By my next appointment at 36 weeks I need to have decided if I want any pain relief beyond entonox so they can give me a script for it, have a think about whether I want oral or IM vitamin K, and what I want for the third stage. She is happy to wait as long as I want for the placenta to deliver.

I'm thinking no pain jags, oral Vitamin K, and a physiological third stage at the moment.

She also said she was happy from 37 week for a home birth, and at 42 weeks they would be happy to refer for a scan to check everything was still OK with fluid and cord, so I could make an informed decision, and just keep doing that every couple of days. She will do a sweep if I want if nothing is happening by week 39.

So it is all go now!

And she was very proud as they were in the paper last week:

Glasgow Evening Times They have basically doubled the rate of home births in the six months they have had a dedicated home birth team. And have more people booked in than expected so are looking to expand the service. At the moment there are two dedicated homebirth midwives and 6 community midwives who assist or act as back up.

Baby is still breech at the moment, but she is unfussed by that as I am only 32 weeks. If it stays that way she said she would attend at home if I insisted, but would not be completely happy. However she would happily attend me at the hospital for a vaginal breech birth. But did say she would probably be the only midwife who wouldn't freak out about it - and said with her I would get a breech delivery, with anyone else it would likely turn into a breech 'extraction'.

But I'm going to ignore that for now, as I'm sure baby will flip round at some point.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Fantastic Urban!!! ALL bases covered including a vag breech birth which I have to say I would be over the moon about having been breech myself till almost 37 wks.

You sound to be in amazing hands there all round

 

[urbanbumpkin]

Yeah, they do seem pretty good!

It is like night and day, compared to what they used to be like about home births round here. Friends of mine who wanted a home birth about 5 years ago had to fight and fight and fight. I'm so glad they set up this team, and I really hope they are allowed to recruit more midwives to it.

On the other hand, I went to the hospital based antenatal classes on Tuesday, and it was all very "and this is what will happen" not "these are the options that will be offered to you". And no mention of home birth, or using water as an analgesic.

I had to bite my tongue so many times!

 

[Mervs Mum]

It's such a shame too because there are probably tonnes of women out there who just presume that they will be told where and how their birth experience will be - in particular 1st time mums - when they really do have 'options' but they are almost kept in the dark.....

 

[deej23]

Went back to MW today and my own is back Thank heavens. Told her all about the stand in last week and she was so sorry for what had happened she said that she was surprised I didn't go into labour because of how she must have stressed me out and wrote a note in my records to that effect!!! She also said had it been her she would have got me a scan just to stop me stressing. She understands my hospital phobia.
But on the bright side she says as far as she's concerned from today the Home birth is all systems go just ring when Nyah decides to make an appearence and they are all aware that I'm down for a HB. She even said the full time ones at the birth center are all fighting to be the ones on call as they all love HB's so much and not many go for it
The only down side is that from my actual due date my MW is on leave for 2 weeks But she says the stand in from last week is not covering her so at least thats something.
It was my DS's birthday yesterday and now thats all over and done with I'm all set I don't care whne it happens now I'm ready and so is everything else. Just the big wait for when now!!!!
MM hope all is moving for you had a quick scan through here and 3rd tri and couldn't find any news but good luck anyway just incase I missed something fingers crossed for you.

 

[urbanbumpkin]

That sounds good, deej. And so nice that the midwives are clamouring to be the ones to attend a home birth. That bodes well.

MM, that was an issue. All around 20 of us at the class were first timers, so many of them had no clue as to what might happen, when, and how.

I didn't want to speak up and contradict and come across as the irritating know-it-all. So instead I woke up at 4am this morning and planned how I would run the classes instead! Which is a lot less productive, but was something to do when I couldn't get back to sleep.

On the plus side, they did advocate staying at home as long as possible, saying how that would speed things up as being in your own familiar environment was more relaxing. And stated that coming in would be likely to produce an adrenaline surge, so best to make sure you were in really established labour to it didn't knock it off track.

They were also really positive about breast feeding, and almost everyone bar one person at the class seemed to be thinking that they would give it a go.

 

[Blob]

Wow Urban that sounds great ...even though we're not that far away i've only had negative comments so far but ages to go yet

Deej that sounds great though gutted she wont be your MW it all sounds really positive!