Ah where to begin?
Right from the start of my pregnancy I wanted a homebirth.
I was told that as I was overweight it would be a no no and I had to have consultant led care etc.
During my pregnancy my BP started to rise. I used to dread check-ups knowing it would probably not be where it should be.
This was also cited as a reason I would have to have my baby in hospital.
So I did an awful lot of reading and asking questions. I even got in touch with an independent midwife for advice and despite what might go wrong (although it was sold to me as it would go wrong) I was still adamant that I would have my baby at home. It's not like it was my first baby either. My MW was not happy and did everything to scare me out of it.
By 32 weeks I was measuring big so had to go for a growth scan. My baby was slap bang on the 50th percentile. The Dr. was more interested in changing my due date and talking me out of a homebirth than the scan.
By 37 weeks my BP had gone up to 150/90 so I was sent to the ward for monitoring (at 4.30pm)
My bp came down and I was eventually seen by a Dr. at 10.15pm - by this time I was worn out.
They told me they wanted to start me on Labetalol and I had to stay in hospital.
I told them no-way was I staying so signed myself out with an appointment for the assessment unit the next day.
The next 3 weeks I was going 2-3 times a week for monitoring - which was stressful in itself and eventually came to an agreement with the head of midwifery.
I "could" have a home birth on condition I informed them as soon as I went into labour and if my BP was too high I would transfer.
At 2.45 am on 2nd November (the date I'd calculated from my LMP), I had agonising backache. I had 3 more twinges over the next 12 minutes so decided to get up (and clean the toilet!!)
My contractions stayed in my back (my baby was back to back) and came every 4 - 6 minutes.
By 12.45pm I thought I'd ring for a midwife to come out, thinking it was all getting way too painful - it felt like my spine was being snapped with every contaction.
Around 2.15pm a midwife arrived and examined me. My contractions were every 4 minutes and I was amazed to be told I was 7 cm's.
Next everything happened at once.
I stood up with a view to turning my baby and as soon as I did my contractions seemed to merge into 1. I couldn't believe how all of a sudden things were happening.
My BP was taken but no-one had a bigger cuff so was probably inaccurate at 150/90. I asked if we were going to hospital to be told we don't have time - we only live 10 minutes away.
While standing, at the end of 1 particularly nasty contraction I felt the need to push so the MW got me back down on the bed for another (very painful) VE.
I was fully dialted, baby had turned (thank goodness) and she could break my waters and baby would probably follow straight away.
So my waters were broken and Abbie arrived with them.
All done without pain relief as the gas and air turned up at the same time as Abbie's head and no tearing, grazing or cutting!
She was born at 3.25pm weighing 7lb7oz's.
There was meconium in my water but it happend as Abbie was born. MW told me that I should be advised to go to hospital but really she would be fine just to keep an eye on her.
So all in all I got the birth that I wanted.
All I would say to all of the "high risk" mums to be out there is do your research, ask questions and then make up your mind.
If you want a home birth and you are not an "ideal candidate" stick to your guns and don't be bullied.
At the end of the day the medical staff are being cautious which they should but we can also make a well informed decision as to where we want to have our babies.
Right from the start of my pregnancy I wanted a homebirth.
I was told that as I was overweight it would be a no no and I had to have consultant led care etc.
During my pregnancy my BP started to rise. I used to dread check-ups knowing it would probably not be where it should be.
This was also cited as a reason I would have to have my baby in hospital.
So I did an awful lot of reading and asking questions. I even got in touch with an independent midwife for advice and despite what might go wrong (although it was sold to me as it would go wrong) I was still adamant that I would have my baby at home. It's not like it was my first baby either. My MW was not happy and did everything to scare me out of it.
By 32 weeks I was measuring big so had to go for a growth scan. My baby was slap bang on the 50th percentile. The Dr. was more interested in changing my due date and talking me out of a homebirth than the scan.
By 37 weeks my BP had gone up to 150/90 so I was sent to the ward for monitoring (at 4.30pm)
My bp came down and I was eventually seen by a Dr. at 10.15pm - by this time I was worn out.
They told me they wanted to start me on Labetalol and I had to stay in hospital.
I told them no-way was I staying so signed myself out with an appointment for the assessment unit the next day.
The next 3 weeks I was going 2-3 times a week for monitoring - which was stressful in itself and eventually came to an agreement with the head of midwifery.
I "could" have a home birth on condition I informed them as soon as I went into labour and if my BP was too high I would transfer.
At 2.45 am on 2nd November (the date I'd calculated from my LMP), I had agonising backache. I had 3 more twinges over the next 12 minutes so decided to get up (and clean the toilet!!)
My contractions stayed in my back (my baby was back to back) and came every 4 - 6 minutes.
By 12.45pm I thought I'd ring for a midwife to come out, thinking it was all getting way too painful - it felt like my spine was being snapped with every contaction.
Around 2.15pm a midwife arrived and examined me. My contractions were every 4 minutes and I was amazed to be told I was 7 cm's.
Next everything happened at once.
I stood up with a view to turning my baby and as soon as I did my contractions seemed to merge into 1. I couldn't believe how all of a sudden things were happening.
My BP was taken but no-one had a bigger cuff so was probably inaccurate at 150/90. I asked if we were going to hospital to be told we don't have time - we only live 10 minutes away.
While standing, at the end of 1 particularly nasty contraction I felt the need to push so the MW got me back down on the bed for another (very painful) VE.
I was fully dialted, baby had turned (thank goodness) and she could break my waters and baby would probably follow straight away.
So my waters were broken and Abbie arrived with them.
All done without pain relief as the gas and air turned up at the same time as Abbie's head and no tearing, grazing or cutting!
She was born at 3.25pm weighing 7lb7oz's.
There was meconium in my water but it happend as Abbie was born. MW told me that I should be advised to go to hospital but really she would be fine just to keep an eye on her.
So all in all I got the birth that I wanted.
All I would say to all of the "high risk" mums to be out there is do your research, ask questions and then make up your mind.
If you want a home birth and you are not an "ideal candidate" stick to your guns and don't be bullied.
At the end of the day the medical staff are being cautious which they should but we can also make a well informed decision as to where we want to have our babies.
xx 
