Homebirthing at an hard to access house?

[Toms Mummy]

So, I need some advice!

I had my son in hospital, it was a straightforward natural birth, besides him being 4 weeks early and being taken to SCBU soon after birth!

I have been considering a homebirth for this LO, as long as she's not early! I briefly mentioned it to my midwife early on and she seemed okay with it.

We only live 20 minutes away from the hosp so the distance isn't an issue, however we do live along a small country lane only big enough for cars so no ambulance could get down to directly outside the house. It takes about 3-5 minutes to walk to the nearest place where the ambulance could pick us up. We can always get the car to pick me up from the house and then drive to the end of the road though. The other thing is, to get to the road outside the house we have to walk up approx 20 steep slate steps. (Nightmare when we have furniture to move ) so I am a bit worried about these steps mainly.

If I'm in pain with contractions, or any other problems etc... then I am worried about how I am going to get up these steps! It's the only thing stopping me from having a home birth.

My husband is nervous too about the access too and is dead set against having a home birth! So I need to convince him too!

Any advice? x

 

[Kittycat155]

Thinking they could carry you up the steps with a chair? With an experienced midwife she will have a better feel for if things are going wrong and with the house setup er on the side of extra caution. Has she been to your house? Will she be before labor starts? EMTs and what not are trained to move ppl out of walk up apartments and the like so it would be inconvenient but doable.

 

[Toms Mummy]

Thanks Kittykat, midwife has been to our house but she isn't part of our local homebirth team.

I was wondering whether they'd be able to carry me up but to be honest they're pretty sketchy and start to spiral at the top. I suppose it was also mean waiting for ambulance crew to park and walk down the road.... can they leave the ambulance?

 

[imthatgirl]

Does your area have life flight (or whatever your area might call it)? In an extreme emergency they might send that instead of an ambulance, especially if the situation is explained on the phone with 911. That happened with my FIL, he lived out in the country and the ambulance couldn't access their house so they flew in the helicopter. They were told in the future to mention their rural area when calling 911 and they would send one right away instead of dispatching an ambulance first. Maybe call your local emergency service and see how they would handle your location?

In other cases where you might transfer but time isn't ticking (like if you decide to transfer for whatever reason) then you said cars could reach your house, right? You'd be able to drive to the hospital. About the stairs though, hmm... that's a tricky one. Is there no other way at all to get to the road and the car? Even a small path that might take longer but is less precarious?

 

[Kittycat155]

Is there anyway to use a neighbors steps/driveway/path? If they have to leave they will just lock the door not to much of a biggie as long as they can have a safe spot for it that people will see-parking lot or really pulled off the side of road.

Can I just ask how you were able to move in if ambulance is to big? Trying to get a better picture in my head and I am having trouble as I have never been on a road to small for ambulance. I am in USA(nj) and there are a few country roads by me where you have to go super slow and weave a bit to stay on the better parts of the road.

Is there anyway a SUV could off road to get you to street? If you have neighbors with similar build any of them you can ask if they know how it works?

 

[Toms Mummy]

Thanks Imthatgirl.... there is no way a helicopter could land unfortunately. The closest place would be a nearby field but I'd still have to go up the steps!

Kittiykat, thanks for your help.... I live in a terraced house. There are 7 houses all together. 3 are connected on one side of the steps and the other 4 are connected on to the other. In front of the houses is a small footpath, then our gardens and then a cliff which drops down in to a field. The road behind us, which the ambulance can't get down, is about level with the roofs of our houses. We walk up the steps to get to this road. We then walk to the end of this road, which is about 3-5 minutes walk to get to our cars. Cars can fit along the road but there is nowhere to park without blocking it.

When we moved in we would transfer stuff from the the transit van at the end of the road in to our car and then ferry it to the top of the steps. We would then block the road for a bit while we unloaded stuff!

I am happy attempting a home birth here, and not too worried about the steps. I'm sure the midwives will be keeping a close eye on me and baby and would be ready to transfer me early if they thought there may be a problem, so as I could walk up the steps in to the car. It's my husband that needs the convincing!

 

[Kittycat155]

Thanks After that sort of move you guys all must live there many many years just for fear of the hassle of moving. Sounds nice though. Nothing like that around me.
I think you would do fine and just the fact the steps are there I would want to birth at home so I would not have to come home few days after and walk down them!

Fingers crossed you can convince him.

 

[Toms Mummy]

Thanks kittykat x