homebirths refused due to staffing issues

[milkmachine]

have just heard of two families in my area that have been refused their homebirth due to staffing issues in the last few days..... i have a feeling i could be stamping my feet if i do actually call labour ward when im in labour and they insist i go in

 

[subaru555]

Let them insist away!!

 

[snagglepat]

Yey for foot stomping! I'm amazed that this is still happening, but I have absolute confidence that they'll miraculously find a midwife for your home birth once you've said your piece.

G. x

 

[trumpetbum]

They can insist all they like. They have had plenty of notice and frankly, there is no shortage of midwives just no funds being released to employ them so while they can rely on women giving in and going into hospital they can get away with retaining the status quo at the expense of patient choice.

 

[Tulip]

I've heard a lot of this happening on the Yahoo homebirth group. They're legally obliged to send someone to attend you - you have no legal obligation to attend their noisy, brightly-lit, bacteria-ridden production line. It would be a shame to have to have this argument with them on the day, though. Worth sending a letter to the SOM stating that you do not expect to have to assert your rights while in labour?

 

[lozzy21]

If this happens to me they will be getting told that while not having enough staff is unfortunate its not my problem and will expect so see some one whithin the hour.

 

[snagglepat]

A friend of mine, when faced with this issue, said 'No problem, I'll just call out an independent midwife and send you the bill'. They found someone soon enough then.

Gina.

 

[milkmachine]

A friend of mine, when faced with this issue, said 'No problem, I'll just call out an independent midwife and send you the bill'. They found someone soon enough then.

Gina.

this is how i got a private midwife with my daughters birth- hospital was so busy they had to call someone.

 

[milkmachine]

its a tricky one, you have to consider the over stretched tired midwives when you do your feet stamping. This is very likely my last baby and i am totally terrified of the hospital. we shall see what happens!

 

[KandyKinz]

oh no! I'm worried about a similar thing... I live in a rural area with just a small level 1 hospital with two obs and if there is ever a time when both ob's are off call at the same time or their is no anesthetists available the midwives are not allowed by hospital policy to do homebirths... And all women having their first babies are sent two hours away to the next closest hospital... But get this.... mothers like myself who are having their second or subsequent babies are still allowed to stay at the hospital while being attended by the midwives... Just not at home!!!!

Anyways, here the ob on call and anesthesia schedule is available a month in advance so I'll be aware of the no homebirth days... And if I do happen to go into labour on one of those no homebirth days I do plan (probably gonna get alot of ridicule for this) to trick the midwife into coming to my home to check whether I am in labour or not (common practice even if you're planning a hospital birth) and then I'll just refuse to leave.... Here midwives are not allowed by law to abandon a women in labour so once she's here and I'm in labour she's stuck here........ Anyways, the reality of it is there is very little difference at all between me being at home with the midwives and me being in a level one hospital with no obs or anesthesia coverage!

But if it turns out they can't come cause of simultaneous births I guess I'll be SOL

Hopefully it'll all work out for you!

 

[snagglepat]

Wishing you the best of luck with it all Milkmachine. We're about to go away until next weekend so I'll be offline until then. If baby arrives before then I hope that you do manage to get a refreshed, happy midwife and the beautiful home birth you're planning. Sending you tons of positive birthing vibes from here.

Gina. x

 

[trumpetbum]

its a tricky one, you have to consider the over stretched tired midwives when you do your feet stamping. This is very likely my last baby and i am totally terrified of the hospital. we shall see what happens!

That's true, but I always feel that the over stretched tired midwives benefit more from the powers that be having their hand forced into funding sufficient staffing.

 

[lozzy21]

Im sure though if they have to pull some one off the ward (allthough i thought that it was your community midwifes that attend homebirths not the ones based in a hospital) im sure they would rather attend your homebirth where they only have you to look after than stay on the ward rushed of there feet looking after 4 women at the same time

 

[milkmachine]

Wishing you the best of luck with it all Milkmachine. We're about to go away until next weekend so I'll be offline until then. If baby arrives before then I hope that you do manage to get a refreshed, happy midwife and the beautiful home birth you're planning. Sending you tons of positive birthing vibes from here.

Gina. x

Thank you sweets

 

[milkmachine]

Im sure though if they have to pull some one off the ward (allthough i thought that it was your community midwifes that attend homebirths not the ones based in a hospital) im sure they would rather attend your homebirth where they only have you to look after than stay on the ward rushed of there feet looking after 4 women at the same time

Where i live it is all community midwives no one is based at the hospital as such.

 

[milkmachine]

its a tricky one, you have to consider the over stretched tired midwives when you do your feet stamping. This is very likely my last baby and i am totally terrified of the hospital. we shall see what happens!

That's true, but I always feel that the over stretched tired midwives benefit more from the powers that be having their hand forced into funding sufficient staffing.

Yes def, the fact is staffing shouldn't be this much of an issue. my friend had the 'there are no staff' line EIGHT years ago for her homebirth, you would have thought they would have pulled their fingers out by now.... i appreciate that the birthing rate has gone up and i do live in an area where we have a birth rate comparable to some of london with a 10/12bed delivery ward.... we need a dedicated birth centre really.

 

[Sam292]

My midwife has told me that this could be an issue in my area - I asked are they not legally required to send someone and she told me that they do have to send someone but it may be an ambulance to take you to hospital rather than a midwife. I will be so annoyed if after all my planning i have to go in just because of staffing issues. I hope it doesn't happen for you and you get the nice calm home birth that you are hoping for. You could always labor at home as long as possible first, you might be ready to deliver when the paramedics eventually turn up and not have to go in after all. Good luck and keep us updated xx

 

[milkmachine]

i am fully prepared to give birth unassisted if it comes to it

 

[trumpetbum]

its a tricky one, you have to consider the over stretched tired midwives when you do your feet stamping. This is very likely my last baby and i am totally terrified of the hospital. we shall see what happens!

That's true, but I always feel that the over stretched tired midwives benefit more from the powers that be having their hand forced into funding sufficient staffing.

Yes def, the fact is staffing shouldn't be this much of an issue. my friend had the 'there are no staff' line EIGHT years ago for her homebirth, you would have thought they would have pulled their fingers out by now.... i appreciate that the birthing rate has gone up and i do live in an area where we have a birth rate comparable to some of london with a 10/12bed delivery ward.... we need a dedicated birth centre really.

Absolutely.

 

[emmi26]

i was offered a home birth at 8 weeks i havn't totally decided yet but there are 4 community midwives on call for home births at all times our area is in the topn 3 areas for maternity care in the country so im lucky. it all happened because they totally changed the way maternity services were used our nearest hospital is now entirely midwife led care and consultnt care is at the next hospital we have a midwife centre and there are drs on call if necessary. it was terrible here untill they switched it all round now its working great x
its awful that there just arent enough staff for home birth where you are but i totally agree as someone said if you ring and say yr in labour and not moving from yr house they will send someone they are in serious trouble if they don't x