Mexican standoff - will i/won't i get this homebirth...

[allaboard]

I wrote to the unit last week stating clearing that i intend to have a home birth and that transferring in isn't an option given my childcare issues and the fact my labour was 6 hours from 0-fully dilated (then 1.5 hours for pushing, but that's going to be minutes this time). Likely it'll be a few hours, take off some time for me to realise it's actual labour - leaves not long to organise my parents driving over and get me to the hospital.

They state they are reviewing it on a daily basis....this uncertainty is really unsettling, not what i need to mentally prepare for birth really And i got a pool, which i doubt i'll get to use if i ring up in the middle of the night and face a "no MWs, you'll have to come in".

Who wants to risk giving birth in a car? Who wants to give birth 20 minutes after arriving? Not me.

Such a crap situation.

 

[FeistyMom]

With my first I gave birth 20ish minutes after arriving... it was kind of like, what was the point!

Can they really make you go in?

 

[allaboard]

Yeah, they can stand firm and tell me there are no MWs, definitely. I can then tell them i'm feeling grunty and think it's close, and they then have to pull a MW from somwhere, presumably the ward or call at home, and it'll be classed as a BBA (Born Before Arrival). I've been told that I'll be ok during the day as Community MWs are in clinic and can leave to deal with me, but 6/7pm to 6/7am is a diff story as they are all at home, not on call (as the service has been suspended).

I'm guessing early labour will be done without a MW, scary prospect.

I'd hate to give birth as soon as i got there - the implication is that you were in established labour on the journey, and that's impossible to monitor every 5 mins like they would in hosp, given you were on your own until arriving there. How can that be safe? It's wrong to put women in that situation!