So confused about birth plan?

[Lamont]

realisation has hit me and that in around 8weeks i will be giving birth!! So I'm now thinking about what type of birth i want. Since my BMI is just under 40 i figured they'd be dictating to me about type of birth I'll be having i.e. monitored hospital birth. I have SPD and I've been researching online that a water birth would benefit this BUT I've also read that a BMI over 35 midwifes tend to tell you no... So do i push for a home birth with a pool or accept what they'll tell me and travel an hour to the hospital since my local midwife unit has referred me because of my BMI. Im extremely confused now. I know the risks are higher since im overweight but im in perfect health otherwise...

 

[Guppy051708]

the risks are not higher if you are overweight.
Seems like the UK makes a huge deal about it, but i just dont understand bc weight in and of itself does not cause an issue (unless your morbidly obsese or something), typically. Having GD or Pre-E is one thing, but weight alone doesn't infringe much.
Anyways, my BMI was well over 35 (still is) and ive had two water births. First was in a hospital, my choice, second was a HB. It was the best thing ever and i fully intend on having another water birth. I say push for it if thats what you want! Legally you cant be denied that. They might pressure you or make you think you dont have a right to that, but at the end of the day you do. So fight for it if it's what you want!

 

[Lamont]

Yeah they do make a deal about weight here sadly I've not gained weight during this pregnancy so hoping that could go in my favour. I really dont want to travel an hour to the main hospital while in labour (well hubby would be driving) I have midwife on wednesday so I'll defo have a talk with her and see what there take on it is. Just dont want to hear no because of the risks lol.

 

[Guppy051708]

If it were me, i would fight for it, personally. but only do what you are comfortable with I hope the meeting with your MW goes better than planned hon

PS ive read quite a few threads, very recently (like in the last few days), talking about this same exact issue, i would recommend reading what the others say/suggest. You might even be able to speak with them about it. I think some ladies were in the same position as you and managed to get their water birth

 

[Guppy051708]

if anything the buoyancy of water should actually improve things for giving birth. Its well worth the fight IMO, and who knows maybe you wont even have to fight for it.

 

[Lamont]

Thank you I'll have a look threw previous threads

 

[superbecks]

How are you getting in and out of the bath etc with your spd? The main thing with having a water birth with a high BMI is health care professionals getting you out of the pool in an emergency, they are risking their own health etc by doing so.

 

[Guppy051708]

I was assisted out twice of the pools just fine during both of my births. (Had pelvic issues with #2) Two attendents can do so easily through a technique where i put one arm around one person and the other arm around another person. It's actually fairly easily. We're overweight, not morbidly obese. Besides that i know of several women who started out at a normal weight but gain ~75lbs, so at full term they weighed more than i did, still had a normal BMI at conception though.

 

[Lamont]

I get myself in and out the bath just fine im not incapable :-/ I just move myself into a position I feel comfortable. Usually onto my knees then stand up. And if I get a home birth then my husband would be helping me if required!

 

[aliss]

Hi Lamont, I'm not overweight but I had a previous shoulder dystocia birth. I just told them, I'm doing a home birth and that's it! Deal with it! Have confidence in yourself, if your instinct tells you that this is the best way for you to labour, then go with your instinct! Good luck!

 

[Caroline:-)]

Hiya Hun, it really makes me mad that they make such a big deal if weight now! When I had my son ( just 19 1/2 months ago) there was no mention ever made if my weight which is the same as it is now - a BMI of 35. I was weighed at my booking appointment the same as everyone but I was never weighed again and my weight was at no point mentioned (even at that 1st appointment) so I was under MLU and allowed a water birth... Although unfortunately baby didn't want to come out & I had to be induced . I'd been desperate for a water birth because of my spd, the same as you. So this time I went in expecting the same treatment, and omg, in a year and a half it had changed so much! I was told that everyone with a BMI of 35+ had to be under consultant-led care!!! I just bawled my eyes out because I wouldn't get my water birth again or get to be in the fab midwife unit... I was just so annoyed that I'd had a baby so recently and no problems & had had no pregnancy problems either... Yet just because I was overweight I was being treated differently... BUT, I was told that I could request a review of this later in my pregnancy! Every midwife, etc i spoke to was conpletely on my side, I just had to convince those in charge!!! At my consultant appointment the dr really didn't see the need for me to be consultant led but was told she couldn't just sign me over so she made an appointment with the consultant midwife for me... But she said it was too early to decide & made me another appointment got later on. I also had to go to a BMI clinic appointment... But again, the midwife I saw then said there clearly wasn't any problem with anything. So, I had my next consultant midwife appointment ( with a different lady luckily!) where it was agreed I would be an acceptable candidate to go back under midwife-led care, but that in order for her to sign me over I had to go to my consultant appointment & be weighed & have a growth scan (ds was 9lb2). Sooooo, today (at 37+4) I was finally signed over to MLU!!!! Yay.... I am soooo relieved... I'm back with my planned water birth to help my spd!!!! (As long as I don't have to be induced again!!!!). But yeah, baby's growth is fine and I've kept my weight gain to a minimum (somewhere between 7&8 kilo) - they said it had to be under 10kilo gain. God knows how I did it when I'm pretty immobile right now due to the spd, and I've been loving a choc bar most nights recently (oops).
But anyway, sorry for going on, I just wanted to share my story as I'm in a pretty similar situation to you... But my point is that, yes, you can fight it! They should look at individual situations... As long as they don't have any reason to worry about your weight or anything, that you've had no complications. They should also have some sympathy for your reasons - try getting your Physio to write a letter - mine offered but I didn't need it. GL Hun, I hope you have the same luck with them that u did!!!!

 

[Lamont]

hi Caroline thanks for sharing right through this pregnancy i've been midwife led havent even seen a consultant, only thing is extra midwife reviews to keep check of my blood pressure which has been fine since day 1. Hoping for good news come Wednesday when i breech the subject eeek lol. I know what i want and what baby wants will probably be completely different and the birth plan could go out the window lol

 

[superbecks]

I get myself in and out the bath just fine im not incapable :-/ I just move myself into a position I feel comfortable. Usually onto my knees then stand up. And if I get a home birth then my husband would be helping me if required!

I didn't say you were incapable at all. I was asking as things like getting in and out of the bath are particularly hard with spd, and was thinking if you could do this fine then you have an argument for getting your home water birth, it's not something they could use against you. Wouldn't have bothered asking had i known how touchy you would be about it.

 

[Caroline:-)]

hi Caroline thanks for sharing right through this pregnancy i've been midwife led havent even seen a consultant, only thing is extra midwife reviews to keep check of my blood pressure which has been fine since day 1. Hoping for good news come Wednesday when i breech the subject eeek lol. I know what i want and what baby wants will probably be completely different and the birth plan could go out the window lol

I can't see how they can say you can't have a water birth when they've kept you midwife led and not treated you any different! I know everywhere is different though... At my hospital they have MLU downstairs & delivery suite (consultant led) upstairs so they basically just stick you into one category or another which then dictates where you give birth, but within that you can birth however you want... So now I'm midwife led, i can access to the pools, etc to give birth how I want... And actually, they do have one pool in the consultant unit now so even if I had been up there, I could still have used the pool theoretically, it's just that there is only one do little chance of getting it!!!! But yeah, they wouldn't say anyone can't birth in water because of BMI at all.. Strange how everywhere is different, hey! Anyway, hope you manage to get what you want