Troubles getting HB booked :( Help!

[Zenobia]

So im 34+5 today and this is baby No4 for me and from the start I really felt i wanted a homebirth this time around. Every midwife appointment ive had ive mentioned that i'd really like to have a HB. At 28 weeks I was told at my next appointment i would be "booked in" and someone would be coming to my home to assess suitability. well I've just had this appointment today with yet again a "Cover" Midwife( Ive not seen a midwife from my team nor the same Mw twice ) and her exact words to me when I asked about getting booked in were. " I don't usually work here, I don't know how to do it you'll have to arrange it at ur next appointment" Firstly surely if this Mw was qualified to take my appointment she should know how to get me booked in for a hb??? Secondly at the end of my appointment she has booked me in to see the GP and i will be 36+5 at that appointment. Even if the Gp could arrange this booking in appointment for me im pretty sure they wouldn't be able to arrange it within 2 days which is when i would be 37 weeks and could go into labour anytime from then.
I've then called the community Mw's and asked them about what I should do and they have just told me I should already have been booked in and that it may be to late and that someone will call me bk but it probably wont be today.
I am at a complete loss as to what to do next. This would be my first homebirth, and im getting nervous of the fact that if im not even booked in the hospital isn't going to send a mw to me when the time comes. Any advice please ladies?

 

[shelleney]

Hi there.
sorry to hear you are going through this stress.
my post may not be able to help at all, but I thought I would tell you whats happening with me.
I have stated my decision to have a HB all the way through my pregnancy, but my MW told me I would not be "booked in" until 36 weeks. This is to avoid wasting MWs time visiting potential homebirthers early in pregnancy, who then develop complications and are unable to have a HB. If however, you are still "low-risk" at 36 weeks, they are happy to book you in and visit your home, etc.
I would phone your community office and make an appointment to see your MW at 36 weeks. Then you can get "booked in" during that appointment. Good luck!

 

[lynnikins]

your MW "team" number should be on your notes hun id call them direct and get them to sort it

 

[Zenobia]

Thanks for the reply, I thought about making an appointment to see the mw regardless of what she has written in my notes, but i dont wanna turn up and it be the same Mw and her get annoyed at me and even less helpful. I guess if nobody calls me bk in the next few days i will have to just make another appointment to see the Mw. ( they only come to my gp's 1 morning a week )
It just seems so strange that the Mw was so unhelpful and has asked me to do something at my next appointment then made it impossible for me to actually do it. (gp can't book me in for hb) and then when i call up to enquire nobody cant talk to me there and then?? i have to still wait?? I thought the whole point of having these numbers is to speak to ppl about issues we are facing and get them resolved!!!! I'm getting the vibe that if they don't book me in then i have no grounds when i do go into labour to call upon a mw to come to my home. Maybe i am over reacting when i still have a few weeks to go <shrugz>

 

[shelleney]

Yeah, the midwife only comes to my doctor surgery one morning a week too.
I can ring my doctors surgery to make a midwife appt. maybe you can do that too?
I wouldnt worry if you get that same midwife, I would just tell her that the doctor cant book you in, so you have come to her, and she needs to book you in!
Also, dont feel you are overreacting, youre not. You need to be book in within the next week or so, so its understandable that you are becoming stressed.
Do everything you can, ring everyone you can - and do not worry about making people annoyed. Its your pregnancy and birth, and you should get what you want!!

 

[Twinkle81]

Hey hun, i see your in surrey im not sure which part but if it is the same hospital as i am i wonder if it is because the HB team are very short staffed. i have been booked in for a HB and i had a fab MW at the beginning and i have an okay MW now but they are so stretched in reality i dont know who i will get on the day and you are supposed to have 2 MW at the end stage of the birth. The other day a friend of mine gave birth and her MW turned upo and said she was the only mw on duty and there are only 4 or 5 left on the HB team. she would have had to call the community MW had she needed a second MW but it all happened so quick. anyway i thnk there are just a shortage at the moment and some MW's are being styretched beyond what they are capable of and are getting the brunt.

I really do hope you get your HB though as i really think it the most amazing experience. it is such a shame as i had such an amazing experience with the same team last year and this year hasnt been that great.

Fingers crossed for you xx

 

[Zenobia]

Hiya Twinkle81 ty for ur reply. I am getting the impression they just dont wanna book me in. therefore i wont be able to ask for a mw to be present when the time comes. Short staffing issues shouldn't really come into it as i know they can always call in "bank staff" to cover. But if im not down as needing any sort of cover there not going to have to worry about it. All mw's in my area must have been told to put as many woman off having Hb's as possible and only the really pushy Mums2b (Im not very good at sticking up for myself ) must be getting them. Because no matter who i try to talk to either a mw in person, or a community mw or even directly to the maternity unit in the hossy, they all just put me off without giving me a reason as to why. its all becoming rather stressful as i've never had a Hb before so don't really know whats true and whats not. <sigh>

 

[Twinkle81]

Another thing you could try is speaking to the supervisor of MW every hosp has one and they are the ones to go to if your being fobbed off. they should listen to your problem. according to nice guidlines no matter when you book in you should have the birth you want and you want a HB so it should be given to you.

I really hope you get the HB and the surpervisor of MW's help you xxx

 

[Zenobia]

thanks twinkle I hope so too.

 

[lesleyann]

I find if I have any problems with my CMW's I ring the mat unit and say im worried and they get a CMW to ring me straight away and sort what ever the problem is! Its worth a shot hun Hope you get your HB

 

[shelleney]

You deserve to have the birth you want! Keep fighting, Hun, and dont let anyone fob you off!

 

[Zenobia]

On the topic of getting fobbed off I called the Cmw who has informed me that i should make an appointment for next week to get booked in face to face with a Mw. when i explained to her that I had already tried that this week and had been "fobbed off" she just said " hmmmmm how strange" lol hmmmmm How helpful lady!
I think now i've been told directly that i need to get this booked face to face i can be a bit more adamant that i would like it done next week. Wish me luck ladies <sighhhh>

 

[shelleney]

Good luck! Let us know how you get on!

 

[vikirose]

Hey hun, I do rec you should go to the next av app face to face but if it's the same dippy midwife just say either you get booked in for a HB or you'll deliver the baby yourself (you won't have to) They can't make you go into hospital against your will and they can't refuse to send a midwife if you call for one and your in labour (at least this was the law when I had my last hb)
It should already be on your notes that you've requested home confinment even if your not officially booked in for one. My mw's have all made a note at each meeting that I've asked for HB. They can't say you havn't warned them!
Stick by your guns. I have had 2 hb's and they were both amazing
P.s Just editing this comment as I just checked the law on hb...you can't be made to go into hospital and the health care authorities have to support a womens right to HB where clinically appropriate tho there is no accepted definition of what that means but basically if you stand your ground and refuse to go in they will send a midwife rather than risk anything bad happen to the mother and as yet there is no cases where a woman was denied a midwife when she refused to go into hospital. You just have to stand your ground. If they say 'oh staff shortages etc when you try to book in then there is info and a sample letter on the AIMS website of how to deal with this x

 

[Zenobia]

So a little update here, I arranged with a Mw to have my Home visit yesterday at 36+6 ( talk about leaving it until the last moment ) And after sitting in ALL day No body came. I gave the CMW a call about 4pm to see what was happening and i was told the Mw could visit anytime until 6pm. When at 6pm No MW came I called up again and i was told yet again "someone will call me bk" I'VE BEEN TOLD THIS REPEATEDLY AND NO-ONE HAS EVER CALLED ME BACK!!
So this morning i call up to try and speak to the Mw in charge!! I get the receptionist who listens to my troubles then tells me she will get someone to call me back!!! ( as yet no one has) Im at my witts end im 37 weeks today, Ive been told No mw will be sent to me until im booked in and yet they wont turn up to book me in, wont book me in over the phone and Im just banging my head against a brick wall. I understand there busy but seriously!!!
So girls this is baby No4 for me, first labour 4 hours, second and third labour 1h 20 each,I live 30mins drive from the hospital. Its possible i could go into labour at any moment and if it happens i wont have the time to argue with them about sending a MW out. what do i do now....

 

[shelleney]

This is just awful!
I am so so angry for you!
I have heard that if you go into labour, and ring labour ward to tell them, you can say that you are having a homebirth, and they *have* to send a MW to attend.
Although I can understand that you would much rather be booked in, and that you are finding this very stressful. I would too, if I was in your position.
I am disgusted in the way they are treating you, and if I were you, I would put in a formal complaint.
I trully hope somebody rings you back today. Please keep us informed

 

[Zenobia]

Gonna give them another hour or so then im going to call again. Grrrrrrrrr i shall keep ya's posted.