Where is best?!

[birdiex]

So I've been planning a home-birth this whole time, but since I fell at work 3 weeks ago, it's set off chronic SPD & knocked my hip out of place. I'm currently on crutches at only 23 weeks, and it's only set to get worse So, I'm really starting to worry about my birth plans. After quite a few people saying how difficult it will be to birth at home under the circumstances, I feel very confused. I must have access to the water for my birth, because this is the only thing that helps my pain currently and I know I will not be able to birth my son the way I want to without it, but because it's difficult to get in a bath by myself where does this leave me?

Does this make it to dangerous to attempt to waterbirth at home because if there's complications, I will likely need to be lifted out? It's hard to get out of the bath usually but I imagine in labour, this will be exaggerated and I will feel weaker on my feet? And if I succumb to an MLU close to me, will this be any different? I understand that if need be they could press the emergency buzzer and I'd have plenty of personnel to lift me, but would this be a policy issue I'd have to fight because of my lack of ability when it comes to moving around myself? I'd rather go unassisted than go to a hospital, even an MLU is a very big ask for me and I'm not sure, I'm really not & I don't want the stress of 'what if' for my birth, it'll only make it harder to cope with the feelings and could make it less than pleasureable!

Please help girls, I'm feeling pretty vulnerable

Ps. I'm not a "heavy" girl, I weigh 175lbs currently so at the highest end of the scale I might be pushing 200lbs when it comes to the birth.

 

[birdiex]

Nobody?

 

[Mervs Mum]

LOTS of women have had home births with severe SPD. You'll have at least 2 mws and your birth partner/s there. If they had to haul you out in hospital how many adrenaline filled people do yu think it would take? Same as at home in most cases.

Rachiebaby was on crutches and had a home birth. Ill get her to comment.

 

[Mervs Mum]

And if they are classing you high risk because of SPD (although I'm reading this as your opinion rather than theirs but correct me if I'm wrong) then they will probably be insisting that you can't be in a MLU either.

 

[chuck]

If it were that difficult to get you out of the pool and it was a true emergency surely you'd be better off in an inflatable pool...pop the bugger!

But honestly if you know water is best for you hospital will find a way to keep you out of it even though the pool will have steps up to them and you can be hauled out of the pool backwards with 2 people lifting you under the shoulders and helping you down. If policy says no SPD in pool so it may be tough.

 

[birdiex]

Thanks for the replies girls. I'm just not sure where to go from here, which way is best and if I decide to go to an MLU, will I have to fight it on the day? I don't want the stress So confusing! What you say about an inflatable pool though is a great point, it'd be easier for my OH to take out water in buckets around me and deflate or pop it if I really can't be lifted. Thankyou, I feel slightly more confident now

 

[chuck]

In any MLU or hospitla you may not be able to use the pool if it's busy or being cleaned.

You can only guarantee the pool at home!

 

[birdiex]

Yeah that's my biggest worry really, is being able to get the water and it being as safe as possible. It's such a scary decision to make, isn't it! I suppose I'll have to put a little more effort in to believing in my own capabilites to birth him well & safely! Isn't it standard procedure in the UK for ambulance crews to be notified when somebody is having a homebirth anyway? I think I read that somewhere once, and if they already know I'm labouring and they need to be phoned they can probably get there very quickly, and I'm sure if I've not been lifted out of the pool beforehand the paramedics will certainly be able to.. Looks like I'm going to be staying at home then! Thankyou girls

 

[lynnikins]

my MLU doesnt have steps for the pools you have to be able to get in and out without help ( which would be a problem with my PGP lol ) hence home my OH is more than capable of lifting me out of a pool if nessacary even if my weight got over 200lbs lol ( which it wont )

 

[birdiex]

my MLU doesnt have steps for the pools you have to be able to get in and out without help ( which would be a problem with my PGP lol ) hence home my OH is more than capable of lifting me out of a pool if nessacary even if my weight got over 200lbs lol ( which it wont )

I haven't even asked my MW about my local MLU so I'm not sure if they have steps or even how many pools they have, because I was so set on home. It seems like the only way I can guarantee things my way is at home, and it's probably safer too since if my OH and the midwives can't lift me (which I'm sure they would) then the paramedics would be able to, and even then like Chuck says if every other plan of action fails you can pop an inflatable pool, can't pop a hard one! So it looks like home is still best! I'm so glad you've all replied, I really feel much better now x

 

[Rachiebaby24]

Apologies I meant to post a reply he's ago but been so busy! I had severe SPD with my second baby (on crutches and painkillers) and I totally sympaphise as at times I cried with pain. However I had a successful homebirth. I was told by a consultant as I should give birth in hospital because a) I won't be able to move about unaided and b) I would need an epidural because of the "extra pain"! Lucky I had a fab mw who told me it was a load of tosh! Keep going with your planned homebirth. You don't want to run the risk of getting to hospital and all the pools are being used. As it turned out, in my labour I didn't even notice the SPD at all as the labour pains took precedent. The only time j notice it was various positions were quite painful (such as on all fours) and I was extremely mobile during labour which I found strange! Another thing I would say is if your planning to breastfeed and do not want to take strong painkillers I found hot water bottles very helpful afterwards as my pelvis was quite achey afterwards and my SPd didn't go straight away - in fact took a few weeks but was manageable as was not as painful xx

 

[birdiex]

Apologies I meant to post a reply he's ago but been so busy! I had severe SPD with my second baby (on crutches and painkillers) and I totally sympaphise as at times I cried with pain. However I had a successful homebirth. I was told by a consultant as I should give birth in hospital because a) I won't be able to move about unaided and b) I would need an epidural because of the "extra pain"! Lucky I had a fab mw who told me it was a load of tosh! Keep going with your planned homebirth. You don't want to run the risk of getting to hospital and all the pools are being used. As it turned out, in my labour I didn't even notice the SPD at all as the labour pains took precedent. The only time j notice it was various positions were quite painful (such as on all fours) and I was extremely mobile during labour which I found strange! Another thing I would say is if your planning to breastfeed and do not want to take strong painkillers I found hot water bottles very helpful afterwards as my pelvis was quite achey afterwards and my SPd didn't go straight away - in fact took a few weeks but was manageable as was not as painful xx

Thankyou hun - I'm not taking any painkillers currently, the only thing the doctors wanted to prescribe me was morphine and naproxen (which I could only continue until 26 weeks). I felt both were dangerous so I take nothing (paracetamol doesn't touch it). It gets very hard. In labour I don't want any painkillers at all apart from maybe g&a depending on how I go. It's really great to hear about your experience and the advice is really great, thankyou hun xx

 

[Ashy]

Birdie, i weight 215 currently at 31 weeks and am having a home water birth. i dont think my doula, or two midwives will have a problem with lifting me from my pool. as well, i have hip pain but go to a chiropractor for it, she keeps my hips in place and i dont waddle at all! you should try it for sure!