MSE Pregnancy Club XIII

tiamai_d

Lolly, they can't force you to go to hospital you know, infact you can refuse and they have to send you out a midwife. I take it you have checked out http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

Kamper, just be aware that if you do have an early scan, your date will probably change at your 12 week scan. Before 7 weeks scans are just too inaccurate for dating, you'll just get a rough idea. Mine dated me at 5/3weeks when I knew I was more than 6. My 12 week scan should have shown me to be 13/5weeks going by that scan, but I was actually 15/5weeks. If that makes sense to you.

My children are driving me mental! DS1 is fidgeting and generally being a PITA, DS2 is a whiney little toad. I'm too hot and sore to be patient till 8pm. If I make it to 7pm without hunting them to their room with a DVD I'll be doing well.

skintchick

xmaslolly76 wrote: »

Hey ladies hope your all having a good day

Im really upset and hacked off at the moment i went to my antenatal this morning and not only are they not allowing a home birth but i cant even go into the midwife unit ive been told i have to go under the consultant whom i can't stand he is arrogant and wont listen to a word you say. I wouldnt mind but this has been the easiest pregnancy i have ever had i have no problems everything is where it should be and baby is a good size and very healthy. All this stems from my last pregnancy with DS who was a nightmare to carry and he came early this was all because i had placenta previa though and that is not the case this time. Ive done my home work im not stupid and if anything did show signs of not being right i would be the first one to insist i was to go to hospital. This just seems so unfair and i feel like i am being bullied :-(

Hi xmaslolly

That totally sucks. You should be able to make your own informed choice on this, and in fact you can. I know they are saying you have to go to hospital, but in reality you are entitled to choose where you give birth. I thought this was in some 1993 legislation but I cannot find it right now. If i find a link I will add it in here for you.

*The best I can find right now is this The Government document Changing Childbirth (DOH 1993) says maternity care providers should "develop a flexible system of care so that women are able to take time in making their decision regarding the place of birth, and can alter that decision close to the time of birth if they so wish". In practice, opting early on for a home birth allows you the greatest possible flexibility, as you can decide to transfer to hospital right up to the delivery itself - possibilities vice versa may be limited due to practical considerations.
From: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/homebirth/

All the info is on this site http://www.homebirth.org.uk/ as well as sample letters to send to the hospital and there is also a Yahoo group for homebirth you can join where people can advise, and probably people on there will have had the same experience and be able to help you. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homebirthUK/

It's no wonder you feel you are being bullied, because you are!

If your issues last time were because of placenta praevia, and you do not have that this time, then assuming there are no other risks you should be perfectly fine to have a home birth.

You are also able to choose the MW led unit if you wish and they should support you but you may have to fight for it. Again, the Yahoo group will help you ro contact Angela Horn who runs the homebirthuk website on angela @ homebirth.org.uk remove the spaces though. She also posts on the Yahoo group, along with renowned independent MW Mary Cronk.

From what you say, you are a good candidate for homebirth and they don;t really have a clinical reason for refusing you, but on the Yahoo group are midwives who can probably advise you better, plus the group is great anyway for help and advice.

Don;t let them lie to you that you have to do what they say though, you have the right to choose.

I actually know of a couple who were high risk and were so determined to HB without any medical professionals present that they simply didn't call the MW until it was too late! Personally, I think that is pushing it too far, but it does show that you can engineer things to be how you want if you are brave enough.

Anyway, you can also look at AIMS' website http://www.aims.org.uk/ which has a section on homebirth and your rights, plus sample letters and other information. And this is the NCT section on home birth http://www.nct.org.uk/info-centre/information/view-17.

Finally, remember the NCT's mantra to ask medics about the benfits of a course of action, the risks and the alternatives, and they then say you should do nothing and smile while you weight it all up.

Don;t let them give you only one option - ask them to talk through all options and make their case so that YOU can decide.

Good luck.

Glamazon

mountainlioness wrote: »

Glam - yeah, my original PCT didn't do the lucozade and went straight for GTT on identified populations (DH's father has diabetes so I would have had to do it anyway), which makes sense. On a purely selfish note, at least this way I may just be spared the fasting and 2 bloods - I really don't know if I could put myself through that again knowingly.

Just tried the SMP calc - that is SCARY! Luckily I get some enhancement through my job until wk 18 but it's going to be tough.

My Mum has Type 1 Diabetes which is why I'm having mine - I think the other reasons are high BMI and previous history of Gestational Diabetes.

Did you remember to deduct some tax, NI and pension?
Tax won't be much in fact my manager said I would probably get a tax rebate at some point!

tiamai_d wrote: »

Lolly, they can't force you to go to hospital you know, infact you can refuse and they have to send you out a midwife. I take it you have checked out http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

Agree with Tia - put your foot down with a firm hand!

Kat - Glad it went well. At least you might get 2 scans! If you are only 6 weeks they will call you back at 12 weeks!

tiamai_d

If nothing else request another consultant. I did after my first told me to have a termination, went for it, got a second opinion and they switched me to someone else.

Glamazon

MM - I can see you!

tiamai_d

Glamazon wrote: »

MM - I can see you!

As do I :cool: Your sneaky James Bond impression is a bit pants to be honest

xmaslolly76

Thanks ladies

I know they cant force me but when i ever i bring it up i get a straight forward NO we are not doing it hense i why i feel bullied. I am going to right everything down for the next time i go as i get all flustered and forget half of what i have to say if they still dont listen i will just refuse to budge when i go into labour and like you say they will have to send someone round i just didnt want to go that route i want this to be a stress free experience as much as possible after the hell the hospitals put me through with the last two.

money_maker_3

Hi everyone !!
Glad scans and appointments went well today, but xmaslolly I agree with Skinty and tia, you can change consultants and have a home birth or MW unit.

Well you will never guess what the lovely motherhood hormones had me crying at today !!
Can you guess ????



I got to change a nappy :j How sad is that ???
I happened to be there when they were about to check Dylan, and asked if I wanted to do it !! I got so excited at being able to do a mummy duty for him !! However, it was the stinkiest meconium nappy you have ever seen in your life :eek: And I was still happy, Chris thought I was being a bit weird :rotfl:

money_maker_3

Oh you 2 are soo impatient, was catching up and then typing a reply !!!

xmaslolly76

Aww how lovely MM i would have been in tears to its lovely to hear he is doing so well he will be home with you in no time then you will be sick of the site of nappies lol :-) xx