MSE Pregnancy Club 24

savageHK

fluffnutter wrote: »

But what if no one attends the delivery? Unlikely I know but even so, can't be completely unheard of.

One of my pregancy books stated that in the UK it's illegal for anyone except a doctor or a midwife to deliver a baby except in an emergency; which I presume is partly for reasons like this...

fluffnutter

savagehoutkop wrote: »

One of my pregancy books stated that in the UK it's illegal for anyone except a doctor or a midwife to deliver a baby except in an emergency; which I presume is partly for reasons like this...

I'm not sure your book's right. It's an important tenet of healthcare (at least in this country) that it's never mandatory. It might not be advisable to have your baby unassisted, but it's not illegal.

If someone were deemed high risk and refused all attempts to support them, just like all similar situations, it would be possible for the authorities to try to obtain a court order to force the woman to accept medical intervention, but this would be unlikely and a real violation.

But in terms of the act itself, there's no crime of 'having a baby unassisted yet it wasn't an emergency'. How would it be policed/proven for a start?

Miss_Money

http://www.midwifery.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=200:home-birth-in-the-uk-&catid=91:hidden-archives&Itemid=110#unassisted

found this quite an interesting read on people attending labouring women.

emsbet

I've had a quick google and it appears it's not against the law to give birth unassisted but what is against the law is for anyone who is not a UK registered midwife or doctor to "attend" a woman in labour except for an emergency. So a mother can deliver a baby by herself but no one is allowed to assist in the delivery unless they are midwife or doctor or it is an emergency.

xx

sexymouse

Morning all!

Congratulations gtothec - nice to hear an unusual name too. Hope your stitches etc aren't too sore and you're recovered quickly from the birth.

Sorry to bring up the subject again, but I had another argument with my Mum yesterday afternoon when I tried to explain what gender disappointment was, and she told me that she was ashamed of me and that I was acting like a spoilt child and creating a scene and a drama. I've told her to read up online about gender disappointment, and have given Moon strict instructions that if she calls, he's to ask her if she's found out more about it, and I'm not speaking to her until she has. Some of the comments she has made to me have been really hurtful.
BTW, I'm slowly coming round to the idea of having a boy. I told one of the other people at work that he was going to have the same name as him, and he was over the moon, and seeing his excitement about it really helped as he's a really nice guy. Bean has been kicking like mad for the last 2 days as well, to make sure that I take notice of him. Moon has been very understanding about everything since we talked it all through the other day, and has apologised for telling our friends (the ones who lost their little boy) as I hadn't wanted to upset them.

Suppose I'd better go and find some lunch quickly as I'm invigilating an exam this afternoon, and there's a huge cohort of students sitting it, so I expect it would be prudent to arrive slightly early as the exams office have a tendency to panic!

Hugs to all who need or want them, and labour vibes where appropriate.

sexymouse xx

savageHK

fluffnutter wrote: »

I'm not sure your book's right. It's an important tenet of healthcare (at least in this country) that it's never mandatory. It might not be advisable to have your baby unassisted, but it's not illegal.

Ah, ok, it's a wording thing. If you are not a doctor or a midwife you can't assist a birth; but nothing stopping you delivering your own baby. Apparently!

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Morning all!
Emsbet that's what these sucky in knickers are for!;) I've not weighed myself purely because I don't want to upset myself. The past few times I've pigged out on choccy I've been sick I would say though are you drinking lots of fruit juice or squash? Fruit juice does have a lot of sugar/calories in if you drink loads.
MrsM good luck for your appointments.
MrsE I also need a good kick up the @ss to get my work done. So if I kick you, you must kick me back!
WW2B good to hear from you, glad your wife is getting on ok. I've been in the 50s-60s since joining and I know there's lots of August babies to join so I'll be down there for a while yet bet soon I'll be near the top too :eek:
MissMoney that's worrying, hope there's a different number for when you go into labour. Annoying when you open the door to an unwanted/unexpected visitor. Especially if they're wearing same colour shirt as the postie and you're expecting a parcel!! Once the door is open the damage is done! Hope the midwife turns up soon.
Thanks Betty and Robyn for the bargains
Savage I think there is some element of truth to this. I remember being told at uni that even though we're nurses we shouldn't deliver babies as we're not midwives and neither should anyone else. I'm sure the word "illegal" was used, but honestly if the baby is fine then who's going to be arresting who? What happened to the days when the old lady two doors down delivered every baby in the neighbour?

I had a rubbish night, had horrible, emotional dream. My heart was going fast when I woke up. Then the heartburn and needed a wee. I just drifted off and OH alarm went off! Only woke at 11. Today I will finish writing this uni paper, I wil, I will, I will! Really wanted a good nights sleep but never mind, it's due Thursday so today will be the day. Not a morning writing person so I wouldn't have started earlier. I will go to the pc at 1pm and stay there so if any of you see me lurking anywhere after then TELL ME OFF PLEASE!!!!!

emsbet

I'm drinking fruit juice but not too much as I'm also drinking squash with soda water and sparkling flavoured water. I just meant I'm drinking enough fruit juice to class as one of my five a day.

xx

fluffnutter

sexymouse wrote: »

Sorry to bring up the subject again...

Not at all, sm. I'm pleased you did, because I was thinking about this whilst not being able to sleep last night.

I want a girl. We chose not to find out at the 20 week scan, so I find myself six weeks from delivery convinced I'm having a girl. The OH wants a girl too, we talk about 'her' all the time and she even has a really quite feminine nickname (Muffin).

If this baby comes out a boy, I'm worried I'll be bereft. Not because I have a strong aversion to having a boy, but because I'll feel like my little girl has disappeared. My first thought will be 'You're not Muffin. Where's Muffin?'. I think I'll feel a real sense of loss.

I'm also thinking that this will be fleeting, because despite my wondering where my little girl's gone, I'll actually have a little boy to concentrate on instead! In some ways I wonder whether it would have been better to find out so that I didn't spend all this time bonding with a baby girl who might not even exist...

I'm really pleased you're coming round to the idea. I don't know if my situation is anything like yours, but I'm trying to let you know that you're not alone.

MrsManda

I think the idea behind the unattended birth rules may be that in theory if an unqualified person (other than the mother to be) is planning on delivering the baby then they are technically impersonating a medical professional which is illegal. One of my friends was having a discussion on FB a few weeks ago and apparently in some countries it's illegal to give birth anywhere other than a hospital. She had a friend who was prosecuted for giving birth in the back of a taxi on the way to the hospital though she was eventually let off with a fine as it was argued that she tried to get to the hospital on time.

*hugs* to LMM, hope you get your assignment done. I'm sat surrounded by my notes and textbooks trying to write my assignment and keep getting terribly distracted - mainly because I've got to a section where I'm really unsure of what to write so have gone into ostrich mode. It's not great considering I don't work well in the afternoons - mornings are my most productive time