MSE Pregnancy Club 27

claire16c

Mrs_T_M wrote: »

I'm only 18 weeks (today!) and I'm expecting the "how are you messages to start at about 30 weeks.

Had my "16" week appointment today and everything is fine. Met a different midwife and found out that there are only two midwives that don't work 8-5, but there are over 100 midwives for this area! Still wont affect me having a home birth! They refuse to send someone out, they are responsible for anything that goes wrong, and the hospital won't take that chance. So, seems that the midwives don't like home births, but the consultant does! Crazy system here...

I'm confused - surely they have midwives who work the evening/night shift?

Or do you mean it's just that the ones who work at night aren't the same ones who do home births?

I'm not sure how it works in my area but if you want a home birth they will let you (as long as there's no issues obviously). I'm not sure how it works like what happens if you rung up in labour & no one was available or if there are specific midwives who do home births etc but I know you can ask for one!

So what's your plan then? Glad your appt went well otherwise!

lulu75_2

Hi all - I have been lurking a lot recently as had a lot going on, but am going to try and post more often.

Congrats Rummer and TeamLowe!

Good luck with your induction NickiT

MrsTM - I hope you get your home birth arranged, it seems to be taking forever to get it sorted. They haven't even asked me about what kind of birth I want and in fact the first midwife I saw has written the hospital down on my notes - a bit presumptious I think!

AFM we have got our car seat and ordered our buggy! We got a Maxicosi Cabriofix in intense red, it was £75 from Amazon which I think is a bargain. Buggy wise we have gone for the Babystyle Oyster as it came recommended by both of my SIL, and fits nicely in both cars. My PIL have offered to pay for it which is lovely.

We are also putting our flat on the market today :eek:. I may be mad taking the stress on of moving house whilst about to have a baby but I'm not thinking about it and convincing myself it will be fine....

29 weeks - time is flying by!

smartcat04

Really struggling with pain from my SPD now. See the physio again tomorrow. Think I'll ask for crutches as I'm struggling to put any weight through my right leg and when I do I'm in immense pain.
I'm on paracetamol but can only take 8 a day so evenings and night times are awful. GP mentioned co-codamol but the midwife said the baby wiill become addicted to it and we'll need to stay in hospital longer so she can withdraw from it. Have taken a few that I already had in the house but they ave me no more relief than paracetamol.
I just cry most of the time due to pain or feeling helpless. Tried to go to supermarket yesterday but hubby ended up having to go in without me as I was in so much pain.
Everytime I get upset I worry that I'm harming the baby- just had enough now and I'm only 33+5.
I feel useless, rest of bits we need are going to have to be online shops.
Sorry ladies for moaning, just needed to offload a little.

Mrs_T_M

claire16c wrote: »

I'm confused - surely they have midwives who work the evening/night shift?

Or do you mean it's just that the ones who work at night aren't the same ones who do home births?

I'm not sure how it works in my area but if you want a home birth they will let you (as long as there's no issues obviously). I'm not sure how it works like what happens if you rung up in labour & no one was available or if there are specific midwives who do home births etc but I know you can ask for one!

So what's your plan then? Glad your appt went well otherwise!

Nope, only two midwives who work at night. They rotate out, but that's it!

I cannot be denied a home birth no matter the complications (which I have none, and hopefully will stay that way) in the UK, but sometimes women have to be stubborn about getting a midwife actually sent out to them!

If you get the 'no one's available' bit, push. They will call a midwife who is off duty and probably pay her extra to come out. I'm not going to call one until most people go into the hospital, so it isn't like they would be here all night.

My mom and husband will be here as well, husband will probably be worthless, but my mom has helped deliver two of my cousins (hospital births because you don't get a choice where I'm from), so that should help things a bit.

My plan - when I go into labour, I'll be ringing up the hospital to let them know and tell them that I will call back to request a midwife closer to the time when the baby is coming since it's my first and will likely take a bit. That will give them time (hopefully) to find someone! If they say they don't have one, tough, they can find one. Not my problem if they are 'understaffed'.

Many people who have had/who have wanted home births in the Norfolk area get a letter at 37 weeks saying that no one will be available, yada yada, and if they still ring up and ask to have one sent out, the hospital has been instructed to try to get women to come in, which is stupid in my opinion. I knew that it would be a struggle to get someone out so I could have a home birth due to where we live anyway, but even now with the consultant happy to sign off on a home birth as long as nothing changes, the midwives are still balking at even the idea. Bit presumptuous if you ask me.

All midwives are supposed to be trained to do home births. Most will 'forget' how to do it (if it's a simple birth, just catch!), to cover for them feeling inadequate to do it alone or with just one other midwife.

claire16c

Yes I mean it's not like you'd require a midwife any earlier than going to a hospital, like you say, so your plan sounds good.

It is weird how different areas work, my friend in Devon was encouraged to have a home birth - she didn't want one & they asked her a few times to consider it! but shows how each nhs trust operates in it's own fashion!

squ1rrel5

Same here Claire, I definitely think they push it more in cheshire. when I had my first midwife appt I got a look of shock horror when I said I wanted to have the baby in hospital like I was suggesting something completely out of the ordinary!

mincepiemonster

Good luck with your induction Nickit!

Huge congratulations Team Lowe - hope you and your little boy (!) are having fun getting to know each other! :jAlso congratulations Rummer, will look forward to the update!

Mrs TM hope you get your home birth sorted. Thank goodness you decided well in advance! My midwife was really lovely and was saying at my 38 week appointment that it still wasn't too late to arrange! I was like, errrrm we have a cream carpet and a toddler running round - it is :rotfl:

Stsarina I don't watch Sherlock myself but juging by a million friends' Facebook statuses it was quite something last night!

Becca hope you enjoy your first day of maternity leave. I spent my pre baby leave in Costa and going out for lunch - got to Enjoy the 90% pay while you can

I went in to labour ward last night to be sent away again. I felt a little embarrassed but I had been having pains every 3 minutes for over 4 hours and was concerned as last time I managed the pain at home until I was 7 cm so didn't want to get caught short! That said, it was lovely to see the birth centre and the midwife was so kind and understanding. I am about 2cm dilated and 50% effaced (whatever that means) so hopefully not too long now. It has been nice to have extra time with just DD this morning and I sent DH into work as normal ... Been out for a walk this morning and arranged a girls' night out tonight to try and tempt fate a little bit!

39+6

Birdie85

My OH is convinced that the baby's going to come any minute now as I'm 36 weeks and both he and my brother were a month early. I'm quite happy with him staying put for a while yet but he's starting buzzing around again getting silly things done. This morning we've fitted the car seat (I put the seat back in the boot and just left the Isofix base in place so I don't look too crazy!), put a load of towels in the car (just in case my waters break before we head to hospital!) and he's given me a lecture about putting the hospital bags in the car! I did tell him that labour can take hours and it's not going to be a case of having 5 minutes notice to get to hospital but he doesn't want to take any risks!

Kynthia, you were talking about the cost the other day- we've totally stopped counting how much we're spending! We're so lucky that my parents bought the furniture and the in-laws bought the travel system but we've still spent so much it hurts! Basically, we could be going back to Disney World this year if we hadn't been expecting a baby and spending all of our money on him! Worth every penny I'm sure though!

I've got a day off today then 4 days left at work! :j Trying not to stress about leaving everything 'done'... just want to enjoy the last days and remember that if there's anything left unfinished, someone else can do it on Monday!

becca0417

Well my consultant appt didn't quite go to plan but have another in 3 weeks to discuss my concerns re the birth x

9ja4life

Rummer - congrats and well done!

Nickit - Exciting! In a good way of course - hoping to read the birth announcement soon. Good luck!

Smartcat - sorry to hear you are in pain. I hope you get some relief from having crutches. I had to stop work at 29 weeks as teaching all day meant being on my feet and walking around the class which was practically killing me. It's gotten easier since I've been at home as I can pace myself and stop when I need to.

Mrs_T_M - I'm opting for a home birth too and some of the midwives are actually trying to juggle their shifts round so they can be in attendance. My main midwife was gutted as she's just started maternity leave. Apparently with so many large hospitals within an hour's drive with attached MLU, they hardly have home births despite encouraging it.
I'm meeting with 3 midwives (2 that will attend + 1 backup) tomorrow to discuss birth plan and initial home visit as I'll be 36+5 tomorrow and most importantly live on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Fran O - My SIL is my 2nd birth partner. She has been watching OBEM and is very excited! She's never had a baby and doesn't want any. Incidentally, our bubs is going to be the first newborn baby in IL's family since the last one 24 years ago! The text messages have started!