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HBAC? (also in homebirth)
Hi
I recently found out I'm pregnant again, it's still pretty early but I've been thinking a lot in the last year while we've been TTC and I'm fairly certain i want a home birth. It's not that I had a particularly traumatic time in hospital last time, had c-section for breech which was undetected till 42 weeks, but I know a few people who've tried for VBAC in the local hospital and it seems the staff only really pay lip service to what you want and kind of have you marked down for a c section from when you go in, and at the first opportunity whisk you off for one, absolutely not what I want this time around unless absolutely necessary!
I know you can refuse any treatment, but I don't want to have to be fighting doctors etc while I'm in labour. Ive read a lot about it, it seems that while the risk of uterine rupture is increased it only goes from 0.05% to 0.5% (so 1 in 2000 to 1 in 200) and you are far more likely (about 40 or 50 times more) to need an emergency c section for other reasons, but medical staff get so twitchy about the risk of rupture. It also seems that a lot of hospital procedures contribute to problems, like inducing and augmenting labour actually increasing the risk of rupture, and continuous EFM hindering labour by restricting your movement. I read another study that showed that planned VBAC at home has a much higher success rate than planned VBAC at hospital, and also the high level of care (midwife with you all the time) means that any problems will be picked up very quickly and acted upon. It's all very well having continuous monitoring, but unless someone is continually reviewing the trace then intermittent monitoring is just as useful!
All these things add up to me thinking the way to give myself the best chance of a natural birth is to do it at home, but I don't know what sort of reaction I'm going to get from the mw. I'll bring it up at the booking appointment and see!
Has anyone here had a HBAC / planned one but had to transfer etc? I'd be really interested in hearing about your experiences. Also would love to hear thoughts from everyone on this subject.
xxx
I recently found out I'm pregnant again, it's still pretty early but I've been thinking a lot in the last year while we've been TTC and I'm fairly certain i want a home birth. It's not that I had a particularly traumatic time in hospital last time, had c-section for breech which was undetected till 42 weeks, but I know a few people who've tried for VBAC in the local hospital and it seems the staff only really pay lip service to what you want and kind of have you marked down for a c section from when you go in, and at the first opportunity whisk you off for one, absolutely not what I want this time around unless absolutely necessary!
I know you can refuse any treatment, but I don't want to have to be fighting doctors etc while I'm in labour. Ive read a lot about it, it seems that while the risk of uterine rupture is increased it only goes from 0.05% to 0.5% (so 1 in 2000 to 1 in 200) and you are far more likely (about 40 or 50 times more) to need an emergency c section for other reasons, but medical staff get so twitchy about the risk of rupture. It also seems that a lot of hospital procedures contribute to problems, like inducing and augmenting labour actually increasing the risk of rupture, and continuous EFM hindering labour by restricting your movement. I read another study that showed that planned VBAC at home has a much higher success rate than planned VBAC at hospital, and also the high level of care (midwife with you all the time) means that any problems will be picked up very quickly and acted upon. It's all very well having continuous monitoring, but unless someone is continually reviewing the trace then intermittent monitoring is just as useful!
All these things add up to me thinking the way to give myself the best chance of a natural birth is to do it at home, but I don't know what sort of reaction I'm going to get from the mw. I'll bring it up at the booking appointment and see!
Has anyone here had a HBAC / planned one but had to transfer etc? I'd be really interested in hearing about your experiences. Also would love to hear thoughts from everyone on this subject.
xxx
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Replies
I live a good 40 minutes from the maternity hospital so don't think it would be sensible for me to have a home birth, but I would love it if I could. So stay strong and go for what you want and if the first mw doesn't support you, see someone else! It's your birth and body and baby. Good luck!
thanks for replying! of course i don't mind you commenting
I'd love to use a pool as well, not sure if I'll give birth in it or come out for that bit but I love warm water find it so relaxing
yeah we live quite close to the hospital so I'm not worried about transfer time if that becomes necessary. Think i might hire a doula too, mainly for me but also for OH to make sure he eats and therefore stays rational and supportive
I'm glad your midwife was supportive, hope you get your vbac xxx
I also live about half hr from hospital and hemorraged after my section last time so although i love the idea of a homebirth, i do think it's a little more risky than i would like and may put me more on edge during my labour. However, if it's a choice between that and lay down for constant monitoring in hospital then homebirth would be my choice!
I'd love a water birth in a midwife unit attached to the hospital. I'm not sure how practitioners in my area are with vbac's but i intend to be firm! I think my previous section was down to too much interference tbh. I learnt a lot last time and have started looking into vbac's. The chances of a previous section patient needing a second emcs is only 5% higher than someone birthing for the first time so i don't see the big deal in treating the 2 differently! Hopefully you'll get an understanding mw but if not i think you'll need to be firm! Like the others say, your body, your baby, your choice!! xx
PS a doula sounds fab! Let us know how it goes. X
Tashua I'm interested in hypnobirthing as well, have heard good things about it. Let us know how that goes!
nowhere in our current house is big enough for a pool, but we're looking at moving somewhere slightly bigger as the thought of having us + 2 kids in here makes me shudder a bit
xx
i can never have a home birth because i have too many underlying problems and hospital is the only option.
xxx