devastated - just had awful midwife appointment

[Clydesdaleclopper]

Well my midwife has just been to see me and said that I can't have a home birth because I've tested positive for Group B Strep. There is no way I can face going into hospital to have this LO but there are no independent midwives in my area. I'm absolutely gutted and terrified of going anywhere near a hospital

 

[maybebaby]

Sorry to hear you can't have your homebirth, but it's lucky they've found the GBS before you give birth. Try to focus on your LO, it's safer for him/her if you get the IV drugs during labour. Hopefully it will still go well, and you'll be able to go home really soon after the birth.

 

[nikkif]

 

[jenna]

 

[madam bully]

Oh honey

I know it's it's not what you want at all but just think, you and your baby will be in good hands and your LO can get the proper drugs needed to keep you both safe

 

[BEX101]

 

[Josephine_Beth]

Even though it's not what you want, think of the up side, least you will have full medical attention.

Why not try to make it as comfy as possible, take some soothing music, books etc

 

[Jen79]

Is there any way you could pay for an independant midwife? I know that one of the midwives I had who worked for NHS also did private work. I know its bad having to pay for it but if its something you feel so strongly about maybe its worth it? You need to be as relaxed and happy as possible about the whole labour/birth thing.

 

[Clydesdaleclopper]

If I could get an independent midwife I wouldn't hesitate despite the cost - there just don't seem to be any in NE Scotland.

I'm am truly terrified of hospitals having nearly been killed by an anaesthetist 12 years ago and I know if I go anywhere near a hospital I will be so stressed and my adrenaline levels will be so high that I won't be able to give birth vaginally which will of course mean a CS

 

[Josephine_Beth]

Why not talk to your doctor about this, see if he/she can write a letter saying he advises you to have a home birth or in a private place due to your fear, might be worth a try?

 

[madam bully]

If I could get an independent midwife I wouldn't hesitate despite the cost - there just don't seem to be any in NE Scotland.

I'm am truly terrified of hospitals having nearly been killed by an anaesthetist 12 years ago and I know if I go anywhere near a hospital I will be so stressed and my adrenaline levels will be so high that I won't be able to give birth vaginally which will of course mean a CS

Could you try something like hypnotheraphy to try and calm yourself a little bit so that the whole experience wont be as traumatic I really feel for you honey

 

They cannot refuse to attend to you at home if you decide to give birth there. A trust has a legal obligation to provide you with a qualified birth attendant. For any homebirth, the mother accepts responsbility for anything that goes wrong anyway.

GroupB Strep is not the most serious condition (and, if I remember rightly? You can test negative for it during pregnancy only to be positibve with it in labour, so my Trust doesn't even test for it during pregnancy). And yes, if a woman is found to have it during labour, she is treated with intravenous antibiotics. Have you researched Strep B? Is there a reason why they are not treating you now and re-testing when you're in labour? I'm not too clued up on the condition, but if I get more time later, I will look into it.

ALL THAT ASIDE - I don't mean to upset you, especially when you're already so unhappy with this news, but surely you couldn't have got pregnant and gone on all this time without considering for a moment the possibility that something might happen that would mean you'd have to go in to hospital? It's hard for me to understand the depth of your fear (phobia) that you would be willing to risk yours and your baby's life to have a home birth, no matter what, against something that happened to you so long ago.

I'm sorry, I know that sounds harsh. I am an advocate of home birth and I will try and look up some research for you on Strep B and I would also be willing to help you word a letter to your Health Trust if you are adamant that you will not go into hospital, but I also want you to think very seriously about what you are saying. I know that you are frightened, terrified, of hospitals (and understandably, with good reason, by the sounds of things). I have studied medical law for many years and have read about some terrible cases, but these are rare. I personally don't like hospitals either, but if I was confronted with a KNOWN RISK and had to weigh that up against the remote possibility of medical negligence, I'd do so very carefully. Our babies are too precious.

I'm not going to go for any "emotional blackmail" nonsense (I'm sure you'll hear this from others). Let's just get some facts. I need to go out now, but will try and look this up either late tonight or tomorrow.

In the meantime, you have to calm down and rationally ask yourself, "Is there no way, no matter what might happen to me and the baby, that I will go near a hospital?" If the answer is "no", no matter what, then you have a problem (not necessarily with the GroupB Strep, but in case of some emergency). If you can come round to the idea that a transfer to hospital might be necessary for some reason, that will help you. I would urge you to try and keep an open mind.

I know you are frightened, but it's different this time: this time there is a wonderful outcome waiting for you at the end of all of this (your baby). No other medical intervention has such a wonderful result (I've had a lifesaving operation and I've had babies and I preferred the latter!).

We're here. You've still got a bit of time. Let's sort this out. Sorry if I sound "bossy" here, but I just hate to think of you getting yourself into such a state so late on in your pregnancy.

xxxx

 

[Redshoes]

I think WendyWandy's shared some good and sound advice there, and I do hope whatever happens, you do relax and don't let the situation stop you enjoying your baby's birth I can empathize, I didn't end up birthing at home myself, but for good reason, you will find you will always put baby's safety first, but don't be too hard on yourself if it's not a favoured option
Very sorry to hear you've had that news, wanted to send some hugs, I don't feel comfortable saying anything about having to go to hospital because I don't know enough about group B strep, but what about a midwifery lead unit? Is that an option for you? As if they need to get and IV into you to administer drugs, surely it could be done at one of those units? (I'm assuming that's the reason why they're telling you you have to go to hospital?)
Also, hypnotherapy really could help, I know you looked at hypnobirthing, but NCT do a specialised pack for hospital preperation;
http://www.nctsales.co.uk/prodshow.asp? ... &parent=69

These may help too, if you've not already looked?
http://www.scotbirth.co.uk/
http://www.independentmidwives.org.uk/

 

[valentine]

Well my midwife has just been to see me and said that I can't have a home birth because I've tested positive for Group B Strep. There is no way I can face going into hospital to have this LO but there are no independent midwives in my area. I'm absolutely gutted and terrified of going anywhere near a hospital

Hi CC,

I don't know if you've read my birth story from a few weeks ago, but I was found to have Group B Strep from a vaginal swab a few days AFTER my daughter's birth - I had had a sore tummy so they decided to do a swab. I'm in Scotland too (and originally from the N/E!), but they don't do routine GBS testing antenatally in my area either (or postnatally either, I never would have known if I hadn't had a sore tummy and knew things weren't quite right, so they swabbed me).

I went through a really worrying time, but my daughter is fine and very very unlikely to develop anything now having passed the danger period for infection passed on during delivery. I had a home vaginal waterbirth and know EXACTLY how you feel re. home birth - being so passionate about it and I also had to face a lot of opposition to my decision to have a home birth (albeit for different reasons as I didn't know I was a GBS carrier).

I just wanted to say that I've been told that if/when I have another baby, then there is the opportunity for the community midwives to deliver the IV drip at home during a home delivery, this just needs to be arranged antenatally. Hopefully you can ask if this is possible in your area (I don't think they are keen to offer this, you have to fight for it).

However, I also know a number of independent midwives based in Edinburgh who would be more than willing to travel to you (shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours depending where in NE Scotland you are) if you would be interested in me PMing you some names and information? I met them at home birth support meetings I went to in Edinburgh at the Birth Resource Centre and they are lovely.

I really really hope you get the home birth you want, I know how important it is. . However, if not, please please remember that, although it's a cliche, the health of your baby is the most crucial thing of all.

Take care and lots of love

Valentine xxx

P.S. If you'd like to chat further or more detailed info about where I am or my birth, please feel free to PM me.

 

[feenix]

?

 

CC, you have the offer of some very good advice there and some good contact information from Valentine. Feenix, I was also going to recommend the same site. Another (direct) link is:

http://www.homebirth.org.uk/gbs.htm#3

Hopefully, you will still be able to go ahead with your homebirth plans. I do hope, however, that if you do get the go-ahead that you will bear in mind what I said earlier (and consider the possibility of a transfer to hospital should some emergency arise). I think your fear of hospitals needs to be addressed.

Anyway, according to the brief research I've done tonight - the reason they've swabbed you at this stage is because that's the best predictor they have that you will be positive for group B strep in labour. As the poster to the site says, it IS possible to be given the antibiotics at home, but you need to get this arranged quickly if you decide that you want this. There are of course arguments against having antibiotics in labour wherever you give birth (and I would think that you're more likely to pick up other infections in a busy hospital than you are at home).

The hospital may try to be obstructive and this isn't the time to be fighting beaureaucracy, so late on in pregnancy, when you're already feeling vulnerable, but no-one else can make the decisions for you, CC. It's your baby and your decision where to give birth. I hope that you manage to get the birth you want and that you and your baby are well taken care of.

Good luck!

xxxx

 

[feenix]

?

 

[Clydesdaleclopper]

Thanks so much for all the info guys.

I've been doing a lot of research on Group B Strep and if I can get the antibiotics there is only a 1 in 6000 chance of the baby being afffected. This is much less than the risk of any baby needing resusscitation that the midwifes would be unable to perform so is less risk that I was prepared to accept in having a home birth anyway. The problem is that the midwife has refused to let me have the home birth even though they could administer the antibiotics at home.

I am just hoping I can find an independent midwife. Valentine - I'd be really grateful if you could give me the contact details of the people you mention - I've been looking up independent midwives but most of their websites say they'll only travel 1 hour from their base which is generally around Edinburgh and I'm in Aberdeen.

I have been doing hypnobirthing to help with everything but my phobia of hospitals is too deepseated and the midwife unit is exactly the same as the labour ward at ARI so that wouldn't be any better for me.

 

[feenix]

?

 

[enn]

aww hun hope u have a good time in hosp like i did in mine. totally worth another trip back for me

i have to write to them to thank them for an amazing time even in theatre i had a good time lol wanted to stay there lol


anyway just hope u will get as good treatment as i did, makes u feel better when u leave hosp too

emily and me was only in there for about a day thank god so i hope u not in too long

least all the equipements there ready if they need to use it

plus gas and air for the win to control contractions awesome stuff