NHS refuse twin home birth help
A COUPLE are facing a bill of thousands to have their twins born at home after being told NHS midwives were not experienced enough to handle the birth.
Parents-to-be Neil Harrison and Joanne Morris want their children to arrive at home in Stone in four weeks' time.
But Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has told them it does not support the home delivery of twins, as its midwives are not experienced in that field.
The trust says staff will only be sent to the Pembroke Drive home on an "on-call" emergency basis.
The couple say they are being denied their rightful choice and feel they are being pushed into having a hospital birth.
Instead, they intend to take a bank loan to pay for the three private midwives required for the birth.
And with costs for one reckoned to be at least £2,500, the couple face a substantial outlay.
They have now asked Stone MP Bill Cash to look into the case and hope to claim the money back from the NHS.
They argue that the hospital should pay for experienced staff from external sources if it cannot provide them itself.
Mr Harrison, who has been made redundant after working as an engineer and technician, said: "It seems a contradiction that we have a legal right to do it, yet the trust has a policy not to."
"You can have a home birth for a single baby but not for twins because they say there are additional risks involved, but the crux of the matter is why the staff aren't sufficiently experienced to do it and why they are not offering it."
Three of the couple's other four children were born at home after Miss Morris was unhappy with the "negative" experience of giving birth to her first child in hospital.
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust made those home births possible but is refusing to send more than emergency cover for the twins.
The couple have taken advice from midwives, the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and the Association for the Improvement of Midwifery (AIMS).
Miss Morris, aged 35, said any risk is reduced by the fact that the twins are not identical.
She said: "We have been assured by everyone we have spoken to about this that it is not a big ask, that it is not irresponsible and that we should have the right to choose."
The couple say they made the trust aware of their intentions in a letter sent on February 15 and were told staff were not experienced enough for a twin home birth.
They say they were then informed that the trust was not obligated to pay for an independent midwife.
The couple now want to know why – if twin home birth was never an option – they were not told immediately and have written to interim chief executive officer Eric Morton.
The letter reads: "We were told that there were only a few midwives trained to deal with twin hospital birth, let alone twin home birth, and any attending midwife would be nervous of attending a twin home birth.
"There is a discrepancy between the trust policy and those items as discussed within the meetings. Basically, why were we discussing a home birth option if it was not an option?"
A spokesman for the NHS trust said: "The trust will sometimes undertake planned home births against medical advice; however a multiple home birth is a unique situation.
"It is not possible to provide the same service as for a single home birth due to the associated potential complications of the delivery of the second baby.
"Midwives do undertake deliveries of multiple births in the hospital with the support and supervision of medical practitioners, but the trust is not able to offer midwives who have experience of delivering multiple births at home.
"We were in the process of exploring other ways of supporting the family; however they have now chosen to engage a team of self employed midwives."
72 Comments
View all
by missblueeyes
Thursday, January 05 2012, 7:24AM
“I found out through a report on unassisted births that although many of them come through OK & safely (though I would not personally recommend unassisted births), it is in fact illegal in this country. But the reports also stated that if a woman wishes to have a home birth, the NHS trust is legally obliged to provide care through either a midwife or a doctor for the woman. So the trust is actually trying to act illegally in this woman's case. She shouldn't be faced with a bill of any amount. As for mentions of childbirth being dangerous, it can be, but in most cases it's absolutely fine. Unfortunately we live in a society that has medicalised childbirth to the extreme so that it is no longer perceived as a natural part of life, but a dangerous process that must be very closely monitored in a strict medical environment. Thousands of home births in America are completely successful & free from any problems, even for triplets! It has also been proven that home birth can actually reduce the risks of complications simply because the woman is far more relaxed. I worked as a midwifery assistant for a while, so I'm familiar with the professional side of things from both the hospital environment & the home environment. Midwives are able to spot any potential problems early on, so if help is needed they can take action quickly & in good time. They even come in pairs to home births either two midwives or a midwife & midwifery assistant. Although having said that, things are relaxing a little more as midwives take less of a leading role & more of an observing role at home births to allow couples to have as much or as little encouragement & assistance as they want, while still keeping an eye on things to make sure there's nothing of concern that needs attention. But whatever you choose, trust your body & the midwife, the likelihood is you & your babies will be fine.”
by Jenny, Essex
Monday, June 07 2010, 5:53PM
“In England anyone is frre to choose to give birth at home even if it is against medical advice. So this woman is legally free to refuse to go to hospital and within her rights to give birth at home regardless of any complications and that includes carrying twis also. So even the mother of twins or more CAN stay at home and CANNOT BE FORCED INTO HOSPITAL.Although the health tust does not have to provide a NHS midwife no trust has ever not sent a midwife round when the mother has determinded to stay at home.The trust never said they would not send a midwife for the twin birth,they mearly said their midwifes are not experienced enough and could not take responsibility. This does not mean they will not send a midwife but that if somthing went wrong the couple could not sue the trust which this woman is unlikly to do as she mearly wants to stay at home for the bith and afterward. So it is not true a health trust does not provide midwives to those who want a home birth,even if it is against medical advice. however this mother has chosen a private midwife for her twin birth and this is also her choice.so nobody can be forced into hospital and trusts have provided NHS midwives for twin births,even though they may have adviced against home birth.A trust however does not have an abligation to pay for private care if the couple chooses to go private,but as mentioned it is this womans choice to stay at home if she chooses and the trust is still obliged to send a midwife round regardless of her choice.”
by Whateva!, UK
Friday, July 03 2009, 10:15AM
“Let the parents have their choice. It is only in the last fifty odd years has it become "the norm" to have babies in hospital. Personally I feel it's better to have your babies where you feel most comfortable and with the state of the UHNS and it's record for infections then I know where I'd rather be. In my own clean, germ free home. Good luck with the birth!”
by Sarah Ericson, USA
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 5:22AM
“No I am not from your area, however I am a mom of Twins that were home birthed in water. I have to say that it saved my daughter's life!
I was aghast at what I was told would happen if I labored at the hospital. I would not be allowed to walk around or be in whatever position felt best to me. I would be hooked up to monitors and the only position I could deliver in was supine (slightly sitting) and would only be able to do that if Baby A was head down. suffice it to say neither baby was head down. And would not be in a comfortable Labor and Delivery room, I would be confined to an bed in an Operating Room. My son was a frank breech and my daughter was a footling posterior.
I chose to go with midwives, in USA they carry everything that is needed to deal with resuscitating, hemorage, or any other issues that arise. the only thing they can't give is an epidural and a cesarean birth.
When my daughter was born, she had a large dent in her skull right over the veins that supply blood and oxygen to her brain. The surgeon said that if she had come out any other way than footling posterior breech including surgically she would either be brain damaged or dead.
Midwives saved my daughter, so while medically there are times where a surgeon is needed, midwives are also needed. Homebirth is a viable option for multiple births as long as the mother is considered a 'low' risk for everything else that can happen during pregnancy.
I'm sure many people consider me crazy and selfish, all i can say is my homebirth saved my children. I would have lost my daughter if i had delivered in a hospital.”
by Sue, crewe
Wednesday, April 22 2009, 8:04PM
“I suppose it is up to the NHS to offer home birth or not... but it is up to me as a women to choose if to accept any treatment - nhs or otherwise while pregnant. I am regardless of my death or my baby's death going it alone.. the law in the UK states no-one of sound mind can be forced to accept any medical treatment - treatment without consent carries an assault and battery charge.
I know women struggle with the concept but we, in a so called free world are allowed to choose regardless of the fact the state may disapprove or 99.9% of the population may disapprove allowed to choose our destiny (and also our baby's destiny while in utero)
As an educated late thirty year old I make the choices in my life... so women stopping worrying about what is happening in other women's lives and concentrate on your own that is all that you have control over.”