From Jan this year my local maternity has changed to midwife led only. I got a letter saying that they will do all my ante natal care but I now need to decide whether I am happy to deliver there, or wish to be transferred to another hospital 10-15 miles away for birth only. Tbh I dont think they will take me as it says you have to have had a straightforward 1st pg, or it be your 1st and be fit and healthy. The wont take you if its twins, have diabetes, previous c-section, high BP, BMI over 35 etc. I think my history will put them off (high bp with Caitlin and needed an epidural because of this).

The more I read/hear I dont know who would pick to deliver there.....

-NO epidurals are available

-The hospital has no neonatal or childrens ward/care (it never did with Caitlin but that was a risk I took). If baby is ill it gets taken by ambulance to Belfast hospital (only 6/7 min on motorway in ambulance).

-Its now only a 4 bed unit (there is 120 000 ppl in my town)- When I had Caitlin 12 people delivered in 24 hrs, so at some point they will be too full and send you to another hospital anyway. (though im guessing expected numbers are cut anyway due to criteria)

-They dont do inductions - if you require to be induced for any reason be it medical or simply 10 days overdue you got to another hospital.

-If things arent going to plan in labour the midwifes can consult an obstetician by PHONE, and if they are worried in anyway you are transported by ambulance mid labour to another hospital, including if you need a c-section.

So far I have heard of someone being transferred by ambulance at 3am to get an epidural, one girl I know is 3 days over and waiting to here if she can deliver there and another who's baby required IV drugs and was taken away after birth and the mother had to wait 6 hrs to be transfered to join her as she was being stitched/stabilised herself.
The pro's are apparently the new unit is gorgeous, a home from home type look with comfy sofa's, birthing pools in every room, same midwife the whole time, ensuite's, tens machines available, birthing balls etc.

Am I a big wuss or would anyone else pick to deliver here? The hospital I think im choosing for delivery is the royal in belfast which has a neonatal unit and epidurals 24/7. Granted its prob a bit older looking, very busy and shared rooms after delivery but the new unit at my local hospital scares me a bit if anything went wrong! I can understand if you could be transfered upstairs to another ward but its the mid labour ambulance trip that scares me, or being separated from LO.

I can understand your concerns as you had complications last night. However, this is the criteria our midwife centre 10 miles away has. I had our first there, and then my second at home. Personally the unit sounds fantastic to me as i had complication free pregnancies and births x x x

You want to know what I would do? I wouldnt go there. Mainly I wouldnt be allowed as I dont meet the criteria. But also, because I am not 100% sure if I would be comfortable with no doctor available. I found that having them around was a massive comfort to me when in labour both times. xx

I chose to have my 1st (& only so far) at a birthing centre which is midwife led.

Everything you've mentioned at your centre is the same as the one that I went to.

I was a little worried (nothing to cause me sleepless nights though) that the only pain relief was gas and air and pethadine. But this birthing centre was lovely and I just knew that I wanted to give it a go and that the care they give you is pretty much one to one and that if things weren't going to plan, then I did have the option of 3 other hospitals and then if I did end up having the baby at the hospital, I would be allowed to come back for a few days.

These midwives are so experience and in some ways know a lot more than the doctors. Yes for peace of mind, it would be nice to have a doctors on hand but again the care is so thorough that I didn't really think too much about there being no doctors there.

In the end everything was perfect and I stayed there for 3 days and I do feel lucky and fortunate to have had this experience.

I had a good pregnancy and was low risk so taking all that into consideration for me it was a relatively easy decision.

I had a room to myself for the first two nights, they brought me my lunch and dinner. Breakfast was in a lovely room (just like home) and oh my god I've never enjoyed having a bath every day as much as I did there.

Again, I was fortunate in every way. The birth was quick and I had no stitches, no other sort of pain afterwards other than sore stomach muscles.

A midwife led may not be the best choice for you depending on your past pregnancy history and this pregnancy but you just need to weigh everything up, talk to the right people and then see how you feel. All the best with whatever decision you go with.

Tania. x

I just wish they hadnt changed it. If it was like it was with Caitlin I would have gone there again - I too had my own room both nights I stayed (there was only a cpl of single rooms but I got one because I was BF I think). MWs are lovely, its 1 mile from my front door, I was able to have epidural (though it was only mon-fri 9-5 they were available), I knew if I needed C-sec it would be done there, I saw same MWs who had done my ante natal care at delivery, and post natal.

I think iv made my mind up to go to Belfast due to the fear i'l need an epidural or my BP will rocket dangerously again during delivery and being transfered in an ambulance isnt likely to help that.

I like the idea of a calm, relaxing birth but then fears kick in. Also since my friend lost her LO after birth I cant stop thinking about how if anything had happened to Caitlin she would have been rushed off in ambulance and I wouldnt have got to see her to say goodbye I can only see the negatives atm....

It sounds like a lovely experience in straightforward pg's, I just wish I had a crystal ball! If I go to Belfast its going to be a pain transport wise - particularly if its snowing, Stuart doesnt drive and somehow Caitlin being cared for needs fitted in too this time.

I would speak to them first and see if you qualify for their criteria. You may be putting yourself under unecessary stress if they wont take you anyway. It does sound lovely and in an ideal world would be perfect - if you had the crystal ball, lol. x

Yes it is a shame that it's been change but with what you have said, I think probably going to Belfast is the right decision for you.

Even with my straightforward pregnancy I still wasn't 100% sure about going to the birthing centre with only midwives but I just knew it was something that I wanted to try.

I think if I was in your shoes I'd chose the hospital but remember providing you're not classified as 'high risk' in this pregnancy then you don't have to make this decision for a long time. I was told that I could still go to the hospital right up to when my labour started. Because at the end of the day, I didn't know how I'd truly feel until it all kicked off so to speak

All the best.

Tania.

I chose to give birth at a Centre like that. All was going well untill after 2 hours of pushing Cerys just wouldnt budge, so I had to be transferred ASAP mid labour with Cerys half way out to the nearest hospital 12 miles away. That was the most horrendous journey I have ever done in my life . . Same thing, they didnt do epidurals, which I was aware of anyway, so all i had was gas and air. If I was you, I would get booked into the hospital, at least you know everything will be there in one place should you need it xx

Hey hun just to throw a spanner in the works , i had theo in the ulster , and i loved it !!

they were absolutely brilliant , i had such a good experiance there , im even worried about my next baby as we are moving to england and i wont be able to have baby in the same place it was that good !


iv heard good reviews about the royal also buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut i still love the ulster , although im only a stones throw from there so it was v handy for me to get there when needed as im in dundonald ;-)

i personally would go for it, because i couldn't go to the centre that stupid smelly pixel went to last time - i really wanted to!! it had the same rules as you say, and i would have much preferred to be in a less 'clinical' situation, but obviously i wasn't allowed.

i would see how the pg goes and if you are healthy and fit still nearer the end can you still choose, or do you need to do it soon?

stupid smelly me gave birth in the midwife unit and it was great cos it didn't feel like a hospital.
however, my pregnancy was fine, I didn't need induced, I didn't want an epidural and never needed one AND the unit was attached to the hospital so I knew there was always that backup.

might be worth talking to them about it and visiting it at some point to see how you feel but I had a great birthing experience there

i gave birth at a midwife led unit aswell and other than the lack of midwifes on the wkend i gave birth i loved it and would def give birth there again,so much better than the maternity ward and it was attached to the hospital so if any complications it was a 2second journey to get me to labour wardalthough in saying that evan came out not breathing and had poo'd inside me so his lungs were full of it and all blocked, and after pulling the emergency cord it took 2 secs for the emergency team and baby docs to get in my room and he was resusitated infront of me in my room everything i needed or they needed was there

Chickadee I didnt realise you were from here!!!

Its the Lagan Valley in Lisburn that im talking about. It is a hospital with A&E etc they have just taken away the consultants from maternity ward. The Ulster is an option for me to choose from aswell. In fact if I pick the lagan valley and then something goes wrong it is the ulster that you are automatically transferred to. I saw a bbc documentary in the Ulsters home from home ward and it did look flipping amazing - and also they had consultant care available in emergencys.

The only thing putting me off the Ulster is transport. Lisburn is literally a 10-15 min car trip up the M1 to the Royal, where as the Ulster is maybe 30-35 min away going via outer ring etc. Stuart doesnt drive and my mum hates driving outside Lisburn so it seems a bit of a faff, especially for visiting if im in for a cpl of days.

Mari I think I have to pretty much make my mind up for next Wed at my booking appointment. It does say in letter they will discuss it more with me and tell me if im suitable. If im honest I just cant imagne me lounging comfortably in a pool giving birth - I was a raving, screaming nutjob before the epidural with Caitlin! I was also induced so Im trying to kid myself thats why it hurt so fecking much!

Its seems a joke that i'l actually be in a hospital but they cant cope with a birth that requires a little help and have decided to move people around in ambulances instead of keeping consultants etc on site like they had done for the past 40 years or more!

I would never have the option but I don't think I would. Knowing how quickly things can go wrong I just couldn't take the risk. Amelia wouldn't have survived that journey, it can be they've literally got to get them out there and then.

Laura feels the same after Katie Kayleigh. She has said I need to demand the Royal as it has neonatal and can do c-secs in minutes. I know what happened with Ollie and Katie is rare, but when you see it first hand it does make you think

In saying that Katie was born at the Royal and there was still nothing they could do. Laura however says at least she knows she was in the right place and if she had picked our local hospital she would have been forever wondering if only she had gone to the Royal and been able to treat katie immediately would things have been different.

I was in hospital for 8 minutes before Amelia was born and that included getting a scan and being prepped for surgery so if there was no doctors I dread to think what would have happened!

How is Laura doing? Was her new baby a boy or girl? I remeber reading the thread but I can't for the life of me remember.

She is doing great, over, 2 weeks old now. She had a boy, Ethan 8lb 7oz born by c-sec at 39 weeks. She was induced early and labour didnt progress much after 5cm and she got a bit anxious so they agreed to just go straight to c-sec. He doing fab and so cute.

Wow 8mins! That is quick! I think they would struggle to get a woman to the royal by ambulance and set up for c-sec within 20min from making decision. As for the Ulster I reckon it would be 30 min including preping for surgery. I could be wrong with times but def not in 8 mins!!!

Hows little Amelia doing? Saw the pics on fb, cant believe how much hair she has! xxx

Awww thats fab news for her!

Shes doing amazingly, shes on low flow air now so shes only getting a tiny amount through nasal prongs and apart from that shes breathing on her own! Shes 2lbAs long as her heart scan goes ok tomorrow then she can come back to our local hospital, shes an hour away at the moment so I'm really hoping it goes well

hun, i had a simple delivery with rich, i had epidural but that was slipped disc pain.

but i'd still go to the hosptial, although i wouldnt have a choice with my health issues, but i'd just feel calmer knowing everything was there that i needed

I would go for the hospital option... yeah ok it's nice to not have a hospitally environment but I would much rather dislike my environment but have a doctor on hand should anything go wrong. no question.

but then i've only ever had a baby in Cyprus and it's completely different... two obstetricians a pediatrician and about 3 nurses at each birth!

umm i wouodnt go there.. my reasons would be (if it was me) paige was a baaaaddd birth where i was drapped away n nearly needing a c section.

and 10/15 miles isnt too far... our hospital is abput 11/12 miles away, n we got there quite quickly x

wkos Katie and Ethan? if it were me id go the the midwife led unit x

personally id go for the hospital for the simple reason if anything went wrong!! x

my friend lives about 45 mins from the nearest hospital to her she lives in montrose and the hosp is in dundee and she gave birth at the midwife unit in montrose but was told if anything was to happen she wud be airlifted to the hosp in dundee and would be there within minutes

~ Katie ~ wrote:

wkos Katie and Ethan? if it were me id go the the midwife led unit x

My friend Laura (mummylaura on here, but didnt post much just lurks sometimes) had a baby girl who died last summer (Katie) and a couple of weeks ago had a baby boy called Ethan. x