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?