Birthing Centre ??

[nikki1306]

Hi
Have any of you ladies given birth or gonna give birth at a birthing centre?

My local hospital which is just 5 mins away has been downgraded and now just has a low risk birthing centre. No doctors,no epidurals just a couple of midwifes and a couple of beds!! The midwife thinks its great and i would be perfect for it as both my last pregnancies were normal.

But the hospital is old and a bit grimey if i am honest and every birth is different you just don't know what is gonna happen. If anything went wrong or i needed a c-section they would need to transfer me by ambulance to the nearest hospital which is about 30mins away Would i not be better of being at a normal hospital in the first place with everything at hand incase of an emergency , where there are epidurals and doctors and special care if i was to need them??

What would you do?

 

[hayley]

this is my first pregnancy so i don't know what to expect! i am going in with an open mind... i might need an epidural - i mightn't!!! it's not fair to have to go into a birthing clinic where they can't offer you an epidural... and as you say, what if you need an emergency C section... the last thing you want is a 30 min bumpy ride to the hospital... the birthing clinic might be nice! the MD's will probably have more time to spend with you and let you do things at your own pace! but i'd be a little worried in case i couldn't handle the pain and needed an epidral - but as i say! this is my first.... when do you have to give them a answer? can you go to the clinic and take a look around? i suppose it'll be similar to having a home birth....

x

 

[nikki1306]

Hi hayley

you can change your mind when you like and yes you are right they say it's a home from home experience. You can have a look around but i don't think it's changed in anyway apart from the downgrading,my midwife also said that they are short staffed (not looking good is it )

I am not sure what to do xx

 

[cassi]

I dont think it sounds like a proper home away from home clinic, i just think its exactly the same as it probly was as a hospital maternity ward, but with no doctors and they are trying to make it sound nice so people use it, IMHO i wouldnt use it, i wouldnt feel happy or safe, it sounds like a 2nd hand mat ward tbh...

Maybe if you want to use a birthing clinic use a proper one that has doctors avaliable in a nearby hospital and that was made to be a birthing clinic

good luck
cas x