Changing my mind about the birth centre!!!!

[ft90]

Hi Ladies,

This is probably a pointless post, but I just needed to rant!

I had a water birth workshop at the birth centre where I want to have LO tonight. I was really looking forward to it, learning a bit more about water births, because it's something I'm interested in, if only for the pain relief side, haven't really decided...

Anyway, the birthing centre has changed so many of their policies since I've moved to the area (6 weeks ago):

1. They don't keep you in overnight anymore. It used to be that they kept you in as long as possible to make sure all was well. You usually stayed in at least one night there, sometimes more. Now if everything is okay, you can be out in 4 hours! This doesn't bother me as much though because I'd rather be at home I think.

2. They are no longer open at night! They close at 8pm until 8am. Obviously you can still give birth at night there, but you have to call a call centre type number that overs all the birthing centres in the area, then an on-call midwife will call you and arrange to meet you at the centre.

3. Due to the fact they don't keep you in overnight anymore, they can't give you pethidine. Because it makes the baby drowsy, less likely to feed etc, they would normally keep you overnight. But now they don't keep people overnight anymore, they won't give you any pethidine! I wasn't sure if I wanted that anyway, because I get sick really easily and was worried that it might make me throw up...

Anyway, I'm starting to wonder if I'm making the right decision about having LO there. I know if I want an epidural they'll ambulance me to hospital straight away. But I don't know if it's worth the stress of being in labour and waiting for the on call person to ring and everything. I'm really upset because I love the atmosphere there, it's so peaceful, and so quiet that I'd probably have the whole place to myself.

On the plus side though (yes, there is one!) I never realised OH could get in the birthing pool as well! He's going to love that! I think he secretly wanted to anyway, he loves the idea of a waterbirth and loves having baths haha!

Congrats if you made it to the end of this! As I said, I really needed to rant, and I feel bad ranting to OH in an email when he's offshore and has work to worry about!

xx

PS - Guess who was the hugest in the room as well!!!??? Most of these women had 3 weeks left and here's me, 5 and a half weeks to go and a bump twice the size!!!

 

[Sarah13]

Why not consider a home birth instead, it's much the same a these birthing centers and hire a pool? I looked at ours and really didn't see the point over having a home birth just the inconvenience of traveling there plus your not garanteed the pool if someone is in it anyway. Most centers don't really give pain relief anyway as they don't work like that, they are the 'natural' route. Ours does stay open at night though!

Funny what you say about your OH wanting to get in the pool, mine is the complete opposite and thinks I'm weird even wanting a pool birth so no chance of him getting in, think his mate put him off talking about the fishing nets lol!

 

[Geminiblue]

Hi lovey, most places dont keep you over night now but saying that and not sure if you now this, if you wanted to breast feed and needed help they keep you as long as you need and I think if you are truly worried about things they dont chuck you out on the street so to speak (thats the policy of the local birthing centre here). I was wanting a waterbirth too, have they got that facility at your hospital? Ive got to have mine in hospital as I had a c section last time...they have a birthing pool too so am going to give that a go as last time I had to be monitored. Hope you get it sorted xxx

 

[knopk@]

My hospital has 2 rooms with the pool etc so you can have a natural birth, I actually think they are not taken most of the time. With home birth though, you will haveto get your own pool?

 

[roxane 1985]

i say drugs all the way, get me to the hospital and kit me out with everything youve got lmao. last time i had gas n air, pethadine x2 and 6 spinal blocks was still screaming my head off till the spinal blocks lol - mind you the photos of me were funny, eyes were all over the place lol

here is an idea that may work for your- for me its hospitl all the way every time but for other ladies they feel it makes things worse.

go have a nice relax in the bath, when you come out make a nice drink (i actually nearly typed get yourself a glass of wine lol i keep forgetting we're all pregnant lol)

get a not pad and write down all the pros and cons of having the baby in a hospital, at home and your birthing centre, seeing it all in black and white you may find what makes you feel better

 

[ft90]

Under normal circumstances, I'd love a home birth, but the house I'm living in is rented, there are cream carpets, and I don't think there's enough space for a birthing pool there... It's something I'm considering for the next time. At the birthing centre near me, there are only a few births a week there, and they have at least 2 pools, so if I want to get in, I should be able to...

Yeah I don't know what it is about my OH, he just loves baths! He's probably going to be even more stressed than me so I think he'll need to get in to relax haha!

I'm going to have a think about the hospital... They have birthing pools as well, but it's so busy there! That's the reason why my birthing centre is closed at night, because the maternity ward in the hospital is so busy that all the midwives have had to start working there!

Roxanne - That's a good idea, to try and relax and then write a pros and cons list. I think I might try that later, then when I go and see my midwife a week today I'll talk to her about my concerns. It's so annoying my OH being away, because I could really do with him going through it all with me, he helps me stay calm when I'm stressing about things like this!

xx

 

[roxane 1985]

Under normal circumstances, I'd love a home birth, but the house I'm living in is rented, there are cream carpets, and I don't think there's enough space for a birthing pool there... It's something I'm considering for the next time. At the birthing centre near me, there are only a few births a week there, and they have at least 2 pools, so if I want to get in, I should be able to...

Yeah I don't know what it is about my OH, he just loves baths! He's probably going to be even more stressed than me so I think he'll need to get in to relax haha!

I'm going to have a think about the hospital... They have birthing pools as well, but it's so busy there! That's the reason why my birthing centre is closed at night, because the maternity ward in the hospital is so busy that all the midwives have had to start working there!

Roxanne - That's a good idea, to try and relax and then write a pros and cons list. I think I might try that later, then when I go and see my midwife a week today I'll talk to her about my concerns. It's so annoying my OH being away, because I could really do with him going through it all with me, he helps me stay calm when I'm stressing about things like this!

xx

yh home birth with cream carpet nota good idea lol