delivery suite tour....

[BeckyJ]

have you had one? when did you have it?

after having to go to hospital last week and ending up in delivery suite i am now petrified of it

i imagined it to be so much nicer than what it was ken keeps saying maybe we just saw the bad bits but im not convinced so im going to book a tour, how has everyone else found theres?

 

[BeckyJ]

i havnt had any yet

how many weeks where you when you had them if you have?

 

[Jade&Evie]

Didn't go to antenatal classes (WELL, I went to one at 29 weeks but didn't go back!). You should ask your midwife about them.

Hospital Tour we did last weekend (so I was 35 weeks). I imagined it to be nicer to- it was more 'hospitally' than I thought it would be Still, I'm hoping my stay there will be quite short so trying not to worry about it... more worried it's on the third floor of the hospital and I have to get up there whilst battling contractions!

 

[debecca]

I got my tour of the delivery suite and recuperation ward as part of my antenatal classes - probably at about 32 weeks. Our hospital is actually quite nice but I had already arranged to give birth in the local midwife-based unit so it just confirmed for me that I had made the right choice. The Caesarean theatre was particularly scary

I believe you can ring up and arrange for a tour at any time? Well, my midwife-based unit was like that but I guess they're less busy...

Good luck hun

 

[Happybunny]

I think I was about 35 weeks when I went. I didn't do the NHS ante-natal classes, so I just rang up and asked to go along and look.
I was nervous on the way to the visit and had a few tears, but I needn't have worried.
Sunderland Hospital is surprisingly nice. It is all relatively new and has more of a 'hotel' feel than medical one. Every one has a private room whether in delivery or recuperation.
The c-section theatre wasn't as bad as I was expecting either. I always though operating theatres were awash with stainless steel - a bit like a space ship. But it had windows and looked just like any other room but with more equipment.
Sorry you're experience wasn't as positive, but at the end of the day, it is the care from the professionals that really counts and I am sure you will be taken very good care of.

 

[cinnamon81]

I've got a tour of MW led unit this afternoon, I just phoned up to arrange as I keep thinking I'd rather have a homebirth than have to have my baby somewhere unfamilair.

My antenatal classes aren't until 36 weeks and you get a tour during the labour & pain relief class, but I need to feel prepared

I'll let you know how it goes.......

 

[muppetmummy]

I had a tour of the midwife led unit at 36 weeks. My midwife told me to phone up to book.
The unit looked too much like a hospital for my liking. I was hoping it would look more homely. It did look very clean though, and is definately a better option than going into hospital. I would still have preferred a home birth though (OH says no way )

I had antenatal classes from 28 weeks, for 4 weeks. The midwife booked them for me early on in the pregnancy

 

[cinnamon81]

I had a tour of the midwife led unit at 36 weeks...
The unit looked too much like a hospital for my liking. I was hoping it would look more homely.

Just back from my tour and have to say its not what I thought it would be either each room has a hospital bed, a birthing ball, a chair and a crib for baby. They do have dimmer switches, so less stark than ordinary hospital room but not very homely or relaxing. So different from what I thought - everytime I watch birth programmes on tv they seem to have piles of cushions and home comforts...

And theres only one shared loo/shower/bath for all the delivery rooms!! I hate the thought of using a loo that someone else has, I don't even like going when I visit friend and family yes I'm weird

Theres only one birthing pool too.

Hmmmm think I'll have to look into this homebirth idea a bit more

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I had a day antenatal class and part of that was the tour round the delivery suite. I hated it. I mean it was clean and tidy and everything, and they've never had any infection or anything bad there but it just seemed so... I don't know. Hospitally. Even the 'home from home' room was just a room with a bed, a chair, a shelf thing, a sink.
Most of the rooms have ensuite facilities.

The 'lagoon' bath was literally just a slightly bigger size bath and really wasn't very nice.

It made me even more determined for my home birth.

xxx

 

[Sherlock]

We did the hospital delivery suite and ward tour a few weeks ago. Just phone up your hospital maternity unit and book in for the group tour.

TBH it was very much as I was expecting. Hospital like, small windows in the delivery room and sterile environment and bright lights.

We only saw the birthpool room which was the largest. If that was large then the non birth pool ones must be tiny

I didn't like the fact the windows were up high and could only be opened a fraction. And the decor did my head in. Nothing relaxing in the colour blue on the walls or ugly floral print curtains on the screen. And I could hear noises from elsewhere which I found offputting.

There was TV stand in there, but no TV. A CD player was provided in the room. As was a birthing ball.

It wasn't really welcoming nor I felt conducive to making me feel relaxed. But then isn't that the same with any hospital environment really?

Plus once the equipment had been explained, it bothered me that once wired up to a monitor I would only be able to go about 3 foot from the bed on one side. And that would be it. So much for mobility eh Hence me asking if I could decline constant monitoring and use a Doppler or something every 15 minutes instead.

The ward for before actual delivery and after was windowless, busy and quite noisy. It was also stuffy and hot and as I detest that sort of thing it made me feel ill. The private room was a shoebox, room for a bed, a chair and a bedside table and that was it. Cot was literally squished up against the wall. The window was again tiny.

Shared showers, loos etc.

TBH its not the place I want to give birth in. Seeing it properly just reaffirmed that for me. It never has been. Hence me opting for a homebirth. I look around me here and I can see rolling hills, sunshine, have fresh air, my own bed, shower, bath and pool. Eat and drink when I want and distract myself with my own things for as long as possible. No contest for me when it comes down to it.

 

[BeckyJ]

in the room i was in there was no birthing ball, a single chair by the bed, no cd player and a tv that didnt work

there was nothing that i could have used as a distraction, it was just so cold and bare, there wasnt even pics on the wall

 

[keli]

I went to my midwife led unit a couple of wks ago and i must admit i really didn't like it and i came away feeling very uneasy. The midwife that showed me around said the hospital bit was alot worse thought it would be like a hotel suite..ha was i wrong. It looked all old and like it needed a good clean!!

 

[muppetmummy]

I had a tour of the midwife led unit at 36 weeks...
The unit looked too much like a hospital for my liking. I was hoping it would look more homely.

Just back from my tour and have to say its not what I thought it would be either each room has a hospital bed, a birthing ball, a chair and a crib for baby. They do have dimmer switches, so less stark than ordinary hospital room but not very homely or relaxing. So different from what I thought - everytime I watch birth programmes on tv they seem to have piles of cushions and home comforts...

And theres only one shared loo/shower/bath for all the delivery rooms!! I hate the thought of using a loo that someone else has, I don't even like going when I visit friend and family yes I'm weird

Theres only one birthing pool too.

Hmmmm think I'll have to look into this homebirth idea a bit more

The midwife unit I'm going to only has room for two women in labour at once, and both rooms have en-suite bathrooms with a shower so at least there's no need to share.
I expected there to be piles of cushions and for it to look like someone's front room too!
I think you should look into a home birth. I wanted to have one myself but OH isn't happy about having the mess in our house, and said our kitchen floor isn't strong enough for a pool