Where should I give birth?

[debecca]

I need your help on this decision! I was supposed to be discussing this with my midwife today and arranging appointments to view both places but obviously haven't been able to do that so...

OPTION 1:

Large local hospital (20 minutes' drive away). Has all facilities and many many births a year. Can have epidural or caesarian no problem (if required obviously).

OPTION 2:

Midwife-led unit (25-30 minutes' drive away). Fewer than 300 births a year so I'll probably be the only one. Calmer, can play my music etc. No facilities for epidural or Caesarian, if I need either I'll be ambulanced to the above which will take 40 minutes down the motorway

OPTION 3:

Give birth at Option 1 and recuperate at Option 2.

So ladies, what do you think and why? I should probably also add that I am petrified of needles, hospitals and doctors and am a whinger. I am also terrified of any pain. I may need a caesarian as I am very small, although my midwife seems to think that Size 3 feet make no difference to pelvic size.

What shall I do?!

 

[Becs]

I didn't vote yet. I understand your dillema. I am in a similar situation. As the hospital is only 10 mins away I'd like to try for a home birth. The midwife recommends waiting at home for as long as possible and as I think I will find it stressful trying to guess at what point we should go in, I would prefer to just do it all at home. Obviously if the pregnancy becomes complicated I will change my mind but, I want to see how I do at home first.

Is that something you would consider?

 

[Sophie1102]

I voted option 2, if you don't like hospitals etc then you will probably feel more relaxed and this really does go a long way to helping you deliver the baby.

I had the domino scheme with my first (the same midwife who did my antenatal care was with me at the birth and I didn't stay overnight at the hospital - was home within 4 hours) This was really good as there was the extra care if needed, but I did have other midwives popping in being a bit bossy!

My second I had at home and this was the most relaxing - dare I say enjoyable!?!?!? - experience, I could walk around my own home and eat/drink what I wanted, watch my own telly. Then when it was all over I got into my own comfy bed and everyone left me to it, which was lovely

 

[Babylicious]

I'd go for hospital - I don't like pain much

 

[kalia]

If it weren't for that 40 min on the motorway I'd say go with option 2. I don't have a clue about the time scales of giving birth but 40 mins just seems like a long time to me if Connie is in distress. I'd be tempted to go for option 3. I don't mind giving birth in hospital - that's where they keep all the good drugs if the reality of just gas and air turns out to be a bit too stark- but I hate the idea of being on a ward afterwards!
But I don't think you should give much weight to my opinion - those who have given birth will have a far better idea than me of what's important during labour.

 

[Bee]

Personally for me it is the hospital but its only 2 mins down the road and I have no idea if there are any midwife places near me - probably not

For u I think I would go with the unit

 

[Twinkletoesnw]

I would def say the miwifery led unit...but I suppose it all depends on what pain relief they can offer you and if you want a epidural, then you also have to consider what would happen if you also needed to be induced and would that require you to go to the hospital.
I would of loved a small unit....but unfortunately for me this would never of been an option with Robbie!

 

[andreaaa]

I would like to say Option 2, mostly for the fact that you dont like hospitals/doctors/needles... but 40 mins is a long time if there is an emergency.

Like has been mentioned, what about a home birth - that way if you need to be transferred to hospital it won't take as long to get there

I am either going to the midwife unit or having a home birth this time as I didn't like giving birth in hospital.

 

[Bloom]

Thats a tough one

Personally my birth plan will be along the lines of birth at the hospital with as much pain relief as i need

But as you dont like hospitals i would say the midwife unit would be nice but 40 mins is a long time if you are having trouble so for that reason i would say option 1 as its your first you have no idea what to expect and its always nice to have the help right there should you need it. As for not liking needles and things im sure when it comes to labour if you need something for Connie's sake you would do it without a second thought.

Option 3 is ok but i wouldnt fancy being moved around after birth as providing all is well you will be in and out of the hospital pretty quick anyway inless you have a caesarian in which case being moved to the midwife unit would be quite nice.

 

[muppetmummy]

I would say option 2. The midwives will be aware of the distance between the unit and hospital so they will keep that in mind during labour. At the first sign of trouble you will be transferred to hospital. I think most problems have warning signs before the situation gets dangerous so there will be time to relocate of neccessary.

I had James in hospital and felt totally ignored and abandoned. I spent most of the labour on my own (birth partner wasn't allowed to stay until the pushing stage cos it was night time, the delivery suites were full, and I was taken to the maternity ward where visitors are not allowed outside of hours). The midwives were overworked and quite snappy, stressed and not very friendly as a result. Obviously some people will have fantastic experiences of hospital birth, but mine just showed me how short staffed and overworked the midwives are.

This time I'm debating between a home birth or birth in a midwife unit. My home is 30 mins from hospital, midwife unit is about 45 mins away from hospital. I will only be going to a hospital if baby or me are in danger.

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

Id like to say at home with my family round me but i live in a glorified shed so no to that. If i had my way id be up North having the baby but we live down hear. Penbury hospital in Kent has bad press so im aprehensive about giving birth there. There is a midwife unit but the hospital is much closer. I have to admit to wonting as much gas and air petadine as i can get after hearing all the dlightfull stories from those who know. so hospital it is though when i see my midwife at 24 week apponitment ill ask for more info on midwife unit it sounds much better and they have a birthing pool which has always interested me as a nice way to give birth.

 

[Blossom]

My first delivery went really really badly and we suffered shoulder dystocia. If I hadn't been in hospital to have my baby, both of us would definitely have died. I was still being stiched after 3 hours and suffered a PPH and needed 6 blood packets in a tranfusion shortly after. Grim. The ambulance could not have got us to hospital on time to deal with the shoudler dystocia. Fprtunately our midwife led unit is part of the labour unit at the hospital.

I might sound a bit morbid, but having had the worse obstetric emergency happen to me, I would only ever recommend a hospital. I am sure midwife led units deliver hundreds and hundreds of babys successfully, but you never know whether or not the emergency is going to happen to you.

Sorry for sounding negative I just wince when i think of being away from hospitals at such a crucial time.

 

[Happybunny]

I think it is a tough one. I have seen some documentaries where the midwife units look great. I would really like to have a baby there; however, I think that a 40 minute drive away from a hospital would worry me. I am a bit of a worrier and would want to know that expect medical help was on hand if it was needed...just for this first time as it is really unknown territory for me.
I would say hospital and then recuperate at the unit; then unit next time round, once you know what to expect from the whole shebang

 

[muppetmummy]

My first delivery went really really badly and we suffered shoulder dystocia. If I hadn't been in hospital to have my baby, both of us would definitely have died. I was still being stiched after 3 hours and suffered a PPH and needed 6 blood packets in a tranfusion shortly after. Grim. The ambulance could not have got us to hospital on time to deal with the shoudler dystocia. Fprtunately our midwife led unit is part of the labour unit at the hospital.

I might sound a bit morbid, but having had the worse obstetric emergency happen to me, I would only ever recommend a hospital. I am sure midwife led units deliver hundreds and hundreds of babys successfully, but you never know whether or not the emergency is going to happen to you.

Sorry for sounding negative I just wince when i think of being away from hospitals at such a crucial time.

And you want to give birth again!!! That really does sound like a horrendous experience! I hope you have a better time of it this time around

 

[trixipaws]

i voted option 2 hunni, it sounds like would be a much nicer experience for u and u can always be whisked to hosp whould u need to.

 

[Tillytots]

option 2 - midwife led unit

Having it there I think you're in with a better chance of having a much nicer, calmer experience. You'll have closer care, maybe even one to one whereas in a hospital you may be left on your own. Im not a fan of hospitals.

Just out of interest what has shoe size got to do with labour?! Im a size 3 - 4 too

x

 

[ChocolateBill]

I've going for Option 3.
with my first, labour was textbook but he needed resuscitating at birth, if i wasnt in a big hospital he'd probably have died. I also needed repair by a surgeon, which arent available at MW units, I also later discovered I haemorrhagged(sp)

But my second was also textbook, no problems at all so being in MW led unit would have been fine.

Third time, Im im going to big hospital. I just cant imagine having a baby without the specialist care around me.

Recuperating in a nice quiet environment where you get on tap help with feeding etc sounds perfect and a very good place to be, hence my choice of option 3

 

[BeckyJ]

i agree hun, option 2

 

[debecca]

Thank you everyone for your input!

I hadn't really thought about it from the point of view of medical emergency (either because I'm an eternal optimist or because I was obsessing about the pain relief side of the decision) and I can see there are many arguments for the hospital for the actual birth.

If I eventually get to see a midwife who wants to sort me out some ante natal classes (!) I will elect to do those at the hospital because then I think I will be given a tour. I am going to arrange to look round the midwife unit as well but they're a bit more flexible, I just have to ring and I can go up any time.

Thank you SO much for all your points of view. I'll keep you up to date

 

[Bloom]

Oh i forgot about the tours of the hospital i have a leaflet somewhere saying when i can go for one of those.