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I sadly needed a c section in the end, but I was talking with one of the midwives at my aromatherapy session. She said more people are classed as high risk or need c section, so they can't use the birth centre. I was asking about the birth pools as there are only a few. She said its incredibly rare they are all in use at once, so as long as you are low risk, i don't see it being an issue using the birth centre in general.
Following with interest as hoping either for a home birth or to go into the birth centre. I saw they (like almost every maternity unit in the country) were marked down on inspection for not having enough staff so I’ve been a bit concerned about it! But can’t fault the antenatal care I’ve had so far!
I've given birth there twice. First was in lockdown so birth centre wasn't available so was on the doctor led ward but I could still have a water birth as they have one on the doctors ward (and ended up better fir me because in the end I did need doctor intervention). Second time was 2 years ago and was birthing centre no problem. Only difference really was the bed was more of a hospital looking bed in the doctors, had stirrups etc but I didn't need, and the birthing had mood lighting and some nice decoration in the walls.
I have a silly question: can you have an epidural in the birth center or will they send you to the doctor led ward?
@Ju I don’t think you can no as there isn’t anaesthetists on the birthing centre, you’d be transferred to the doctor led ward x
@Lucy congratulations! I hope you and baby are doing well, did you have your baby in the birthing centre or on the doctor led ward? X
@Toni oh that’s reassuring I was worried that due to water births becoming so much more popular they may be full! Hopefully I continue to be low risk and all can go as planned as possible if safe xx
@Kat thats reassuring, I actually didn’t know they had the option to water birth on the doctor led ward I may have a look at that as a secondary option! I don’t really mind the ‘hospital’ feeling of beds etc if it gets baby here safely, I just know pain management I would be calmer and less anxious if I could at least partly labour in the water! Xx
@Jessica thanks Jessica!
@Jessica I didn’t but i wanted to have a pool but because she was back to back and needed to put on the monitor and I also had an epidural I wasn’t allowed and it was basically led by 2 midwife’s xxx
I planned for birth centre but when I went into labour there was some issues with babies heart rate being irregular so I had to have continuous monitoring throughout. This meant I had to go on the labour ward instead but they have rooms with pools that are very similar set up to birth centre. They also have wireless monitoring which meant I was able to move around. I did end up rushed into theatre right at the end but until that point my labour was very much as I had imagined it at the birth centre. Obviously it's different for everyone but I had been low risk throughout so I wasn't expecting the changes. It was handled really well by the midwives and doctors I had a really positive experience.
I give birth 10 hours ago at stepping hill. The midwifes don’t leave you alone they stay in the room with you until you give birth or their shift ends. I can’t fault them