# City Hospital, Birmingham - Serenity Suite **wow**



## mushmouth

for any of you around here I just thought I'd share

I went for a sneaky peak open tour today of the new midwife led Serenity Birth centre in city hospital, that opens next week and woweee,,, its gorgeous, 5 individual rooms, no hospital beds, all with a pool, either fixed or inflatable... en suite... and a pull down double bed for after labour so you, baby and FOB can bond straight away. each room had a plasma freeview tv that you can attach your Ipod to... it has a visitors kitchen and waiting room... and you can even control your own lighting! lol... I can't praise it enough! 

so glad I didnt listen to some people that could have put me off the old style unit, as this new one is amazing!


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## bubbles

That sounds brilliant. I think I would have to go there if I could (in Cov) would not go to Good hope though, I ended up there in my last pregnancy and HATED it. There was blood on the toilet and bathroom floor, the bath was filthy and the atmosphere was just awful. Thankfully I didn't end up giving birth there


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## mushmouth

oooh bubbles thats sounds disguisting! gave me the shivers!

I forgot to mention too, it has its own decked "back garden" and is for Low risk births, but its less than 15 seconds sprint to the main labour ward incase of complications. I hope it stays as nice as it looks now!


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## tuesday

Aww, I want to go there now 
I am booked into good hope (I live closer) but had my first at city and was told to 'shhh' which put me off as i wasn't screaming i was at the last pushing stage and making pushing noises :haha: but apart from that it was an ok experience
(sorry but it still bothers me :growlmad: )


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## mrsraggle

Wow, sounds fantastic!


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## mrsraggle

siobhan21 said:


> Aww, I want to go there now
> I am booked into good hope (I live closer) but had my first at city and was told to 'shhh' which put me off as i wasn't screaming i was at the last pushing stage and making pushing noises :haha: but apart from that it was an ok experience
> (sorry but it still bothers me :growlmad: )

I'm booked at Good Hope and had a really good experience so far. The tour was good and everything looked clean :flower:


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## rainbows_x

That sounds amazing! I wish I could go :(


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## Rebecca_B

OMG IT looks fantastic!!

CAN i change??????

I've just looked on google and its 35mins from me as appose to 10 mins to walsgrave uni hosp.

But I LOVE THIS ONE!!!

I am planing a drug free water birth so this place would be ideal!!


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## mushmouth

I think you can... I know woman planning to use Sandwell (just over the road from me...) have been asked to change to city... I'd give your MW a call and find out!


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## Heavenx

It sounds fantastic and just what women and thier new family need! About time they were upgraded and modernised, if only every woman could have a birth experience in a similar environment!


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## mushmouth

Couldn't agree more heavenx! THe project manager that was there during the tour said they're just starting on the main labour ward, and hopefully looking to build another stand alone unit in smethwick in the next few years... I can't say its not overdue!


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## Linz88

Wow sounds great. I was going to change to sandwell hospital as i think im going to move back up to west brom but now im stayin put lol. Its the double bed and kitchen that got me ha ha x


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## bubbles

I'm seriously considering asking if I can go there now. I haven't been booked into Walsgrave as I was considering a home birth to start with (don't feel comfortable with it though) and this would be a great compromise being a birth centre


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## mushmouth

theres one more tour left today if you can get down there and see for yourselves!

https://www.swbh.nhs.uk/


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## bubbles

I won't make it. I'm just trying to find a number to give them a call


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## mushmouth

from the leaflet I have it says

for more information about our new serenity midwifery birth centre please contact your community midwife, or Kathryn Gutteridge, consultant midwife on 0121 507 5466


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## bubbles

thank you! :flower:


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## mushmouth

Let me know whats said! fingers crossed for you!


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## bubbles

No answer but I guess I have to speak to hubby first since it is his child too


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## mushmouth

bubbles said:


> No answer but I guess I have to speak to hubby first since it is his child too

haha - yeah s'pose you're right! :haha:


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## Rebecca_B

bubbles said:


> I'm seriously considering asking if I can go there now. I haven't been booked into Walsgrave as I was considering a home birth to start with (don't feel comfortable with it though) and this would be a great compromise being a birth centre


Bubbles i emailed kathryn gutteridge whos dealing with enquires on the birth centre

I said i was located in cov and was there a criteria for those wanting to have their babies there but are living outside the trust.

She has invited me in to see her and have a tour.

Sounds like there is no restrictions on who can birth there......:happydance:


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## mushmouth

Wow rebecca! That's great! They all (that I met anyway) seem so nice there! I hope they meet your expectations!


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## bubbles

Unfortunately hubby isn't going for it, I know he's right as neither of us drive we would have to rely on our parents to get us there and back and I have already told him I don't want ANY visitors until I've been home for at least 24hrs so we can get Ed introduced to baby and I can have some rest (that includes hospital)


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## Rebecca_B

Arrr what a shame...............

My hubby also started to moan about having to drive 35 min instead of 5 mins to walsgrave but i put him straight. Its me having to give birth if all he has to contend with is a 35 min drive to Birmingham then he should think himself very bloody lucky and to put a sock in it!!!!"


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## Natasha2605

Wow sounds amaaaazing! xx


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## emmajayne

I dont have a choice. This sounds amazing. My local hospital is Walsgrave but i have to Lri to have my baby. Travel there every 2 weeks at min. Im a complicated one


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## josephine3

Ok ladies I know this thread is really old but i ended up back at bnb while searching for 'serenity birth centre'.. can anyone tell me is this birth centre actually AT the hospital or nearby? Some centres are standalone and I dont fancy being transferred by ambulance! I know im early thinking but we have to pick our hospital soon apparently!


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## Jaysmummy

josephine3 said:


> Ok ladies I know this thread is really old but i ended up back at bnb while searching for 'serenity birth centre'.. can anyone tell me is this birth centre actually AT the hospital or nearby? Some centres are standalone and I dont fancy being transferred by ambulance! I know im early thinking but we have to pick our hospital soon apparently!

The Serenity Suite is part of City Hospital its just basically down a different corridor to the "old" delivery suite (which is still in use) If you needed to be transferred it would literally be 2 mins down the corridor.

There is a new stand alone birth centre open in Smethwick too called Halocyn but like you I am not keen on being transferred by ambulance if (god forbid) anything happened. Even though this one is closer to me I think I still want to go to Serenity.

They are both beautiful by the way :flower:

xx


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## Alandsa

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I wondered whether any of you ladies knew whether someone can have their post natal care here if they needed to stay in hospital after giving birth?


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## Jaysmummy

Alandsa said:


> Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I wondered whether any of you ladies knew whether someone can have their post natal care here if they needed to stay in hospital after giving birth?

No if you need to stay you would be transferred to the main ward

I had Kaiden at 8.35pm and they give them 6 hours before doing their newborn check or you can go home when you've showered and got sorted and have the newborn check done at the 1st mw visit. 

I was showered, had tea and toast and filled in all post natal and discharge forms by midnight so I went home then

Don't get me wrong they don't rush you or anything. You just can't physically stay if you need attention as they don't have beds as such. And if it wasn't a natural, straight forward birth you would be transferred to main ward anyway

Xx


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## Jenny_J

wow your so lucky, id love to be in a midwife led unit, il bet the overall experience is much better.


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## Clarabell543

Which hospital you at JennyJ??


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## Jenny_J

Clarabell543 said:


> Which hospital you at JennyJ??

I had the choice of Birmingham womens hospital or heartlands. And I chose BHW, better the devil you know ay? Even thugh my first c section and the after care was horrific. Now im older id like o see them try it with me now lol, I wont stand for any crap.

I wish Soilhull hospital still had doctors there, I had my 2nd section there, it was fab, and so was the after care, I cannot praise them enough, but now they are midwife led only :(


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## Clarabell543

ahhh so you would never be able to have midwife led anyway then! I am at Birmingham Womens too, this is my first and my pregnancy has been pretty text book thankfully so as it stands I will be in the birthing centre, my friend is at heartlands after moving from dudley area to sollihull but had a bad labour with her first so couldn't go to midwife led either. My doc offered me the choice of bham womens or redditch. Just signed up to donate cord blood at BWH now they have the facilities, hope it helps someone!


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## Jenny_J

Clarabell543 said:


> ahhh so you would never be able to have midwife led anyway then! I am at Birmingham Womens too, this is my first and my pregnancy has been pretty text book thankfully so as it stands I will be in the birthing centre, my friend is at heartlands after moving from dudley area to sollihull but had a bad labour with her first so couldn't go to midwife led either. My doc offered me the choice of bham womens or redditch. Just signed up to donate cord blood at BWH now they have the facilities, hope it helps someone!

I have my fingers crossed for a smooth delivery for you hun, might see you there some time, lol. Il be in for scans a lot from 2 wks.

Im going to donate cord blood too, I never new about it, untill I saw the posters there when I went for my scan.


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## Clarabell543

I know it isn't for everyone but for me if it is just going to be incinerated it might aswell help someone! I have filled out my forms but haven't had chance to take them in, don't like driving into town!!


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## Jenny_J

Clarabell543 said:


> I know it isn't for everyone but for me if it is just going to be incinerated it might aswell help someone! I have filled out my forms but haven't had chance to take them in, don't like driving into town!!

Is the cord blood our blood or babys? It doesn't matter which, im just interested :) Mine is a rare blood type, so hopefully they will be happy with it. 

I totally agree, everyone should give what they can to help others, esp if it's only going to be wasted otherwise.


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## Clarabell543

I have no idea actually I hadn't thought about that! Exactly as long as baby is at no risk I have no problem with it if it can save someone else. Suppose it is one of those 'each to their own' things that seems to crop up a lot during pregnancy lol


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