Called about Hospital Labor/Delivery Options

[theroselegacy]

I decided to call my hospital yesterday to get some information from the maternity ward...I am due in 12 weeks and wanted to start getting prepared in any way I can for the big day. I am looking toward a natural birth, and would even like other options for delivering besides the traditional (lay down) position. So I called the maternity ward and inquired about basic things that came to my mind like birthing balls, tubs for pain management, squat bars, or birthing stools. I asked about each of these things and was given the answer "We don't offer any of that." Now my question for you ladies is, is that normal for a maternity ward in a hospital to not offer those things?? She basically told me the patient would be responsible for stuff like the birthing ball. But my point is, how many women want to invest in something they are only going to use once?? The fact that my hospital doesn't offer this stuff, makes me feel like they don't support the laboring mother who chooses to go natural. I mean sure, you can still learn techniques like meditation, breathing and massage...but I thought at least a tub and birthing ball would have been helpful. What are your experiences/options with the hospitals each of you are delivering at?

 

[Julesillini8]

I'm in the US. My hospital had that stuff. It may vary from place to place....

 

[hungary97]

Its common in UK not to have any of that stuff but a gym ball will set you back less than 15 quid so I bought my own. Unfortunately the images shown on obem are the exception not the norm

 

[_Lexi_]

My hospital is the same. The nhs hasn't got the money to be spending on all those things for every delivery room. I'd much rather the money be spent on equipment for the nicu! My l&d ward only have one birthing pool too, so first come first served. You can get a gym ball in Argos for under £10 that will do the job of a birthing ball, so not a huge expense to fork out. I'm sure some of the midwife led units might have some of those things, but I don't know for definite.

 

[MrsSmartie]

Oh that's sad. Our unit is just a normal sized one, not a birth centre but we still have loads of balls, a couple of pools, a normal bath in each room and a couple of birth stools. We don't have the dangly rope gizmos but we have mats and beanbags and facilities to make it normal. X

 

[Mum2BKW]

I believe our hospital has a few things like this, I know they have a birthing pool. I'll be checking now when I go for my tour!

It does seem bad that they don't have anything at all Especially as active birthing is recommended these days. But I suppose with the NHS it all comes down to budgets and the postcode lottery of what your local NHS Trust decides to spend on. I imagine it's very different in different regions around the country.

If you know you want an active labour it does seem the best thing would be to bring some things in yourself. I'm not sure if it's possible to hire things?

 

[annio84]

My midwife led unit buy their birthing balls from tesco and they cost £5 so at least you could get one without too much expense.

 

[Eleanor ace]

My L&D has 10 birthing rooms, 1 with a pool. They have birthing balls I think but nothing else. The MLU is in the same hospital though, basically just down the corridor and has birthing stools, balls, 2 pools (there are 3 rooms) and a bean baggy room.
It would be good if L&D could have balls and stools as a minimum as these on't cost much, but then the money has to come from somewhere!
I'd recommend getting yourself a ball and taking it with you- you'll probably find you want one for at home anyway when you reach that anything-to-bring-on-labour phase. And look up active birthing positions. There are positions which you can do with your birthing partner or improvising using a chair/ side of the bed rather than using a squat bar/stool/beam

 

[Caroline:-)]

My MLU have quite a few pools as well as baths obviously & loads of birthing balls. Not sure about anything else, but as others have said, birthing balls are pretty cheap so no big deal to take your own anyway I guess... I have one anyway to try & encourage labour (not that it worked last time) so they're certainly not one-use items... You can get use out of it for weeks before-hand!
L&D have one birthing pool and balls, again, don't know if anything else...

 

[nevernormal]

My hospital doesn't have any of that either. They said the reason they don't have birthing balls is because they don't have a good way to sanitize them.

I invested in my own gym ball. I'll probably use it at home before the birth, sitting on it while on the computer or something. I want to labor at home as long as possible, but if I have to be induced or have to go in earlier for some reason I'll take it with me.

 

[d_b]

My hospital has a bring your own ball policy . They do have squatting bars that attach to the beds and a tub or shower in each room (they don't do water births where I'm going)

 

[Bethi22]

My hospital has all that. I'm in the US though in a downtown hospital with a level 3 NICU.

 

[iwantabub]

i am going to one of the smallest country hospitals in australia and we still get birthing balls, spa baths in every room, bean bags, rope gizmos, big showers, nice (non hospital) bed linnen... and the closest hospital to me that isnt a country hospital has all that and more and queen beds for mothers so daddys can stay too.

 

[Annie77]

I bought a gym ball and ended up with sections! However - I still have it ten years later as it is great for exercising and during late pregnancy it can be used instead of pc chair to ease back and pelvic pain.

I think there are health and safety concerns in soe units with higher infection rates etc.

 

[Eleanor ace]

i am going to one of the smallest country hospitals in australia and we still get birthing balls, spa baths in every room, bean bags, rope gizmos, big showers, nice (non hospital) bed linnen... and the closest hospital to me that isnt a country hospital has all that and more and queen beds for mothers so daddys can stay too.

Ooh that sounds amazing!