Deciding between birth center and HB..opinions please! x

[Nyn]

Hi everyone and thanks for looking into my post!

Quick history..

Number 1 - hospital, induction, epidural, epi, horrible recovery, left hospital after 5 days, still couldn't walk properly for another week.

Number 2 - got to hospital at 8cm lol after an awful car ride, but had amazing natural birth with no drugs in the system at all, super fast recover, left hospital after 15 hours.

Expecting Number 3 - have moved since having other 2. Have found a birth center a 30 min. drive away. It's great and the midwives are fab and for just in case, there's a hospital 500 m down the road.

My ideal for having this baby is a home birth.. but my reluctance for a HB is the 'what if?' of an emergency.. I'm a good 25 mins away from the nearest hospital.

If I had a hospital near I'd say HB straight away. I'd prefer it, especially after the hellish car ride with ds2. But I'm just worried about being far out from the hospital.

I already know a HB would be possible. There are a few local midwives who do HB so that's already good.

Can anyone offer personal experience or advice please? Many thanks for anything you can offer ladies

 

[weffi82]

I worried bout the what ifs but ya need to put it out ur mind, home birth is amazin an i intend to do it for any future babies! Prob wi birth centre is ya cant go if ur go ibto labour late at night cos some1 told me there only open certain hours. Would def recomend hb but need to think positive an stay relaxed, if any probs the ambulance will get ya to hospital!
Xxxx

 

[iolaus]

weffi it depends on the birth centre - others open only if there is someone in labour - so you ring the midwife and she meets you at the birth centre

 

[Nyn]

thanks for your answers. It's the kind of birth center that you call the midwife and she meets you there no matter the day or time

any other opinions? x

 

[madasa]

If you are low risk, statistically home is as safe as a birthing centre.

There are very few problems that could arise that would be terrible emergencies, where a 25min drive would be "a long way". In most cases, pronlems can be spotted well enough in advance that You can be transferred in good time. You have one on one care at home, this is how problems can vbe picked up early. (I don't know if u get 1on1 car in a birth ctr...)

Don't forget, in an emergency, you'd be blue-lighted, which would make that journey shorter. They would also call ahead to the hosp so they would be ready for you when you arrived. If you were birthing in hosp, it would normally take 30mins for the operating room to be ready, for ex if it all went Pete Tong and you needed surgery.

You need to go where you feel is right for you. What does your gut say?

 

[Bournefree]

Home birth is medically the same as a birthig centre -I'm mention this because many people think it isn't. It can offer some comfort to know this, even if you don't want or intend to use any of it.
So all the equipment and drugs bought to a home birth is the same. I.e G&A, Syntometrine (for a managed 3rd stage, if you wished), Ergometrine (to close down post partum heamorage bleeding), Lidocaine (local, for stiches), stiches, Oxygen, masks for you and baby, resuss equipment for you and baby, drips, fliuds, canulars, Vit K, scales, etc, etc.
Of course this doesn't mean it has to be medicallised at all! Just letting you know it will be there - there is loads of it! ;-)

For me if a birth centre is meant to be a home from home, then why not be at home - it IS your home. Plus you don't have to decide when to go in and have an uncomfortable journey in the car in labour (which could slow your labour), you just make a phone call.. they come to you. Other big advantages of home birth for me were; I would argue that you get better care at home - your MW (2 at the point of birth) will not leave you to attend another labouring women, they are only there to support you. Plus you get to be tucked up in your own bed, and your OH doesn't have to leave you either. It makes birth a normal everday event, which is it.
XxX

 

[Greta Chick]

I totally agree with Bournefree, they are my feelings exactly.

I had a homebirth with my DD2 (story in my sig) and if we were to have any more children that's what I'd do again, no questions asked.

xx

 

[Blah11]

we have a brand new birthing centre at my hosp but im still wanting a HB. The only benefit I see is that its on the hospital grounds Depends on how far your house is from the hospital I guess.

 

[Nyn]

Thank you so much ladies for your advice and input.

My gut at first was telling me to go with the birth center, I think because I thought it offered more than HB in the case of emergency needs etc.. but it really doesn't.. so at this moment my gut is telling me that a HB would actually be lovely. I love the idea of being at home and being tucked up in bed after. With ds2 it was such a rush to hospital and then home again soon after I kind of wished the MW had come an hour later then it would have been too late to go to hospital.

Thanks again and you've helped me to see the real pros of HB.. and the difference, or lack of really, to the birth center.

Now I'm getting excited about seeing how to go about it! xxx

 

[madasa]

have a look at the home birthers and hopefuls group! i had a hb and it was wonderful. good luck!!