I don't know where to give birth :(

[MidnightSun]

I really am very confused and don't know where to go!

Option 1 is a birth centre about 25 mins away. It has 4 rooms and an overnight stay room, I went on a tour today and it has a lovely, relaxed feel about it and was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They average 1 birth a day there. I have been told that should any problems arise they will trasfer me via ambulance to the hospital.

Option 2 is another birth centre attached to the local hospital. The birth centre there is much busier and not as quiet as the one above, the have one birth pool and as they are so busy it might well be taken. I haven't been on a tour there (there's not one till May) but have been told by the ladies at the above birth centre that it's located along one of the main hospital corridors and that there can be quite a bit of noise and lots of buzzers going off, people being taken down to labour ward etc.

This is my first baby and I am planning on having as natural birth as possible using Natal Hypnotherapy, Tens and a birthing pool.

I would love to go to option 1, the quiet birth centre but people keep on putting me off of it. My sister had an uncomplicated pregnancy and gave birth to her daughter in hospital, her baby's heart rate dipped and all of a sudden the room was filled with Drs and they used a ventouse to help baby come out. She has said to me what happens in that situation? I would have to be transferred and would baby be in danger?

I just don't know what to do. All through my pregnancy I have been useless at making decisions and this seems to be the worst one of the lot. One minute I am going to the birth centre and am happy about it, the next I am thinking it's being selfish and what if something were to happen, I'd never forgive myself...

Can any of you offer your opinions to try and help me make a decision?

The places in question are High Wycombe Birth Centre and Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

 

[pimento1979]

Can I ask why you aren't considering Home?

 

[MidnightSun]

Mainly as the walls here are paper thin and I have a really nosey neighbour!

I am slap bang in the middle of the two hospitals, with them both being about 25 mins away.

 

[indigo_fairy]

To me personally the first option sounds the best, it sounds more relaxing. It's too easy to think of the 'what ifs' alot, I have aswell. But the calmer the situation the less likely these what ifs are going to happen, and if something does happen that means you need to transfer it'll probably get picked up very quickly as there isn't as many women to look after I imagine?

You're certainly not being selfish for wanting to choose the best place for you to birth your baby. I've found it's best not to listen/take on board other's experiences of birth as everyone has such a different experience and is affected differently by it. Even well meaning family members (speaking from personal experience) can have a disasterous effect on decision making, so go with what you think will be best for YOU as then you will feel most comfortable with it, which will naturally result in best for baby too

 

[pimento1979]

Gotcha

 

[nov_mum]

The first option sounds lovely to me. I hear what your sister is saying but 99% of the time your mws will be able to tell if anything is going pear shaped and you will be transferred asap. I would talk with your mw about it, you only get horror stories and people trying to tell you how risky child birth is. Birth centres exist because most births are straight forward

 

[MidnightSun]

Thank you for your posts.

I think I am leaning more to option 1 the more I think about things. It's not helped option 2 saying I can't go on a tour there till I am basically due! How are you supposed to make a decision when you haven't seen the place?

I asked about transferring yesterday and the HCA said that most MWs will know way before I do (as you say Nov Mum) if things aren't going well, or either myself or baby are in distress and then the ambulance would take us as fast as it could to the other hospital.

They said that during March they had 41 births and that 5 were transferred, but she said a couple of those were where woman had come in thinking they were having a bloody show, but they were infact bleeding.

 

[rachiedata]

I think number one sounds lovely too, with 1 birth a day you're bound to have a relaxed and personal feeling about the place and of course, the midwives will be able to tell in plenty of time should any transfer type situations arise. Good luck!

 

[Jenniflower]

Another reason why I think option 1 sounds the best is because not only are the midwives going to be taking great care of you and would be able to see a "problem" when it arises they'll also have the time to asses that "problem". You see in many cases that yes maybe the babies heart rate dropped a bit here or there but there's nothing to be that concerned with. In a hospital their immediate reaction is to get the baby out. I believe this is due to a lack of care. Get the baby out now while you have the staff instead of later and risk wasting a midwife on having to stay in the room with her the whole time. Where as in the centre you'll have that amazing care and the midwife will encourage you to move positions to help with the baby or perhaps to even eat something.

I know in my sisters case if she didn't have the amazing midwife for all three of her kids she would have had 3 sections. But every time the babies heart rate dipped and the doctors freaked out the midwife just gave her tummy a jiggle made her lay on her side and voila perfectly healthy baby once again!