OUR COUNCIL IS GOING TO WRECK OUR BIRTHING CENTRE!!!!!!

[colditz]

There are proposals to take the recovery beds away. The man in charge of this proposal thinks that women who have had uncomplicated births should go home 6 to 12 hours after delivery.

This birthing centre was a lifeline to me. Had I not stayed there for a few days, I would have found myself in A & E every night, panicking about the baby, panicking about myself, everything. That stay in my local birthing centre put my brain almot back together. I was NOT ready to go home.

So many of the mothers around here are leaving the hospital to go to a B & B, or a hostel, or an empty, one-bedroom flat. There is nobody at home to look after them, to make sure they eat, rest, wash or anything else you are likely to forget to do.

So what do I do? I don't want this centre to close, but I am not a fully paid up member of the "Chattering Classes", so I have no idea how to make a stand against this. I found this out from the local paper, but things have a way of just 'happening' round here, no matter how many people object.

Come on Mumsnet, they are trying to take away a vital resource and I don't know how to stop it happening!

[colditz]

Anyone? Come on, wise ones......

[Frizbe]

Erm not sure on this one colditz, local paper are obviously on the case, are they? how about involving local NCT group? surely they would be up in arms, erm and local midwives....you could get a petition going, local nurseries that sort of thing...sorry not thinking very well at this time of night, but hope I may have given you a few ideas, I'll check back on you am!

[LeahE]

Call the centre and ask them what you can do to help? There must be other people trying to fight this.

[piggyinthemiddle]

You need to write formally to your MP to inform him/her of the planned changes to the service and to raise your concerns. Also, the Chief Executive of the Trust that manages the birth centre (the name of the Trust should be on the board outside & if you ring their HQ you will be able to get his/her name). The NCT may be able to support you and also Social Services if many of the women are returning to relatively poor accommodation immediately after the birth. Good luck.

[expatinscotland]

So, a man decides that women should be turfed out w/i hours of delivery. . Nice one. Write your MP, write your local paper (might be a good idea to phone the birthing centre first and tell them), and set up a website: 'saveourbirthingcentre.co.uk' with an online petition people can sign.

Do people just not consider that Britain's children are her most valuable asset: her future?

[Frizbe]

well said expat!

[Mirage]

Strange coincidence-I've just found out that our local maternity hospital is going to close its post natal ward too.Apparently some man has decided that keeping women in hospital after a birth 'hospitalizes' them & makes them unable to cope on their own.

I'm so angry,they have just spent millions updating facilities at the maternity hospital & now this is dropped on us.The post natal ward is only 8 beds & I am planning on being transferred there after having this baby,as I'm not actually able to give birth there.

This flies in the face of the governments advice on breastfeeding,as many women struggle in the 1st few days & having someone on hand to help out can make the difference between successfully bfeeding or not.

Sorry to hijack your thread colditz,I'm just so angry about it!

[colditz]

Mirage, where are you? This sounds too much like my local birthing centre to be a coincidence!

[acnebride]

Maybe contact these people who are the organisation fighting to keep A&E at Kidderminster Hospital and where the independent MP was elected on this one issue?

Best of luck.

[expatinscotland]

WTF, Mirage! What if you have a c-section or assisted delivery? Are you expected to be discharged the same day?? That's UNBELIEVABLE and puts many women - and babies - at risk.

[Mirage]

Hi Expatinscotland,it is a midwife led centre,so only uncomplicated births occur there,but is still reprehensible as far as I am concerned. Colditz,it is at St Mary's Melton Mowbray,Leics,a very highly regarded birth centre.

(sorry I didn't reply earlier,I went into labour early & had my baby on Saturday morning-only just got home today)

[pupuce]

Expat - a birthing centre does not do sections or assisted delivery. They "only" do straight forward vaginal births or you transfer to a hospital.

[colditz]

OMG Mirage that's the one!!!!!!!! You must live near me then!

[colditz]

I just can't believe that, I am gobsmacked!

[sassy]

When you write to your MP, suggest that he talks to Richard Taylor, MP for Wyre Forest. He's an independent MP, elected on a save the hospital ticket. Currently trying to get post-natal services restored to our local hospital after the birth centre there was closed.

[Mirage]

Colditz,I am in Syston,just north of Leicester,but all being well,moving to Ashby Folville next month,so will be even closer to Melton.

Where abouts are you?

[colditz]

Mirage I am in Melton Mowbray

[Mirage]

Oh,I'll be just down the road from you then.I really like Melton-dd1 & I go to the library there a lot & the cattle market too.

If you ever fancy a meet up,let me know.I will be pretty much tied up until the end of June with dd2 & moving,but should be fine after that.

[colditz]

I will come on mumsnet and find you then

[Mirage]

Great