Do you go to a delivery suite when you give birth?

[HappyGirl1]

Random very silly naive question that I've just realised hasn't been answered in NCT..

When you are going through the three stages of labour, I'm guessing you are in a room with other women in the same boat at the beginning but when the baby is going to come out i.e. stage 3, do you then get moved to the delivery suite? Is that just you then or can other women have babies popping out at the same time too?

Apologies for my naievety - clearly a first time mum to be (33+1 weeks)

[Xavielli]

Let start with stages;

First stage; you're at home managing your contractions until you get 2 in 5mins lasting 1min (or until you feel you really can't cope) This is the dilating phase.

Second stage; begins when you are 10cm dilated or start pushing, and ends when you have birthed your baby.

Third stage; delivery of the placenta.

From my personal experience when you go to hospital in established (hurty!) labour they will send you straight to delivery suite, where all the rooms (atleast in my local hospital) are single bed rooms set up specifically for the delivery of babies.

Hope that helps a little.

[Wigeon]

No, not quite. If you are a low risk, straightforward case, it is unlikely that you will spend your whole labour in hospital. Much more likely that you will a lot of your labour at home, and the hospital will only let you come in when your contractions are very close together (3 mins in my case). If you go in sooner, and they think you aren't far enough progressed, they will send you home!

In my case, I laboured at home for 7 hours, went to hospital, laboured for another 3 hours in a room by myself (midwife-led birthing centre within a hospital) and then had DD in the room. And I got to stay in the room by myself (with DH) for the next 6 hours until I went home as they didn't need the space, so I didn't have to get transferred to the postnatal ward.

And then when you get to hospital, if they consider you are in far enough advanced labour, a midwife will take you straight to a room by yourself (well, with any birth partner, and a midwife). You really really shouldn't be actually delivering the baby in a room with other women - these kind of cases make the headlines ("overcrowding means women giving birth in corridors"). It would be very very unlikely.

I have heard of people in early labour being in a room waiting to be assessed, but if you in a fit state to just wait around in a room, you probably aren't in advanced labour and should go home!

I would recommend checking with your midwife what your local hospital's policy is (eg come in when your contractions are 5 mins / 3 mins apart). We actually rang the hospital from home at least 2 times before they thought that I sounded advanced enough to come in!

Does this help? Different rules might well apply if you have any particuar medical needs - I think my experience is standard for a normal pregancy and normal labour.

[Wigeon]

Sorry - the "no, not quite" was to the OP, not Xavielli, who I totally agree with, but cross-posted!

[wigglesrock]

With dd1 I was moved to delivery room when I was about 6-7cms, with dd2 I was about 8cm but her birth was very quick. I was always on my own but obviously if everyone goes at the same time you may have to share, my hospital had 4 delivery rooms. Then I had lovely bath and yummy yummy tea and toast and both of us back up to ward.

No question is too silly for a first time mum , good luck

[frankie3]

At my hospital there was no ward to go to before giving birth. You had to go home and then come back in when dilated enough to go to the delivery suite. You then go to a ward with the other mums and babies once you have given birth.

So make sure you don't go in before dilated enough (they will give you advice on the phone on this) otherwise you will have to go straight back houme!

[Wigeon]

BTW, there's no such thing as a silly or naive question on Mumsnet, especially when it comes to the mysteries of pregnancy and child birth.

[slimyak]

Unless they enduce you, when you might be on a ward as it can take a good while for things to get going, I think you'll either be in a private delivery room or they'll send you home until labour is more established.

Our Mat Unit has a monitoring room where they assess you as to how established you are when you arrive, which is a room off reception and then it's delivery room or home (false alarm).

The general rule of thumb is labour at home for as long as you can. It's nicer at home and things tend to progress better.

In my experience you are given the privacy you need, however you'll be so focussed on giving birth you probaby won't care.

Good luck and enjoy meeting your newbie!

[HappyGirl1]

thanks SO much Ladies.. I just had this fear of being in a room with other ladies and them having their babies pop out while i'm still in labour!

I def plan on staying at home as much as possible, far better to be in the comfort of your own home and we are only 15 mins from the hospital so was thinking of waiting til I was about 8 mins apart and then start ringing the hospital to see when I should go in but I must has my MW about that next week

thanks so much!

[3plusbumpinthenight]

Alot of hospitals arrange tours of the maternity unit for expectant mums. If you ask your midwife, she will hopefully be able to advise you when these run at your hospital. It would help you alot, I think, to see where you will be having your baby. You'll be able to ask lots of questions too :)

But no, I've had 3 children and have never had to share a room during labour but have always been in established labour on arrival at hospital so have gone straight into a delivery room...

[Wigeon]

Definitely agree with going on a tour of the hospital. Very good idea. I found it very useful. Ask your midwife (or just ring the hospital to ask if they do tours - not all do).

I think most first-timers under-estimate how long labour (usually) goes on, and that midwives (usually) actually have a pretty good idea, of how advanced women's labours are, and quite a lot of notice about roughly when a baby is coming, so there is no way that other babies will just be popping out around you.

When your contractions are 8 mins apart I'm afraid the hospital will just laugh if you ring them. Mine started at 5 mins apart (when I woke up at 4am) for hours and hours at home, and bloody painful, and they still didn't let me come in. Then they were 3 mins apart for probably a good 2 hours or so at home, and they finally let me come in. If contractions are 8 mins apart you probably won't be in much pain and you will proabbly still be wandering about at home doing the ironing etc (or if you think you are in pain, you ain't seen nothing yet).

Def speak to your midwife about the hospital's usual policies.

Keep posting if there's anything else you have been wondering about!