Water birth at Kettering General

[nickyharry]

Hi

I am due my baby in June and really want to have a water birth in hospital (Don't fancy a home one!)
Has anyone had an experience of a water birth at KGH? If so can you tell me what the facilities are like and how your experience was?
I have had two births at Kettering so far. First experience wasn't great due to a very unpleasant midwife (14 years ago!) but the next one was much better due to a very lovely midwife.
I have looked on the website and it says they have two pools but no trained midwives, surely this can't be the case??
Thanks in advance

[virgo1979]

Hi nicky harry, i am due in june too, also at KGH. would love a water birth, and i think they do offer them, there is a pregnancy and baby roadshow on there 10th March, 6pm-8pm (free apart from extortionate parking!) and on the list of stands there is a water birth stand, so probably worth going to that? this is my first baby, and am a bit nervous about KGH as have heard some horrid stories about the place, but trying to remain open minded! are you going to the antenatal classes there too?

[Momdeguerre]

Hi,
I am due in April and had a waterburth at KGH in July 2008.

I had a great experience, staff were good and happy to support a water birth. Think they have two pools now.

Sadly am having to have a CS this time but also at KGH and I am hoping it will be an equally positive experience.

[virgo1979]

Momdeguerre - i guess the birth pools are only available on a first come first served basis? unless you are being induced there is no way of way pre-booking them?!

[Chaotica]

I wanted a waterbirth there and the mws were very supportive (enthusiastic, even) but things didn't go to plan and DD was born without me getting in the pool. They were so encouraging though - I did at least avoid a cs that time around and only found out afterwards how unlikely they thought that was. Second time was a failed induction and CS and it was fine too.

(I only met one mw I didn't get on with there, and I met a lot of them as I was monitored every day for the last trimester.)

The pools are not beautiful, but they'd do the job (I found the decor was the least of my worries in labour). I gathered that there wasn't a huge chance of both being in use as waterbirths are not very popular at KGH.

Good luck - I hope you get what you want.

[Momdeguerre]

Agree with pp, does not seen to be a high demmand for water births at KGH and the one I used was lurid pink!!

It was clean, staff were very nice and I was given a private room aftewards.

[Divster]

They have 2 at KGH, it was down to one when I was last there as one was cracked. Should think its fixed now though