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Childbirth

Crowborough Birthing Centre East Sussex

8 replies

jules43 · 04/05/2008 18:46

Hi all

Has anyone got experience of the above birthing centre?

It looks fantastic but I am slightly worried that my local hospital Pembury in and hour away by the time I get to the ward, if there is a problem!

The birthing centre offer G&A and pethedene, this is my first baby..

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TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 04/05/2008 19:52

I had my first two at CBC and I can't recommend it highly enough. Because the midwives are in charge of decisions, they are all confident and very experienced - and also a lot of fun!

It's incredibly clean, quiet and relaxed. The small rooms offer much more privacy than a large ward. Midwives or other staff are always on hand to help change nappies, show you how to give the first bath or walk up and down with your baby whilst you have a bath or lunch. They won't force opinions on you re: feeding etc, overall the support is exactly what a Mumsnet Committee would choose! (And the car park is free)!

The birthing pools are excellent and the midwives encourage you to use whatever you want - I've used both the big pool and the corner bath.

Almost all my antenatal/postnatal group friends gave birth at CBC - we're a very mixed bunch of women and yet we all managed perfectly well with no pain relief (you'd be surprised at how many do!) or G&A/pethidine.

Re: emergencies, it takes the ambulances at Crowborough (and there are 2 based nextdoor to the hospital) less than 30 minutes with lights to get to Pembury. I know 2 people that were transferred, both for c-sections for not progressing and there wasn't a rush to move them. They can even get you to Eastbourne in under an house.

Besides, the midwives will monitor you very closely towards the end of pregnancy and if they're not happy with your iron levels, baby position, blood pressure etc, they'll send you to Pembury anyway. Having said that, they easily delivered my friends undiagnosed breech though - without pain relief or forceps!

I had such a good time of birthing with DCs 1 & 2 that I opted to have a homebirth for no. 3. That was also successful so I'm planning another one at home in er, 3 weeks time!

PS. Eithne & Debbie are wonderful!

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WombFor1More · 05/05/2008 00:18

Oooh Pembury is my local too lol!

I haven't had a baby at Crowborough but have visited several friends who have given birth there and been to look around it myself. It is sooooo lovely as are all the staff. If you haven't looked around give them a call and arrange a tour. They are all really friendly and will be more than happy to help you and answer any questions.

Let us know how you get on. Might bump into you at ultrasound dept, Pembury!

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jules43 · 05/05/2008 10:01

TheDuchessOfNorksBride
Thanks for that encouraging posting, I must say i would like to book in to CBC and as you said if there is a problem I will end up in Pembury anyway. Will arrange a tour and let you know..

WombFor1More
When is your baby due?
Having a tour of the Maternity unit at Pembury on 20th May, although happy to go there for the birth CBC seems much smaller obviously and personal and the aftercare means I can stay in for a bit longer if necessary.

Thanks for your postings ladies....

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Anna8888 · 05/05/2008 10:18

I had my baby at Pembury and I thought it was great .

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marmadukescarlet · 05/05/2008 10:47

Jules, do not read this if you are a worrying sort, but you need to see both sides on the 'hands off approach'

I had my first at CBC, sadly I did not have the same positive birth experience as Norks.

I got there at 9cms and the shift changed 30 mins later, midwife (who was the only one I knew) assured me I'd be ages yet. As is was night only 1 midwife, she called the on call in and DD was born 20 mins later with only one mw present (there were other mums and babes in the centre, though none labouring).

I had her in the water, it was unexpectedly fast, was never told at any point not to push, hence my 9lb 8.5oz shredded me on the way out. I was at this stage influenced into having actively managed 3rd stage ("You've just pushed a huge baby out with not pain relief or intervention, of course you can manage this") 2nd mw arrived by this point. Placenta out, examined on table told I didn't need stitches, told to go to the loo, DH left with babe. Whilst mws did the rounds.

Once on loo, I shouted to dh that my arms had gone numb, I came around in a pool of blood so large couldn't touch the edge. 1 hour pp I was given syntometrine due to uterus not reducing and excessive blood loss. I was not put on a drip and never given an iron test. I lost so much blood I couldn't stand for almost 48 hours (I have finished a cross country course (horse) with a broken collar bone, so fairly hardy) I had such a high temperature I had rigors and GP wasn't called out. I was seriously ill and should have been transferred.

I was still aneamic 4 months later. I was so exhusted and ill for the 6 months I found caring for my DD very hard and struggled to care for her.

I bled really badly for weeks, at my 6 week check my GP couldn't believe the mess I'd been left in, and referred me for op. Gynae had to cut the misplaced scar material (both internal and external) and restich it in the correct place under GA when my DD was 11 weeks old. During this they noticed I had a raging Step B infection in my uterus, I actually had retained placents in the site which I had to have a D&C for.

Since having my 2nd at Pembury I realise that this level of bloodloss was highly unusual (at Pemb was told any clot bigger than a lemon to pull cord, at cbc I was passing ones bigger than my fist and had not been told this was abnormal).

Despite the fact that my DS was seriously ill and Pembury had sent me away twice when I should have been recieving iv antibiotics for an active GBS and he'd been in mec for 48 hrs minimum with no monitoring, cord was twice round neck and his apgar was 3) I was fine and able to walk straight away etc.

On balance I would rather it was me ill that a DC, but my 'illness' (retained placenta, pph, infection etc) was so avoidable given a little more positive intervention.

Whilst preg with DS we bought a very large property to house the 4+ children we'd planned but the accumulated trauma of both my births, both time extremely let down by HCP, have meant we are sticking at 2. DH has promised me a private CSect for the next 2 but I cannot do it again.

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Anna8888 · 05/05/2008 12:24

marmadukescarlet - very to read of your awful traumatic experiences at both CBC and Pembury Hospital.

For the record, my labour at Pembury was very uneventful (first baby, 9 hours from start to finish, no pain relief other than water, no tearing, no stitches) but my baby swallowed a lot of gunk on her way out and needed paediatric supervision for the first few days. This she got, in spades, while the two of us were kept on the premature baby ward (despite her being born at 40+4) for extra supervision.

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WombFor1More · 05/05/2008 21:18

marmadukescarlet - I'm so sorry you have had such awful experiences
Especially as it has put you off having anymore. I can't imagine what that must have been like xxx

jules43 - I am currently 19wks today and just so happen to be at Pembury for a scan on the 20th Have scan at 11.40 so will have to keepan eye out lol!

I have to add also that I had first 2 lo's at Pembury. 1st ds, 10hr labour, 2hrs pushing, but nothing unusual about birth or the aftercare, although the ward after was very busy and noisy so I was extremely glad to get home after 1 night!

Ds 2 was born in the home from home room and I had the most wonderful birth I could ever imagine. I was only there for 45mins before he was born and went home 8hrs later straight from the labour ward, but I cannot fault the service we recieved from all the staff.

The only reason I had dd at home is that my labours are ever shortening. This one may well just fall out whilst doing the shopping

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marmadukescarlet · 05/05/2008 22:58

Thank you Anna and Womb as you can tell from my post, it is still fairly 'raw' despite many years passing and an apology from Rose Gibb (for all the many failures of #2 - I did not go into vast detail here but suffice to say much of what happened could also have been avoided, from 2 days pre birth reporting for lack of foetal movmt - when cord became entanged from state of mec staining - to being repeatedly ejected from scbu - 24 hrs and 72 hrs - due to shortage of cots and him going into complete failure both times)

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