Can anyone recommend a hospital I can have an epidural at in Birmingham?

[newcomer224]

I currently live in London but will be moving to the Birmingham area before I have my first baby in December. Can anyone recommend a good hospital? I hear the Women's hospital is good but I want to keep open the epidural option and not sure you can have it there. I have family in Solihull and Cannock so somewhere near either of those may be a possibility.

[confusedfirsttimemum]

Are you sure you can't have an epidural at the women's hospital? Fairly sure my aunty did years ago. Most hospital (as opposed to midwive led units) can supply them as far as I know...

[newcomer224]

I think you probably can at the hospital but not at the birthing centre that everyone raves about.

[LuluMaman]

all consultant led units will have epidurals on offer BUT bear in mind there might be a wait for one depending on how many aneasthatists are available or not.

I would phone the hospitals and ask them

[thorathora]

I am booked at the Womens and they do mobile epidurals on delivery suite- but not in the midwife-led Birth centre. Having worked in various hospitals in the region the Women's would always be my first choice.

[newcomer224]

Thorathora, thanks for the advice. I did contact the Women's earlier in the week to see if I could have a look round but they said they were already full to capacity for December and couldn't offer any more places. Any other suggestions??

[LilRedWG]

Hospitals I know of are:

Womens Hospital (at the Queen Elizabeth site)
Solihull Hospital
Good Hope Hospital

[josette]

Good Hope's maternity dept was good for me.
I had a regular birth there and my friend had an elective c section.
They do epidurals... just depends if there is anyone on who can administer it when you deliver.
My other friend who is due in August went on her tour last Sunday and said she thought it was ok too. They have the water birth pool there if you fancy that.

[vbacqueen1]

Have you had a look at www.drfosterhealth.co.uk/birth-guide/?
You can look up all the hospitals local to Birmingham and it will give you all their stats too.
My last two clients gave birth at Good Hope and there is no problem in obtaining an epidural if that's what you want.

[newcomer224]

vbacqueen1: that's really helpful, thanks. According to the website you can't have epidurals at Solihull or Heartlands. Anyone know if that's right? However, it does say you can have "Intramuscular injection" is that the same thing??

[echops]

If you live in Solihull / Sutton Coldfield you have your baby at either:

Good Hope Hospital (Sutton)
Solihull
Heartlands East Birmingham

If you live in Birmingham you'll probably have it at Queen Elizabeth.

Solihull hospital is currently in discussions to turn their maternity dept into one that is solely Midwife led (ie no C-Sections/Epidurals). Apparently, this is due to happen in April 2009.

I'm due to have my baby at Solihull in February (and I was sure to check that they'll still be offering epidurals at that time!).

Hope that helps.