Birthing Centre

[Wren900]

Hi
I'm 43 and 10 weeks pregnant my midwife has informed me that I may not be allowed to give birth in a birthing centre as I had hoped. She told me that the consultant at the hospital when I have my appointment will decide. She said I am high risk being over 40 so they may not allow me. Has anyone else faced this issue?

[user1499169579]

Are you talking about Homerton?
You are very unlikely to use the birthing centre.
My experience was that despite being low risk and under forty I still didn't get the birthing centre delivery I focused on. And now approaching my second pregnancy post forty.
all the talk of choice is an illusion.
Express your desire, but don't pin any importance on it emotionally.
As your desire will not determine anything, won't make them change their minds.
But what it will do will make you worry or make you feel like you have failed or that you could have a better experience.

Induction rates at Homerton are high

I made the mistake of fretting about this and intervention, and had a difficult experience refusing induction.

I ended up having a cs, not the water birth I enviagsed.

However
My care during and after the cs was exemplorary, even if the care before it was truculent.
And my conclusion wasn't to try a different hospital next time, instead that this was how system worked, and unless I could opt out entirely then I needed to go with it, rather than demand my choice.

Key thing is to be able to make a calm peaceful place in you pregnancy and for that to continue into the delivery suite wherever that turns out to be.
That peace can be internal, through meditation etc, if not physical space,

[Shortbutsosweet]

I was 41 when I had my baby. I was classed as low risk but booked for induction. Luckily my baby came naturally and I gave birth in birthing centre at Whipps cross.

[Julika]

Might be helpful to consider a Doula for a slightly gentler birthing approach at the Homerton. Bridget Baker is a great and very experienced option and knows the staff at the Homerton well.

[Wren900]

Great thanks for that I'm definitely considering using a doula x

[Wren900]

Thanks for sharing x

[CustardandBeans]

Hi, I was in the same position a couple of years ago and a lovely community midwife suggested a home birth (as where you give birth within Homerton hospital is a matter of policy but they can't stop you having a home birth). We were very doubtful but went ahead and I ended up having both my kids at home. The Homerton have a really well established team of home birth midwives who are really lovely and supportive and they stay with you if you do end up being transferred. Also if you are under the home birth team you get all your maternity appointments (pre and post natal) at home and can choose to go to hospital at any time. Hackney also has a volunteer run group that loans out birthing pools for free. Might be worth considering?

[indigo7]

Try changing hospital to UCH. They have a birthing centre, and had no issues with my age (41 with DC1; 44 with DC2).

[teaortequila23]

Hey all I had my two both at the Barkingtine birth center in E14. They were so strict with everything even my anemia they said if my blood count was too low it would be high risk so I would have to go to the hospital but the midwife was lovely and put to on getting a iv drip of iron a few weeks before the birth. With my second my blood was low but ok so they let me in but after having the baby I had a hemorage and an ambulance was called and I was transferred. Now I'm pregnant again and I'm a high risk pregnancy.
You will however be allowed to give birth in a birthing center within a hospital as there are doctors around incase something goes wrong.
They worry about blood pressure and pre eclampsia a lot with people a little older