Birth Centre or Hospital?

[skyra13]

Hi Ladies I need some advice my pregnancy has been going well currently 31+5.

I have a hight BMI and thought that the birth centre was out of my options, but today my midwife has said to speak to my consultant about the birth centre she feels it will be better for me as I suffer from White Coat syndrome and thinks a birth centre will be calmer for me and keep my blood pressure down as it sky rockets in hospital.

She has said that it has proven that the more we panic in pregnancy the more labour may go on longer and become more painful. So she feel it might benefit me using the birth centre.

The birth centre is only 20 min away the hospital is 40 min away.

My midwife asked me today what my plan was I said hospital as thought it was only option but she said its not, and I thought it might be better for me to be at the hospital in case anything goes wrong, she said I shouldn't look at it in that way an that if something does they can easily get me to the hospital.

What did you chose? I will be having a tour round the birth centre on Monday so will be able to check it out more.

Would you prefer Birth Centre over Hospital? I have alot to think about as it has all changed my plans now with the option! :)

[Emilyjane11]

I have no experience of this but I am 18 weeks and I am classed as high risk cause of my bmi. I am desperate for a birth centre birth. I would definitley prefer it. Im that scared that im going to attend hypno birthing classes. Out of interest could you tell what your bmi is? Thank a lot and good luck you should be very happy this is an option :)

[LorelaiVictoriaGilmore]

I'm really glad it's a choice for you - that, in itself, must be reassuring. I'd want to know how far away the birth centre is from the hospital? How quickly can they get you/your baby to the hospital if something goes wrong?

[bagofsnakes]

I would certainly go with the birth centre considering your BP issues. They are right, the calmer you are the better labour will go and the less chance of complications. It's great that they are giving you that option.

[neathmummy]

I would definitely go with the birth centre. I had a bit of a fear of hospitals so I knew I would feel happier in a birth centre. Unfortunately it didn't go to plan for me and ended up with an ambulance transfer to the hospital. Even though I didn't give birth in the birth centre, I was relatively calm when we got to the hospital and don't regret choosing a birth centre.

[Christelle2207]

I was in the birth centre for most of my labour but was transferred towards the very end. Luckily the delivery suite was only down two floors at my hospital. I was unlucky though to get into difficulty. Tbh the delivery suite being on a different site would put me off a bit- worth asking about %of labours which are transferred - in some places rates are about 50%.

[Christelle2207]

...but if you're comfortable with potential transfer and your midwife is happy then I would recommend.

[Jackieharris]

If the consultants fine with it then go for it!

[Dogsmom]

I chose the hospital for my first and have done for this one too despite having to drive past the birth centre which is 15 minutes away to the hospital which is 30-40 minutes depending on traffic.

I had the tour of the centre and it was lovely, there was a pool per room, big telly and set out like a bedroom but while I was there we were ushered into a room while a lady was transferred to the hospital and it made me realise that knowing there was immediate medical help available for the baby at the hospital meant a lot more to me than the room.

I'm not a fan of hospitals either but once I was in the delivery room it wasn't that much different to the birthing centre, the midwives were equally as lovely and as it turns out I would've had to be transferred too as my daughter became distressed during the labour.
I was moments away from having to have an emergency caesarean and ended up with an episiotomy and ventouse all of which were done immediately whereas at the birth centre I'd have had to wait for the ambulance, have the journey then be wheeled to the maternity unit which could've taken an hour, all the time my daughters heart rate was dropping.

No matter where you choose you'll still be in your own delivery room, with your own midwife and the only difference is what's going on the other side of the door.

[NickyEds]

We're very fortunate here as the MLU is on the same floor as the delivery rooms (consultant led, so hospital-like) so this time I'm going to tentatively say I'll go with the MLU as I know the "hospital" side is right there-If it was a different building I'd go with hospital. When I looked around the MLU when I was expecting DS I just loved it. There was a pool in every room, privacy, mood lighting, nice decoration, a little screened off terrace, birthing balls etc. In the end I had to have the synto drip so was in the delivery room.
This time I'm not convinced that I want to be anywhere where I can't get an epidural!! The MLU, which was so lovely on the visit was lonely and cold in the middle of the night. The mws are more hands off in the MLU which could be seen as beneficial but to be when I was in labour was just frightening. I actually quite liked the delivery room and felt strangely comforted by the medical nature of it and the fact that my mw stayed with me.
I think you should follow Christelles advice and ask about transfer numbers, how many were first time mums, how many had issues directly related to high bmi.

[douchbag]

Just be aware that if needed the birth centre is 40mins away from the hospital

[skyra13]

Hey Emilyjane11 my BMI is 37.5, The hospital is 40min away from home about 20 to 30min away from the birth centre.

It is a hard choice as you never know what's going to happen with your birth thanks for your input ladies!

[weeblueberry]

It is a tough choice. We're lucky in that the MLU here is attached to the hospital and a transfer can be done in less than 3 minutes or a consultant could come to you. Because of this I'm keen to try the MLU this time round. With DD1 her heart rate dropping was a real issue and, although I did give birth naturally and without intervention, I'd almost certainly have been transferred last time as a precaution.

We're also quite lucky in that they'll transfer you if you decide you need an epidural. I'm hoping I won't need one this time either but you never know do you?

After last time Id choose the hospital if a transport was going to take more than ten minutes.

[GoooRooo]

I wasn't given the choice of a MLU as my BMI was too high and I was under a consultant. I was cross - I really didn't want to give birth in the hospital.

In the end it was absolutely fine and the midwives there were lovely.

[skyra13]

Watched a video on the birth centre and hospital I was in the hospital last week due to reduced movements and they were lovely! T.V and ball and things.
The issue I think is if there was a problem then its a 30- 20 min ambulance ride to the hospital it's a long way when baby is stressed as the hospital that has the birth centre has been down graded they can't do a section they don't even have an emergency unit any more so its worrying the birth centre video says 1 in 3 women have to be transferred yes fine if its close by but I feel it being so far is a worry!

[LastOneDancing]

I really wanted to use the MLU but as it turned out there was too much fluid and ended up in hospital.

I laboured in the pool & still took my own pillows/curious and put up my hypnobirthing poster ( ) so made it as non-hospitally as possible which I think helped.