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Pregnancy

Birth centre dilemma

9 replies

LorryHen · 16/08/2015 19:53

I am 30 weeks pregnant with my first baby and starting to think about the birth.

At 12 weeks I was deemed high risk for two reasons, at my first consultant appointment the doctor said I am healthy enough for midwife led care and was referred back to my GP surgery.

I think they are going to push for me to give birth on the high risk ward but I really want to go to the birth centre. Should I push for a birth centre delivery and what are the chances I'll be allowed? The centre is on the same floor of the hospital as the high risk ward so I don't see the problem.

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Topsy34 · 16/08/2015 19:55

If you are under midwife care then you can birth where you choose i think

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LorryHen · 16/08/2015 20:00

Topsy I'm hoping this is the case. I have to see a consultant at 34 weeks and I don't really know why since I've been referred back to midwife led care.

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AbbeyRoadCrossing · 16/08/2015 20:10

It depends on the reason you were high risk and what criteria you need to qualify for the birth centre. You can't qualify for the birth centre until 37 weeks anyway - preterm birth is always on the ward - so if nothing new comes up at your consultant appointment you should be fine. Good luck!

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lilac3033 · 16/08/2015 20:12

The MLU is REALLY strict here. I had borderline high blood pressure (white coat syndrome, which my midwife agreed with me on). I had had it from my booking in, it never rose during pregnancy.
When I went in to have DD, I had to be on the trace for an hour, have normal BP readings and the consultant on duty had to ok it first. Luckily they did and I could use the MLU.
When my midwife came round after the birth she said she was surprised they let me in. I think it was partially due to the fact I happened to be the only person in the MLU that night, so it was quiet. Labour ward was busy that night also.

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Brummiegirl15 · 16/08/2015 20:14

My birth centre is really strict. You have to be midwife led care the whole pregnancy.

I would love to be birth centre as my hospital has a brand new multi-million pound one. However I'm consultant care.

Nada chance for me. Delivery suite all the way

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frangipani13 · 16/08/2015 20:20

Completely depends on what your condition is, how you've been so far and crucially what happens in the next 10 weeks. I had my heart set on a completely natural hypno birth in the amazing birth centre at our hospital- then I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 29 ish weeks. I'll be giving birth on the delivery unit and may need to be induced... discuss your options with the consultant midwife and go in with some questions at your next appt.

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LorryHen · 16/08/2015 20:42

Thanks for all the messages. I'm pretty sure they won't let me but I can ask!

The reasons I was high risk is my bmi which is 0.5 over the threshold and also I have a fibroid. The consultant has said the position and size of the fibroid mean it won't effect the delivery. Also I've passed a GTT and had no complications so far but I'm not sure!

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contractor6 · 16/08/2015 21:37

Lorryhen, can you go to another hospital? They may have different criteria? My MLU only considers BMI over forty to be high risk.

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LorryHen · 16/08/2015 22:36

Contractor, the three closest birth centres round here have the same criteria unfortunately!