Where would you give birth - poll!

[otterbaby]

Hi all,

Just looking for some unbiased opinions please! I am hoping for a water birth with gas & air as the main method of pain relief. Low risk pregnancy and first time mum, due in 5 (ish) weeks.

Option 1 - birth at my local hospital. Roughly a 5 minute drive away. DH is allowed to stay 1 hour after the birth and no visiting in the subsequent days if I'm required to stay over. No facilities for water birth, but some rooms have large baths (but not large enough to actually birth in).

Option 2 - birth at the midwife led birthing unit attached to the local hospital, so still a 5 minute drive away. DH is allowed to stay 24 hours after birth but cannot leave the room. Does have a pool for water birth but overall, rooms are pretty small, basic and amenities not great. Midwives are a bit stretched as well as they cover both the hospital & midwife led birthing unit.

Option 3 - birth at the midwife led birthing unit 30 minutes away. DH allowed to stay 24 hours after birth but cannot leave the room. Huge pool for water birth, massive room, sofa bed for DH to sleep on, poncey fairy lights, overall a great atmosphere. Receives fantastic reviews about midwife care and really positive birth stories. However, if there were complications with me/baby, would have to be blue-lighted to the hospital (possibly 15-20 min drive in an ambulance?).

Option 1 is my least favourite. I'm stuck between 2-3. I'm fully aware that when the time comes, labour might be so painful that I just want to get to the nearest unit and start sucking on gas & air. There is also the possibility that both 2 and 3 may be fully booked, but that's very unlikely. I'm just not sure if I'm romanticising Option 3, as it does worry me a bit that I would be so far from the hospital should something go wrong.

I'm pretty flexible but some outside opinions would be great!

I picked option 2 for mine. I liked the sound of option 3 but the midwife did warn me that pain medication is very limited at the midwife only units. I think gas and air and pethidine injection where the only options. If you wanted more that you had to be take to the hospital 30 minutes away. I didn't want to risk needing to be moved in labour so saw option 2 as the best of both worlds.

I would go for option 2, I had a very short labour and wouldn't have wanted to be 30 minutes away from the hospital and I like the reassurance of being close to the hospital if there were any problems.

Option 2

Just for peace of mind.

I’d definitely go home birth in your circumstances- 5 min to hospital and can keep DH the whole time and create the ambiance yourself.

3 in an ideal world. 2 would be what I would choose under duress from family.

But, I was in a 2 (without hospital access, bloody MLU is in a hospital, but without any hospital facilities. I ended up being transferred to a hospital 10-15 mins away by ambulance and all was fine. I would have struggled travelling 30+ minutes from home in labour.

Just take everything you think you might want after, kitchen sink and all

I’d go for home myself but, if you would feel more confident with help nearby, go for option 2.

Option 2 - a midwife unit feel but close enough to a hospital if you need intervention.

I went to the birth centre 5 mins up the road for my lovely yoga water birth but unfortunately had to be blue lighted to the hospital eventually which took 20 mins. The rush was quite scary but the hospital were ready for me and it was all under control. I believe a high(ish) percentage of first time mothers need transferring from birth centres.

It has influenced my choices for my second where I will be going to the midwife unit attached to the hospital for my next labour - (a half hour drive but the peace of mind)

Check with your birth centre, mine allows you to birth at the hospital and be transferred back to the birth centre closer to home if all is well.

Option 2 for me.

Option 2.

I'd go for 2.

Proximity to immediate hospital intervention . Plus midwife unit.

I wouldn't go for 3; too far from hospital back up and there's no guarantee that an ambulance to get you there will be free and on site when needed.

TBH I wouldn't have wanted husband hanging around for 24 hoursafter the birth. All I wanted to do was sleep or at least rest in a spaced out silent zombie state

I'd go for 2 (and did), especially if it's your first birth. You won't notice the lights or music etc (and could take your own if you care that much), but reassurance of consultant unit on hand is great. I transferred from the MLU to the CLU upstairs after 8 hours in a birthing pool.

If you'd already had a straightforward birth, I'd say 3.

I’d go for option 2. I wanted a water birth with my first but he got stuck at 9cm after 36 hours in labour so I needed to go through to the hospital part of the birthing unit which was at the other end of the ward. I was exhausted and half naked and wet through ( from the pool) I’m so glad it was only a short walk away!

First baby, definitely option 2. My friend is a paramedic who spends much of her time transferring labouring women between the midwife led suite to the hospital, good 20 minute drive. She always says she wishes they wouldn’t allow first timers as there is no nearby back-up. She’s had women haemorrhaging, stuck babies, babies needing resuscitatation - so much can go wrong when your body hasn’t done it before.

I would go for option 2 personally, best of both worlds- the atmosphere of a MLU, but the security of being next to the hospital. Plus if you would like to at least try the water then a huge plus that they have the facilities. I had a straightforward pregnancy, headed to the MLU, and it was very nice, but I had to be blue lighted to the nearest hospital, and because I was already in a healthcare setting I wasn't a priority; even though by that time I had been in second stage for 4 hours and things were going wrong rapidly. The ambulance took well over an hour to arrive, and the journey there was horrific. Absolutely unlikely to happen to you, I'm not saying it is, but if I have another definitely the 'perks' of a BC environment but being close by would be the most appealing.

@InglouriousBasterd I wish I knew the risks beforehand, after they did say ah it is always a gamble with first time mums. It would have been nice to have had that info prior to make an informed decision!

Option 2 but only because my fiancé is a paramedic and some of his jobs have been childbirth related and he definitely has his share of stories! Not trying to scare-monger, just which option id pick and why. All that matters is your gut instinct tbh as we all have different preferences.

Option 2. My birth was low risk until I unexpectedly began hemorrhaging. Just the rush down to theatre in the hospital was terrifying. Definitely wouldn't have wanted an ambulance trip on top of that!

Option 2. You will be so focused on giving birth you probably won't be focusing on your surroundings so much. You can still have the pool and you have the reassurance of the doctors nearby if needed

I would go for 2.

You have the water birth option and are also near the hospital if any emergency which is hard to determine likelihood with first pregnancy.

Plus sleep won't be high on DHs agenda so lack of comfy bed shouldn't matter.

I however had 2 births / labours that without immediate help I'd likely have died so that may be my bias.

@SelmaB the exact same thing happened to my friend. Sorry to hear you had an ordeal

Option 1 or 2. Two of our closest friends ended up with babies that needed to be resuscitated recently, one because of cord prolapse and one because the cord had a true knot. Both completely trouble free, low risk pregnancies right up until delivery, and one a DC2 after uncomplicated delivery on DC1. Both babies were ultimately fine but needed a night in special care.

One was born in a MLU, dad and baby were put straight in an ambulance and rushed to the main hospital, with the mum following in another ambulance a few hours later once she was up to it. I would absolutely hate that.

You just can't tell what's going to happen. There are no guarantees.

I would go with number 3 without hesitation
But I had home births and loved them so...

Ditto.

First was in hospital and a complicated birth due to being in hospital. The whole management of birth and labour was much better at home.

OP one of the subjects you discuss in depth with the midwife for a home birth is how they manage in the rare scenario that something goes wrong which could be picked up earlier in labour by the midwife. Its worth asking if Option 3 can have that discussion with you to help you decide.

I'd go with number 3..

But then I had 2 homebirths so was prepared to transfer.
3 sounds like it could be the least risk averse and have more experience of normal birth without getting jumpy.

I would never choose to give birth far away from medical intervention if required. I’m not sure what the statistics are but I know so many people who had life threatening complications for them, the baby or both that I just wouldn’t risk it. I had an unplanned home birth and it was fantastic but we were lucky everything was fine. Even with that experience I still wouldn’t choose it again as I wouldn’t want to take the risk. So option 2!

Option 2. Not 3 for a first time mum.