Midwife Led Unit in Edinburgh?

[newbie30]

I'm moving to Edinburgh in December and due to give birth at the beginning of April. I had seen information online about a new MLU at the Royal Infirmary which was due to open at the beginning of 2011 (I think), but now can't find the information again.

Does anyone in Edinburgh, know anything about this unit or whether it's due to be completed on time? What I saw seemed really good, but now I'm starting to worry that it may not be finished/available when I get there. If I was staying were I am (no MLU available) I would chose a home birth, but hoped an MLU would be a good compromise - especially as it will be my 1st child.

Any information would be greatly appreciated - Thanks :)

It keeps getting put back. Work hasn't started yet and as far as I know they haven't agreed final plans etc. I think it highly unlikely it will be open by April. Sorry. Your choices in Edinburgh are the Royal, St Johns at Livingston, or a home birth. At the royal you won't see a doc unless there's a problem.

Out of the options in edinburgh I'd advise St John's.

The ERI (Edinburgh Royal Infirmary) has a very poor reputation locally, i've heard many a dissatisfied report, especially about the postnatal ward. Very recently I birth partnered for a friend who laboured there and was very unimpressed by facilities, culture and atmosphere. Very medicalised environment IMO

I had my baby at St John's and obviously I can only give you my experience, but I felt it was miles ahead of the ERI. Quieter, cosier, and more focused toward active labour. If you can choose, then choose St John's

I disagree. My sister is a doctor in Lothian and she felt very strongly that I should have my baby at the Royal, having worked at both St Johns and the Royal.
I know lots of people who have had a fantastic time at the Royal.
My sister's view is that whilst St Johns is usually nicer from a "customer service perspective" - e.g. less likely to have to wait in triage, usually much less busy, the back up there if something were to go wrong is far, far less than that which is available at the Royal.
My midwives in Edinburgh advised the same thing - in the unlikely event of anything going wrong, you are much, much better off being at the Royal.

What back up do they have at the royal that they don't have at st john's?

As I suspected, too good to be true.
Thanks for the info, with any luck it'll be finished by the time I'm considering my 2nd

There is far more back up - the royal is a major regional multidisciplinary centre - there are about ten times as many doctors and theatres for a start, a proper crash team comprising of more doctors, a neonatal intensive care unit (friends of ours got loaded straight into an ambulance to go to Yorkhill with their DS because he had inhaled meconium), I could go on. I don't know any doctors or midwives who would advise St Johns over the Royal. Also, this is anecdotal scare mongering and obviously not statistically significant, but other friends of ours chose St Johns over the Royal because the intervention rate was lower at the time - their baby died - turned out he needed an intervention a bit quicker than they managed to organise one at St Johns. We also know a couple whose baby died at the Royal, but they went from walking in the door at triage to the baby delivered by c-section in well under 20 minutes so you can't blame the royal for that. I suspect it would have taken much longer at St Johns (although sadly would have made no difference in this case).
A significant group of the doctors at St Johns recently collectively complained to the BMA about the dangerous understaffing there. The understaffing at the royal isn't great either - but apparently its not as bad.

sorry to clarify our friends who were transferred to Yorkhill had chosen St Johns - the royal has their own unit on site.

I have the choice of ERI or St Johns. And after canvassing opinions of friends who have been to both have decideed on St Johns. It's the nearer of the 2, but the level of attention after the birth seems to be higher at St Johns and they are less likely to rush you out the door.

My pregnancy has been classed as medium risk, and no one has raised any concerns about there not being enough emergency care at St Johns. Midwife even suggested St Johns, so don't know where the previous comment about MW or GPs not recommending St Johns comes from.

At the end of the day it's your choice. You can got and see both units and make a decision based on what you see and not the hearsay of other people.

Good luck :o

I gave birth at the ERI in August and I thought it was absolutely fine - the midwives there were really good (along with the Doctor who used the kiwicup/ventouse to help my wee boy arrive safely). I was in the LDRP for delivery which was clean and seemed pretty good, big bath, couch/bean bag thing etc.

Postnatally the ward I was in had 4 beds and was comfy and clean and aside from the standard checks if you needed anything you could just ask (or buzz if no-one was nearby). I certainly didn't feel rushed out the door and another woman in the ward had been there 5 or 6 days already and they were happy for her to stay longer if she chose.

Only negative was that it is VERY busy and we were nearly sent to St John's which is fairly common if they've run out of beds.