Canterbury Birthing Centre closure

[Fab123]

I was wondering if the closure of the Birth Centre in Canterbury was affecting anyone else? Although I am only 12 weeks 6 days pregnant I was going to have a water birth at the CBC as it is just up my road. So far it has shut for 3 months while they decide whether or not to re-open it. To be honest if they don't have funds now, I cannot see how this will change in 3 months. Midwife appointments are still being held there luckily as I don't drive. It is a fairly new facility with great reviews and above average service in comparison to other parts of the UK. I'm really confused now about my options as no one from the CBC contacted me to let me know (I found out in the paper) and because no official decision has been made no one wants to talk to me about other options yet. I've decided that at a push I could go private but again this is a lot of upheaval and I really don't know where to start. I have emailed the local private hospital, The Chaucer, to see if they have birthing facilities as their website doesn't specify. Feeling a little at sea :(

Its sad that they felt they dont have the funds any longer. I had my son last year at the Singleton MLU in WHH Ashford which opened about a year ago. Its very nice, private en-suite rooms, water birthing facility, proximity to the Folkestone Labour ward upstairs if any problems occur. Could this be an option? Otherwise I think your only other alternative is the QEQM n Margate but I dont know about the facilities.

Or is the Dover Birthing Centre still open? Think that might have closed though...

They also shut down the one in Margate at the same time. The only options I know of are Dover and Ashford. I was just worried to be so far away from home and wondered how to start up again - would I need a new midwife? I think Ashford may well be the next choice and I didn't realise they also had the water birth facility! I will definately look into that now, thanks ethelina! I think I was just relaxed knowing the birthing centre is about 100 meters from my house and now I'm worrying about getting to the hospital and back as I don't drive. I'll just have to get used to the idea I guess!

Well I came from the other direction, so Ashford was my first (and only realistic) choice but I was given the option of either Dover or Canterbury if I really wanted. Honestly WHH MLU is really lovely, we had a great experience there.

I didnt actually use the birthing pool rooms cos it was all too quick but we had a tour and they are fantastic. Ensuite wet rooms, low couch things for variation, a swing to pull down on in early stages and birthing balls available. They have certainly spent some money there.
Post-birth rooms are private, with reclining chair-bed things for OH, wet room again, air con throughout. Kitchen with toast/tea available etc.

(Oh god I sound like a fucking advert, sorry, but it was really really really nice)

Oh thank you soooo much for that! It means a lot to hear about it as obviously I haven't seen it. I know I have a lot of time to find out but having a direct vote of confidence is always lovely. My friends that had a water birth raved about it and it is important for me to at least be somewhere that it is an option! And at the moment toast is a necessity, not an option. I can't get enough!

I probably sound a little naive about the actual process, but do I literally call an ambulance when I go into labour and just tell them to take me to WHH MLU Ashford? I realise I need to tell my midwife that I want to give birth there, but does she sort out the paperwork to let them know or do women in labour regularly rock up needing a bed?

I'm possibly worrying about this too early on! Only had the first scan last week and thrilled to be over the worst worry of miscarriage!

Normally if you don't drive you need to get a taxi or a lift to hospital. They'll only send an ambulance if you or the baby are in danger and you need a paramedic rather than just transport.

Your community midwife will "book you in" to a hospital at your 28 week appointment if you are having midwife led care. I've already been referred because I have Consultant led care from my local hospital due to risk factors.

Hope that helps,

First thing is to tell your midwife at your next appointment you want to see the unit and she should arrange for a tour with other pregnant women nearer your due date (I was about 30 weeks when I went). Get it included in your notes as a preferred option if Canterbury doesnt reopen in time. You will find out about what to do in labour much nearer the time but briefly, when you start getting twinges, ring your midwife if in hours, or the relevant unit out of hours, they will ask you a few questions and advise accordingly. Unfortunately the ambulance service will be seriously unimpressed if you call them just for labour unless you actually deliver the baby or have a medical emergency. It means getting someone to drive you or calling a taxi.
People do rock up to birthing units and hospitals all the time - Sam Cam was on holiday when she went into labour. They wont turn you away if you are about to deliver.
The best thing you can do at the moment is relax until you're a lot nearer the time. Even 4 weeks out it will all seem a long way away.
In the end it doesnt matter so much how you end up delivering - I was 6 hours start to finish, bleeding throughout and sent upstairs to Folkestone ward to deliver under doctors attention but it was all fine really and I went straight back down to Singleton unit to recover. But I could have given birth in the car park with half of Ashford looking on for all it mattered when I had my son put on my chest for the first time.
Whatever, however you end up delivering, it will be special because of what you have at the end of it all.
And if it all seems a little to complicated getting to any unit at all, ask for a homebirth instead.

Good luck. When are you due?

Thanks both of you. Nice to know that at some point the midwife will start going through all of this. I suppose because it is so early they don't have much involvement yet. I'm not due till 26th July so have a while to plan like a madwoman!

With homebirths; I was told by a friend that you have to go to the hospital afterwards anyway as they need to weigh and measure the baby etc...a friend of hers was all ready to hop into bed afterwards and was told they'd have to make the journey before being allowed home again. I wonder if they had been caught off guard and just not bought the right equipment with them at the time and this is not the norm?

My friend is a few weeks ahead of me and can't think about the birth yet at all. I do like to plan things so thanks for the advice as it makes the process clearer to visualise now and puts my mind at rest.

Generally you only need to go to hospital if there is a reason ie the baby or you need medical attention, or if the birth is unexpected (not meant to be at home) If you opt for a homebirth and the midwives are happy they will deliver a kit to your house 2 to 4 weeks before your due date. I would say they wont agree if there is any problem with you or the baby. You need to be absolutely normal.

Fab, I am a doula and one of my hospitals in William Harvey, it's a lovely hospital imo and the mw's are great. even if you end up in the delivery suite as opposed to mlu, they are still very women centred and hands off as much as they can be.

Hope it works out for you.

and yes all baby checks with HB are done at home. The only reason you would need to transfer would be problems with you or baby during or after labour, such as baby needing some extra support. Maybe retained placenta, 2nd or 3rd degree stiches repair. etc

Normal birth at home, does not need "medical" assistance.

Hi Fab, I'm with the local NCT and we are organising a home birth information evening if you want to know more about it.

You can find details on our website: www.nct.org.uk/canterbury

By the way: having done both a birth centre birth and a home birth, I can tell you that travelling in labour is far far worse than having to travel the next day to take your baby to hospital to be checked! :o)

Good luck with it all!

I don't know anyone who went to Canterbury birth centre and didnt get blue lighted to the Harvey. I've heard good things about the MLU there. Sadly, Medway is my only option!!

Hi, I'm due in a couple of weeks and had planned to give birth in canterbury. We also dont have a car so the thought of getting a taxi all the way to ashford to use the birthing centre there seemed like it would be pretty stressful while in labour. We've opted for a homebirth and actually I'm now really looking forward to it. All the midwives here are experienced and supportive of homebirths (so they tell me anyway) so I'm not nervous about it at all.

Anyway, hopefully the MLU will be back open for your turn.

Just to add, I was told that we will need to go to hospital the next day for baby checks, but I think this can be done at canterbury so no need to go all the way to ashford or margate. I might have got that wrong though..