Question for MWs/hospital staff

[Serendippy]

Is there such a thing as a less busy month for births? I hated my experience of childbirth and am a bit nervous about doing it again. I know I will be keen to have a lot of support from the MWs but also know that hospitals are understaffed and the MWs are stretched. Is there a 'quiet' time to aim for?

No. Sorry! Good luck though, hope it is more positive this time.

I wondered if there is any official information on this, and turns out there is!

Office for National Statistics website has a nice spreadsheet showing births in the UK per month, from 1938 to 2004. February looks like the quietest month, but not by much! I would imagine the time of day might be more pertinent than the month. Or if there is a full moon . Although am not a MW or hospital staff - maybe others know?

Oh, and I gave birth in a June, which looking at the spreadsheet looks like an averagely busy month, but the midwife centre was plumb empty when I arrived!

if you need some more support uou could look at having a doula or delivering at home when you will get guaranteed one to one support?

Was wary of having a doula as I am keen to have any available pain relief available which I have heard is frowned on? Anyone got any experience of using an IM?

Would be far to chicken to deliver at home! Am in awe of people who do it, but my 21st century mind is firmly set in the hospital with lots of doctors around in case of emergency...

The important thing is to choose a care provider who is supportive of your decisions on how you want your birth to go - that's what you are paying for.

Choosing a quiet month to birth is no guarantee that you'll get the 1:1 care you're after. February was mentioned above as a quiet month, however, I went into labour on a February night (last night actually!!!) to be told that the nearest 2 hospitals were full, no community midwives were available to come out for a (planned) homebirth and I would have to travel over an hour to the nearest available maternity unit.

BTW - to concieve a Feb baby you need to be ovulating mid-May

September time is always busy - 9 months on from christmas/new year drunken parties.

Having said that - we are still waiting for the September rush to die down

February would be less - there are fewer days in it than any other month

A Doula should not frown upon your choice if you want pain relief. She is there to support you in whatever decisions you make. A good Doula is non judgemental.

I believe, that by law, the hospital has to send out a midwife if you are in labour. You don't have to go into hospital.

ok, any doula worth her salt who is professional will never ever judge any woman's choices in childbirth, but support her unequivocally and non judegementally. what you might find is that with one to one support, you can manage with less pain relief than you thought you would need...

re an indie midwife.. cost is much higher than a doula, but you get all your antenatal care at home, at a convenient time and much longer appointments.. however, an IM cannot delvier your baby in a hospital, she can at home, but if she comes to hospital with you, she is pretty much going to be a birth partner/doula when it comes to the delivery..