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Childbirth

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Original poster

Giving birth in Bristol?

11 replies

Yukana · 20/03/2011 17:50

I'm due in August and hoping for a water birth, however the nearest hospital that does this to me it seems is Bristol.

Does anyone have any experiences of giving birth in Bristol? I'm nervous as this is my first baby and hoping Bristol won't be horrible.

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Politixmum · 20/03/2011 21:08

Hullo Yukana
I had my baby in Leicester where the midwives took us round the mum and baby unit so we could see what we would be coming in to - and check out things like parking facilities. Will Bristol do that?

I wanted a water birth too. There wasn't a pool available when I went in. Also there was a small complication with my baby's birth but it's nothing to be worried about. The midwives will take good care of you, and if you are the same Yukana who posted a few days ago I think you have a considerate DP who will support you throughout.

I couldn't give a poo about all that now (although I pooed quite a lot at the time!), as I have my lovely DD who is happy and healthy, about to become 7 years old - already!

You will be fine, however if you can get to visit the place where you are going to have your baby, you will probably feel reassured - I did.

Samvet · 20/03/2011 21:12

Hello,
At St Michaels they have one pool so it is luck of the draw if it is free when you need it. My experience of ST Michaels is excellent on delivery and absolutely terrible for aftercare. Same said by others.
Southmead also has a pool I think. Both Hospitals offer tours of the unit, your midwife can give you the numbers to call about the tours. You need to 'book in' to one of the units in advance. Weston super mare has midwife led unit that is likely to have pools too. Where are you located? There are midwife led units near bath and in Trowbridge.

RitaMorgan · 20/03/2011 21:15

I planned a home water birth in Bristol - is home birth an option for you, then you're guaranteed a pool!

I ended up transferring to St. Michaels in the end anyway, but it was fine. I wanted an epidural and they got it for me very quickly, and the post-natal care was very good too.

Original poster
Yukana · 21/03/2011 07:27

Touring the hospital sounds like a good idea, and I hope my luck will be good enough for me to be able to nab the birthing pool for a bit. Wink I'll talk to my midwife about it.

I've considered home birth and in the past I was set on it, but I think it would be better to be fully reassured this time around and try home birth in the future with my second.

Hopefully my mother, grandmother and DP will be at the hospital as planned, so even if I don't get enough post-natal support I can just ask them for advice.

OP posts:
PenguinsMummy · 21/03/2011 08:23

I gave birth to DD1&2 in Southmead and will hopefully give birth to DD3 there in the next few weeks. I've never had time to experience a waterbirth but found the hospital and staff care v good.

They do offer tours of the maternity suite. They are in the middle of building the new super hospital at the moment so parking can be an issue - make sure your DP has lots of £1 coins!

FirstVix · 21/03/2011 18:13

Phone number for tours at Southmead is; 0117 373 5046 and they are conducted by volunteers at weekends.
The birth pool is in the attached mid-wife led unit, not the standard delivery suite.

noblegiraffe · 22/03/2011 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

8rubberduckies · 24/03/2011 21:51

I second Southmead hospital - midwife-led-unit, birthing pool (only the one I think), good aftercare. I had ds there in 2007 and spent 10 days there as ds caught Strep B, and am booked in again for dd in June.

Are you far from Bristol? If you are south of Bristol there is a stand-alone midwife-led-unit in Paulton which has an excellent reputation.

SarahW1978 · 05/04/2011 13:05

I had a tour of Southmead a few weeks ago and there is definitely only one pool. I am really keen on having a water birth so am looking into hiring a pool for home at the moment. I can't imagine the odds of the one pool being free are great, and even if it becomes empty, it will then need cleaning. I have read that some hospitals will let you hire a pool and bring it to the hospital. This isn't something I have explored at all so don't know how feasible it is. Hope that helps.

Ebb · 05/04/2011 16:17

I had both mine at Southmead. With Ds I laboured in the pool but eventually got out to push as I was falling alseep in the pool Blush. Dd was too quick to run the pool. The MLU is lovely.

knittakid · 05/04/2011 18:51

I had my first at st Michaels and thought it was brilliant, don't agree with the aftercare being bad, it could not have been better for me.

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