Is it possible to have a 'calm and straightforward' birth in hospital?

[samstown]

I am 29 weeks pregnant and my thoughts are increasingly turning to the birth of my baby. I have joined the NCT and have started to go to one of their Yoga classes (which is excellent). I have already decided to give birth in hospital rather than at home. I love the idea of a home birth but I just cannot get the thought out of my head that if something went wrong and I was at home rather than in hospital and couldnt get transferred I would never be able to forgive myself. I know that lots of women have wonderful home births, but I think, this time at least, it just isnt for me.

However, I have been reading all the stuff from the NCT which seems to suggest that if you have a hopsital birth it will be difficult to have a straightforward birth etc etc. I really like the idea of a birthing pool but I dont know if my hospital has one (Lister in Stevenage in case anyone does know!) I also want as little intervention as possible really, although if it was necessary obviously I will go with whatever is best for me and my baby. I really want a calm and quiet birth and really try to use the breathing techniques that I have started to learn, but all I have really seen on programmes like One Born Every Minute is women labouring on their backs and screaming in pain! I am also unlucky in that there is a midwife led unit at my hospital but it isnt opening until the autumn so that is not an option either.

I am rambling here, but what I guess I am asking is have any of you had a calm and straightforward birth with music, breathing, water etc and all that stuff that goes with a homebirth, in a hopsital environment?

Two straightforward births in hospital. I think the labours would have been identical had I been at home. Also did NCT classes and antenatal yoga and was aiming both times to have little intervention if possible (which fortunately it was both times). Very happy with the care from the midwives both times.

BTW, you might find that being quiet is not conducive to helping you deal with the pain - in both my labours I found that making determined "aaarrrrh" noises during the contractions reallly helped cope with the pain. And making noises (not out of control screaming) is acknowledged as a pain management technique.

Also to add that if all goes well, you will almost certainly spend a great part of your labour at home, where you can create whatever environment you want - generally hospitals won't let you come in until you are in very established labour. For my first labour I spent seven hours at home and gave birth three hours after arriving at hospital (6cm dilated on arrival), and for my second, about three hours at home and an hour and 10 mins in hospital before giving birth (fully dilated on arrival ). So even if you choose to deliver in hospital, you will probably spend quite a bit of your labour (if not most of it) at home (presuming a straightforward pregnancy and labour of course).

"And making noises (not out of control screaming) is acknowledged as a pain management technique."

As is swearing apparently! bloodybuggerybollocks!

Change to a hospital which does have a mlu and hire a doula.

I gave birth in hospital on my back - it was the only position I could take the pain. The midwives were fighting to get me up!

2 straightforward births here at the Lister. They did still hurt a lot but I got what I wanted,drug and intervention free. I left after 6 hours both times. Midwives were great very hands off which is what I asked for. Please bear in mind that good straightforward births re largely luck no matter where it happens.

I had straightforward birth at hospital, with just gas + air. Did labour on back, because it wasn't working on all fours - just how it worked for me.

Did make a lot of noise, but as others have said, mainly because it helped me.

Had lovely midwife who stayed in room throughout, just quietly helping rather than interferring.

Didn't have birth pool or anything like i planned - because by time i got there i was 8 cm (thanks to a farmer who pulled out in front of us and we followed nearly all way to hospital), so was just straight into labour room, didn't even have hospital bag till after he was born.

Twas all fine and dandy.