Pembury (Tunbridge Wells) Hospital OR Crowborough Birthing Centre?

[Moneypennyf2]

Hi All,

I am due in just over 8 weeks and need to make a decision about whether to have the baby at Pembury Hospital OR Crowborough Birthing Centre and I'm really undecided.

My personal preference is Crowborough because I would like a water birth and if I can cope I would like to have an active birth using gas and air. Also the fact that all the midwives are very eager (and trained) to help establish breastfeeding is someting that I find realy positive.

However my other half is really worried due to the lack of doctor support in case there is an emergency, as it takes at least 15 inutes to get an ambulance and the fastest they have ever got someone to Pembury is 15 minutes (which I imagine is a pretty bumpy ride going that fast!

I just wondered if anyone else has had to make this decision and what you decided to do? If you have had a baby at either of these places what was your experience like and would you go there again?

Many thanks,
Faye

I had a similar decision to make but not at these locations and my hospital was a bit further from birthing centre, so not sure how helpful what I have to say is lol.

There are clearly pro's and con's to both and I couldn't work it out at first, but I believe you have to go with your underlying gut instinct if I'm honest. I went with mine which was hospital and I'm glad I did. The MW's there were fab and very pro breast feeding so helped loads. I'd like to think that of all hospitals. However friends have done the birthing centre and are glad they did and had wonderful calm births and got lots of post natal suppot.

So, go with what you really feel is best deep down and I'm sure it will work just fine. Women do both hundreds of times everyday all over the country and it works out so try not to over think it. Good luck xxx

I had a great active birth at Pembury in 2004 (old buildings). MWs were all fantastic.

I wouldn't personally have taken the risk of giving birth far from a hospital and thank goodness I didn't because DD needed a lot of care for the first 24 hours.

I had DD at Crowborough in 2010 and the midwives there were all great, so if you decide to go there I'm sure you'll be in good hands.

However, the only reason I went there was because I was so put off by the old Pembury hospital. With all the sparkling new facilites there I'd definitely chose the hospital next time. You just never know what's going to happen, and I think I underestimated just how easily things can go wrong the first time round.

(I had a pretty textbook delivery without any drugs but had to be transferred to Pembury for repairs afterwards and found the whole birth thing really quite traumatic.)