What influenced your decision of where to birth eg home, midwife led unit, hopsital

[YummyMummy2014]

I'm trying to decide where to have my 2nd baby; home, midwife led stand alone unit or the hospital...
What helped you decide?
Did your families influence your decisions?
Did the midwives give you much evidence to go on?

My baby made all the decisions. Had booked a hb, with a midwife led team from the hospital, but with meuconium in the water, we had to transfer. Then ended up with a crash section as labour stalled and babe didn't like the oxytocin interventions.

Best of luck to you both. You can plan all you like but if your babe has another idea, you have to go with that!

Having said that as its your second, you could probably go for a midwife led hb, and see how it works out- that is if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy/ delivery last time, and all goes well this time.

If the shit hits the fan, you'll have to go in to hospital anyway.
So make sure you're prepared for that.

Ask about the fall back team for '"failed" hb from the midwives team' in the hospital.
Ask if transferring in means you'll be well looked after, and that you won't just get some sleep deprived, cack handed SHO who's on duty at the time to do any necessary surgery (if that's needed).

Again, best of luck!

What I planned didnt happen, but:

DC1 planned on a midwife led unit, as I wanted a water birth and low intervention. In reality, I went very overdue and was induced on the Labour ward. I ended up with an emergency section.

DC2 I wanted a VBAC. I was told I had to labour on the labour ward as they needed to monitor me / my baby due to the risk of scar rupture. I fought really hard to get the consultant to agree to as low as possible intervention. I didnt want to be strapped to the bed and monitored, as all the research suggests VBACS are most successful when you are allowed an actve birth. All went out the window anyway, as I became ill at 37 weeks and needed a c-section.

Still think my choices and reasoning were right, but anything can happen with birth, eh!

MW suggested and explained the benefits of home birth ie having the same midwife throughout pregnancy and labour, not as medicalised, being comfortable. I also read up on hypnobirthing and something i read about how animals give birth somewhere they feel safe and comfortable made sense to me.
MW convinced DH :-)

Second time around I was in Australia, you have to pay for HB. I went for midwife led care, and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

I always wanted home births, had 2 out of 3. It was even more relevant after first one as that was only 2.5 hours so I was likely to have very short labours (which I did).

Oh I should add, my H was not that keen on HB but supported my decision. After we'd actually had one, he was a complete convert and very keen to have another. They were all lovely, relaxed experiences.

I had my pfb in a midwife led birth centre. All very pro active labour and no epidurals available but done the corridor from the consultant led ward if I wanted the heavy drugs or needed an emergency c section. It felt like the least risky decision.

The others I had at home. I had spent time in hospital when pg for hyperemesis and really disliked it. I wanted peace, privacy and cleanliness. Getting into your own bed with new baby is pretty magical. It was nice for siblings to be there too.

I decided on a HB because I didn't see birth as a medical event so didn't understand why a hospital was the default.

I also didn't want unnecessary interventions and wanted things to be completely on my terms. Home Birth seemed the only way to ensure that.

Add to that the fact that I am fiercely private and find hospitals horrible places and that was that .

Sorry just realised how that sounds, I mean its nice for older children to come sit on your bed with new baby.They can potter off and play, pop in and see baby without it being all formal with visiting times. I didnt have them there for the actual birthing bit, I know some people do but it wouldnt have worked for me.

Thanks :)

My mum keeps on about hospital being safer; what's your opinions on that...

Childcare - we had no-one to watch DS1whilst having DS2 apart from DP so if I'd have gone to hospital, I would have had to have been on my own. Had a homebirth, DS2 born on the bed whilst DS1 napped on the living room sofa and DP could be there all the time

First time- CLU. I didn't want a homebirth at that time and there was no nearby midwife unit.

Second time - Home. After the hospital experience, I wasn't repeating it.

Third- Planning home again. MW pretty much assumed I would after last time. There is now actually an MLU right near me, but I don't see it as having many advantages (and quite a few disadvantages) over home.

If you want safety information, you need the big place of birth survey done recently ( have a google), but the headline information is if you are low risk hospital isn't safer. It is marginally safer than home for a first baby (but very small difference) but not subsequent babies. A midwife unit is just as safe for all babies.

Perception of safety gets skewed because people automatically assume that proximity to life saving technology makes a difference. In fact, most cases where the technology is needed aren't so urgent that they can't get you there. Plus being near theatre, etc, encourages changes in behaviour (e.g. leaving people alone for longer periods, 'wait and see' approaches) that may well cancel out that 'advantage'.

initially just assumed I'd be in hospital first time but was vaguely interested in HB in general - then had to spend a fraught day at the ADU where the midwives were so rushed off their feet and understaffed (I was about 21weeks) that it terrified me and the whole "being in hospital" thing put such a big fear into me I didn't even know was there so started doing the research, realised we had an incredible community MW team who were very experienced with HB.

Brilliant HB the first time meant it was a no brainer the 2nd time - and after even more research I probably went too far in the other direction I hate to think how panicked and freaked out I'd have been if I'd had to transfer at all because I was by then terrified of hospital births and the risks associated - so def keep an open mind no matter what your plans are!

DH initially wouldn't even discuss a HB, after that day at ADU he was willing to consider it, now he regularly gets rolled out by our MW team as the poster boy for husbands who love HB!

I'm considering homebirth because at every contact with the midwives in my area I've been told they're the busiest they've ever been. I just can't see how I'll get good care in the hospital in these circumstances.

I really wanted a home birth with DS2 and it was all agreed when I was about 32 weeks that I would be suitable as had a very easy birth with DS1. Then I started to have problems with my heart (it started beating to fast) and I couldn't get a midwife to agree to the home birth. I was so disappointed. I just made it to the hospital 10 cm dilated and DS2 was born with the cord round his neck and completely blue. I was so thankful to be in hospital. With DS3 I didn't even consider a home birth.

I live too far from the hospital for a homebirth. Hoping for a midwife led birth at the birthing unit. At the moment I have complications which are pointing towards a consultant led birth. Essentially I will let the baby decide. Whatever is safest and recommended by my midwife/consultant.

I would love a low -risk birth but my baby's health is more important than my preference for a low risk birth setting

Ultimately length of labour/exhaustion/pain relief is what meant I ended up in CLU - neither of my babies seemed keen to actually arrive in a reasonable time scale (both 24+ hours) and I got to the point where I wanted an epidural and a rest

CLU was fine though, especially after DS2 as had a rapid discharge afterwards and was home to my own bed.

Glad I laboured for as long as possible at home both times though.

I had my first baby at hospital. It was such a truly awful and degrading experience that I gave birth to my other babies at home with just DH in attendance.

I had a home birth for my first; mostly influenced by my best mate who is a midwife - also my mum who used to be a midwife saying she wished she had - also the fact I work in the hospital and try and stay out of them as much as possible otherwise Also my friends accounts of the postnatal ward were very off-putting!!

I live near the hospital so thought I'd just go in if needed; that was how I viewed it. As it turned out I didn't need to.

DP was a bit anxious at the thought initially but came right round to the idea after I told him he'd be limited to visiting hours on the postnatal ward! Now he raves about home births (I have to tell him to shut up). He was very involved.

My family were ok with it.
Midwives didn't give me any evidence really (I looked it all up myself) but were supportive. My care during labour and postnatally was absolutely excellent; faultless.

Hospital has not been proved to be safer for low risk women, however much people say it is and want it to be.

My earliest memory is the morning my DSIS was born at home.

So it was natural to me to consider a HB for my second child, loathing the whole hospital experience (bar the actual delivery room) with DD1just sealed the matter.

I wanted access to epidural and the only way to get that was in hospital.
I'm also not terribly bothered by hospitals. Many women say they don't see childbirth as a medical event therefore do not wish to give birth there. To me it's just another place…. with trained professionals who can help if things go not too smoothly.