Midwife led unit. What's it like?

[Peppaismyhomegirl]

I had my first in a hospital on gas and air.
This pregnancy my local
Hospital has an amazing new birthing suite. It honestly looks like a hotel. But, it's midwife led and I'm concerned about pain relief Ect? What can they give you and does anyone have an experience of having their baby in one.
The midwives are lovely and my pregnancy is straight forward so could be done there. I'm very tempted, but a little scared.

You can't have an epidural on a midwife led unit but you can have gas and air and pethidine.

They can always transfer you to the labour ward for an epidural if you do want one, or they do at my hospital anyway. But it will be different at every hospital so you will need to ask.

Birth centres IME are by far better than the labour ward, much less clinical,nicer midwives and more relaxed.

I hated the hospital for all the reasons you said the birth center was better. They did what they wanted to me with no explanation as to why they were internally examining me Ect... Again (they even held me legs open at one point ) I'm really keen to go to the birth center and I did my eldest on just has and air but what if this one really really hurts

For me, the birthing unit was so nice and relaxed that it was one of the things that stopped me from asking asking for any pain relief other than gas and air. The normal labour ward was just downstairs, would have been transferred had I wanted an epidural.

I remember when the contractions ramped up thinking to myself, I have to do this, I don't want to move. Hypnobirthing also really helped though, I had been listening to the Maggie Howell cd and reading the book in the last eight weeks of pregnancy.

I've had experiences of both and the midwife led unit was so much better, more relaxed, the use of the birthing pool and I had a midwife with me the whole time (not sure if that was std for the MW led unit or just as I was in the pool).

In the labour ward the midwife was in and out and at one point OH had to go and find someone, I was put on a monitor and not able to move from the bed which was dreadful as I had SPD and being on my back was the worse thing for it.

I had gas and air with my first in the labour ward but using the birth pool with DD2 I didn't use anything else.
Even with SPD again the water helped so much I would definetly recommend it if you get the chance.

I went to the MLU in my first pregnancy and it was like a health spa decorated on an NHS budget - so spent hours kneeling on some beanbags shaped for the purpose, huffing g&a, then spent hours in the pool having my neck massaged by MrNC... was fab.

Unfortunately after 8 hours of sod all progress labour-wise, they made me leave the pool and then as I can't take pethidine, it went nasty but they got me an epidural very rapidly and I stayed in the MLU until they heard the anaesthetist was on his way, at which point I was trundled on a bed into the lift and downstairs to the main birth suite to meet him. So after that was monitored on a bed for the next 18 hours but in the morning they managed to get me on all fours to try pushing. Couldn't fault the care even though it wasn't fun.

If there's a birth suite in the same building, definitely try the MLU to start with!

I really like the idea of the mlu and I think I'm going to go for it. The only thing that puts me off is the hospital is a 20min blue light job to the local hospital. It's not all in one building.

I checked Which with my MLU and they had rates of transfers and interventions for the unit. I think it even broke it down between first and subsequent births. Might be worth checking to alleviate any concerns? I went to the MLU with DD (my first) but it was the same building as the labour ward. If you were ok last time and low risk this time, I would totally go for it! I was so glad I did and will definitely go for it next time if I can.

Thank you. Yea so far I am very low risk, straight forward delivery with DS, weight Ect is fine. I think in going to go for it: thank you all for your advice. It just seemed such a nicer place, like an NHS hotel and I really like the idea of the birthing pool. Thank youv

It is a stand along midwife unit. New hospitals in our area tend you have the midwife lead unit down stairs and the traditional labour ward upstairs.

Yea, it's miles away from the traditional labour ward. It would be a no brainier for me if it was just upstairs