Dream Birth Location?

[SophieJaneC]

Hello everyone!

I'm an architecture student at Bath University and am currently designing a Birth Centre. I'd be really grateful if anyone has had their baby in a birth centre or is going to, why they chose the birth centre (or Midwife Led Unit) over a hospital or home birth?
Was there a feature that you particularly loved or even hated?
Or if you decided against a Birth Centre, what was your reason?

Basically, if you could design your dream environment to give birth in, what you you pick?? Even if it's on top a mountain in the middle of nowhere, I'd love to hear!

I'm very grateful for any responses!

Thank you

[Blumkin]

Both my dc were born in a mwl, in a hospital which had a doc led unit upstairs (so any problems and I'd just be an elevator ride away from anaesthetics, etc). My mwl birth with dd1 was so positive that I chose to go back for my second child even though I was a perfect candidate for a home birth and we have a good home birth team in my area.

What I loved about the mlu

Large clean private room with en suite, it had a bed, a chair, a low down couchy thing (maybe called a birthing couch?) And a rope swing thing that you could use to hang off during contractions I was a bit too intimidated by this contraption so didn't use it . There were 2 birthing pool rooms in the mlu, but Dd1 came so quickly I didn't have time to use it. Gas and air was via a magic tube attached to the wall so it was built in.

The room had a radio, lights with dimmers, was no tv (I think that's a good thing) and I think an iPod dock for patients to play their own music.

The whole unit also had a small kitchen with coffee/tea and toast making facilities for patient to use.

However the main thing that made both my births so positive for me was the midwives - they were kind, encouraging, experienced and very reassuring to be around.

[ispymincepie]

And Mini has given yet another example of the cascade of intervention. Aromatherapy and beanbags aren't all hippy nonsense, perhaps they would have helped avoid an epidural. Then perhaps remaining mobile would have speeded labour along and avoided baby becoming distressed and passing meconium. I'm fed up with people thinking I'm risking my baby by choosing to birth away from a medical setting when actually they're risking theirs by being in one.
When deciding on a homebirth I ultimately had to ask myself whether I would still be happy with my decision in the event of a true obstetric emergency like shoulder dystocia or cord prolapse. Without a doubt the risk of that was much smaller than the almost guaranteed risk of intervention in a hospital.

[DeffoJeffo]

Sorry if anyone has already said this (haven't RTFT) but if you're in Bath see if you can go and see the MLU at Cossham hospital in Bristol. I had my second there as paulton was shut and it was as near to a perfect place to give birth in as I could have hoped for. Unlimited G&A in the walls, pool and enjoy suite in every room, double beds, mood lighting etc etc.

[TheresABluebirdOnMyShoulder]

Mince none of us are stupid. We know all about the 'cascade of interventions'. It's well documented. You're not teaching us all something groundbreaking, I hate to burst your bubble. The issue that people have (myself, certainly) with the way you are stating your case is that you seem to think that you are superior to everybody else and by telling us all how it was all completely down to you that your births went well just implies that the rest of us failed at the first hurdle when it came to being a mother. In fact, it's not so much an implication when you are talking outright about "poor decisions". We all weigh up the risks and benefits of accepting certain treatment. Sometimes for the safety of our children it's unavoidable. It's not irresponsible to want to be near the appropriate help should that situation arise. It's a personal choice.

The problem with unnecessary interventions is not in mothers making poor decisions. It's with the wrong information being doled out by some medical professionals. Criticising mothers for acting on medical advice that they have taken in good faith is unkind and unhelpful. You are making a judgement on all mothers who have unfortunately not been as lucky (yes, lucky) as you were in not needing assistance during labour and delivery. It's not your place to tell mothers that you don't know over the internet that their decisions were wrong. You don't know whether interventions were necessary in each case or not. There is a reason why the maternal fatality rate is so much lower than it was 100 or even 50 years ago in this country. Some interventions are needed. Vulnerable new mums could easily stumble across this thread when making certain Google searches and see the awful comments you are making. Just consider the effect your non-professional opinion could have on somebody who is struggling.

Again, nobody here has criticised your decision as dangerous - it's you who is levelling that criticism at others.

Interventions are not "almost guaranteed" in hospital, by the way. I have no idea why you would think that is the case.

[ispymincepie]

The problem with unnecessary interventions is not in mothers making poor decisions. It's with the wrong information being doled out by some medical professionals. I agree! This is why I prefer to avoid these 'professionals'.

[ispymincepie]

Actually I'm going to contradict myself. I'm genuinely interested in your opinion of this scenario bluebird;
When I was pregnant my friend was also pregnant, due a couple of days apart. I declined sweeps and induction. She did not as she was 'fed up'. You say that everyone is aware of the cascade of intervention, it is well documented. Why then can I not take any credit for my positive outcome? Obviously in real life I haven't said anything but anonymously on here I'm going to say that I think my friend's decision to be induced without any clinical need was irresponsible and undoubtedly the reason she had an emcs and I didn't?

[Minispringroll]

mince I didn't say that the beanbags and aromatherapy were hippy stuff, just that I wasn't interested in them. Quite frankly, had I been given free choice, I would have gone for an elective c-section. Just because you prefer to have an unmedicalised birth experience, that doesn't mean everyone else has to follow suit. All through my pregnancy, I was bombarded with "natural birth scenarios" and the idea of an "ideal birth" and what that should look like. I don't like being pressured into doing something...one way or another.
The epidural was my wish. It's something I had looked into and I know that I cope well with that kind of pain relief. It was my only demand throughout the entire process. It wasn't something I was being pressured into and it shouldn't be anything I should have to apologise for. So it's not something to be "avoided". According to the midwife, I probably would have been able to get through the whole thing with just gas and air (but the stuff makes me feel really woozy and I tried to use as little as possible).
As it happened, I was induced. DS was late...very late...and by the time I was at my due date, I was close to losing the plot and getting increasingly worried (and please don't tell me that babies born after 42 weeks are always fine). When I was born, I nearly died. Alright, things were different 35 years ago and despite a birth weight of 3lb, I turned out quite well. However, had it not been for the doctors and the emergency section my mum was given, I would not have survived. The fact that I knew that, increased my level of anxiety the more overdue I was. My birth and that of DS are not in any way connected and there's no correlation, but that didn't make me feel any better.
The meconium wasn't due to distress...it was due to the fact that DS was very much fully cooked. My actual labour didn't last that long. I went into the delivery suite at 3pm (at 6cm dilated) and DS was born at 11pm.

So, while you don't like to be judged on your choices, other people would certainly appreciate to be extended the same courtesy. I don't actually care how other people have their babies. It's their choice to make.
I recommended our local MLU to our neighbour (the one I didn't go for). It's a lovely, calm space and I'm sure she'd like it. It isn't her first baby. Just because I don't care much about the beanbags, doesn't mean other people have the same opinion. From talking to her, she'd most probably enjoy it more there.

[NotCitrus]

I was offered homebirth and considered it as SIL and a friend loved theirs. But I suspected my birth wouldn't be straightforward thanks to certain medical issues, and by birth had been using a wheelchair for 4 months, so figured the MLU (upstairs from a CLU) would be better - a sturdy birthing pool with hoist, for starters, and en-suite shower room.

The step-shaped bean bags were fab too.

As it happpened sweet FA happened after 8 hours in labour, except my pelvis falling apart even more, so very glad there was an epidural available downstairs.

So MLU perfect for me - I described it as a health spa on an NHS decorating budget - but would have been nice if the CLU had dimmer light switches (did manage to turn most off at night).

And if postnatal care was hugely improved, mostly just by having more staff. The only reason I'd wanted to avoid the CLU the second time was because of the postnatal care or lack thereof. I suspect better postnatal care would lead to much less PND and other postnatal problems.

[minifingerz]

I'm interested at the insistence that birth centres are only safe when they're attached to obstetric units.

People do realise that, at least when it comes to low risk mothers, the evidence doesn't hold this to be the case:

NICE

• "Advise low‑risk multiparous women that planning to give birth at home or in a midwifery‑led unit (freestanding or alongside) is particularly suitable for them because the rate of interventions is lower and the outcome for the baby is no different compared with an obstetric unit."


[FuckOffDailyMailQuitQuotingMN]

ispymincepie
Whether or not you meant to be offensive is irrelevant, it's the impact of your words that matters. You have come across as arrogant. pretentious, self aggrandising and borderline misogynistic.

I birthed three babies like it was something I did every day of the week. It was down to good luck, I imagine it had fuck all to do with my attitude.

Don't put the blame of risk onto the "bad choices" of mothers or tell them they need to take more responsibility. How dare you talk to traumatised the women the way you have here. At the very least you should apologise. But mostly you need to have a serious rethink of your opinion of fellow women who have different opinions to you.

[minifingerz]

"The problem with unnecessary interventions is not in mothers making poor decisions. It's with the wrong information being doled out by some medical professionals."

I think it's much more complex than that.

The evidence suggests that as a group women don't labour as efficiently in obstetric settings, are more likely to need their labours augmented and their babies are more likely to experience fetal distress.

I think doctors and midwives are doing their best to keep mothers and babies safe, but what with an environment which is in many ways hostile to optimal labour physiology, and the increase in defensive obstetrics, it's very challenging to have a normal birth in that setting.

[minifingerz]

OP

Have you read BirthPlace 2011?

heree*

[minifingerz]

OP

Have you read BirthPlace 2011?

heree*

[LuchiMangsho]

Baby in the cot next to my son. Mum had the perfect birth. Amazing waterbirth. No intervention. Almost no monitoring. Kid was born not breathing properly. Covered in meconium. Fighting for her life while her parents pray over her a few feet from me. Don't fetishize the manner of the birth.
Btw I had 2 c sections. The second one wasn't amazing because I was delivering a premature sick baby. The first one though was perfect. Calm, happy and fun. I would have that birth many times over. I had no problem with how medicalised it was- I have no fear of hospitals or medicine or needles. Chatted with the surgeons, did skin to skin in theatre and breastfed easily for a year. A birth sans pain relief sounds like my idea of hell btw. But if you thought refusing induction and having aromatherapy and what not was your idea of a perfect birth (so not my thing) then my hugely medicalised C section was amazing. I was up and about pretty soon and healed really quickly. I remember it v fondly.

[minifingerz]

"Mw led units seem to be a dangerous middle ground. "

The evidence suggests otherwise.

[ispymincepie]

FuckOff by not being able to take any credit or blame for our birthing experiences you are implying that we are all passive in our birthing and it's not something we have much control over. I think that by leading mothers to that conclusion is doing a great disservice to women. I'd like to think that any pregnant women who stumble across this thread will take away from it that they have a responsibility to themselves and their babies to be more involved in their own care.

[Andbabymakesthree]

The perfect birth centre to me would be much like the one that'll close when a new one opens next to the consultant led unit.

Anyway. Homely, access to a CUB and pool preferred. Shower with directional head or corner bath if no pool.

Active birth matting, sling on ceiling to use for support, low lightning.

Access to outdoor space would be amazing.

Post natal - private rooms with ability for partner to stay. Ours has just started this. It's lovely with ensuite too.

I actually just birthed at home on latest birth as I still couldn't overcome PTSD from birth nine years ago and birth centre pool not available to me cos of BMI.

[FuckOffDailyMailQuitQuotingMN]

Holy fuck. I don't know a single woman who was passive participant in the birth of her child. You've just made it worse.

Can you read your words and understand what you're saying? you're being so patronising.

[ispymincepie]

I think doctors and midwives are doing their best to keep mothers and babies safe, but what with an environment which is in many ways hostile to optimal labour physiology, and the increase in defensive obstetrics, it's very challenging to have a normal birth in that setting.
This was my point in the first place Mini

[Scrumptiouscrumpets]

I went to see a birthing centre where the bed was in the middle of the room and facing the door. That would have been a nightmare for me, lying on that bed with legs akimbo when someone might open the door!

[ispymincepie]

You're misunderstanding me. I obviously don't mean birth just happened with no effort but do you really think we have no influence in the way it happens?

[minifingerz]

Luch the evidence shows that for low risk mothers labour wards aren't safer for babies than birth centres, no matter how many examples people give of problems experienced by low risk mum's during or immediately post birth.

[AyeAmarok]

Mince what would you have done if you got to beyond 42 weeks (actually, 42+4 by my own dates) and hadn't felt as much as a twinge?

I had a textbook, low-risk pregnancy. He just didn't budge. How long should I have left it in your world of taking responsibility for my baby and myself?

[ispymincepie]

Daily monitoring from 42+5 was the plan. My first was 18 days late.

[Prettybaffled]

My dd1 was born at 40+15 on their dates after I refused to induce, 40+8 on my dates. I would have considered induction at 40+17.