Might prefer the labour ward to birthing centre?

[MarmiteandToast]

We're really lucky with our hospital facilities and they have a lovely birthing centre adjacent to the actual labour ward

If you are low risk, the birthing centre is really recommended. I was a very low risk pregnancy but have now been seeing a consultant due to high nuchal translucency, although CVS clear and I think I've been "released" back into midwife led care

The weird thing is I think I would actually prefer the labour ward, with things going on and feeling like there are people around, than being in one of the lovely softly lit more private rooms

Am I just not that informed? I'm guessing that the birthing centre has more equipment like birthing balls etc for a more active labour, which is preferable. I'm sure at the time I'd like privacy... but I'd kind of like to know people are around too. Husband will hopefully be with me!

I felt like this and thought I was weird!
I had to have dc1 on the delivery suite with constant foetal monitoring and a midwife in the room the whole time. I felt very reassured that we were being looked after and everything was under control (v glad too as they noticed immediately when he started to become distressed and a doctor was in the room in under a minute!).
With dc2 I had a straightforward pregnancy and the midwives really really pushed the standalone midwife led unit, which was in another town to the labour ward. Fuck that!! I saw with dc1 how quickly things can change. We went to delivery suite again.
Dc3 - mlu was now in the same building as labour ward so I agreed to try it but hated it. I felt a bit abandoned in my dark room where I couldn't see or hear anyone. The midwives seemed to be at such pains not to disturb me that they didn't actually look after me either. However hard they try, the MLUs that I've seen don't really feel like a home from home to me, just an underequipped medical room.

They don't monitor the babies heart in the MLU so if the baby is in distress or the heart stops they won't know until it too late.

This isn't true - it's in national guidelines that the babies heart be monitored regularly throughout labour - usually for a minute following each contraction or something like that. Unless it is declined by the mother. This is the case whether you give birth in hospital, on a MLU, or at home. They don't do continuous electronic monitoring in the MLU but there's no real evidence to show that it improves birth outcomes anyway.

Me and DS were monitored A LOT in the MLU so I agree that that isn’t true

I was sent to birthing centre 10 weeks ago, it was lovely and felt so relaxing. Unfortunately I was severely dehydrated, which caused mine and baby's heart rate to go through the roof and wouldn't settle.

We decided to move to the Labour suite. Thankfully it was just down the corridor, I quite enjoyed the walk down.

Good luck op.

Thanks everyone, some interesting perspectives! I will keep an open mind and do the tour and see what happens

I had to be induced with DD at 40+2weeks so it wasn't an option for me.
However, I had already decided to go clinical-led. She was my first and I just wanted to have her in a hospital. There was an amazing midwife-led unit that a lot of my friends used but I didn't even view it as I knew I wanted to be in hospital. Not sure why but that was my feelings.
I do suggest seeing both but go with what you want.

Also - what influenced my decision was that the mlu was in a different hospital out of town that didn't have a theatre. If there were complications you would be blue-lighted into the main hospital in town which had the Labour ward.
If it had been in the same building I might've felt differently.