Planned cesarean at Royal Infirmary Edinburgh but live near Vic Hospital (Kirkcaldy)

[emilysbluejeans]

I've just found out I'm pregnant a few days ago, as a FTM. But I'm also literally in the middle of a house move (we've been renting for years in Stockbridge in Edinburgh and have just bought in Kirkcaldy, we get our new keys this Wednesday so currently living in boxes!).

I have some existing mental health issues / medical trauma history which means a planned cesarean is my only option, but the new local hospital, the Vic Hospital, is a midwife-led/non surgery team. So now that I'm panicking about what options are going to be available to me, I've been doing some research and it looks like I'll be able to choose to have my birth at the RIE still. So i haven't lost that option by moving from Stockbridge.

Does anyone have any experience of being an "out of area" pregnancy and birth at the RIE?

(I mean, I'm not sure how the antenatal/post natal appointments would work - i'll be switching my GP to our new local Kirkcaldy practice in the next couple of weeks but I know they'll support my planned Cesarean choice as the trauma history is all over my medical notes.)

The RIE website seems to suggest they take out of area patients, but persona stories and reassurances before I register with my new GP would be helpful. Thanks.

Hi there, I am due to give birth in Kirkcaldy in September having chosen to go there rather than Perth as it is midwife-led with no consultants present meaning a transfer to Dundee if there are complications or if I wanted/needed an epidural. Kirkcaldy is closer to me than Dundee and the facilities at Kirkcaldy are equal to those in Dundee from what I have been told by my midwife and from what information is available online.

My understanding is that there is midwife-led unit alongside a consultant-led unit in Kirkcaldy so there shouldn't be a difference between what treatment and support you could get at ERI and the Victoria, I don't think, unless there is a specific speciality at the ERI for supporting patients who have experienced trauma or something, perhaps? The Which website on Birth Choices is helpful.

Hi neomamma, thank you very much for your reply! You're right that there are specialists at the ERI who are experts in my medical trauma history (although they pose complications for delivery, i'm no longer in the care of any medical team, they are simply old injuries i live with). i don't want to say too much as i know my step-sister reads this and she can probably already recognise me anyway (!), which is why i was so keen to hear about others travelling to the RIE for an ELCS if they live further out at hospitals which are midwife led.

you're right, the Which website definitely says that RIE accepts out of area patients.

Ah ok I see, sorry but I am no use at all to you there. I may be wrong but I imagine that Fife patients (even requiring ELCS) would generally stay in Kirkcaldy unless like you they have something quite unusual and need to go to Edinburgh. You never know though! Very best wishes for your pregnancy!

No idea regarding maternity issues specifically but I know other patients who have moved to Fife and kept seeing specialists in ERI because they know the history so I don't think it would be a problem.

Different part of Scotland but because of my history and previous trauma, I was offered a referral to another Trust if I felt the hospital I would normally use couldn't meet my needs with this baby.

The Consultant didn't seem to think it would be an issue.

You can def get an elective Caesarian at the Vic, if you have previous trauma etc then you would have a valid reason. X

I moved from Edinburgh, where I had my first DC, to Dunfermline. My next DC was born at Forth Park in the midwife led unit but due to a bad experience there, I chose to have my next 2 DC back in Edinburgh, the second of which was born with severe shoulder dystocia. Because of this, I assumed that I would be fine having my final DC in Edinburgh too, but they would not have it. I had several meetings with the consultants during which I raised my concerns about having a similar birth as the last and the previous poor level of care I'd received at the Vic (I was admitted several times in early pregnancy with HG) and the fact that all our family and childcare options were in Edinburgh (the logistics of DH being able to get them all into Edinburgh and then be back in time if I went into spontaneous labour was stressing me out). I had to have DC5 at the Vic in the end because they wouldn't budge.

Meant to add congratulations on your pregnancy.

Thank you for all the extra input!

HoorayForHolidays that sounds horrible. I'm assuming I would be a high priority case for being able to choose (mainly because of specific surgery medical expertise that I've used in previous years at ERI, when I was under active care, they have researchers specialising in the topic) but it's disheartening that a very poor previous experience wasn't enough to grant your request. I'm a bit shocked about that!

I really think it depends on what consultant you get, which is annoying. They're definitely not keen to send women to Edinburgh anymore though. We're not having anymore DC, but if we were, I'd push again for the ERI over the Vic.