Midwife says "NO" toTour of Hospital !

[luciemule]

My SIL asked her obstetrician the other day, whilst at her appointment, if herself and DH could visit the maternity unit before the birth just to get an idea of things.

He went and asked midwife and SIL heard her say "no - we're too busy, we don't do maternity ward tours".

I think this was wrong and unfair but was just wondering whether other hospitals have this policy (it's Peterborough btw).

I was thinking of ringing them myself and casually asking to see what they said to someone else.

Yes, I would say phone the hospital yourself. I phoned up Northampton hospital and they did look-arounds in groups. I just had to book a slot that suited me. good luck

i've not heard of it before.
good idea ringing yourself and seeing what they say... i mean, i can't believe they expect women to give birth someplace they've never seen before!

the hosp where i had ds1 didn't do tours either

not all do i'm afraid

dd did a tour of the maternity unit.

I just think 'why?'

I never even knew you could do tours. They were never suggested to me (by midwife or at antenatal classes).

I don't understand why you would need/want to?

Ours does (unless its changed in the last 3 yrs) -it was once a month and you had to phone the hospital and book yourself a place.

Midwives are always understretched at the best of times personally I would take comfort from the fact that they would rather concentrate on the women in labour and on the wards than show people round!

I mean it is bound to be pretty vile, what is she going to do say ewwww no don't fancy this I think I'll move to X hosp down the road!!

I didn't see the mat unit before giving birth to dd - didn't see the need. Almost added a touch of luxury that it was the first time I'd been to that hospital (our huge major hospital to cover the whole county) that I hadn't had to follow signs and walk down loads of corridors and try and find my own way there! At the time it really didn't even occur to me that I hadn't seen that unit before!!!

cd - think you mean overstretched

If you're a person like me who worries alot, I think you would be more relaxed if you know where you going if you're in labour

oh yes of course soz

ours does turn-up-and-go one afternoon a wekk - nothing to do with antenatal classes, community midwives or consultants.

I'll do it because I'm nosey and it's available but am sure I could cope without - not convinced by the "i can't believe they expect women to give birth someplace they've never seen before!" line.
I didn't tour the hospital before I had my tonsils out, or make a practice visit to the airport before flying, or go and poke round the hotel two weeks before going there on holiday...

You should contact the hospital's PALS officer and ask why not if they don't.

Ours didn't do official tours but would do one at the antenatal classes if it was a reasonably quiet night in the maternity ward.

It was useful to have the briefing on which door to use, which bell to ring out of hours and how to get from there to the maternity unit reception but TBH not much use apart from that.

Mine did tours round the maternity units so you could decide if you wanted to give birth on the labour ward or in the birthing unit. It also gave you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. The hospital told us where we could park, where the phones were and what sort of stuff to bring with you. They felt that you might be calmer during labour if you knew what to expect at the hospital. I have to say that I did find the tour very beneficial particularly as I had several problems during labour I think I would have definately panicked if I hadn't have already been told stuff whilst in a suitable state to take it in.

Oh yes forgot to say - she can't go to antenatal classes as her back is so bad she can't sit/lie for more than a few mins and has to change position the whole time. Don't think the group there does tours of it anyway.

I think not allowing tours is madness. It takes, what, half an hour of one person's time once a month?

Anything that can make women more relaxed in labour seems like a good idea to me.

I mean would seeing an operating theatre before they cut you open help in any way?

Let's face it Kathy, when you're in labour your memories of touring the maternity unit will be, oh let's see, on your mind AT ALL?

I would contact the MSLC about this, it's definitely within their remit and they will probably discuss it with the head of midwifery and hopefully change it for the future.

Daisymoo - sorry to be ignornat but what does MSLC stand for?

Jules - not being able to find your way to the hospital/ward is a very common anxiety & wasn't there a survey of fathers-to-be that showed that the thing they were most worried about about the birth was parking?

We got lots of useful info at our tour as well as the crucial 'this is where you park, this is the bell you ring, this is the desk where they give you a parking permit', like how much space there is for your stuff so the size of bag to pack, fact that there are birthing balls & cd players so no need to bring your own, fact that it's miles to coffee machine so a good idea for dh to bring drinks, etc etc.

THe most important thing, though, is the importance of women being relaxed in labour and the fact that being relaxed is meant to help making it go smoothly. A tour of the place will help make you a bit more relaxed, so why not make it available? Cutting out something that is, let's face it, a pretty minor expense seems a bit penny-wise-pound-foolish to me.