Birth Centre?

[jennac]

Hello!

I am thinking of giving birth in a Birth Centre (providing that everything is going well and no complications), specifically Cossham in Bristol (if anyone has any direct experience). I was just wondering what people's experience of this is? The thought of being in a much more relaxed environment really appeals to me, without the hospital equipment everywhere and the hustle and bustle of a big hospital. However I am slightly concerned that it says on 30% of occasions a transfer to a hospital is required, and due to the location of the specific birth centre I am looking at, average transfer time is an hour. So if something goes wrong, that sounds quite scary!! Has anyone given birth at a birth centre and had to have a transfer to a hospital? I know some birth centres are actually on the same grounds as hospitals which makes sense, but unfortunately in Bristol they are on different sides of the city!!

Any advice much appreciated 😀

Hi @Jennac

This is such a common consideration when choosing an mlu. The statistics for first time moms to need to be transferred for your specific unit will be available online and should help. Nationally, I don't remember from the top of my head but its a higher risk for a ftm.

I reaallllyyy wanted a mlu waterbirth and travelled longer than i needed to a hospital (in Birmingham) for one with dd1. Was totally worth it for the experience however, afterwards i needed 3rd degree tear to be stitched up in theatre and my baby also needed light therapy for jaundice. So if i had been at a stand alone unit, I am one for the statistics of having to transfer I'm afraid.

This time (I'm currently 38w), i am going to anothet mlu but its on hospital site again. The consultant led unit also has a nice and modern water birth.

If I were you id check out the facilities at your hospital as they may be nicer than you think. You can also specify the type of birth you would like i.e. minimal intervention, midwife led, drugs and docs as a last resort etc. If all goes well you can have the birth you want wherever you are. If it does escalate, 9/10 you couldn't have helped that anyway...

Best best wishes x x

*nice and modern water birth facilities I meant. I.e relaxing room with twinkly overhead lights...

@Heatherbaby thank you so much for your reply! That's really enlightening, I am surprised to hear that you would need to be transferred for a tear...that's not ideal! It is definitely making me think. I have just looked more into this and have now found out that there is actually a birth centre onsite at the main hospital in Bristol (not sure why I didn't see this sooner!!) so I think that sounds great - best of both worlds. I was worried that the stress of a possible transfer would jade the whole experience somewhat! Thanks again xx

Bigger or trickier tears often need consultants to stitch them, sometimes in theatre. I only had a 1st degree tear (was in MLU with my first) but because I tore up near the urethra, rather then down the midwifes got the consultant down from the labour ward to sort me out.
If it was a stand alone unit they might have just done their best with my tear.
I was another one fine with my first in the MLU but I don’t think I would have picked it if the transfer time was an hour. Imagine if you decided you wanted an epidural and had to wait at least an hour. No fun!

1 hour transfer time? Would knowing that really constitute a relaxing environment for you? Personally it wouldn't for me, but obviously everyone is different.

I laboured in a MLU and from the moment I started pushing for knew I was 'on the clock' for transfer. My transfer was only 3 minutes and not an emergency but I couldn't have relaxed knowing it was an hour.

Thanks ladies. I know - it does sound a long time. Plus that is 'average' transfer time?! So I dread to think what it could potentially be!! They are about twelve miles from each other

Coming from Bristol myself, although I didn't give birth in cossham I know that the 2 local maternity hospitals are either 4.4mi or 4.5mi, unless the transfer time takes awhile to get there but other wise it would take minutes if that helps at all and puts your mind at ease a little

I know two people who were booked in at Cosham as FTM's and both had to be transferred. If you're a low-risk pregnancy there's really no way to know whether you'll need a transfer or not, but they do err on the side of caution. Both mum's said they barely even registered the transfer time as the emphasis was on keeping the labouring women as calm and informed as possible.

Unless it causes you serious anxiety at the thought of being transferred, I don't see why that should stop you trying to have your baby at Cosham, as it really is a wonderful place otherwise.

I gave birth in a birth centre attached to a hospital and I would’ve been transferred to the main delivery suite across the hall simply because the baby had done a poo inside me.

I was too far along and they thought I’d be giving birth in the corridor if they moved me so they paged for the doctors to come over but my little one was born before they arrived!

I’m not sure I would have picked the birth centre if it was an hour away, the same as I wouldn’t have a home birth even though I’m only a 7 minute drive from the hospital but so many other people do.

I know someone who had to wait two hours for an ambulance from Cossham-all their talk of a 15 minute transfer is pie in the sky. You get moved when an ambulance can get to you. Personally I think you would be nuts to go there for a first birth-as a PP said, you have no idea at all how things will go and is it really worth the risk? Go for a tour of the MLUs at Southmead and St Mikes - best of both worlds I think. You are down the corridor for doctors if needed. Honestly once you're in labour you won't give a toss about the environment, what matters is you and baby being safe and for me that means hospital. It has to be your decision but I would tour all units before deciding.

I had planned to give birth in a stand-alone birthing centre, but as I was ready to go in (contractions every 3 min) my waters went and there was meconium. I went there as planned and they confirmed meconium and wouldn’t admit me so my husband and I had to drive to the nearest hospital, which we didn’t know anything about - parking was awful, didn’t know where to find the ward etc. We should have gone to a hospital that we were familiar with (and I would have gone there for an induction) but at the time felt it was too far from the birthing centre (hope that makes sense). So in future I would be careful about contingency - I had assumed that I would be transferred by ambulance if there was a problem and so didn’t plan for the stress..

Good luck!

Both Southmead and St Michaels (depending on which end of Bristol you are) have MLU's.
I was in Southmead MLU and I'd recommend it, big bright airy rooms, all with pools/mats/balls/cd players. My midwives were lovely too. Delivery suite is at the other end of the corridor if you do need to be transferred (I think in St Mikes it's the floor above or below) - we did the tour and the delivery suite room we looked at was quite nice too, and there is one birthing pool in central delivery.
I had a pretty straightforward birth, but my baby did unexpectedly need a bit of help when he was born, as everything's in the same place they were there in seconds.
Good luck wherever you choose.

Thank you @laelti - I'm considering the MLU at Southmead so that's great to hear. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself should any problems arise from a possible transfer delay! Perhaps second birth I will be more open to it but certainly not as a FTM. Thanks for sharing your experience 😊