Bristol birth places anyone??

[shb1985]

Hi everyone, I'm Bristol based and trying to pick where to give birth. I had initially wanted to go to Cossham Birth Centre, but looks like that will be closed until September so that's out. Can anyone share their own/ others experiences of where they gave birth in Bristol?

Thanks! :) x

I had my DS in RUH which was lovely. Had a pool in my room, soft lighting etc but was on the main delivery suite so the registrar was available immediately when DS was in distress.

Southmead has a Midwife led unit just around the corner from delivery suite so again fairly rapid access for doctors/theatres/epidurals if you need/want them.

Not sure about st Michaels.

RUH has a virtual tour on their website and I think southmead still do some tours you can book on. Congratulations!

Good experiences of the midwife unit at Southmead, and for my third child of the delivery suite there - I was high risk after precipitate delivery followed by PPH with my second child but they were fine with me staying upright, active labour, minimum intervention etc

I gave birth twice at St Michaels but that was over 11 years ago so things may have changed now.

At the time I felt it was fine. I felt very looked after. However, living in South Bristol we had a system of community midwives that knew you throughout the pregnancy and then attended you at delivery. I'm unsure if this is still the case.

I know many people who have had good births there. However one friend (coincidently in labour there while I was delivering!) came at a hugely busy time and was largely left alone and had a hospital midwife due to staffing levels. Still a good birth outcome though.

Had DD two years ago with a bit of labour at Cossham, then transfer to Southmead. Both were nice but the transfer was awful and I think led to me having a CS eventually. I wouldn't feel too sad about not going to Cossham as the transfer rate was pretty high and all the nice bits were outbalanced by being strapped to a stretcher in an ambulance while still in full labour, tbh.

The birth bit at Southmead delivery suite was all fine, but the postnatal bit on Percy Philips Ward was horrendous, some of the wards have eight beds in, it's boiling hot and noisy, the staff are overworked, I found being on the ward for a week much more traumatic than birth itself.

Going for St Michaels this time (due in a few months), everything looked good on the tour. The postnatal wards are smaller and there's an MLU, delivery suite and wards all in the same building. Hoping it will be a better experience than Southmead but no guarantees I guess.

I'd definitely encourage you to go on all the tours.

And no @Milicentbystander72, I wish they had the community midwife thing going still - I'm 30 weeks and haven't seen any midwife more than once so far.

I had both mine in st Michaels, the second in the midwifel led unit, just after it had opened. The staff in tge delivery bit were amaazing, the midwife led unit was lovely. Post natal was boiling, under staffed and so miserable I left after 6 hours with my first and refused to step foot on it with my second. No experience of any of the others I fear.

This was 6 and 4 years ago.

I've had a natural birth at Southmead and a planned C section at st Michael's. Both were as good as can be expected... Had a lovely pool with the first one, the ward was noisy and annoying though (there's not really any escaping that I don't think) and I was upset and tearful after a few complications. I had gotten stitched up after a tear and they did that really quickly and efficiently.

Second one was also great. I think they are pretty comparable, your experience will mainly depend on your own labour/ birth and how busy they are at the time!