Oxford Spires Maternity Unit

[JulieDutson]

Hello does anyone know if the maternity unit at the John Radcliffe hospital in oxford has dimmable lights or just on and off?

Thinking about whether I'd need to take some battery powered candles so it's not so bright. I went on the tour but forgot to ask.

Doesn't seem like a worthy question to bother them with!

Also anyone with any positive experiences of child birth at Oxford Spires I'd love to hear them!

Thanks

There are three rooms. Two have windows with views out over the city. One has no windows but instead has a fancy lighting system. You can go on a tour. Give them a call.

Thanks for your reply. I've been on the tour just forgot to ask about the lights in the two rooms with windows. Wondering if anyone had experience of these rooms?

I gave birth in the Wytham room on the Spires. I can't say for definite that the lights were dimmable but there was definitely low level lighting during and after my labour!

The Spires was great. The Midwives were lovely, the pool was brilliant and I was really happy with my birth experience.

Thanks mistime that's great. Just didn't like the idea of bright hospital lights on throughout. Thank you for sharing your experience the Midwife's all seemed so helpful and lovely.

I've never had a baby at the Spires but I have had 4 on delivery suite at JR (most recently in August). In the delivery suite rooms the lights can definitely be lowered, now whether that is by turning off a few or dimming I don't recall but we definitely had the lights low. We also had aromatherapy which the MW bought in.

Anyway just thought I would mention in case you use delivery suite.

I think the common custom is to lower the lights and then the midwife basically has a torch to shine up your wahoo.

Thanks everyone first time for me so I'm pretty clueless!

If it's anything like the Oxford University stand-alone (community) maternity units then (even if the lights aren't dimmable) they will have battery type candles to use as low lighting instead. Low/dim/relaxing lighting is a big part of the midwife-led birthing experience (assuming the woman wants this), so I would be surprised if they didn't have the relevant facilities to provide this.

Where is your antenatal midwife based? They will probably know the answer.