If I'm midwife led will I be able to use my MLU birthing centre?

[mamaAJ]

I was originally referred to consultant for my BMI of 37.5 at booking but they spent 5 mins with me, and signed me off saying they were happy for me to be midwife led (this was at 13 weeks).

I've had no problems so far at 33 weeks, and after doing a tour of my chosen hospital I am really hoping to use the birthing centre which is ML and is directly on the floor below the labour ward which is CL.
I'd love a water birth but am mostly stressed about being rejected to deliver in the birthing centre at all.

I've done some digging on the website (RVI Newcastle birthing centre) and it states you need to have had an uncomplicated pregnancy which is true for me. It does however state that low risk means your BMI needs to be below 35.

Has anyone else had experience of this? If you had high BMI and were midwife led, were you allowed to deliver on the MLU? Or did your BMI mean you had to deliver on the labour ward... makes no sense really

I was in the same situation. I had consultant appointments throughout but an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy. I asked specifically about the MLU and was told there shouldn't be an issue - right up until I rang with contractions and got told I'd be on the labour ward. I panicked because I hadn't prepared for that and hadn't even looked round it. In the end I was allowed to use it.

My bmi was even higher for my 2nd pregnancy and I assumed I'd be on the ward but was able to use the mlu again.

What apparently almost stopped me was that even though I had asked both consultant and midwife it hadn't been officially signed off in my notes that the consultant was ok with midwife led care. So my advice is to get it made abundantly clear in your preferences and ask for it to be signed off on.

@Modestandatinybitsexy thanks for your response what happened when you were told you'd be on the labour ward, did you have to argue your case over the phone in order to use the MLU?

As far as I'm concerned I am midwife led, however on my online notes it states I'm receiving 'consultant obstetrician only' care... and wouldn't know where to find this on my written notes. I need to bring this up with my midwife at my 34 week apt because I haven't seen a consultant since the original referral appointment where they discussed potential risks in pregnancy related to BMI (none of which I've experienced so far ) and then she said they don't have to see me again or have any further appointments made with them as long as everything goes well. I had a GTT done at 28 weeks and passed that no problem.
So in my mind I've had an uncomplicated pregnancy but my BMI is over 35 so not sure whether they will allow me in the MLU or not...

Can I ask, were you allowed to use the birthing pool?

At your 36 week appt your midwife should go through a checklist and if happy that you are low risk then they officially sign you off for MLU. At least that's how it happens where I am. I was consultant led through most of my pregnancy and returned back to midwife led care at 36 weeks, she then made sure I ticked the necessary boxes and decided that she was happy for me to go onto the MLU. Mine wasn't BMI related, had been under the consultant for other issues.

You may have to speak to the birth centre lead and fill in an ‘out of criteria’ form. Their main concern will be their ability to get you out of the pool in an emergency. They may suggest getting out of the pool in the advanced stages to ‘deliver on land’. As long as you agree to that, I doubt there will be any issues.

I think I obviously sounded panicked and told her no one had discussed that with me in the previous eight months and as far as I was concerned I was able to give birth in the mlu. I think in the end a consultant signed off on it and it wasn't an issue.

I wouldn't have really had an issue going to the ward but it was the fear of the unknown when I was also facing the unknown of my first birth.

I think a step or two was missing in my first pregnancy- which I didn't realise as I hadn't done it before- but in my 2nd I had a proper meeting with a consultant and talked through any concerns and she told me she's officially ok'ed me for the mlu, I didn't have any meeting or sign off in my first. I didn't even talk though a birth plan with my midwife. I think as long as your midwife is on the ball this should all be covered at 36 weeks as pp said above. Good luck!