Birth options - Nevill Hall Abergavenny or the Grange Cwmbran

[AberBaby]

Hi I am due to give birth in a few months and my midwife is asking me to lay down a best scenario birth plan. Within that I have to choose between the Nevill Hall Abergavenny, Wales midwife led unit or the midwife led birth centre at the Grange Cwmbran. Just hoping to hear some first hand experiences at either place please? I'd like to try water birth in the best scenario and both places have the potential for that

I've not got experience of those two but just wondered if they are both attached to Hospitals in case things don't progress as planned or would you be required to travel?

I don't have experience of either, but I did have my first at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr and ended up having to be transferred by ambulance to The Gwent (pre The Grange being opened). Whilst that may sound less than ideal (and it wasn't perfect, although not an emergency as such), it also wasn't the scary situation that I thought it could be. What I would say is that if I had my time again I would probably have my first in an alongside birth centre and then consider a freestanding centre for my second. However, you can make your decision on the day and either will take you as long as they have space. It may be that when it comes down to it the though of driving to Cwmbran (if you live near Abergavenny) is too much at the time.

The Grange gets a lot of bad press at the moment. Two friends gave birth there, one fine experience the other negative.

Negative- she was adamant baby was coming soon. They tried to send her home without even checking her. Said busy and it's her first baby and she won't be that quick. She just cried at them til someone checked and ...she was 9cm!!

I was born in Nevill hall.

I live in Cardiff but anyone I know who has options aims for Nevill. But honestly, when the time comes you just wanna be close. Contracting in the car is really awful

Ps - water birth is really lovely. I didn't get to actually birth in the pool but I would recommend anyone in labour if they can to get in there for a bit. It helped the pain.

My key suggestion is if it isn't warm enough ask for warmer!!!

Where are the obstetric consultants based?

I'm facing this exact same dilemma at the moment (due in Feb). The problem is that the county is big, and The Grange is a long way away from me and yet it's the only place with obstetric consultants. I am currently consultant-led due to previous PPH but I'm really hoping I can get transferred back to midwife-led so I don't have to have a 40 minute drive while in labour!

My worry is making that drive and then being turned away and having to do it again 5 minutes later. When I had my first DC I was only 10 minutes' drive from the hospital (different county) and that was a fast labour and the drive was bad enough...

What are you currently leaning towards OP?

I really, really wish they hadn't closed all the obstetric units and centralised everything at the Grange. Why do they think it's a better idea to make care harder to access? Ugh.

Thanks for all of the thoughts. The consultants are at the Grange and whilst wild love to go with Nevill Hall because it will be quieter and more chance that I will get to use the birth pool due, I am worried about everything I keep seeing in the news about wait times for ambulances in the event I did need to be transferred to the Grange. That being said I am low risk but you just don't know what will happen on the day

I'd love not wild love!

The wait times for ambulances really worry me too. Someone collapsed in the street near us with a head wound yesterday and they were waiting on the ground for four hours while strangers fetched blankets and applied pressure to the bleeding.

But then I've also heard that the Grange is understaffed and people are being left alone in labour for a long time, long waits (days) for inductions and hours for pain relief, and all the midwife-led centres were closed last month and home births cancelled due to staff shortages. I just don't know what to do, it seems like the NHS is completely off the rails here.

The Grange 100%, I had a really straight forward pregnancy, and expected to have a straight forward birth, however a lot of problems
happened during the birth, which led to being rushed down to the consultant led unit, I would of hated the additional stress of waiting to be moved.

I delivered in Nevill Hall 12 years ago if that's any help. It was generally a positive experience, but I know it's midiwfe led now. I've heard a few positive stories from The Grange as it hasn't been open long so giving birth there is fairly new. They were both positive experiences. The other advantage is that you have the experts there if you need them.

My friend waiting 1.5 hours for an ‘emergency’ ambulance to transfer from a birth centre to a hospital. Being low risk doesn’t indicate how you will labour, it just means you go into the labour with a clean bill of health. Equally lots of high risk women labour & give birth really easily. I would stick to alongside hospital as you’re a FTM. Good luck!

It does feel like the Grange is the best option. Just wish it was better situated for those of us in the north of the county... and not so understaffed

I had a baby at The Royal Gwent 15 years ago and that was understaffed. I think it's normal now, sadly.

There aren't even any obstetricians at the Royal Gwent any more though

@Peachpeachpeach I know. I was just saying that understaffing is pretty universal now.

Wow 1.5 hours sounds really scary, after reading everyone's experiences on this thread I agree @Peachpeachpeach about the Grange sounding like the best option and I think I'm now leaning towards the Grange, at least then I'll already be where I need to be should something go wrong, like @Glassofshloer says being low risk doesn't indicate how the labour sill go necessarily.

@AberBaby I know this was a little bit of time ago now so hope all is well can I ask where you had your baby after I'm scared of the grange x

[quote Starbeach]@AberBaby I know this was a little bit of time ago now so hope all is well can I ask where you had your baby after I'm scared of the grange x[/quote]
Hi - I had my baby at the midwife lead unit in Nevill Hall. I gave birth a few days before they closed the unit again due to staff shortages as a result of COVID so I am not up to speed on whether it has reopened.

I had a very positive birthing experience and would highly recommend choosing Nevill Hall with the only caveat that my view is probably very shaded by the fact the birth was so smooth with no complications.

I had my own private room and at that time due to COVID restrictions I was the only birthing woman in the whole unit (although I'm not sure what the capacity is in normal times). I had two dedicated midwives deliver my baby, one of which was my midwife. I was able to move freely between the birthing pool and the bed.

It almost felt like being in a private hospital due to having the whole unit to myself!

I gave birth at 9.05am and left at 1pm. We weren't rushed to leave and could have spent much longer there before going home if we wanted to. I was shown how to breast feed etc by the midwives and had all my questions answered.

The room was big and calm and I got to choose the lighting. The midwives were great and I felt in very safe hands and as relaxed as I could be.

Congratulations on your pregnancy, happy to answer any other questions 

Thanks I'm just in powys so I'm either the grange or Brecon. Brecon is my preferred I think xx