I don't feel safe

[Tractorsanddiggers]

I'm due to give birth and was hoping for a home birth or to go to the midwife led birth centre. Our homebirth is shut due to staffing and while they say they are allowing homebirths, there was only 1 last month and hardly any water births so it looks like the birth centre was shut. My midwife said she left and so have many others as they were constantly on call and then doing their own work outside of their shifts.

I imagine labour ward will be the only option anyway, but if they are so low on midwives I am worried it will be understaffed and unsafe worst case scenario or a shit show best case scenario.

Any midwives or anyone working on labour ward able to reassure me? Or anyone have and advice on how to prepare?

The only one that can assure you is that birth centre, can they guarantee you a midwife when the time comes, yes or not?

Getting it in writing as they will think twice in writing (risk of lawsuits) as opposed to a phone call with some wishful best case scenario.

I'm so sorry. Services for women are truly shocking. Do write with your concerns to the Hospital as the app suggests.

It might also be worth starting a thread in Chat asking if anyone has given birth there recently and their experiences.

If funds allow, could you hire a private ME or a Doula?

Thank you for replying. I can speak to the advocate midwife to get a plan written up and I am considering a doula. We are only allowed 1 birth partner so that would mean my dh would potentially be excluded unless the rules change.

I would love a private midwife but they are so expensive and there are so few that do it.

I wish I was wrong but I can't see how with the staffing levels so bad anyone can get good enough care. The doula/PM and speaking to the advocate are probably all I can do. PM would be great if we could all afford them!

Speak to your midwife about your concerns, they should be able to reassure you. You also have the option of going to a different hospital or birth centre if you choose, have you looked at any other options near you?