Midwife led unit - what to expect

[MoreMarmaladeSandwiches]

Hi,

I know 1-2-1 care throughout labour doesn’t happen and the midwife is likely to be going between patients. Does this continue during the pushing stages, and is there a chance there will be no midwife/staff present for the final delivery?

This is assuming a complication free labour on a midwife led unit. I’m just keen to know what to expect.

I was on a midwife led unit from 2am until 10pm the following day and had 3 different midwives changing shifts! That's cos baby took her sweet time! 🙈

Please do speak to them about any concerns you have and they can clarify on process, some even do tours of the birthing suites which might be helpful for you?

Generally during active labour you'll be assigned a midwife who will periodically do checks (remember you can decline intimate checks but do speak to them about what these look for etc to make an informed decision), once things ramp up another midwife will be assigned to you so that you will definitely have a midwife for you for delivery. This is process where I have worked (I am neonates so not a midwife but we work closely), it might vary but even in the staffing challenges you won't be alone when pushing.

You will always have a midwife with you, but they may change over depending on how long your labour is ❤️

How many weeks are you? 😃

Good luck! Xx

I had about 5 in the room for my first delivery, it did take 4 hours of pushing though, only reason I wasn't transferred to delivery for an instrumental delivery was because they were full!
Second delivery the midwife stayed more or less the whole time (I had baby just over an hour after arriving) and there was a second midwife for the birth (how they knew to get her in I have no idea - I was in a pool so they wouldn't have been able to see very well and I only realised I was pushing when the head was out!).

I gave birth on a MLU in august last year in Manchester and had a midwife with me at all times plus a student. I was admitted to the ward at 8pm, baby was born at 12.29am. The same midwife and student then looked after me and baby until change over of shift at 7.30am (I had some complications after birth but they remained caring for us both on the main ward). I don’t recall a time I was ever alone other than them nipping out the room to get something. It was a lovely experience on the MLU

I have had three children and have each time had a midwife stay with me once on delivery suite until baby was born.

Not a gamble I would take. Where is the nearest consultant led unit in case of emergencies?

I'm pretty sure statistically you are more likely to have a safer, lower intervention birth in a midwife led unit providing you are low risk.

https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/midwife-led-units-safest-for-straightforward-births

Arrived at around 9:30pm where they had me checked, wee sample, checked baby’s heart rate as they realised my waters had broken etc. This was by one midwife. They gave me some Pethidine and left me alone for an hour or so. Came back and offered gas and air which kept me sane for about another hour or so. Came back and checked me again and offered me the pool, which was ready. Midwife change over. New midwife was still lovely. Whilst in pool, I told them that my body was pushing (right after I threw my guts up - lol) and they offered me more pethidine if I got out the pool. Wish I’d stayed in but I was so scared 🤣 In between, they left me alone as requested on my birth plan that I wanted no chatting, minimal distractions etc. Once I was out the pool, another midwife turned up so there were now two of them. I didn’t realise at the time but this meant I was close as apparently two are required? One was a student? Gave birth by 1:15am. Highly recommend, they were amazing.

During the pushing stage you should have at least one midwife with you. As it comes nearer the time it looks like your baby will make an appearance you will have two midwives, one to focus on you and one to focus on the baby.

I gave birth on labour ward but I wanted to be on the midwife led unit (is on site, I was in the room right next to the doors to the MLU) as I ended up needing an induction. But I only saw a consultant once when he came to say I needed induction, when I was actually in labour I only had the midwives which were also working in the MLU I just didn't get the pool etc options!
I had 2 teams cos I was in over two nights. They generally left me alone except when doing monitoring and stayed with me a while each time. This was just one midwife then during pushing another came in so I had two

Correlation isn’t causality. Only low risk mothers will be on a MLU anyway. Just check how close the consultant led unit is OP. You’ll have a midwife with you for most of your labour but definitely in the pushing stage.

Thanks all.

I actually had an unattended delivery in hospital with my first which is what has left me so anxious about going through the same experience again.

In my experience you can expect not to see it! It's like the holy grail of birth experiences where I live. Everybody wants to go there - I've looked round it and it is amazing - but I barely know anyone that's managed!

You basically need a text book pregnancy and Labour I'd say to get through the door and be allowed to remain there!

The one near me is within the hospital so the answer to that question would be upstairs.

In my honest experience, go where the Dr's are. I wouldn’t want a midwife in charge of anything.

I went to a midwife unit (out in the sticks) so not attached to a hospital and no doctors present.

It didn't end well for me and in the latter stages of Labour I was rushed to the hospital which was 40 mins away. I wouldn't recommend this and would always advise people to be in a hospital.