Is homebirth ok for your first baby and any experiences of the Royal Sussex Hosp?

[ElmMum]

I live in Brighton and am 28 weeks pregnant with our first baby.

The Royal Sussex Hosp scores 'poor' in the NHS ratings and they've stopped doing tours of the maternity unit for expectant parents. Add those things together and I feel a bit nervous (to say the least) about opting to have the baby there.

I'm liking the sound of homebirth but two people who have medical connections (one friend who's a doc and another who works at at GPs and asked a doc there) have said don't have the first baby at home under any circumstances.

Now I feel like if I choose homebirth I'm putting the baby at risk, but I just don't have any confidence in the hospital

Does anyone have any birth stories from the Royal Sussex? And did anyone out there choose homebirth for their first baby??

Thanks in advance!

I had my dd1 at the RSCH. It was a fine, intervention free birth. Midwives in labour were fab.
Postnatally, it was crap though, totally different story.

I had hb with dd2 and ds which were fantastic, and I would recommend hb, including for a first child.

If you feel confident about a hb, go for it. There is an NCT hb support group in Brighton that can be really helpful. Having said that, I wouldn't fear going to the RSCH to have a baby at all. Home is just nicer lol!

Good luck

I had a home waterbirth with my first (and only so far!) baby and it was a very positive experience, i had spent time in hospital during pg because i was very unwell and really didn't like it so figured i would be happier at home to give birth. But i only live 2 mins from the hospital and think i would have thought twice if further away. Whatever happens, it helps to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might have to be transferred in an emergency so that you don't have an awful shock if it happens.
I did have a bit of a battle with my local mw's but in last month of pg a wonderful, very pro homebirth mw got assigned to me by chance and it was all great from then on.
All the best to you

Had my DS there 18months ago and it was fantastic. Great midwives and we were not left alone at all.

I thought they had scored well in the recent ratings?

I planned a homebirth with my first ds but ended up transferring to hospital as I wasn't progressing - it can be slow going with your first. I then had my 3 dds at RSCH and it was ok - great views indeed and the same mix of fantastic/rubbish midwives as anywhere else I imagine. One bonus is the birthing pool - you don't have the expense of hiring your own. I would really recommend water as a form of pain relief - all I needed. Although I chose to go to hospital for the births (I think the memories of my first transfer to hospital in advanced labour in a Fiat Panda influenced my choice!) I discharged myself as quickly as I could as I can't sleep in those hard hospital beds with all those other people around!

I too was umm-ing between hospital and home birth for the birth of my Dd. I went for the hospital in the end mainly due to the wishes of OH. Felt he did have a say in it as he'd be the one having to deal with me at home. However the next one's going to be a homebirth!

I too had heard bad things about Royal Sussex, and as it was one of my local hospitals, was struck off our list of places to go to if the PRH was closed. Have you considered going elsewhere ie PRH or Worthing? You may not have the choice when it comes to it if RSCH is closed to admissions on the night you go into labour.

So Homebirth?