How much does your hospital room matter?

[gmaurice]

I'm planning a home birth, but very aware of 45% average transfer rate into hospital for FTMs.

The hospital I would go to (St Helier, London) suffers from an outdated building, so it's very unlikely I'd be able to get a solo room (wards are 4-6 patients) or en suite, and generally said to be a bit hot and stuffy.

I'm concerned about how this may compound any additional stress I'd have anyway if I need an induction or transfer into hospital (e.g. more difficult to sleep, go to bathroom...). But if I switch hospital, I can't attempt a home birth as planned and would need to go to an alongside birth centre instead as my Plan A, which would be a shame.

Did you find your hospital room had much of an impact or is it not a big deal?

If you are transferred to hospital in active labour then you would get a solo room on the labour ward/delivery suite. There will be solo rooms on both the antenatal and postnatal wards but they will be used for infectious patients in the first instance, followed by mums with multiples then mums with babies in NICU. In some trusts it's possible to pay for a private room but there is no guarantee that one will be available for the reasons listed above.

I had my first on a standard labour ward and had no issues with the bathroom as each delivery room had it's own toilet. I found the room to be fine given the circumstances that I needed to be continuously monitored as my waters had been gone for over 24 hours.

With my second I aimed for a birth centre which I did get but I was in the room 10 minutes before she was born so I was oblivious to my surroundings to be honest! Afterwards I wished I'd opted for home birth but the ambulance waiting times put me off trying in case I needed to be transferred in an emergency. The birth centre room was a lot more appealing though in my experience but it was be the same postnatal ward you would go to if you needed to stay in overnight in my hospital.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

I’ve given birth at st Helier twice. Both times emergency c section. I tried for a VBAC second time and failed. I wouldn’t worry about the outside of st Helier looking ugly, the medical treatment I received both times was incredibly and I tear up thinking about them acting so fast to save my babies lives. NICU was great.

First baby I wanted a private room post birth and paid £100 and had a lovely quiet room. There have about 3-4 if I remmber. It depends on needs etc if they are free.

Second time I didn’t even ask for the room and was happy on the ward. It was noisier but I had more round visits from midwives which I needed as I was poorlier. They needed to be able to see me often and I was just opposite the midwives bay.

I think if you have a straight vaginal birth you will be in and out so the room doesn’t matter for post birth. The rooms for giving birth are all private and I think had en suite?!
If you have complications again the room matters less it’s the lovely staff and great medical support that counts.

Not to scare you but a home birth idea now freaks me out as my second baby has minutes to live and would have died had we not been in hospital. I had a crash c section. 17 members of staff counting down from 9 minutes (3 minutes to monitor, 3 minutes in theatre prep, 3 minutes to cut baby out). Baby was born floppy and not breathing. I feel sick thinking she would have died without a shadow of a doubt with a hospital environment

I am pregnant with dc3 and going back to st Helier

Thanks for the advice @Nursemumma92 @Nellyelephanty , really helpful and reassuring to hear!!

@Nellyelephanty Sorry to hear about your experience with your second! Don't worry, I have done a lot of research and spoken to a lot of medical professionals, and feel totally informed and happy that home birth is the best option for my and baby's circumstances. Thankfully the 45% transfer rate is a good example of the safety-first approach these highly trained midwives take to get ahead of any complications that might or might not occur so that you're in the right setting in time if needed.

I haven't any experience of that hospital but once I arrived at hospital, fairly dilated (as you would be if you were transferred from home birth I imagine) I really didn't care about what the room looked like - too in the zone! Not to say you would be the same of course

With my first I laboured overnight in the main antenatal ward where there were 5 other women. I was only in early labour so couldn't be put on the delivery ward but had been admitted as my waters had broken at 36 weeks and I had also had a rather large bleed. That was really tough and struggled with my pain management and lack of privacy being on a ward. Once I reached 4cm I was moved to a private room on the delivery ward and that was much better. I ended up in theatre so spent a few hours in recovery before being moved to the post natal ward and that was bliss as I had the whole of recovery to myself.

With my second I was determined to labour at home as long as possible which was so much nicer although it did make the transition to hospital that much harder as I arrived at 10cm and ready to push! Had a lovely large private room on the delivery ward with an en suite which was lovely for that post birth shower but as they were super busy that night I was moved out of there within an hour and a half of giving birth. I was then put in a bed in the ante natal triage area as they had no other beds which wasn't ideal as it meant my husband couldn't stay (it was about 1am at this point) as partners can only stay on the post natal ward but I was discharged and back home by 7am the following morning so it wasn't for long anyway.

Not sure what I will do this time around. I like the idea of a home birth but both my previous pregnancies have been high risk so I very much doubt it will be an option this time around

I think the postnatal ward makes a massive difference. My first was the ward with loud chatting, loads of visitors, and virtually no sign of the midwives. I eventually discharged myself and reckon it put back my recovery by a couple of months. My next two were private rooms and out by the end of the day, and I recovered much quicker. These aren't exact comparisons as I also had a long labour for my first and a post partum haemorrhage so it should have been a longer recovery but I lost plenty of blood the third time too and felt miles better for just being able to have a decent meal and some sleep after.

I’d read a lot about importance of environment etc through hypnobirthing and had packed fairy lights, essential oils etc.. ended up giving birth on the labour ward and was not bothered in the slightest. I actually found the monitors quite relaxing so really just shows it depends on the person. Was in my own room though.

Postnatal ward wasn’t as pleasant as I felt uncomfortable being with other people and it was very noisy and struggled to sleep. Depends what kind of person you are - im shy so will ask for a private room this time, think would make a more positive experience.

Homebirthed my third after two rough hospital births. Tbf I can't really compare them as so incredibly different on every single level. But I'd say environment does matter a lot.

I had 2 home births. If I had to go in I would have been very insistent about not going on the postnatal ward because I was down for a home birth. Unless me or baby were unwell and HAD to be there.

The homebirth team can come out to you and do all of the newborn checks at home as they would have done if you didn’t need to transfer.