Childbirth - Llandough or UHW?

[DuelingFanjo]

Hi all

I read this story about the closure of Llandough maternity unit today and it's made me wonder about changing my choice of where to give birth.

I am due in December so could give birth in Llandough instead of UHW before they close it.

Can anyone tell me what the pros and cons of Llandough are?

Hi, i was wondering if anyone knew wether you can hire rooms at uhw and how much it costs. Im due in May so a while yet but just wanted to get myself clued up on what options are available.

Oh dear. I am far too late as Llandough?s MLU has gone but thought I?d give my tuppence worth? I had my son at Llandough in 2008 ? I was young, fit, low risk etc and wanted to give birthing a go with minimal intervention (as someone else has mentioned ? the chances are that if you say you?ll give birth somewhere without an epidural available you?re not going to have one). Another major reason was distance from our home in Cardiff Bay ? ordinarily takes 10 minutes to get to Llandough rather than the goodness knows how long to the Heath. I had a rather short labour so would have given birth before Gabalfa if we?d gone to the Heath. We?ve now moved to Barry and are hoping for another child soon. I am dreading the thought of getting to the Heath and would consider home birthing over the MLU over there.

Llandough was lovely ? as others have mentioned. My husband stayed with me the whole time, I gave birth on the same double bed we slept in that night with my son sleeping in a cot next to me, we had an ensuite shower and toilet, radio etc. We were also (thankfully) able to park right outside.

megmez - i'm just down the road in st athan - royal glamorgan is quicker to get to than the heath and much nicer, cleaner and parking is better/easier/cheaper too. My friend lives in rhoose and was meant to have a home birth but when she was in labour and rang they told her sorry no midwives are available we'll send an ambulance to bring you to the heath - she got in the car with her dp and went to bridgend and she didn't want to go anywhere near the heath either!!

Hi there. Just to update ... I went to UHW and in the end got transfered to the consultant led unit where I was minutes away from a C-section. I managed to push my son out and he is fine now but was in Special care for a while.

I had a hard long pre-labour (and developed a urine infection during my stay) during a very busy period (christmas) when it was snowing and in general was not happy with the level of care in the midwife led unit as it was extremely busy and I felt like I was left on my own during most my labour. To be fair I didn't make any fuss but got on with labour with just my DH but wish that I had made more fuss and got more help. The Midwife who was with me in the later stages was lovely and came with me to the CLU.

from my NCT group if 7 women only one of us had a water birth, and one a C-section. I think 4 of us had epidurals and episiotomies after being transfered to the CLU.