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Original poster

Birth Experiences In Hackney

39 replies

jumblequeen · 01/11/2009 13:36

Hello All,

I'm weighing up my options - fancy sharing your experiences? I'm a bit scared of Homerton hospital(!) and am thinking something midwife led might be better. It's my first child so I'm totally open really...

OP posts:

spongecakelover · 05/07/2010 20:09

I had both mine at the Homerton and both times the Delivery Suite was great. They saved DS2's life. The post labour ward was not so fab but as lowrib says it is hospital! In obstetric and gynaecological circles the Homerton has an excellent reputation (my mum's mate's a gynae.) Personally, in both my births I'd say the worst part of the whole thing was the journey to hospital. So getting stuck in traffic on our way to the Barkantine or UCH was not a goer.

ecuse · 07/09/2010 13:01

Hi everyone

I'm first pregnancy, 9+2 and 2 weeks away from my booking in appointment (at Homerton). I just wondered if you're allowed to sit in the birthing pool in the early stages of labour for pain relief if you're classified as high risk even if you have to actually deliver in the medical side?

I have BMI>35 also my mum had pre-eclampsia so bracing myself to be a 'high risk' person but really want to be able to use the water for pain relief. Anyone know what my chances will be at Homerton?

elportodelgato · 08/09/2010 13:24

ecuse, I expect they would be unhappy for you to be in the pool if you are considered to be high risk - I was not high risk but was induced and was monitored throughout at Homerton. I don't want to put you off but getting into the pool is by no means guaranteed even if you are low risk - there are only 2 pools and they may just be full on the day so if I were you I wouldn't set your heart on it too much, it's good to be flexible about these things if you can . Of the 9 women in my antenatal class, we all had straightforward deliveries with not a forceps, ventouse or a c-section among us, but only one of us had her baby in the pool.

At 9+2 there is no reason for you to think you'll be high risk though, lots of things can happen, and I was surprised how different my labour and birth were from the experiences my mum had.

And if you start your labour naturally at home, you can always labour in the bath until you have to go to the hospital.

ecuse · 08/09/2010 14:03

And if you start your labour naturally at home, you can always labour in the bath until you have to go to the hospital.

Good point, I hadn't thought of that! Thanks for the advice...

elportodelgato · 08/09/2010 14:30

ecuse, good luck with everything, there is so much to think about and it's all so baffling!

Are you going to be doing NCT or similar? the woman who did mine was always advising us that as soon as you go into labour you should have a large glass of wine, 2 paracetamol and run yourself a nice hot bath . We didn't have a bath in our flat at the time but it did sound a lovely idea for dealing with the early stages. I am hoping for a homebirth this time around (am 23 wks now) and my first thought when we started discussing it was 'ooh I could labour and deliver in the bathtub!'

ecuse · 08/09/2010 15:25

I wasn't planning to do NCT, but not for any particular reason than they're expensive, and you get NHS ones for free.

I do like the idea of the wine, but does the paracetomol even touch the sides... I'm lead to believe labour is going to be more than a bit of a twinge ;)

elportodelgato · 10/09/2010 15:04

Hi ecuse - yes NCT can get expensive and the Homerton do good classes on the basics. The main thing I got from NCT was a ready-made group of women to hang out with afterwards but tbh Hackney is jam-packed with mums on maternity leave, so I don't think you'll have any trouble meeting people afterwards. The other thing you might consider though is pregnancy yoga as that really really helped me with my breathing and staying focussed and in control. That and an almost fanatical addiction to mumsnet saw me through

As I was induced I didn't get chance for the 'wine and paracetamol' thing but afterwards I did think 'para-bloody-cetamol?!? yeah right' - perhaps combined with the wine it might take the edge off the start of contractions...?

hackneyzoo · 10/09/2010 17:08

ecuse
I have just been chatting to the midwife about birthing choices and she told me that they now have a few portable birth pools on the labour ward so if the two are in use they can put one in your room. They also have birthpools that you can rent from the community midwife team if you'd like a home water birth.

Ooo, Novicemamma, I am 23 weeks with DC3 and am going for homebirth number two. I can't recommend it highly enough. Am liking the idea of a glass of wine at the start of labour...but paracetamol?! Pass me the gas and air..mmm!. Can I ask where you did pregnancy yoga? I can only find a class at Holistic health, but can't make it on the evening it is on.

tethersend · 10/09/2010 17:15

Sorry to hijack... am in Bethnal Green E2 and thinking about trying for second DC- does anyone know if I will be able to go to UCH?

I had my DD there (was living in camden) by ELCS as she was breech, and would like to have another ELCS at UCH- will I be able to or will I have to go to the royal London or Homerton? UCH were really good.

tethersend · 10/09/2010 21:30

Anyone?

hackneyzoo · 10/09/2010 21:49

I think it's down to the hospital. You'd have to ask your midwife. My only experience of this is a friend who wanted to give birth slightly out of area and was told it would be fine unless they were full on the night.
(She got to give birth in the place of her choice).
I would email the head of midwives at UCH and explain your situation and see what she says.

hackneyzoo · 10/09/2010 21:55

Just had a look at their website and there is an enquiry number here

tethersend · 10/09/2010 23:26

Thank you, hackney, really useful info

novicemama · 22/09/2010 20:52

hi hackneyzoo, have been offline a while. I am doing pregnancy yoga at Yogahome in Stokey which is where I went last time round. They do classes on Sat and Sun and Wed evening but so far I have only managed it once

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