How and when did you decide where you have your baby? GP has worried me!

[Vcarroll]

Hi ladies, I'm only 5 weeks pregnant and had my first GP appt this week. I live in East London and she asked me if I am happy to have my baby at Whipps Cross Hospital (nearest to my house). I said actually I'm not sure and she said that I need to decide and I need to let them know. And she said if I do decide to go elsewhere local midwives are 'not obliged' to look after me.

My issue is that I have heard bad things about Whipps Cross. I have a somewhat irrational fear of hospitals and I have my heart set on a water birth and I really want a private room afterwards. It looks as though Whipps have very very limited facilities. I have also heard of people having to stay additional noghts just becuase no one came round to discharge them! Where I would really like to go is a midwife led unit called the barkentine about half an hours drive from where I live. It sounds lovely - every room has a birthing pool and room for partners to stay and all private rooms. They are a bit strict on who they take - you have to have a totally uncomplicated pregnancy and I am not sure they would take me as its my first baby andim not strictly local...

My question is firstly - should I really be makingthisdecision now?? I feel a bit silly at the thought of phoning up the Barkentine this early on. Also I read the Barkentine on take over your antenatal at 36 weeks... What do I do before then if other midwives are not 'obliged' to see me??

Sorry this is a bit long, but I would love to hear from anyone who self referred themselves to another hospital and also from anyone who has experience of the 2 hospitals in my area (or any others for that matter!!)

i've heard the Barkentine is great, just because its your first it doesn't mean there will be any reason they wont take you. As long as you have a straight forward pregnancy. Good luck.

I would sit on it though for a while, don't let it worry you relax and make a decision at about 12 weeks.

I cant't help with the hospitals because I live up North but I decided at 35 weeks with DS2 that I was having him at home. So you don't have to make a decision straight away.

Thanks for replying ladies... I had thought I would wait but then I saw someone who was 11 weeks pregnant posting they had to go on the waiting list for the barkentine..! That's why I thought I should call but feel a bit silly!

Phone Barkentine, it's not silly to do so. Only they can answer your question and it is better to feel a bit daft now than to regret a delay later.

if there is some kind of waiting list then i think it would be worth calling them and finding out tbh.
if at any time in the next 8 months you decide that actually you don't want to to give birth there you can switch to your local hospital, or any other hospital you choose...

but it's worth ringing them and finding out how it all works and if there is a waiting list and things like that. i am sure they'd be happy to talk to you about it even if you are only 5 weeks pregnant :)

You are entitled to care from your local midwives wherever and however you choose to have your baby... GP is talking bollox. You may have to visit unit of choice for some appts for bloods etc depending on local protocols... Ask at the preferred unit for advice.

You have a choice, the nhs patient charter or what ever bullshit title it gets now gives you the choice to choose where you have your baby.

Your midwife led unit will be happy to hear from you now, If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy the unit will be your best option anyway.
You are entitled to care and monitoring that is arranged through your gps surgery . Community ante natal classes talk little about choice and advocate a medicalised approach to birth, if you can get the money together you would be much better off with the local NCT classes, you get more time, more information and some practical guidance too (I have lovely memories of struggling to get in and out of an inflated empty birthing pool at about 36 weeks pregnant and the others wetting themselves laughing....)

My advice would be to get all the information you can, speak to the midwife led unit, if your pregnancy is trouble free then you continue with them, if for some reason you need more specialist care then the hospital will still be there for you.
You will still get the 12 week scan, the 20 week one and you will still get health monitoring
Congratulations by the way
X x x

tiredandbusy bollox indeed! Silly gp

Thank you so much for your replies everyone I will ring the Barkentine and see what they have to say.

Mumofaurelia I do intend to join NCT I know a few people that speak highly and I really want to meet nice people in my area as all my family live some distance away (as well as all the antenatal stuff)...

Many thanks again... I I'll let you know how I get on!

Vcarroll - thanks for your post. I hadn't heard of the Barkentine before and am also in East London.

Currently my nearest hospital is Homerton which I've heard has an ok maternity led unit but I will be moving to Leytonstone in April/May which means my nearest hospital will then be Whipps Cross which I have also decided I don't want to go to.

I may well self-refer as you have - just checked on Google maps and the Barkentine is only 20 mins away in a car!

I'm 11+2 today so a little ahead of you but let's stay in radio contact! :)

Good luck

Hi MrsLister I live in leytonstone so looks like we will be neighbours so we should keep in contact!! :-). Have you checked out the Barkentine website? It sounds amazing!

I just called up the barkentine and the lady I spoke to was lovely. She says you don't refer to them until after you 5 month scan, and they make the decision when you are 36 weeks based on a number of factors mainly making sure you have had a smooth pregnancy and you are considered risk free.

So I will continue to have my scans and routine care through the midwives at Whipps and then all being well, at 5 months will be calling them back!

Oooh hello neighbour (well - we will be as soon as we've bought our house!) - let's definitely stay in contact :)

Where I live I have 2 options which the me explained at my booking appointment. My first option was The busy maternity unit at 1 hospital (they have a 13 delivery suits, 2 theatres, neo natal, anaesthetists so you can have epidurals and a post natal ward) If you are high risk or need to be induced or go into labour before 37 weeks you HAVE to have your baby here.

As I'm low risk I have another option. The mw lead birthing centre at a different hospital. Difference here is you get 1:1 care, no post natal ward so discharged after 6 hours but it's more homely. Only concern was If there's an emergency your transferred to the other mat unit and no epidurals!

In terms of making a decision I said at my booking appointment I wanted the maternity unit at the busy hospital. Later down the line (possibly about 25 wk or so) I said I wanted to see both before I made a firm decision. Then at 35 weeks I got to look around them both and made my decision. As I want the mw unit I've had to let the mw know my decision but that was only 2-3 week ago cos you kind of need to 'book in advance' cos it's unstaffed. But if on the day I changed my mind and wanted to go the otherplace that's ok too.

So to cut that long story short you should be able to chop n change your preferences without it being a hassle