Advice hospital choice

[Naomilouise1992]

Hello I'm from Blackburn but my boyfriend is in Manchester I always at his house, my midwife antenatal appointments and hospital scans are in Blackburn ATM. Would I be able to give birth in Manchester and would my midwife come all the way to Manchester or would I need to go to antenatal clinics and midwives over here xx

You mean for the labour? Do you have a special arrangement meaning you get continuity of care and know who you will have in labour - because in most areas you won't know for definite who will be caring for you on the day, certainly not to one specific person. Your midwife will not travel to other hospitals for you (again, unless you have some very special arrangement I am afraid).

Yeh I mean for the labour! I was just a bit confused... They have asked me where I want the labour ie in burnley hospital or birthing Center but if I say Manchester would they have to start sending me to midwives and antenatal appointments over in Manchester! Xxx

I know you can transfer your care as many women transfer to St. Mary's usually due to problems because it is the Tertiary unit for Manchester.
One of my colleagues transferred from St. Mary's to Wythenshawe fairly late on too.
Not sure how you would go about it though.

Yes you probably would have to have antenatal care in Manchester too as would want to see you before you turn up in labour

Okay thankyou!! I'll speak to the midwife at my next appointment! Is there a birthing centre in Manchester do you no xxx

Yes, you are generally with a team of midwives (who may or may not work on the delivery suite, it varies by area). That will book into one or two local hospitals.

But what you can do is stay with your local maternity care for now and then say at a later date that you want to move. A friend did this is London - all her care at our GP then at about 34 weeks she moved to another hospital and had the last few midwife appointments with their team.

That might vary by area a bit though.

Depends where in Manchester?
St. Mary's has a midwife led and consultant led unit. Salford Royal has a midwife led birthing centre.

Ooh ill try the Salford royal xxxx thankyou xxx

Been on my NCT class today and apparently Wythenshawe have a birthing centre too.
Lady doing NCT class said you can give birth wherever you want and can change if you don't like where you are booked.

I went out of area for my birth. Apart from my scans I had all my antenatal and postnatal appointments locally. They used maternity notes in the format issued by the health trust where I was giving birth.