home birth - Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow

[weeonion]

Hi there. I am planning a home birth for DC2 and after booking in appt. been referred to home birth / home confinement team at Princess Royal Maternity in Glasgow for assessment. The MW art booking in was quite surprised I wanted this and said that they get less than 10 requests per year?

Does anyone have any experiences of / with them as feeling both nervous and excited to meet them.

Apparently all my antenatal care ( not scans / test obv) will be done in my own home!!

Hi weeonion!

I'm also hoping to have a hope birth in Glasgow, but haven't yet had my booking appointment (am 9 weeks now).

The home birth team is made up of two home birth midwives who are supported by community midwives on call - they definitely have more than 10 referrals a year to keep them going - she was maybe talking about how many requests her team put through? I think you still need to go to your nearest antenatal clinic for appointments, and have one home visit prior to the birth so they can see where you live etc.

I've heard really good things about the home birth team and am really looking forward to getting things set up with them too, it's really exciting!

Hi stripeyfox!!
I opted not to go for antenatal to local health centre as find it a bit grim so opted to go directly to PRM.

I rang PRM earlier and was told that yep - my antenatal care be at home. I have to wait for home confinement team to contact me directly for next appt?

Shall just wait and see!
Also hoping to meet with doula in next few weeks after scans / tests at hospital and Nuffield.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on - ate you southern general or PRM??

I had my first baby at home with the Glasgow team, two main midwife's who are then supported by a number of community midwife's. I moved to Glasgow at 30 + weeks so had one appointment at the western hospital and one at home so they could do a risk assessment.

This time I'm 21 weeks pregnant. I asked my gp to refer me to the home birth team. I saw the general team for my booking in appointment and was told the home birth team would contact me shortly. I have seen my home birth midwife twice at the Western (first time around 15 weeks), due to see her again in a few weeks. I think she will do home visit nearer my due date so she can do a risk assessment (different house), but yes 99% of appointments wont be at home.
They are a fab team, and I would recommend them!

Oh and definitely more than 10 births per year they are really busy!

thanks bonnielassie.

Maybe she meant only 10 from my local area. I didnt think it was the whole of Glasgow of course but wondered why so low!

I am feeling more reassured now and excited to meet them. MW at booking did say I may have to persuade them due to my age (42) but as i am healthy otherwise - it shouldnt be to much a battle.

I have my first scan next week so starting to feel a bit more real but wont relax til all results are in - should be early May for that.

Fab, I guess you'll meet them soon enough and have it all sorted out!

I'm not sure if I'm going to choose PRM or the Southern yet, I think I'll probably go for whichever is closest to where I will be living in November (planning a dreaded move) so that if transfer is necessary it's all set up at the nearest hospital. Fingers crossed that won't happen though!

Can I ask you when you were sent your booking appointment weeonion? I went to my GP quite a while back to get referred, and by my LMP I am almost 10 weeks so I am quite surprised I haven't received anything yet. Were you sent it long before the actual appointment?

Hope you're having a good pregnancy so far and not suffering too much from morning sickness or such like. And have a lovely scan next week.

Stripey!! Morning.

I went to GP around 6 weeks and was sent appts for both my booking in and scan about 1 1/2 weeks after that. I had to phone to reschedule the booking in and was worried I'd get bumped down the list but it was all sorted v easy. I had booking last week and scan tomorrow.

Maybe give either one a call? My GP did ask where i wanted to attend and i opted for all my antenatal at hospital and not through health centre. Maybe that made it different? Hopefully you'll get that soon.

This pg is alot different than last - morning / evening and all through the night sickness and fatigue like i never imagined.

Morning weeonion, thanks for your reply.

Hmm, looks like I do need to chase it up then. I went to my GP at about 5 weeks, so will get on the phone today and check I haven't been lost in the system.

Sorry about your sickness and fatigue, I hope it improves soonish. This is my first pregnancy, I seem to be getting it relatively easy so far, although we'll see what the next 7 months hold...

Yep - get on that phone to GP and maybe to either southern or princess royal for booking in!! does yr GP think you will be attending yr health centre for antenatal?

At booking - found out that GP hadn't told them that i wanted homebirth, despite having lengthy chat with him about it (he was trying to dissuade me from it on basis that so few in dennistoun want one).

Fingers crossed you hear soon. I am guessing you don't have a scan fate either then?

I just called the PRM and found out my booking is later this month, with the scan a week later. The letter must just be on it's way to me.

I also was very clear to my GP about wanting a home birth, and she wasn't too negative although basicly said it wasn't the best idea for a first baby. I told her I know the 'risks' are higher in first labours however I still wish to go ahead with it.

I think my appoiontments will be at my local health centre, although until my letter arrives I'm not sure!

Good stuff. Now you know!

My booking in took around 2hrs - its a busy clinic and remember to bring a urine sample. I hadn't as letter didn't say so and ended up having to drink loads to get one!

Okay, thanks for the tip! I'll make sure I'm free all afternoon for it.

It turns out my appointments are at the PRM after all -although I'm not sure why they aren't at my local healthcentre. At least I know where to go and when now, and I can look forward to getting booked in (and being referrred to the home birth team).

I saw on the November thread that you had a good experience there, with a friendly sympathetic midwife - that's good to hear, it makes all the difference. I can't believe how anxious I've been this first trimester, getting prepared for the years to come I suppose.

Stripey - i didn't realise you were on that antenatal thread too. Finding it hard to keep up with it and get no responses to my sporadic posts ;-)

I had a really nice MW - Danielle. I also got to meet my consultant same one i had last time. She is great too.

I had dd1 there in 2007 and thought my care was fab. I saw same midwife for all appts and felt really nurtured and cared for.
It is a busy clinic but i never felt rushed / just a number.

Stripeyfox I don't think the midwife's will have the same attitude as the GP. They didn't think having a home birth for my first baby was an issue although I did encounter a midwife at the Southern who was very anti home birth (for no reason that I could tell). She went of to get the consultant to talk some sense into me, but came back without him and said the home birth team would be seeing me from now on. Didn't like to point out I was seeing them and was only seeing her as I needed a scan!
Good luck with your scans, can I also recommend you look at doing a hypnobirthing course or the yoga bellies Birth Rocks course. I did hypnobirthing last time and it was amazing, this time I'm going to do Birth Rocks at 32 weeks.

Wee onion- I've been following the thread a bit but haven't actually joined in. I've had a few scares so far in my pregnancy so didn't want to join too early in case something goes wrong. It certainly does move fast, I'm not sure I'd be able to keep up! It's good to hear positive stories about the PRM, I'm looking forward to booking in there. It's really good you're getting some continuity with the same consultant too.

Bonnylassie - thanks, I'm sure they must get lots of home birth requests from first time mums so that's great to hear. My gp wasn't too bad really, I think she just wanted to make sure id thought it through thoroughly. I'm planning on using Hypnobirthing actually- did you have individual sessions last time? I was on the birth rocks website too earlier today (I'm too easily distracted at the moment), I don't know anyone else who's done it so will be really interested to hear how it goes.

Glasgow homebirth team are FAB!

You get to see the same person for each anti-natal appointment. A second random MW from the community team will turn up for the final bit as required to by law. The team are both very experienced - one told me she had delivered a breech baby as a student midwife! The same MW also told me that if things go pear shaped she could come along in the ambulance and be with you for your hospital birth (DH was asking what would happen in the case of an undiagnosed breech).

She told me that the first year they were set up they delivered 120 babies, so the 10 must definitely only be referrals from the Princess Royal.

Loved the homebirth. Actually loved my earlier hospital birth too (southern general), but bloody hated waking up in hospital. My only regret is both times the sleep loss took over and I never went on to write gushing thank you letters to the teams of people involved. Hooray for the NHS!

Hi everyone!
caroline? / carolyn? the homebirth midwife rang this afternoon to arrange my first appt. What a lovely woman - so reassuring, friendly and positive. she spent quite a while chatting and talked through some of my concerns - didnt just brush them off with a "wait til we meet" attitude. She said that she has had very few referrals from PRM and likes to deliver babies in the East End

bonnylassie - havent heard of baby rocks - will check that out. I didnt go for hypnobirthing classes the last time but did listen to my cd constantly ( i was doing the Glasgow - Edinburgh commute when pg last time so managed to fit in about 4 hours of it a day!). I didnt realise at the time how much it was sinking in and helping me. When i was in labour - without really having to think about it - lots of it came flooding back and really helped.

I laboured entirely at home and had been told to ring them / come in to PRM when i felt i couldnt manage any longer. I never really reached that stage (hence my body starting pushing of its own accord and only made it with 7 minutes to spare from arrival to DD's birth). I still remember the MW's faces when they examined my and said "she's crowning"

Of course every woman and every labour is different but the whole process made me think about myself, my body and women differently - in a much more positive way. Its because of it all that i want to go for homebirth. I am also having a doula for additional support which I am very excited about.

Ziptoes- I'm loving the positive homebirth stories and positivity about the NHS (you hear so much unhelpful negativity in the press).

Weeonion- ooh, she got back to you quickly after referral! I must reign myself in and stop being so impatient, wishing the weeks away to book in and have my scan. I think/hope I'll be less impatient once I've told people about the pregnancy. What a great story of your first birth, you must've been coping so well at home, I can see why you've decided to stay put this time.

I'm planning to use the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs. I've used one of them before which I thought was great and know friends have found them helpful for labour prep etc.

I will copy my hypno natal cd for you??

Just had scan. 12.5 weeks so edd 25 oct!

Congratulations to all the ladies here - I wish I had found this post earlier!
I am only 5 +2 and had my first appointment with the GP last week where she (completely unexpectedly) asked me to pick a hospital - the Southern or the PRM. I picked the southern for no reason I can think of now and am sort of regretting it.

(In my head I figured I was so long from an actual birth and there are so many things that can go wrong it was best not to plan ahead too far.)

I've tried looking on the GG&C maternity pages and haven't found any info about whats different between the hospitals. I know there are two birthing pools in the PRM, does anyone here know if there are any in the Southern?

Its all a bit much when I'm feeling so nauseous and the only person that knows is my hubby and the GP.

Hey ffallada - congrats to you!

There is alot to take in at this stage. I don't know how many pools southern has - I'm sure someone will have experience there or know someone who does.

Weeonion - congratulations on your scan - October sounds so much sooner than November too, more like autumn than winter! That would be great if you don't mind copying it for me, thanks. I'm expecting my dating scan to make my EDD later November - I've had some early scans and the date changes each time so we'll see what is plumped with in a couple of weeks.

Ffallada - don't worry, you can change your hospital at any point if you change your mind. It is silly how you get asked to choose when you've not been given any info on which to base your choice anyway.

The southern does have birth pools. They've done it up since I was there with DC1, when I basically had a room with a pool in what felt like a terrapin hut. I understand the new unit is now all rather bling. They have a virtual online tour on the webpage... We got a pool off t'internet for homebirth with DC2.

Ta stripey. I cant wait to hear about yr scan too!
I am dubious about EDD though - it would mean i conceived before last period so still keeping nov in my mind. Also - if that is what they stick with it means HB harder as they stressed today i would not be allowed to go over due date and they will want to induce on that day... Honestly - thought of induction makes me ill. Mainly due to every woman i personally know who was induced ended up with some level of intervention.

No one can make you accept an induction.