Will I be too hot at a birth centre?!

[Layla001]

Ok this may seem silly so please be kind. Went to visit a mid wife led birth centre yesterday. I am 36 weeks and still suffer morning sickness so I was not at my best during the tour however the sheer stifling heat, lack of air and room temperatures really put me off.

Within minutes I could feel my blood pressure gong haywire and did not feel relaxed due to the heat alone. My partner also said it was unbearably hot and his face went bright read. I could hardly listen to the information because my heart rate shot up and I was only focused in cooling down.

This seems ridiculous but I feel I do not want to go there for the heat situation alone. The midwife said that it had to be at least 23 degrees to keep the baby happy. I don't understand this because as a pregnant woman aren't we supposed to keep cool. And what about babies born at home? I'm sure no everyone whacks their central heating up.

Has anyone had a birth in a birth centre which was torturously hot? How did it go? I honestly felt I would faint and I was not even in labour yet!

I started in a birth centre and ended in a labour ward so can only go on my experience but I was fine when I got there and got in the pool. Then I wanted out of the pool and I was so cold! I couldn't stop shivering so they wacked the heating up for me and my poor DH was sweating and nearly passed out but I was fine. I guess what I'm saying is when you are in labour your body temp is not at it's normal level anyway plus most of the rooms can be temperature controlled individually so if you are too hot they can turn it down. Might be worth a call to them to check first though If is bothering you.

I asked if we could alter the room temperature if I was too hot and the mid wife said no - it had to stay hot for the baby.

For the ward or for the birthing rooms? That's very odd otherwise as the baby doesn't pop out immediately! I know in the ward its kept hot for the baby but in the labour rooms most things are adjustable for the mother. I would ring and speak to someone else as she may have misunderstood

That's what I thought. I kept asking could the room temperature come down until baby pops out but she said no, not really. I don't see how a woman in labour feeling faint from heat is good. I am going to call our other birth centre choice (which has all rooms on ground floor and doors which open onto a garden if you need air) and see what they say.

Sorry this was in the labour rooms.

Hospitals are killingly hot though? I have been at two home births (not mine) and at both the midwives turned the central heating up to a level that was uncomfortable for the attendants, but perfect for the naked labourers and I imagine the emerging new people.

When I had ds I spent seven hours in a bath so hot that my friend couldn't even put her hands in, heat in labour is generally a good thing :)

I was in the pool during labour so was ok temperature. I drank loads of ice water too.

Recovery ward the next day was quite hellish though.

I struggle with heat and blood pressure. My heart rate shot right up making me anxious and slightly panic feeling. I'm starting to dread this side of it. Maybe labour itself will regulate my temperature? I don't know :-(

I don't have experience of a birthing centre (not for lack of wanting to)

Saying that, one of the first signs I had that I was in labour was shaking and shivering, I got really cold. That might be why it was so hot in there.

I have to say after is given birth I found the poatnatal ward uncomfortably hot and my visitors found it quite hard to deal with. Dd was fine though so I guess it's for the babies

Heat stimulates oxitocin so cold rooms (which stimulate adrenalyn) actually make labour longer for many women - that's why they keep many birth centres/rooms so hot (have been told this by several experienced HCP). There is an instinct in quite a few women to go for somewhere warm and dark. I was told labouring women apparently don't notice it and many prefer it (even if they hate it when not labouring).

I'm off to supermarket to buy several sponges and a bucket for my hospital bag do I can cool my face if I overheat!

The midwife on the tour pointed at my partner and said," This gentleman is dressed perfectly for supporting his partner during birth." He had shorts and flip flops on. I was thinking he'll probably strip right off if he has to sit in this room for 10 hours plus. He's a happy nude thank goodness.

Take a mini fan, not a plug in one, and a cool bag with ice packs in