Home birth v Birthing Centre

6 replies

Glindathegoodwitch · 27/05/2015 12:02

Our area has a beautifully new built birthing centre with birthing pools and comes highly recommended by friends who have used it. However it as no labour ward and in any complications, I would need to be transferred to a hospital which is about 35 minutes away.

I really love the idea of having a home birth and being able to relax at home with all of my comforts and husband around me and to just go to my own bed afterwards. The distance from my house to the hospital I would go to in case of emergency is 15 minutes.

So really my question is, why would I go to the birthing centre instead of staying at home? My main concern would be what medical care is available at the birthing centre for baby that midwife wouldn't be able to provide at home?

Any advice or experience out there?

OP posts:

JacobWrestling · 27/05/2015 15:25

Nothing, really. As long as there is a home birth team available when you go into labour then the midwives can only dispense the same things at both MLU and HB - gas and air, sometimes pethidine.

Original poster

Glindathegoodwitch · 28/05/2015 13:31

Thanks, I thought as much. I just wondered what sort of care they provide for baby should he/she need any extra attention after birth?

OP posts:

Roseybee10 · 28/05/2015 13:48

They have all the recuss equipment at a home birth as they do in hospital.
I would say if home is closer it might actually be safer x

Original poster

Glindathegoodwitch · 28/05/2015 15:19

That's great thanks Roseybee. I have my midwife booking in tomorrow so am sure I can discuss with her too :)

Just now to convince husband as it's his first and he is a nervous sort

OP posts:

Original poster

Glindathegoodwitch · 28/05/2015 15:19

That's great thanks Roseybee. I have my midwife booking in tomorrow so am sure I can discuss with her too :)

Just now to convince husband as it's his first and he is a nervous sort

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jubles · 28/05/2015 21:22

I had a home birth with DD3 and am booked in for a second home birth with DC4 (and final!). It was a fantastic experience. In terms of pain relief, they left several canisters of gas and air, and I could have had a prescription for pethidine had I wanted it. I didn't go for that, as my labours fast and furious and there wouldn't have been any time for it kick in anyway. As a PP has said, they have lots of equipment already in the house, including things for resuscitating the baby, drips etc. It is delivered to the house round about 37 weeks or so, so it's there and ready.

They also cleaned up everything afterwards. You would never have known anything had happened in the house. We just to provide something waterproof like a an old/cheap shower curtain, old sheets etc. to over the floor or bed or wherever we wanted to deliver. I believe you can also hire pools if you are interested in a water birth.

Given how close you are to the hospital, it sounds like it could be a good option for you. With DD3 we were just a five minute drive from the hospital, which I found comforting. It's a bit further this time (probably more like 15 minutes), but still not at all far, and they can always send an ambulance in an emergency.

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