Mid Wife Lead Unit

[Zaspbar]

Sorry I've posted a few times today as stuck in bed!

I'm only 10 weeks but my nearest place to give birth is a mid wife lead unit (attached to a hospital that has a bad reputation). I'm low risk- this is first baby but concerned as I have no idea what my pain threshold is and the only relief offerd is gas and air. If something goes wrong you will be transferred 40 mins to nearest hospital.

The nearest hospital is 50 min drive from my home so that is the alternative.

Any body had an experience at a mid wife lead unit?

Many thanks
Zasp

I had DS at a midwife led unit and it was brilliant but it really depends on what you want.
I knew right from the start that I wanted to try to only use gas and air (was also low risk and he was my first) and so I immediately chose the MLU. At one point during my labour I did demand that they get an ambulance to take me to the hospital so I could have an epidural but DS was born shortly after so it didn't happen. I got to use the pool and the whole thing was pretty calm. I have a pretty terrible pain threshold but found the G&A great.

Some people find that they're more comfortable in a hospital 'just in case'. My closest hospital was only about a 10 min drive away so I was pretty happy knowing that if something did happen I'd be able to get there relatively fast.

I think it's a tough choice with your closest hospital being 50 mins away and the transfer taking 40 mins. Would you be happier starting at the hospital so you don't have to worry about being transferred should anything go wrong? Maybe talk it over with your midwife?

You've got plenty of time to think about it

I was in a midwife led unit, but it was attached to the main hospital, so any issues and I would just be whisked off downstairs, not sure how I would feel about it if my other option was forty minutes away. I had a really good experience though, got to one point where I said "I can't do this" which turned out to be the last transition and next thing I was pushing, it was a very calm experience and if we had decided to have another I wouldn't have hesitated using the midwife led unit again :)

That's a very long transfer time. Is there not a mlu attached to the hospital you would be transferred to? Take a look at 'which birth choices' look at your mlu and look at the stats on transfers. If it's your first baby look at the %of first time mums who have to transfer. At my local freestanding mlu it's 40% for first time mums so it's basically 50/50 if u will be in that ambulance and 40 mins in an ambulance whilst in labour sounds hellish. Also, when you transfer your birth partner can come with you but would then have to leave his/her car behind at the mlu so often women end up having to do that journey without the birth partner. Mlu's are lovely when things go smoothly but equally if all goes smoothly you'd have a lovely birth anywhere if all goes smoothly.

If there's only gas and air available, perhaps you want to consider a home birth instead. You have one to one care, and the same pain relief options and can have a pool if you want. If you're low risk and suitable for mlu, you'd also be low risk for home.

I started in a midwife led unit, but had complications so had to be transferred at last minute- luckily just an elevator away.
I'm due to give birth this week and am not even considering MLU this time. Sorry, but too much can go wrong

I went to a MLU with my first. Our hospitals were 40 to 50 minutes away too. The MLU was about 20 minutes away with an additional 30 mins for a hospital transfer. It was brilliant! Our unit was very good and I received great care with one on one help (it was a small unit) unfortunately I was transferred to hospital because of failure to progress but it was handled brilliantly and without fear or stress. The only downside was my husband had to follow in the car so the ambulance ride felt like a long journey without him (he was an amazing birth partner and kept me calm throughout). Home birth was discussed with us but I felt we lived too far away from a hospital. I wasn't worried about pain relief as I wanted minimal intervention but I was worried about complications. We were told that if we chose home birth of MLU we could change our mind at any time - even on the day. Follow your instincts and work out what would suit you best. What does your midwife suggest? Have any of your friends had babies? What did they do? Good luck x