Booking hospital for birth

[harleysmammy]

Hiya, little bit confused. I phoned the epu earlier (even though im 23 weeks) because that was the number on the anti d injection letter i had. I asked them if i needed to have the injection at 29 weeks because i had one done at 16 weeks down to bumping my belly. She asked what hospital i was booked in too have the baby in and when i said i hadnt she sounded shocked and asked if i'd actually seen the midwife at all. I said ive seen her 3 times and i'm seeing her next week, but she hasn't said anything at all about booking in. The only thing she has ever said is at my 8 week appointment, about where i was thinking off having him. I said 2 hospitals i thought of giving birth in and she just told me the services and the facilities there, nothing was written down. It was just like it came up in conversation. Now im confused, do i have too book the hospital on my own accord or does my midwife sort it all out? Should i have already booked? Obviously i know i have to book the hospital but i honestly thought (as you can tell im a first time mam) that my midwife would be the one to get the ball rolling? I already feel so unorganized with buying clothes and sorting the nursery, this has just made me even more stressed. Sorry for rambling, no one in my family have had a baby for at least 9 years and my midwife never answers her phone so i dont know who else to ask xx

No, the midwife should have done it. Did you make any decision about where you were going? Which hospital did you have your scan at? That will be the one you're booked into.

My midwife just asked my preference from the three available. I chose the one in the next county over as its actually closer. I was consultant led so had a lot of appointments there. I agree with PP though. It'll be where your scans were.

To be honest though, if you turn up in labour clutching your notes, they aren't going to send you away!

No i didnt make any definite decision, i said 2 hospitals one of which was where i was born (didnt know it had been knocked down 2 years after i was born) and the other one she just said it was nice there. The hospital i had my scans at was the hospital i said i didnt want him to be born in:(

May be different depending on area but where I am, each midwife is from a particular hospital. So if you're seeing Mrs Jo Bloggs you're under xyz hospital.

I'm confused about booking into a hospital though. Your booking in appointment is with the particular hospitals midwives. If you're in labour away from home you rock up at the nearest hospital with your notes.

I had my first appt with GP after BFP and wasn't ready to choose a hospital yet, so I had to self refer to a hospital once I was ready (10 weeks) and then had a booking appointment + first scans (11-13 weeks).

Assuming you're seeing a community midwife rather than a hospital midwife? You're probably considered booked in at the hospital where your scans happened or where your notes are from? If you book into or switch to a new hospital now you will have to start out with your booking bloods (which are meant to be done at 8 weeks) and wait for all your scans and appts which might be tricky. Are you booked in for antenatal NHS classes? Again that'll be at the hospital you're booked into.

I'd call the midwife and then get this sorted. Of course you can rock up to a hospital with your notes, but might be slightly stressful if you don't know what their policies are and where anything is etc. What if they only allow one birthing partner?

Also just read your OP again in detail - 23 weeks is still early - I hadn't done anything in terms of nursery or clothes by then - and it's all sorted now st 33 weeks so don't fret!

Just see the MW next week and you should be able to have this sorted out. You should be assigned to a particular hospital and have a hospital number, get booked in for antenatal classes there (they're free unlike NCT ones), have all your scans and tests there etc. They'll start testing you for diabetes and iron levels etc soon and you may need to move from MW to consultant or see a dietician etc all of which will happen at a hospital (hopefully not, but still!)