Choosing a birth centre - Nevill Hall, Mendip Southmead, Royal Gloucestershire

[JessH123]

Hi all,

I'm new to mums net this is my first post I was hoping to get some advice. I'm 8 weeks pregnant with my first baby 😊 I've got appointment with my midwife next week and she's asked me to pick a hospital for the birth so she can book my first scan. I had no idea you picked this so early and I'm panicking about where to go. Me and hubby don't plan on telling people about the pregnancy till post first scan when we know if all is ok so I can't discuss with friends or family. If pregnancy goes well I'm keen to use a midwife led centre ideally a water birth. I've narrowed it down to the three below because they're also connected to hospitals has anyone had their baby there or know someone who has and what was their experience like:

Nevill Hall birth centre
Mendip birth centre southmead
Royal Gloucestershire birth centre

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thank you

Jess

Blimey, I wonder where you live to be looking at hospitals so far apart?! Friends of mine have been very pleased with NH but I wonder whether the type of care has changed recently? It used to have doctors but I think it might be midwife only now? It's an old hospital and parking is v difficult.

I think Southmead is all new now.

I would want to look at ease of getting there (although I guess you're rural and none of them are easy) and ease of getting back up if pregnancy/birth becomes more complicated.

Thanks for the quick reply. We're near chepstow, Welsh address English council so have the pick of hospitals both sides of the border. Southmead is probably the closest just over half hour drive but then nevill hall isn't that much further. I'm leaning towards southmead for closeness and I've read good reviews but it's not a hospital I'm personally familiar whereas I know nevill hall a bit better but not for maternity. The gwent would be just over half hour from us to but I've heard mixed reviews on it.

NHH has both midwife led and consultant led and I've heard very good things about it, I don't know anything about the other two though sorry. Have you looked on line? My local hospital has an online tour to help you get an idea of what it's like. Have a look at this too maybe www.which.co.uk/birth-choice/find-and-compare

Thank you mel! Yes I've been on the which site on paper all three look good but when I've searched for reviews I've been able to find plenty for southmead but not really any for the other two. I always thought I'd pick NH but not being able to find out much about it online is making me feel like southmead would be a safer bet. On the other hand whilst southmead is 10 mins closer depending on what time everything kicks off I may have bristol traffic to contend with which really then makes it much of a muchness 😊 I may try driving to both and sussing them out that way. I'm going to see if this decision means my choice is set in stone to, really feels very early to be deciding and I've not had enough time to sort out tours etc.

Southmead is good but if you have to contend with M4 bridge and traffic then it might be better to stay the other side of the bridge especially if you end up staying in for whatever reason.

It would be asking about things like visiting hours, what you need to take and what they provide too so you can see if there is a difference.

Also worth asking where you would be sent if your chosen unit closes because they're full - at Southmead you'd be referred to At Michaels in the centre but could be Bath, Gloucester or Swindon.

I would be surprised if it's set in stone this early tbh.

Thanks littletike! We've shortlisted to two mendip and NH so at least that's some progress. I am going to double check with the mid wife if I book the scan for one could I still have the option to change and then book tours for both 😊

You cshould be able to change at anytime, so don't feel too pressured.

I'm 32 weeks and am torn between NH and Gloucestershire. I'm in the Forest of Dean and am slap bang in the middle of both (17ish miles)

My mw said I don't have to decide until my 36 week appointment, which is when we do our birth plan.

I'm still 50/50 but what's going to decide it for me is that - if there was an emergency situation where I had to call an ambulance - which hospital I would be taken to.

After birth care at southmead was dreadful when I was there but it was 9 years ago.

Water birth will depend on it being free when you need it so ask about that

Hi, I am 13 weeks and must be the other side of Chepstow to where you are as I have only been given the option of Neville Hall and the Gwent both of which I am not keen on. I have heard better stories of Neville Hall.

I had my DD last March at Gloucester Royal Hospital (I presume this is where you mean ?)
My care was either fantastic or terrible. The midwife who delivered DD was so amazing. DDs heart decelerations were ignored until a midwife I knew came to see how I was doing.
They were very busy, the fact my body was telling me to push was ignored for about 3 hours, to the point where the midwife told me off for pushing as I was going to damage my cervix.
Luckily when the shift changed the new midwife (who delivered baby) examined me and found DD crowning, and she was born minutes later.
The consultant was on his way down as they were concerned regarding the decelerations, but she was born safe and sound before any intervention had to take place.
We had to stay in as DD wouldn't feed I was very lucky to be given my own room but I was then left to it, it would take a long time for the buzzer to be answered, and they sent OH home, so I felt pretty lonely.
I think I will try for a home birth or look into Stroud if I am lucky enough to have another baby.
Hope my experience helps.

Thanks all for posting your experiences. Ferry nice it was Gloucester royal I meant sounds like you had a tough time glad you and baby are ok. User, I'm chepstow address/forest council but my docs is in chepstow think thats why I get the pick of both sides. Had my catch up with the midwife last night and she said I don't need to decide yet for the birth just for scans etc if I want to change hospitals she can do it no problem it's just a case of changing my booking. So we've gone southmead for now and we'll do tours of them all i think before we make a decision. Thanks again for all your help!

We used to live in Tutshill which I guess must be somewhere near you. RGH is closer to there than NH.

I had a baby in the Royal Gwent 2.5 years ago and the care was good in the ways which mattered (I can live with bad parking and crap food). I'm going back in a few weeks for baby 2.

(Although their breastfeeding support could have been better).

I wouldn't want to go anywhere that was solely midwife led, but I don't know if that applies to any of your options.

I gave birth at Southmead. If you call them you can book yourself onto a tour. They only have 3 rooms in the midwife unit and I think only 2 of them are set up for water births. They really made me laugh on the tour, they said completely seriously "all the rooms are en suite but the en suite bathroom for this one is across the hall" 😂😂
It's perfectly nice there but I ended up in the central delivery suite in the end because DD came early. Would you consider Cosham? It's lovely and only a very short transfer.