Did you visit your hospital/birth centre?

[Chakandra]

Morning all.

First time mummy. 10 weeks and counting. Extremely excited!

Was just wondering if it is the norm to go and look around wherever you choose to give birth? I'd love to go to Samuel Johnson in Lichfield but would also love to see it for myself before I make a decision.

Entirely understand if this is not the norm and that they don't allow visitors, I simply have no clue what the done thing is.

Anyone visit their birth centre/hospital before they gave birth? And if so, when...?

Yes, at ours they have an evening once a month for expectant parents to visit/tour the unit. Ask the midwife when you see her if that's an option at your hospital. Congratulations!

Our hospital doesn't allow it.

Thank you @piglet81  I feel like I've been flung in to a separate universe! - did you find it beneficial to have a look around?

@Chocolate1984 thanks for your response. From what I gather from having a read, you're more likely to be able to look around if it's a midwife led unit and if it's attached to a hospital or is a ward on a hospital it's much less likely.

It is a normal thing to do :) But usually around 30 weeks.

Yes, I think it's helpful to see the place in advance if possible - being familiar with your environment can be reassuring. I'd just say, don't be too set on anything birth plan-wise. I was going to have a lovely water birth on the midwife-led unit but it all went pear-shaped and I was quite disappointed when it didn't go to plan. (This was 3 years ago.) So keep an open mind if possible

Thanks @BertieBotts - I'm not planning on going anytime soon as haven't had my 12 week scan yet, so anything could happen (feeling positive however), but glad to hear it's a normal thing to do. Would be lovely to have a familiar feeling when I do finally go in to labour.

Can't believe I've got 30 weeks left. Seems like a lifetime!

The unit where I work has a tour every weekend. They normally show you the PN Ward and depending on how busy labour Ward is a birth room or 2.

@Lj8893 sounds brilliant. Did you just phone them to arrange? Thinking of giving Samuel J a call in a few weeks. Part of me feels like I'm being a total nuisance!

We put the number in the maternity notes and tell women to ring up to book a place from about 30 weeks.

We looked around ours but they had only just started doing tours again after refurbishment. Most units do the tours much later in pregnancy though and you usually need to decide where you want to deliver at your first midwife appointment (obviously you are completely entitled to change your mind!) I visit hospitals all over the country as part of my job and to be honest in my experience most of them are essentially the same in terms of their facilities.

I've been told mine doesn't due to infection control.

Yes ours does tours one night a month. We went quite early (second trimester I think), which was good since they kept us hanging around for ages and I wouldn't be able to stand for that long now (33w with twins).

Yes, private hospitals in London and I had a choice of two. Went to see them both before choosing.

Why don’t some places let you see?

Ours allows a look around as long as rooms are empty to look at.

Ah zaalitje answered my question, infection control. At my hospitals they just showed you an unused room.

No, neither time they also had two different floors with similar names, the birth unit and the delivery suite and I've never known the difference, I think I asked for directions to "the one where they can give you the good drugs".

I couldn't tell you what type of room I was in, we weren't there long!

I wasn't planning on giving birth anywhere that didn't have doctors, which is a good thing as both births were emergency situations.

We were supposed to look around ours after our ante natal class but couldn't because of the flu outbreak! We were able to schedule our 36 week midwife appointment there and I'm so glad I did!
I had a little wobble in the waiting room as it all became a bit real for me. We got to go into one of the birthing suites and chat through our birth plan. I left feeling much calmer and am glad that I know what to expect when I do eventually go in on the big day!

We had a tour of our hospital. It made me laugh because the woman said "All the rooms are ensuite but the ensuite for this one is just across the hall"
In the end by births were so lightning fast I didn't care where I was. With my second he popped out 20 minutes after I arrived at hospital and I was home 6 hours later.

We get to tour the midwife led unit but consultant led is blocked for infection control due to access to surgical rooms etc.

Only difference is CLU is smaller room, a few more bits of equipment and a proper medical bed. Loved my CLU bed first time and I will this time too.