Called MW self refer and they want to know now where I will give birth?

[AliceRR]

I had a call today from my gpwith details for MW self refer. She said to call between 1-3 on a week day so I just called.

She asked me where I want to give birth. The city I live in? I didn’t realise I had to decide now (I am 5 weeks). She said I need to say as this determined which team I will be referred to. I said yes to home city hospital but thinking I would actually prefer next city as I know others who have opted for that as they were not happy with home town.

I will discuss with my Mum and with DH but presumably I can change my mind and call self refer again?

Now worried I made a rash decision and should have just said I’d call back but I’d been waiting ages to get through!

They want to know where you want to book for, and so your community appointments are with the same people, however you can change at any point so I really wouldn't worry. Go for nearest to you for now, so that community appointments are easy for you to get to, then when you decide to change they can refer you for labour at later date

That makes sense. Thanks so much.

I was taken by surprise in my first pregnancy when they asked me where I wanted to give birth so early. As a pp said, you can change your mind, don't panic about it.

Give it some serious consideration though, talk to people about both hospitals, the environment, the type of support etc, and also consider how far away they are - being in a car when you are well on in labour is not particularly comfortable. There are two hospitals I could go to - the fact that I would have to drive past one to get to the other was quite a big factor in my decision!

Thanks Mumofmunchkin, I do think actually I’d prefer the hospital in the next city. I will talk to people but I believe that my home city hospital doesn’t have a great reputation for maternity and I know a couple of people who have had a few bad experiences there (although I suppose these things could happen anywhere!)

It’s good to know I’m not tied to my home city though

I was really surprised when I was asked in my booking appointment too! I hadn't researched it or talked to DH or anything. Everything that I've read says that you've got the right to change your mind right up until baby is born.

I've got 2 hospitals equidistant from me. One's bigger with more facilities but the other is reputed to be small and friendly. The community midwife has always pushed the smaller one as she's based out of it. I prefer the bigger hospital (as I'd need to be transferred there anyway if anything went wrong). However, another couple we knew chose the smaller one because they liked the atmosphere there - only you can know what you want. (For me, a smaller factor is I don't like my community midwife so I'm pleased there's no chance that she'll be delivering my baby if I go for the bigger one!)

I found quite a good page on the Which website that gives you the stats for the hospitals near you if that helps you make the decision? It does sound like you're pretty confident though. You'll see the midwife plenty in the coming months, so will have the opportunity to discuss it again.

Elizabeth, I know, it must be a shock for a lot of women to be asked that if they haven’t don’t this before.

I will look at the Which site but I think I will be going for the other city.

As you say, you’ve got to do what you are most comfortable with.

The woman on the phone was a bit abrupt as well to be honest!

Yeah they asked me at my booking appt but was clear that I could change my mind at any time and they re-discuss it all with you at your 36 week appointment here when they do your birth plan and re-confirm it in your notes (which seems quite late to me but then I'm 39 weeks and no sign of any baby yet still!).

Also to PP who said about wanting to be in a different hospital so that the community midwife was not there when you gave birth at the hospital, surely they wouldn't be there as they don't work on delivery suite as that's why they are community midwives and not hospital midwives? It's a completely different job. I wish my community midwife could be there when I go in but it's a completely different team of midwives who work on the MLU and the delivery suite in the hospital, the community midwives only do community appointments and home births.

@MeadowHay not if they operate a ‘caseloading’ system. I had care from an NHS caseloading team for my first pregnancy and the mws did antenatal, labour (hospital and home birth) and postnatal care. I had the same named midwife from my booking-in until I was discharged 28 days after birth, and she was at DD’s birth. It was absolutely amazing and a real privilege.