Bristol experiences

[WBWIFE]

Has anyone had a successful vbac on the mdiwife led unit at Southmead or at Michael's?

Just called midwives to say I wanted to change my care to Southmead as 1. St Michael's has terrible memories for me. 2. Midwife said last time that I would not be allowed on MLU at St Michael's.

I have a friend who's ammager recently had a VBAC on the mdiwife led unit at Southmead so that's a reason I've changed as well as I have heard great things about Southmead too. Easier to park etc as well.

The mdiwife on the phone seemed shocked that someone had a VBAC on MLU at Southmead and first she'd heard. I did say the new guidelines state we should be able to birth on MLU if we wish or even at home. She said that's fantastic! 🤔🙄 Should they not be up tod ate with new guidelines?

Just wondering peoples experience in Bristol and how it all went. They've booked me in for an hour long appointment at 16 weeks to switch me over to Southmead apparently

If you haven't had a VBAC then any general advice regarding Southmead would also be great if you liked it or if you didn't

I had my DS at Southmead central delivery so can't comment on the MLU but the staff were great, my midwife particularly was wonderful! They were incredibly busy when I was there and were having to send people to Newport as shut the unit and Cossham and St Michaels were shut but the staff were still attentive. Parking is really easy as they will give you a parking pass when you're in labour for you/your birthing partner so don't have to pay but will need to for any appointments. I was induced and could walk around site as was there for so long prior, there's little benches/gardens and a great Costa in the main hospital.

@Busydrinkingcoffee1 that sounds great thank you. It could be that I end up on central if they don't allow a VBAC on MLU. When I went to St Michael's they were very busy and I was also induced for 4 days and then ended with emergency c section after 2. 5 hours of pushing and failed forceps and failed consultants arms trying to pull her out! I had to wait 7 hours for an epidural which they sent someone from BRI in the end to give me as they just didn't have time for me. Midwives were in and out constantly I didn't feel looked after at all. One midwife from the induction said I had pood myself when I showers her a pad of dark brown clots that literally fell out of my vagina which my Hsuband witnessed too and basically dismissed me and wrote I'd pood myself in the notes when I had deifnitly not!! Hated it there

That sounds awful! I had a MW and a student midwife and they didn't leave my side, I had a clot afterwards and she was brilliant particularly with my rather scared DH! I was really anxious about going down to the ward after that as had felt so out of it, so she let me stay up there a bit longer and even let family pop in (which they shouldn't until you're on the ward), then she got me onto a two bed ward rather than the normal one