@Fredthespider after reading your message I looked at what had happened to Cossham the past few years and it's so sad they had to completely close it. The funding is just appalling for these things, I mean it was so close to women on that side of Bristol also compared to the other two hospitals also, such a blow. But yes I've seen it's now a call situation, though it was when I had my daughter in March 2018, at least you called Cossham to check they had enough staff instead of having to call the mendip and then get it opened up. So I see it is now like a kind of hotel service situation 😆.
I absolutely loved it whenever I was at Cossham maternity unit, all my midwife appointments were there, as well as my post natal care, baby weighing ect for the first few weeks after birth. It's just smaller so seems more intimate but definitely offers all the same thing as the mendip on paper.
I was rushed into southmead so litrally was escorted into a side room with absolutely no double bed or pool ect, just those soft play sort of giant building blocks that you can sit on and had her in there.
I think they were very busy and obviously as I was trying to take my trousers off at reception and saying I needed to push they definitely had to bundle me into the closest room and get that baby out not in the corridor!
@Hanrora06 I really hope you do get visit your local midwife lead unit, even if it doesn't feel like the right choice afterwards, it really is totally different having a physical tour of these places and seeing them in the flesh. It's such an unknown still whether we'll be able to do that with our local hospitals either, it just feels good to stroke around the place you plan to give birth, even if it doesn't work out that way on the day. That is just an important part of the planning of it all really, and knowing you are going to a familiar environment, hospital or midwife unit, or the two combined.
@EithneBlue yes it depends where your coming from in the city, we were in St George so were just over 5 minutes to Cossham. And about twenty to southmead. So we knew if we were blue lighted from Cossham it wasn't too far, and I had had a very straight forward labour of course most importantly previously. This ringing up situation seems a bit of a mare, maybe the mendip would be the right choice for you, it is really though all about what you personally feel comfortable with. If it gives you the fear don't do it! Whatever anyone else says really. I know if I was still there id probably try the unit, but no doubt would end up at the mendip due to them not having enough staff to open 🙄. Could be a faff couldn't it really? But definitely look around both if you can, knowledge is power and cements those decisions and fills you with more confidence going forward.
Hopefully we will all get to nose around wherever we hope to birth, surly by October we could potentially? It's so uncertain isn't it.
I'm just laying awake tonight, usually always asleep by 10, but as we near these half way points, there is just so much to think about. I will turn off now and send good dreams and a calm rested Sunday to all 💜👣💜