Booking the birthing suite at local hospital

[CreamyCoffee]

Hey ladies, I'm in my 2nd pregnancy, only 2 months and have the 12 weeks scan booked later this month. In my first pregnancy, I gave birth in a regular room, the delivery itself was fine, but the room felt a bit too 'clinical' for me. So this time round, I want a water birth in the birthing centre at my local hospital. I've already mentioned this to my midwife, but going forward, for those who had such birth, what are the steps towards it? Forms to fill, visiting etc...?
One of my concerns is that it'll already be booked? And even the booking itself is shaddy as birth is unpredictable? Like what if many women want it too, and have around the same due date? So many questions lol thanks in advance

Usually your midwife just refers you no extra forms to do as such. Your midwife will put you on the list for the midwife led unit/birthing centre then when you are in labour you phone there rather than phoning the ward.

I am pretty sure you cant book anything. I remember my midwife telling me it was all down to availability on the day and it was just chance whether you got it or not. Obviously too there there is the thing of not being able to go to the birth suite for various issues, for example I ended up not being able to go as I had been in 3 times for monitoring babys movements after she went quiet, and policy just said I couldn't go to the birth suite 🤷‍♀️ I say consider it a possibility but I think on the day it's down to the situation and the numbers already there as to whether the birth suite is an option.

Thanks for the replies ladies!! I think theain thi g for me is feeling at ease in the birthing environment. I've also looked up online that there are some companies that hire water birth pools to use at home. I'd put it in the living room as its where there'd be the most space. It'd be lovely I think, but I'd be too worried that something goes wrong and we'd all need to be dragged to hospital!

**I think the main thing for me..

I am in the same position as you. I dont want a hospital birth and would prefer a birth suite or a home birth. I am going to discuss it more with my midwife at my 28 week appointment. I know decisions are usually made at 30 weeks at the earliest as obviously lots can happen along the way. I think I will opt for the birth suite if its available as mine is attached to the hospital, but I did consider a home birth. My sister who is a nurse talked me out of it.

Pretty sure you just turn up and if it’s available, great. How would booking even work? You don’t know when the baby will decide to come

@SqidgeBum

I am in the same position as you. I dont want a hospital birth and would prefer a birth suite or a home birth. I am going to discuss it more with my midwife at my 28 week appointment. I know decisions are usually made at 30 weeks at the earliest as obviously lots can happen along the way. I think I will opt for the birth suite if its available as mine is attached to the hospital, but I did consider a home birth. My sister who is a nurse talked me out of it.

Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the points your sister brought up? I've read some stuff online about the risks of home births, with most saying that if it's your 2nd pregnancy and you're low risk, there's less chances of it going wrong etc... Thanks!

My sister has just seen it go very wrong very quickly while working on maternity wards and she thinks being in a hospital or having close access to a hospital (an attached birth suite) is the safest option. She made the point that 5 minutes can make all the difference in some situations. I dont want to scare you with details, but I guess we all know things can go wrong.

I am not saying home births arent lovely when they work out. It sounded like a great option to me as I live 5 mins from the hospital, but I do come from a family where many work in medicine and I am quite realistic about things. I think I have decided the birth suite attached to the hospital would be the best option for me after previously having a looooong and not very pleasant birth in a clinical hospital room, but if the suite isnt available I will make the best of the hospital situation. As long as my baby and I are safe that's the main thing for me.

I didn’t book anything as such, but had in my birth plan that I would prefer a water birth. On the day, there was one available, so I got it. But at my midwife led unit, all but one room did have the capacity to have a pool - I had an inflatable one as the built in ones were in use. Check with your midwife what’s available at your birthing centre.

I really loved the experience at the midwife led birthing centre. It was very relaxed, as the birth was very straightforward a lot of the time the midwife just popped in and out or sat in the corner. But I knew that if anything went wrong, the doctors were less than 2 minutes away.

I put it in my birth plan that i wanted a water birth, arrived at the hospital MLU in labour and there was a room available. It was connected to the main hospital so if anything went wrong i felt comfortable knowing i was already there rather than some units that require an ambulance to take you to a hospital. I had a water birth and it was a great experience, now 33 weeks with DC2 and hoping for the same

Unfortunately you can't book it, it's just pot luck if it's available. That's why I had homebirth and it was fantastic. Talk to your midwife about it. Contrary to the post above, studies show it's actually safer than hospital for 2nd time onwards. You're closely monitored and my midwife's view was that things don't go wrong so quickly you wouldn't make it to hospital quickly enough.

Also check out your local unit round by me all the rooms have pools and al large other things. Your midwife should be able to tell you or some have very good websites. A lot have also done virtual tours recently on the hospital Facebook pages.

You can't book rooms, just see if they're available when on you turn up unfortunately x

Doubt you can book it. Sure you don’t own when baby will come and how your labour / delivery will go.
Think it’ll be down to your circumstances and availability at the time (if you are still low risk by that stage).