Scottish Mums - Water Births Cancelled?

[scotgal99]

Had a midwife appointment at the Princess Royal in Glasgow this afternoon & have been told I can no longer have a water birth as the rooms with birthing pools have been set aside for covid patients. This seems rather odd to me as the RCOG have advised women infected with covid should not have a water birth?
Where do I go from here? I’m quite disappointed & annoyed.

Visiting hours etc have changed too which is understandable. I just don’t get the reasoning behind the removal of water births.

Is there a midwife unit in your area that you could go to instead?

I had my first in the water at an MLU and it was awesome

Or you could look into home birth?

I assume the water birth rooms are bigger with full en suite facilities? Better layout for robing/disrobing at the entrance? It will be something practical like that - I ended up having my post birth shower in a water birth room after giving birth elsewhere - that room didn't have a shower or anything. Not in Glasgow but assume all hospitals have similar limitations...

@Gerdticker

Is there a midwife unit in your area that you could go to instead?

I had my first in the water at an MLU and it was awesome

Or you could look into home birth?

No, unfortunately. 😩

@randomsabreuse

I assume the water birth rooms are bigger with full en suite facilities? Better layout for robing/disrobing at the entrance? It will be something practical like that - I ended up having my post birth shower in a water birth room after giving birth elsewhere - that room didn't have a shower or anything. Not in Glasgow but assume all hospitals have similar limitations...

Ahh, I didn’t think about this. It’s my first baby so I don’t really know the layout of the labour rooms etc

How about a home birth with a private midwife?

Big expense for sure, but I had looked into it here in England when it looked like we might be in the same position. Found an amazing ex-nhs senior midwife who offers home births

(In the end my pregnancy is consultant led so I’m having to go to hospital, but I seriously considered it)

The Covid patients won’t be using the pools. Presumably the rooms are separate from the rest of the labour ward with separate bathroom facilities in particular.

@Gerdticker

How about a home birth with a private midwife?

Big expense for sure, but I had looked into it here in England when it looked like we might be in the same position. Found an amazing ex-nhs senior midwife who offers home births

(In the end my pregnancy is consultant led so I’m having to go to hospital, but I seriously considered it)

My pregnancy is consultant led & I’m required to be monitored throughout my labour.

Would they be able to move you to a different hospital? I just gave birth in the RAH in Paisley 12 days ago and I was able to use the birth pool without any issues.

Ah sorry @scotgal99

Was really racking my brains as I feel for you

Having said that, I’ve been told I might not get my water birth this time either, as the hospital gets busy and/or if baby comes to fast... so I am having to chill about that too

I have another appointment next week. I’ll ask about the possibility of moving to another hospital for the birth.
Thanks for the suggestions ladies!

Standing under a hot shower is pretty good in labour. So that maybe another option (it is rubbish though that a water birth option has been taken away).

I had an induction so was in antenatal. They had several big baths and strongly encouraged them for comfort in labour. I happen to hate baths for "relaxation" so didn't bother, but the option was there, even at 3am!

@randomsabreuse

I had an induction so was in antenatal. They had several big baths and strongly encouraged them for comfort in labour. I happen to hate baths for "relaxation" so didn't bother, but the option was there, even at 3am!

Thank you! That’s reassuring to know

I'm hopeful the option will be available at QEUH! Though I'm not due for a while (May - June). I would ask if an alternate hospital was possible

With my first 4 years ago I asked for a pool but there were none available. I wouldn't get your heart set on it anyway even in normal times.

They showed me and dh to a bathroom with a large bath in it, I laboured in there until I was 8cm and went up to delivery suite and then down to theatre.

So there should still be the option of a bath and the delivery rooms should have showers too.

It's not a good idea to have too strong an idea of how you want labour to go though as you can be left feeling upset afterwards if it doesn't happen that way.

I wrote quiet a comprehensive birth plan first time round. I'm not bothering at all this time.