Do you have to give birth in a room with other people?

[Sunshine1982flowers211111]

I’m freaking out that at hospital you give birth in a ward with loads of other people all around you - what are peoples experiences??

[quote DisgruntledPelican]@Chanel05 makes a good point that you will hear other people. I laboured overnight and the ward was very quiet, but the door to my birthing room was open and had a curtain drawn round it. When I was being quiet I could hear other women in labour, it didn’t really bother me though.[/quote]
I think you 'might hear' is more accurate. I didn't hear anyone else. Maybe my hospital has excellent soundproofing?!

@HopeValley interesting. When I was in overnight, I asked my midwife what the blood curdling screams were and she commented, "Those my dear, are women giving birth without an epidural."

If necessary more people will come on the room so so be prepared for that. But they are there for a reason, to ensure that you and your baby are safe. There were lots of people in the room at the end of my labour and that is pretty common. But for the most part it was just me, my partner, a midwife and a student midwife. Good luck xx

Might be a stupid question but if your labour is progressing as it should be what do the midwives do during that time where you're just going through the contractions? Can you ask them to leave or just come in and out as needed for monitoring or do they need to sit there the whole time?

They do all sorts from what I can remember. A lot of monitoring. Keeping your drugs at a good level. And helping you do different positions that help labour along. Also helping you to the toilet or in and out of birth pool. Not sure if you can ask them to leave but I didn't want them too. It's not awkward, you'll be so drugged up/tired/in a surreal state that you won't mind at all!

Both of mine must have had a dozen people in the room but both were emergencies.

No, you are usually on your own with your partner (or whoever you choose to have there), with attendant midwives.

To be fair to OP no one has ever actually explained to me what to expect at the hospital. I think it’s just one of those things they assume you know. I didn’t know about the rooms and what happens until I looked up a virtual tour of the labour ward and saw the different rooms and explanations for them. All the rooms in my hospital seem to have birthing pools but again no one mentioned that to me as a possibility. You have to do your own reading and enquiry.

@Luckyelephant1

Might be a stupid question but if your labour is progressing as it should be what do the midwives do during that time where you're just going through the contractions? Can you ask them to leave or just come in and out as needed for monitoring or do they need to sit there the whole time?

I was left alone - midwife quietly monitored me every 15 mins without even saying anything, just slipped into the room, did it and left again. She could hear from the change in my tone when the baby was coming. She was only in the room to deliver in those last 30 minutes or something. That was a second baby though and I was very in control. First time I only got to hospital pretty much at the pushing stage so midwife was just there watching me push then delivered the baby.

I didn't hear anyone else, although I'm not sure whether that's because it was a quiet day, or whether it was because I made so much noise that I didn't register anyone else 😬. But when I was transferred to the post natal ward (14 beds I think), there were only 2 other mothers there and I was asked how long I'd like to stay 😂, so I think it was probably a bit of both.

I was induced on a full ward & progressed quicker than expected but they moved me to my own room when I said I needed to push.

DS was born with DH, two midwives and a doctor in the room - because I refused to give birth if the doctor left

birth #1 I think there was about 10 people, doctors, midwives, surgeons at the ready (in a private room).

During labour though everytime, you will on a ward until you are progressing then its private

A football team could have come in each time for a view of my vagina and I would not have cared quite honestly.