Delivery Suite

[milkshakeandchips5]

Hi!

Hoping for some rational brains to help me in my not quite so rational thinking...

I've been told today that I won't be allowed to give birth in the birthing suite due to two episodes of reduced movement (which infuriates me as they don't mention this when encouraging you to go in if you have any concerns). Rationally, I know I need to do whatever I need to do to get baby here safely but the idea of being on the delivery suite feels like it's absolutely everything I didn't want when thinking about giving birth. I've been there a couple of times and it's loud, sterile, bright with minimal privacy. The rooms are tiny and all the midwives seem completely run off their feet.

I was told by the Consultant midwife that they will do whatever they can to make the delivery suite a positive experience but I'm struggling to get my head out of the space of feeling like this is going to be awful. I just don't want to be there.

Can anyone help me with positive stories or rational thinking? I know I need to snap out of it but really struggling to not just get into bed and feel sorry for myself.

Hi, I wanted a water birth in the birthing unit and did a lot of hynobirthing prep but unfortunately needed inducing so was in the labour ward suites (I had a traumatic birth but absolutely nothing to do with the environment or care I received)

This is where you and your birthing partner need to advocate for yourselves, be very clear with your care team on how you wish your birth to go, they can do things to help create a relaxing environment by dimming the lights, minimal people in the room, using hushed voices if they need to discuss your care etc.

You can also take in a portable speaker for relaxing music and little battery operated tea lights etc.

Remember that a birth plan is just a plan and not set in stone! I know it probably sucks right now but this is all leading up to the birth of your baby so try stay positive and focus on all the things you're excited to do once they have arrived whether it's cuddles on the sofa or walks in the park x

I had my heart set on the birthing centre and a water birth but several factors made that not possible for me in the end. I was gutted but honestly OP, the delivery suite wasn’t bad at all. Although I did end up needing an emergency section in the end, by the time you’re in labour you won’t care as much at all! They do try and make it as less clinical as possible ie low lighting, aromatherapy, not restricting you to the bed (although I never got any of these due to complications 🙈). Don’t fret about it too much, just focus on getting your baby at the end of it 💗

I am in a similar position. I am consultant lead and therefore have to give birth in the delivery suite. Ours is horrible, out dated. Has bright lights etc. I intend to discuss it with my MW to see what I can do to make it better. I think a lot of it comes down to sensory needs, ie lights are too bright, loud noise etc. There are usually things you can do to improve these issues.

It's absolutely fine. My first labour started in the MLU and ended up on delivery suite. I found the MLU to be overrated, limited pain relief options.

Had second baby last week on delivery suite due to complications in pregnancy. Absolutely fine again - had so much gas and air I didn't care about lighting.

My overwhelming memory of MLU is being up the wall in terms of pain and being offered aromatherapy....

I was still offered things like a birth ball, aromatherapy, dim lights and calm atmosphere on labour ward. I also took my own blanket and some things from home which were sentimental to me.

My labour was very fast (4hrs) and to be honest I spent most of the time with my eyes closed, focusing on contractions. But the midwife and student that were there did all they could to make it positive - they encouraged UFO positions, reminded me of pain relief choices but waited for me to ask for them, my husband was there and they spoke to him rather than me unless necessary.

I ideally wanted an MLU birth but things changed and I still had a very positive experience on a labour ward. Make sure you speak to your midwife because it needs to be a 'safe' environment so you can relax and let your body do its thing, so work out what will make you feel more at home there :)

People aren’t going to be told that coming in with reduced foetal movements may jeopardise giving birth in the birthing suite as this would discourage people from coming in with foetal movement concerns.

For my second birth I was hoping for the midwife led unit but I ended up getting induced so had to be on labour ward for that. When I was called in to get my waters broken, the midwife had set the room out all lovely- electric candles, fairy lights, dimmed lights, rainforest music. I was upright/on my birthing ball right until the end. Hopefully your birth goes ok.

Thanks everyone. I feel a little better about things today. I think I'm definitely more hormonal and emotional than I realised. I was also hungry because I felt a lot more positive after eating lunch.

Ultimately what will be will be. It's not what I wanted but safety first!

I ended up in the labour suite. Still had the pool (although did get out after a while as ended up needing a c section), low lights, aromatherapy, music etc. Like pp, I was concentrating too hard to notice my surroundings much tbh.

I’d be asking the question, why? What are they planning on doing for you on delivery suite as opposed to the birthing centre? Is it an alongside BC on the same site as DS or a standalone unit? If it’s on site and they don’t plan to do anything specifically ie it’s just a precaution then I’d get them to explain again exactly why you have to go on DS. It’s a reasonable question.

I totally get that this seems like a massive thing now - but once you're in the throes of labour, it really will be the last thing on your mind. I assigned my husband to prep the room as soon as we were in - dim the lights, battery tealights, temple spa room spray, relaxing background music. I brought a blanket from home. They had a birth ball for me to bounce on. My midwives were more than accommodating and were very quiet and peaceful whenever they came in - they said it was like a spa!

Can you ask to be moved to the MLU after the birth? At mine, you could stay in a private room with your husband for 24 hours. It will depend on how busy they are. They might allow it, can't hurt to ask!

@milkshakeandchips5 almost entirely irrelevant comment here from me but ‘I was hungry’ made me chuckle. Can definitely relate as a hungry 38wks pregnant lady myself haha. Glad you are feeling a little better!

So would you of not attended hospital for reduced movement? Just so you could get a nice birthing suite? I don’t see why the hospital would inform you of that, as their duty of care to is to ensure baby is healthy, which presumably they did, so not quite sure why you wouldn’t find this infuriating

I too had reduced movements and ended up being consultant led rather than midwife led so couldn’t have the pool etc - I didn’t give it a 2nd thought tbh
Delivery room was large, dimmed lights, birthing ball and large chair for dad/birthing partner

Can guarantee you won’t be concerned with your surroundings when the time comes

There's nothing on the MLU that isn't offered on the delivery suite where I am. Except a higher chance of a pool. But since I had the drip, that option was not available to me anyway.

All I wanted was dimmed lights, my own music and to be left the fuck alone to be touched as little as possible. I got all of that, and had zero interventions at the birth. Plus, as I was on the delivery suite already, I had access to the more powerful drugs when I needed them, rather than having to put up with a transfer.

Was anything actually wrong when you went in for reduced movements? They really can't 'not allow you' to give birth how or where you want as long as you are making an informed decision for yourself. I am planning a home birth and was informed that if I had two episodes of reduced movements I would then be going 'against guidelines' to continue with my planned homebirth. If baby is growing fine and there are not medical concerns you are perfectly within your right to use the MLU. Good luck whatever you decide OP :)

In answer to a previous posters question: It is because there is a statistical increase in poor perinatal outcomes in women who present with reduced fetal movements on two or more occasions. Therefore the OP will be offered continuous monitoring in labour which can’t be done on a birthing unit - there they use intermittent auscultation, listening in every 15 minutes in the first stage of labour, every five minutes in the second stage.

Delivery suites can still alter their lighting, they still have birthing pools, most units have ctgs that are waterproof to allow monitoring in the pool. The midwives still want you to have a positive birth experience wherever they work, you just need to tell them what you’re hoping for

I gave birth under consultant lead care in a delivery suite and they still reduced the lights and used a spot light instead for when they needed to see clearly.

The only bit that frustrated me, was having the monitors stuck around my belly as they wanted to keep a close eye on the baby

@IDontDrinkTea, perhaps, but this should have been discussed with the OP. And I’m not convinced two episodes of RFM will result in CTG monitoring unless a full holistic risk assessment of the OP has been carried out, which should be done in conjunction with the mother, taking into account her desires. USS should be carried out following second instance of RFM to aid the full clinics picture. Also, is this two episodes of RFM within a 21 day period?

RFM guidance from RCOG dates back to 2011 and more recent SBLCBV2 (2016) doesn’t indicate that >x2 RFM automatically should lead to CEFM in Labour.

I’d still ask the questions. Get the unit to justify it, do my own research and take it from there.

I wanted birthing unit for both mine but for various reasons both were born on the labour wars and honestly Midwife's were amazing and both were as good as they could have been and resulted in healthy babies so honestly don't worry they will just want to monitor baby more which they can only do on the labour ward.

@IDontDrinkTea of course I would still go in. My frustration is a lack of transparency in the conversation which feels likes it's flipped from please come in, we will always support you to, we now have a problem. I will always do what is safest but I also want to feel like I'm part of the conversation. This hasn't happened.

Huge thanks again for the pragmatic solutions. Ive been able to think more rationally today and my husband has been great in thinking how he can help. To those who said they wanted no one to touch them... I can definitely see this being the case! Will speak to my midwife again next week and try and understand a little more about options in the delivery suite but I think MLU is absolutely out due to wanting continuous monitoring.

It is what it is and so long as she gets here safely we shall make it work.