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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Confused about Maternity Ward

27 replies

NETTEYJC · 20/06/2010 11:37

Hi,

I am 26 weeks pregnant, my midwife is pushing me to have my baby at Solihull Hospital, the only problem is that the maternity ward there has now turned into a midwife led unit ie staffed and ran by midwives, the only women who have their babies there now are those deemed to be low risk and the birth process at Solihull will be very much like a home birth. The only other choice I have is Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham which is a complete dive. Does anyone foresee any problems in having my baby born at a 'midwife led unit'? I am somewhat concerned that there will be no doctors on hand if anything does go wrong, I know that they will not be able to give epidurals there ( not that i'm sure that I even want one) This is my first baby so I am stressing about the birth anyway!

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Sal321 · 20/06/2010 13:31

Try this link

birth choice - your area

As it shows the options in your area. We are going for a MLU attached to a consultant led unit as this seems to be the best balance for our preferences.

EmmieA · 20/06/2010 13:44

Hello, this is exactly my predicament. Obviously each to their own but this is my view (I'm 17 weeks and been stressing about this for ages). Solihull is now viewed as a home bith centre but in someone else's home. So, there is not only no epidurals but no other forms of obvious pain relief, I think they are still deciding re pethidine. A really high % of women (like me) that would normally be going to Solihull are now going to Heartlands, who have had a massive upgrade to cope with this change and a new birthing unit. I have heard "mixed" things about Heartlands too but made my decision based upon access to emergency care, should I need it. The virtual tour on the webiste makes it look nice but I am having a tour in a couple of weeks so I'll make my final final decision then. Have you actually heard from someone who has had a baby their recently as I do believe it has been significantly upgraded. Anyway, i totally understand because I'm going through it, really gutted as live 8 mins from Solihull, so am having all classes and scans there regardless x

japhrimel · 20/06/2010 14:00

If you need emergency care, you'll be transferred from a MWLU anyway. For most people they're a nice compromise between home birth and the very medicalised hospitals, but it really depends what you want.

Original poster

NETTEYJC · 20/06/2010 14:18

Thanks for the comments -

I live right next to Solihull hospital so would love to go there, it's just the thought that there are no doctors on hand that worries me, yes if anything goes wrong then I will be transfered but then that wouldn't really be an ideal situation! I really do dislike Heartlands, I can't even stand the area that it's in plus it's impossible to park for visitors (I know that this should be the least of my worries!). Is it your first baby Emmie? Unfortunatley all the people that I know with children all had them at Solihull before it was turned into a Midwife led unit so have no one to ask questions.
I don't think I could go through the birth without any form of pain relif so perhaps I had better look into heartlands! Is anyone else scared stiff about the birth?!

OP posts:

LilRedWG · 20/06/2010 14:20

You can always request Birmingham Women's Hospital. You do have a choice - do not be coerced.

IngridFletcher · 20/06/2010 14:26

Just something to consider...you are less likely to actually require an obstetrician if you are at home or in a MLU. You are also more likely to feel able to cope without an epidural.

The first sniff of something going wrong they would transfer you.

I really wish there was a MLU locally to me.

EmmieA · 20/06/2010 15:13

Yes, it is my first and ALL my friends and family have been to Solihull before the changes so I feel worried too. Like I say I have heard the area is bad but to be honest most hospitals are in the worst of areas as that is who needs them most and once you're inside I have heard it is ok. I am hoping not to need any form of pain relief (I know, I'm naive) but I know that if I book into Solihull the fact I "can't" will worry me so hence my decision to be in a hospital and I know all the arguments about how quickly they can get me from Solihull to Heartlands if there is a problem but I will worry so defo going to a hospital. My MW said I "can't" go to the Women's because I am out of their catchment and very unlikely, however, I am unsure how true that is so I'll be asking at my app next weds again. You have to do what you feel comfortable with but I would be careful to base any decisions on rumour re Heartlands as I have heard the "new" birthign centre within the hospital is nice. There are bad midwives in good hospitals and vice versa.Go on a tour, when I booked mine they were so lovely, remmeber you only in there less than 24 hours hopefully and if it is more (because had a problem) then you'll be there regardless because Solihull will have transferred you.

Sal321 · 20/06/2010 17:53

Phone the Birmingham Women's hospital and ask about this catchment issue - you may as well hear from them rather than doubting your MW.

EmmieA · 20/06/2010 19:11

That's a good point Sal321, I'll do that tomorrow.

withorwithoutyou · 20/06/2010 19:18

Personally, I wouldn't go to a MLU unless I was very, very sure indeed that I didn't want to have an epidural.

Presumably you can be transferred if you want one but I wouldn't fancy being in the back of an ambulance in labour if I didn't have to be (as happened to my friend).

lal123 · 20/06/2010 19:21

I had DD2 in a Midwife led unit - it was fabulous (would have had DD1 there too, but it didn't exist then). THe MLU I used is attached to a big hospital - so transfers very easy if needed. I knew I didn't want an epidural so there were no benefits to having DD2 in a consultant led unit

Original poster

NETTEYJC · 20/06/2010 19:27

do many people have epidurals? My family and friends have all told me not to have one!

OP posts:

EmmieA · 20/06/2010 19:40

There really is little point asking about others in my opinion as birth is so individual, even if 99% didn't, you could be the 1%. Why don't you ask for a tour asap and then decide? (And let me know what you think)!!

Original poster

NETTEYJC · 20/06/2010 19:46

Yes Emmie, will do that, my baby is due in September so we will have to keep in touch and I can give you the low down on which hospital I choose and tell you what expect from either Solihull or Heartlands!

OP posts:

cat64 · 20/06/2010 19:52

This reply has been deleted

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EmmieA · 20/06/2010 20:00

Yes, definately, I'm going for a tour mid July so I will give you my honest opinion too

snickersnack · 20/06/2010 20:13

Nettyjc, don't listen to what your family and friends "tell" you to do. Make your mind up after listening to their opinions, by all means, but it's not up to them.

Epidurals do bring with them a greater risk of assisted birth (instruments, c-section etc) but for some women they are just what is needed. As pain relief they are pretty effective (didn't work for me but I think that is pretty unusual - certainly I got a big apology from the anaesthetist afterwards ) but there are side effects. It's all about finding out what these are and weighing them up. If you then decide it's important to you to have access to one should you need it, then a MWLU probably isn't for you. On the other hand, lots of women think they will definitely want one and then decide they don't need it - I was convinced I would want one with ds (even though it hadn't worked in labour with dd) but on the day it never even crossed my mind to ask for one as I was coping ok with the pain.

Find out what you need to know (ask here, ask your MW etc) then make a decision that works for you - with all due respect to your friends and family, they probably aren't as well informed as they could be!

soccerwidow · 20/06/2010 20:30

I had my two ds at the same hospital, but DS1 in labour ward & ds2 in midwife led unit.

I was induced with both. Had epidural with ds1 - there was NO WAY i would of coped without, with DS2 I was in MLU but he was born too fast for anything other than gas & air. (I had the choice of waiting till morning to have my waters broken in labour ward, or go to MLU & have it done straight away - it was about 7pm ds was born at 8.40!)

Both my births were positive. Both times I was home within 12 hours (my request)

I would go with snickersnacks - I dont think i would have been brave enough to have chosen the MLU first time around, but it suited me 2nd time.

Original poster

NETTEYJC · 20/06/2010 21:13

I know exactly what you mean snicker and thanks for the advice, I think that as it is my first then my family and friends are being very vocal and want to be part of everything ... a bit too much really!

Soccerwidow - you lucky woman, just hope my daughters birth is a quick as your DS2's!!!

OP posts:

bexxaa · 23/06/2010 23:54

This reply has been deleted

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EmmieA · 24/06/2010 08:51

Bexxaa, that's really nice to hear. I recived a dvd about Heartlands at my mw app yesterday and I thought it looked absolutely fine too, thanks.

porcamiseria · 24/06/2010 09:26

in general I would say that first births can be loooooong and you might want pain relief. if I were you Id go where the drugs are

id also ingore horror stories and do what YOU want to do

littlefroggy · 24/06/2010 09:44

I have only read the OP so apologies if I have missed anything.

I have had all 3 DC at Birmingham Heartlands.
It is not a complete dive. It is an excellent hospital in an inner city area.

DS1 was a complicated birth but they took my wishes into consideration at every stage.

DS2 was quite straight forward so they left me alone as much as they could - exactly as I asked them to.

DS3 they wanted to send me to Solihull but I refused,
I have had a lot of good experiences with this hospital and given the choice would go there every time.

cory · 24/06/2010 09:47

IngridFletcher Sun 20-Jun-10 14:26:45
"Just something to consider...you are less likely to actually require an obstetrician if you are at home or in a MLU. You are also more likely to feel able to cope without an epidural."

If I have understood this correctly the reason for this would be women being less stressed by labour. In other words, it would only work for women who are less stressed by being away from the medicalised setting. But if the medicalised setting is actually what you want, then I doubt that being told that you can't have it is going to lead to less stress. Horses for courses imo.

Ask for what you want, not for what people tell you you ought to want. I liked being in a large teaching hospital and found it very reassuring. Being told that I shouldn't want this would have sent my stress levels soaring. But for somebody else, it might be the wrong thing.

Might add that I was not pressurised to have any pain relief and was encouraged to keep active.

EmmieA · 15/07/2010 21:02

Just an update. I've just been for the tour at Heartlands and was very surprised/impressed. I'm happily going there later this year, every question I had was answered and to the positive so would encourage all mums considering it to go there for a tour early, I am 20weeks but feel much more relaxed about it now.

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