Is your pregnancy low-risk? What are your thoughts about midwifery-led units?

[Tiredbehyondbelief]

Hi there, I am a midwife working on a traditional labour ward. We have a lovely adjacent midwifery-led unit suitable for low-risk women. A huge study (BirthPlace study 2011) looked at mother and baby outcomes for 64 500 women. The study unequivocally concluded that midwifery-led units are just as safe for low-risk mothers and babies as a traditional labour ward (if labour complications develop, the midwives have a professional duty to transfer). The study also concluded that low-risk women who at least start their labour on the midwifery-led unit have a much lower risk of an emergency Caesarean section and instrumental delivery. Yet, I see a lot of low-risk women bypassing our lovely midwifery-led unit and coming straight to the traditional labour ward. I am just wondering, what information is out there for low-risk women making their birth place decision in pregnancy. All replies would be much appreciated.

My experience is quite old now but I had my two DC on a midwifery led unit 29 and 26 years ago as I was low risk. I had no idea there was a choice or what the difference was, but a few friends told me later how much nicer it was than the main labour ward. I’m not sure whether it was a new idea back then. My choice for the midwifery unit was based on how the midwife sold it. I recall it would be more relaxed, less machinery, more natural but that the main ward was only upstairs if I needed more support.

I had two normal births with TENS, and gas and air. I had an episiotomy performed by the midwife for birth one who was the same one that did all my antenatal appointments too as she happened to be on duty as luck would have it.

for birth two there was meconium present, and a consultant arrived downstairs to check us over very quickly.

Afterwards I recovered for a couple of days in a tiny ward of just four beds with en suite with only two of us occupying it.

my experience was 💯 positive, but it was the reassurance of the midwife at the antenatal appointments that made me choose it.