B
Banana Cream Pie
Guest
Looking at birthing options? Hi everyone. I'm 33+4 and am currently weighing up the birthing options available. I originally wanted a hospital birth in case anything happened, but at the antenatal classes here, was told that the hospital nearest to us will actively turn away low risk pregnancies at busy times as they are predominantly a high-risk hospital. Not only that, but the midwife ratio is 1 to every 3 women, which strikes me as a little low, though I don't have the figures for other hospitals so I'm assuming this could be fairly typical? Also the midwives there don't really like to help with water births, which is actually what I wanted, so it seems like having in the hospital would mean there's a good chance that the birth wouldn't be how I want it to be anyway. The midwives also called into question the hygiene of the hospital and said that they wouldn't recommend bathing/showering there until you get back home... which certainly doesn't fill me with confidence.
However, at the same class, we were told that having home births in this area would mean that you would always have two dedicated midwives with you, and that the birth can go entirely how you want it to - meaning I could definitely have the water birth I want. My husband is very keen on this idea, but I'm really not convinced on the whole home birth scenario as it's my first and I don't really know what to expect. Not only that, but a home birth really is something that I've always said I don't want to do... but I'm starting to consider it because they painted such a bad picture of the hospital I've elected.
Does anyone have any views or experiences of this? Would I be more confident in the hospital if I don't feel comfortable giving birth in our home? What happens if they midwives decide I need medical intervention - would i be taken to the (much) further away hospital they recommended instead of my elected one? Or could it all just be scare tactics as they're trying to encourage home births? Any advice would be lovely, thank you
However, at the same class, we were told that having home births in this area would mean that you would always have two dedicated midwives with you, and that the birth can go entirely how you want it to - meaning I could definitely have the water birth I want. My husband is very keen on this idea, but I'm really not convinced on the whole home birth scenario as it's my first and I don't really know what to expect. Not only that, but a home birth really is something that I've always said I don't want to do... but I'm starting to consider it because they painted such a bad picture of the hospital I've elected.
Does anyone have any views or experiences of this? Would I be more confident in the hospital if I don't feel comfortable giving birth in our home? What happens if they midwives decide I need medical intervention - would i be taken to the (much) further away hospital they recommended instead of my elected one? Or could it all just be scare tactics as they're trying to encourage home births? Any advice would be lovely, thank you