BIRTHING CENTRES - natural births

[alison_artist]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone has had a baby in a birthing centre, or plans to have one, and your experience so far?

I am due in May, and plan to have a natural birth at the birthing centre, hopefully having a water birth... would be interested in hearing anything you have to share!

This is my first baby and I confess I"m a bit scared about labour day! :)

- Alison

[Jamily]

Hi Alison

I had Emily at the Birth Centre at the Royal North Shore in Sydney. I can't speak highly enough of my experience there.

I had a drug free waterbirth, just as I had planned. No one touched me during labour or delivery - I literally sat in the bath and had my precious daughter completely free of intervention.... The midwives were able to position a mirror to enable them to see what was going on at the business end, which helped me control the pushing and I had a tiny tear that required about 3 stiches.

I am not sure which birth centre you are going to, but one thing that might be an idea is to try to go to your antenatal visits on different days. That way you get an opportunity to meet all the midwives in the birth centre team, so on the day you are likely to know them. I did this inadvertedly but I know that a few other birth centre mammas ended up birthing with midwives they hadn't met. Not a huge problem, but it was great that I knew both midwives really well.

I can honestly say that I am actually looking forward to doing it again!

Please PM me if you want more details on the waterbirth. Happy to share online but not sure if everyone else wants to know the gory details!

Claire :)

[cosmic]

yes we do Claire!!! Post all the details... I'd love to read the story! :D

And by the way, that is a very cute picture of Emily. :)

[Jamily]

Hey Cosmic

I found my birth story under a different thread so here is the cut and paste of it...thought it was easier than trying to get my brain into gear this morning ;)

I went into labour at 3.30am and went into hospital at 11am to find that I was 6cm dilated. I hopped into the bath which eased the pain almost instantly. My contractions were far less painful and I was able to relax and let my body totally un-tense with the water helping to support my weight. I was able to practice an active birth at home and up until getting into the water and I was concerned that I would be less mobile - as it was I was able to move around the tub and adopt different positions from lying to squatting to kneeling and "doggy". The water temp was kept at a constant so it never got cold or uncomfy. Amazingly I was offered gas as they had a portable unit, but I didn't feel that I needed it. The water really seemed to take the edge off it all.

At about 4pm I felt the urge to push (during transition apparently I went into a trance!) and as Emily's head was crowning my waters broke. The pushing stage lasted 45 mins and then my beautiful girl arrived into the world. She was absolutely perfect - the water had washed off any blood and vernix and I think it had made me more 'supple' as I had a tiny tear despite the fairly swift entrance - infact we didn't think I had torn at all.

Em was lifted straight onto my chest and I delivered the placenta and then she went to her Dad while I got out and hopped into bed for my first BF.

Even though Emily is my first bub I was able to go home after 4 hours as my birth had been so straightforward.

I can not recommend waterbirth enough. I will absolutely do it next time and hopefully at home with a doula or midwife.

I wanted a birth that had no interference or intervention and I got my wish.

Emilys Agpar results were 9 both times.

I think that is everything - please let me know if you have any questions!

Cx

[nut]

I had a lovely natural birth for my DS. We were overseas at the time, in Sweden, and they do every birth (possible, I mean, sometimes you do just need a doctor) as if in a birthing centre. Anyhoo, my point is that it was an amazing experience. So empowering and joyous. So, don't be scared, be confident that you are just going to do something your body is perfectly designed to do. I think confidence and positive thinking in general are key to a good birth experience. So, be strong, be happy and good luck!:D

[Pixie]

I plan to have one and be in the bath at the last minute to ease up at the end..but we'll see what happens I hate to plan!

But seriously I can't wait I am so excited and wish it was next week lol I have had enough now!!

[JanetF]

Hi Alison and congratulations on having a birth to look forward to! :)

BCs attached to hospitals are still hospitals with surgeons making the rules so you need to be very clear about what their policies are, for example about gestation length, labour length, breech babies and the like. You need to treat them exactly like the hospital they really are and ask them all the questions that allow you to protect yourself when birthing in a large institution. One woman's experience of a BC can be great and another's terrible. The best way to assess a birth place is go there, interview strenuously, remember *you're* the boss and you're paying, no one is doing you a favour! Your hospy experience is as good as the staff available, bearing in mind that you may labour over shift changes, and who you meet on the day.

This website gives you great tools to employ when searching for a birth place and careprovider.
http://maternitywise.org/mw/tools.html

Some books which I strongly recommend that you purchase are:
Thinking woman's guide to a better birth - Henci Goer
Birthing from within - Pam England

Feel free to PM if you want more help :)

[jarrahsmumma]

hey alison,
hope all your plans come true :)

I had a waterbirth in Hospital and it was the best! I plan a homebirth in water for next baby too (when we finally concieve) When you arrive at the center be very clear on what you want. If you have a support person there run through everything you do and dont want, be very clear. even getting into all the what if's??? then if you are tired and cant get your head togther (or they aren't listening to you) your support person can speak for you. having a birth plan can help here, or just a list of do's and dont's:p

this is your and your babies day, make it very special

all our love

[Jenko]

Hi Alison

Good for you for deciding on the birth centre. I planned on having bubs in the birth centre, and spent about 4 hours labouring there. I ended up giving birth in the deliverly suite. (it closed - if you want to know more - let me know. I was in sydney at the time living near you - by your postcode)

My time in the birth centre was mostly what i expected. The bath was bliss!! I think janetf has really given you some really great advice - as she usually does. Get all the facts and be prepared for their own policies. My support people played a huge role.

Although my birthing experience wasn't exactly to my plan, i would still go to a birth centre next time. To me, it just felt like the kinda place i would like to bring my baby into the world. A homely environment, but still knowing all the medical support was right there.

Good Luck with everything. :)

[*Country Bumpkin*]

I found out last week that i have been excepted into the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital Birthing Centre- and although i have been hearing different things about B/C's Im still really looking foward to going

I will have my first appointment in like 3 weeks and I cant wait

Good luck with everything!!

[ArnaNZ]

Hi guys,

I'm just about to give birth at the Birth Centre at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and I can't say enough good things about the group of midwives that work there!!! It's such a fantastic place and even if you're unable to see your assigned midwife on the day of your appointment (usually due to a night helping out with a birth) you're left feeling complete confident in the hands of one of the other midwives.

We're due this weekend so I'll let you know how it all goes in terms of actually using one of the suites!!!

One of the books that the birth centre at RBH recommend is The New Active Birth which is so great and it's worth the read even if you want to have a natural birth and you're not able to go into a birth centre.

Also there is the website for the Friends of the Birth Centre in Brisbane which has some fantastic birth stories for mums & dads and info on the centre - www.fbc.org.au

Arna

[Ffrenchknickers]

I had bub #2 at the Brissy birth centre and I cant praise it highly enough:thumbsup: Hopefully I will get in with #3 otherwise I dont know what I will do:eek:

Good luck Arna! Who is your midwife?

[brooke]

I had a natrual Birth in the WCH birthing centre... It was great! I got to use their shower and bath.. I planned to have bub in the bath but it was too cold for me in there and I just wanted out!
It is very empowering to have a baby naturally knowing that you went thru all that hard work to meet your beautiful bubba...

Good luck! I hope you get the birth you want!

[Funkychicken]

I have used two different birthing centres and both experiences were fantastic. The second one was part of a hospital that has no labour ward. It is a midwives only centre and I also had all of my care there. I was constantly asked of my wishes during my antenatal appointments and always felt the birth's belonged to me. I chose not to have waterbirths as it didn't appeal to me but many of my friends have had them and had amazing experiences. One girlfriend had both her babies in water-in fact they were both born at home in her bathtub before the midwife arrived. The first with only her husband and the second with her husband and son. She describes both births as the most empowering experiences she has ever had.
Good luck with your birth!:smiliedance:

[Hukuna Matata]

I had my first baby in the BC at RBWH (seems many of us here have this is common:thumbsup: ). It was the most uplifting experience and certainly one of the best ways to start our family.

I can understand that you might be apprehensive about the birth. One of the things that got me in the right frame of mind was active birth yoga. It really complemented the information I was receiving from the BC. Is this something you can do. I gave me a real "bring it on" feeling about labour and birth....:smiliedance:

[ArnaNZ]

Hi everyone,

Just to let you know Joel arrived on the 9th of March after 22 hours of labour!!! Still did it natural though (although I'm not sure to this day how!!!).

The midwives at RBH birth centre were incredible. Our midwives were Marion and Nicole but we also enlisted the help of Rosie, Anne, Margaret and Elaine. Unfortunately Joel was OP so we had to be rushed through to the emergency room to get him out and all the midwives were there in support. I think they wanted to see him come out as much as we did after such a long haul!!!

Incredible group of ladies who completely empower you to draw the energy and use the tools that you have to get that baby out naturally. I have to say I was proud as punch after all was said and done that I did it. There were times when I didn't think I could but Marion encouraged me to just go with what my body wanted me to do and we went from there.

We'll definitely be putting our hand up to go back to the Birth centre for our next baby that's for sure!!!

[faery]

jarrah was born at the birth centre in mullumbimby. the midwives were amazing. i didn't have my pre birth care there, so i didn't really know the midwives beforehand but it didn't matter. they were all total legends. so supportive and helpful.

having great support people is essential. I could not have gotten through it without my partner and friend kate. they we're both in the bath, gave each other breaks. and it meant that when my partner needed to go for a break(it was very emotional for him) I never felt like i was on my own.

we had a drug free natural water birth. but it wasn't all peaceful and easy. i had a 20 hour labour and jarrah was crowning for so long, they were thinking episiotomy, but it didn't come to that. what did happen was that he had the cord around his throat, and had trouble breathing and at first the midwives gave him some hand held oxygen but he still didn't respond, so they cut the cord quick and put him on baby crashcart for more intense oxygen and warming lights.

I guess my point is that i thought it would be all peaceful and we would leave the cord attached until it finished pumping and all would be right. but it was quite a different ending! we had thought of doing a homebirth at first but I'm glad we didn't. I'm not bagging homebirths, i think they are lovely and would love to have one, but jarrahs birth brough home to me the reality that things can go wrong, and i was really, really glad that there was many midwives and a doctor and lots of oxygen 2 seconds away from the pool.

The birth centre was so good and mullum is beautiful ( my room looked out at sheep and trees and kookaburras woke us up) i'd have all my babies there (if we have more). and it was releiving to have midwives check jarrah every few hours to make sure he was doing okay.

I guess trying to have no expectations is good! I was a bit disappointed about not having that immediate bonding time, that was really important to me and I really had to keep myself in check and not get upset about it cause breathing is more important that that initial snuggle! but we make up for it by cuddling all day, everyday now!:hugs:

[vespertine]

It's certainly possible to have a positive experience at the birth centre, but keep in mind what Janet said... it's still under hospital policy. So you're still timed, you know there are still drugs available (in another room) and intervention is still possible. The midwives may be lovely, but they're still required to stick to hospital policy :( Homebirth is my first option for next time- it's safe and noone is watching their clock whilst you're birthing- plus you have continuity of care, rather than different midwives going on and off shift. But if you're still convinced with the idea of the birth centre... make sure all staff are water birth trained. I got asked to get out when I was pushing :crying: because the new midwives were'nt experienced enough in water births. Also, take in a birthplan, ask everyone to read it, and be really assertive. A doula is a GREAT idea too, to support you and advocate on your behalf. All the best.

[Funkychicken]

It's certainly possible to have a positive experience at the birth centre, but keep in mind what Janet said... it's still under hospital policy. So you're still timed, you know there are still drugs available (in another room) and intervention is still possible. The midwives may be lovely, but they're still required to stick to hospital policy :( Homebirth is my first option for next time- it's safe and noone is watching their clock whilst you're birthing- plus you have continuity of care, rather than different midwives going on and off shift. But if you're still convinced with the idea of the birth centre... make sure all staff are water birth trained. I got asked to get out when I was pushing :crying: because the new midwives were'nt experienced enough in water births. Also, take in a birthplan, ask everyone to read it, and be really assertive. A doula is a GREAT idea too, to support you and advocate on your behalf. All the best.
Yes birth centres are part of the hospital but birth centres vary immensely. Our
3rd bub was born in a birth centre attached to the hospital but there is no labour ward there. No drugs are available to labouring women so that option is not there either. No surgeons on deck nor OB's. If problems arise, transport to the next hospital (20 mins away) is the only option.
I am a huge believer in homebirths and would choose that option if financially able. Most of my friends have had homebirths and had amazing experiences. I also have had amazing experiences giving birth, just not at home.:)

[MamaRabbit]

I had my son Charlie in the birth centre at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney around 15 months ago...in fact the midwives still have our thankyou card and photo up on the wall. It was a fantastic experience. It is part of the hospital but they certainly weren't encouraging drugs, even when I asked if they were available in a moment of weakness. They pretty much left me to labour on my own with my husband, of course they checked on me and made sure everything was going to plan but it was a very natural and stress free experience.

I made full use of the bath and the shower, alternating between the two. I found rotating around on the swiss ball in the shower with one shower head on me and my husband had a second hand-held shower head on my back where the labour pains were the worst worked really well to get me through drug free.

I lost quite alot of blood after Charlie was born so they hooked me up to a monitor but then left us in peace to bond, I barely noticed the monitor. I even stayed on the floor with blankets where I gave birth breastfeeding for hours until I was ready to get up and shower etc. The midwives were there if I needed them otherwise I was free to just adjust to motherhood in peace. My husband was able to spend the night with us in a double bed and we were discharged at lunch time the very next day. It was wonderful.

I'm due to have my second child in the same birth centre in around 4 weeks time. It's handy to know that there are emergency measures available should I lose alot of blood this time, or God forbid something more serious happen during the birth, but it is also nice to know that intervention isn't forced upon us prematurely. I have moved from the area but they accepted me back as I had my first child there.

Good luck everyone.

[Mother Duck]

We used the birth centre at Bris too - Arna, Marion delivered Mickayla and we are with Marion and Nicole for this bubba too.

She was a waterbirth - delightful!!