Would you give birth in a midwifery led unit?

[Devon]

To be honest, I feel much more comfortable having an obstetrician and being in a hospital. I tend to worry excessively about worst case scenarios, so I want to know that if things do go wrong, my baby and I will have the best possible care.

That's just my personal feeling at the moment, and having never given birth it's not based on experience. I am concerned about unnecessary intervention, but am hoping to engage a doula as support, hopefully to provide some kind of balance to the disadvantages of the hospital system.

[Mumma2three]

I went through team midwives last time and was SOOOOOOOO happy. I would've done it again in a heart beat except the hospital (only one close to me ) has decided a) I live out of area... (this is ridiculous) but they will still "let " me go there but I have to be out of hospital by no later than 24 hours after bub arrives, with NO follow on midwife support or visits. b) they aren't doing "team" anymore, just one midwife per person. I personally LOVED getting to know the 6 different midwives and c) the hospital has had a fair bit of bad press about the maternity unit, so Im over it. The ONLY other place I can find is private. I tried the two other public hospitals and I was out of area for both.
Very disappointed.
The team midwife program was truly awesome. I am hoping my Ob misses the birth and I get a lovely midwife instead!!!!!!!!

[BellyBelly]

*bump*

I am putting this in my submission to the government shortly, any other votes/comments?

[sunshine_sieben]

Not only would I choose midwifery led care again, but when I recently found out that I was pregnant again, my first call went to my midwife (well after telling family and a few friends). And I am ecstatic that most likely, I will have the same midwife looking after me that was with me all through my first pregnancy, DD's birth and after.
When I tell people about the post natal support I got from my midwife, their jaws drop. They can't believe that it is possible for your midwife to spend 4-5 hours with you every day (in your own home) to make sure that BFing is working out and to help wherever necessary. If more women got this type of support, not only would we reduce the incidence of unnecessary c/s, but also increase the success of BFing.
I cannot imagine giving birth any other way.
OBs are wonderful and necessary for complicated births and emergencies. Midwives specialise in "normal" births, which is the vast majority of births. But when you talk to people around you who have been through the normal hospital system (especially some private hospitals), you could get the impresion that most births are high risk and very complicated, life threatening even. I wonder what these people think has happened in our evolution to warrant that view that we have lost the ability to birth our own offspring.
I am looking forward to having the same people attend to this birth that were there for Maya's birth: My midwife, DH & my mum. Just this time, DD will be there, too. I am actually really looking forward to the labour and birth part. The way I have experienced it, it was amazing. Painful, yes, but magical.

Sasa

Sasa

[Freya]

Just wanted to update that I am SO SO SO GLAD I went with the midwife care/birth centre delivery option. Im half way through my pregnancy and have such an awesome rapport with my midwife already. I have no fears about anything to do with the preg/delivery, the home ante natal visits are so helpful considering I have 2 small children and live 20min from the hospital on a good day, I feel so much more relaxed in this pregnancy compared to my other two. I contribute it entirely to the individual care Im getting

[The hawk]

Speaking as the DH of someone who have had two CS both classed as "emergency" the birthing centre is pretty much out the window.

For others who have been there and done that, it may be a very reasonable option, but scare tatics aside, "what if". Sure you can't live in "what if" world, but I think it needs to at least be a consideration in your plans.

Do you consider how far the hospital and full medical assistance is away from the birthing centre?
How close is close enough?

Is their on standby emergency transport available or are you waiting for an ambulance?

Is the hospital notified of upcoming births so they are aware of what is happening? (or could become an emergency, however unlikely it may be)

[Smoke Jaguar]

I want to go a step further next time and have midwives at home
Having done the FBC at Angliss, I can recommend them...one of them does homebirths
As for the 24 hr discharge - if you listen carefully, they don't spell it out but it IS there...if you insist that you need more time in the FBC, they can organise either an extra night or two if they have space, or they'll transfer you to the maternity ward for lodgings. Generally, I find that women who go to the FBC just want to get the hell home anyway. I know I did. In fact, I didn't want to leave home to birth and next time, I won't!

[Phteven]

I voted no. I would like to see government funded homebirth for those who want it but for myself after 2 crappy births (one of which ended in a c-section despite having an active labour with totally supportive midwives), if I were to birth again, I would want a surgeon on hand just in case.
We have no plans for number 3 so hopefully I'll never have to go through it again lol.

[Nelle]

I had my first in the Angliss FBC (DD, it's brilliant), my second was born at home (not planned!) and I would have a midwife led birth again without a second thought! I felt so confident and was able to focus without interruptions. I go into a 'zone' when birthing and the midwives just let me be. Brilliant.

I am devastated that I'm not allowed to return to the FBC because of haemorrhaging, and am very very apprehensive about having an obstetrician involved in any future births. I will be looking for an ob who respects my decisions, and won't dictate my birth and care to me.

ETA:

one of them does homebirths

Really? Who?!