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I've given birth in a birth centre and labour ward . In queen Charlottes. I would 10000% choose a birth center again !!
At birth centre you get your own private room after giving birth. At labour ward it is an open area and the ‘room’ you share with 3 other mums. I gave birth at UCLH and I listened to their advice not to come to hospital. The moment I decided to go there was too late that they put me straight to labour ward instead of my preferred water birth choice. So I ended up in sharing ward with others and my partner couldn’t rest at all.
Ive given birth in a birth centre but in queen charlottes 2 weeks ago. Highly recommend it, amazing experience. I’d do it again. Happy to answer any questions x
Also I Found if you choose labour ward your stuck in the pre assessment ward before when your IN labour and have to share with 4 other women in a bay ! Not ideal when your in pain 😩 and it takes forever to transfer to the labour ward with your own room , then thrown out quickly back to the shared bay 😩
Birth centre. I had a c section at UCLH but started out in the birth centre which was in my birth plan. I was so tense while contracting in the waiting area for hours and hours, but suddenly I felt completely relaxed in the birth centre. It was the best part of the whole labour experience for me. Hopefully I get to have a VBAC with my next baby there. Gas and Air. Comfy cushions. Ambient room and calming music. It was bliss. Anyway, my baby decided to poop during labour so I was forced to go up to the labour ward. They practically had to pry me away from the birth centre.
I had my baby labour ward at UCLH as I needed to be induced - you have your own room when you’re giving birth but shortly after the baby arrives you are taken to the ward where you are just separated by curtains with the people next to you. I had to stay in a week and honestly it was horrible 😂 I just wanted to get home.
@Lozza do you know if all the rooms in the birth centre have a pool? Essentially, I would like more natural birth and the pool is the biggest draw in to choose birth centre. I am just little worried about how quick they will be about identifying and moving md if something went wrong. This is my first birth so no idea what to expect
@Taliah would definitely prefer no medical intervention if I can avoid it. I am also planning no epidural if I can make it as anaesthesiologist said might not work for me anyway due to previous spine surgeries.
@Carmen my experience was literally identical to you! I went in to be induced as an emergency and stayed on a ward I don’t remember. A few hrs later I was wheeled down to the delivery room where we stayed for the whole day. My son came at half 10 at night. I had enough time to have a shower (my partner had a shower too) before I was told I’ll leave for the maternity until within an hr. I walked to the maternity unit and was put into a bay with 3 other beds separated by blue curtains. Every morning the midwives asked who wanted to go home but because I had strep and my son had to keep being tested for jaundice we had to stay at least 24 hrs. By the 3rd day I didn’t want to stay any longer so I begged them to quickly do their tests so I can go! That maternity unit was horrible!
Labour ward was my preference and that’s what I got. They were actually trying to influence me into the birth centre. Glad I didn’t, with how my labour went. At the labour ward, you have more chance of getting a fast pace emergency response with medication options. Unlike the birth centre. And the labour ward at UCLH, you have your own room. Not quite sure how come people are saying you’re in there with other 3 people. That sounds more like maternity ward.
I haven’t given birth there, but gave birth at St Thomas’ Hospital in their birth centre & I imagine birth centres in all hospitals are very similar. My experience was amazing. I guess it comes down to what type of experience you want. Do you want a midwife led, no medical intervention or major pain relief type of vibe or are you wanting the presence of doctors and potentially an epidural? In my opinion birth centres are the way forward, but they also offer the option of going to the labour ward if necessary, as they tend to be very near each other.