We have some of the best facilities in the region to support normal birthing. The Kensington Birth Centre is situated at the Royal Infirmary, there is a midwifery led area at the General Hospital and St Mary's Birth Centre, in Melton Mobray, is a stand alone midwife led birthing centre. Our midwives specialise in normal pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care and are competent in water birth. The midwifery led areas are well equipped to deal with normal births and many women find the atmosphere very relaxing and similar to being at home. Support staff are also available to help you and to assist the midwife
It is important that you are aware that doctors although available at the main maternity sites, they do not routinely become involved in midwife led care and there are no medical staff on site at St Mary's birth centre. Women with complicated pregnancies or with medical problems will be referred to a specialist at one of the consultant led units. You will continue to be seen by your midwife locally, but will be advised to give birth to your baby in the consultant led unit where they will be able to deal with any complications immediately.
There is a relaxed approach to labour and birth, but our staff will always ensure the safety of you and your baby. Your labour will usually be conducted from beginning to end by a midwife. We encourage mobility in labour and have birth balls, stools,bean bags and mats for your use. You can eat and drink as you wish throughout labour. Your birth partner is encouraged to take an active part in the labouring process and will be shown how to rub your back, and can cuddle, stroke or massage you.
You may use a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machine for pain relief if you wish or there is gas and air or a pethidine injection as alternatives.Hydrotherapy is available at all 3 sites, as are CD players/ipod docking stations.
Your midwife will be able to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of pain relief, and which ones can be used together or in the pool. We do not offer epidurals at any midwfery led care area, you would need to be transfered to a main delivery suite if this is required; this would mean travelling if you had booked to give birth at St Mary’s Birth Centre.
During labour your midwife will listen to your baby’s heartbeat regularly with either a pinard stethoscope or a sonicaid which allows you to keep mobile. As we are a teaching hospital, she may ask for your permission for a student to be present. This is always your choice and your care will not be affected should you decline.
Your Common Questions Answered
When do I need to come to hospital?
Unless your pregnancy has been identified as high risk, the best place to be in early labour is at home. Being in your home environment will help you to relax and allow the labour to establish naturally without intervention. You should consider contacting the hospital when your contractions (pains) are occurring frequently and increasing in intensity and duration. For the majority of women, the regular pains of established labour will last for 40-60 seconds and be 2-5 minutes apart. We strongly advise that you come into hospital if you think your waters may have broken, if you have a fresh, red blood loss (that is different to a ‘mucous show,’) if you haven’t felt your baby move for a while, if you have started labour before 37 weeks or if you have any signs and symptoms that are causing worry or concern. Please call the labour ward for advice if you are unsure when to attend the hospital.
How long will my labour be?
The experience of labour is unique for every individual woman, and no two labours are the same! Nature will allow your labour to build up slowly and gently; this is often called the latent phase of labour whereby the contractions (pains) will not be powerful or frequent enough to push the baby through the birth canal. Latent labour can sometimes last for many hours before it becomes established (although you will have long periods of rest between pains.) As a general rule of thumb, particularly for first time mums, the average length of established labour (i.e. when pains are frequent and powerful) lasts between 12-16 hours.
Will you break my waters?
If your labour is progressing normally, it is best to allow the waters to break of their own accord. This can be at any stage in the labour, sometimes just as your baby is being born. The practice of breaking the waters or Artificial Rupture of the Membranes (ARM) may be suggested if it is appropriate to attempt to accelerate your labour or if we are concerned about the well-being of your baby.
Can I have a bath if my waters break?
If it is less than 24 hours since your waters broke, and you and your baby are well, it is perfectly safe to have a bath. Water may help to relax you and allow your labour to progress naturally. It is advisable just to use plain water and not add any soaps or toiletries to the bath water. If your waters have broken and you notice a green or brown colouration or an offensive smell, please come straight to the hospital for advice.
Am I suitable for the Birth Centre?
Our Birth Centre is a midwifery-led, birthing suite. There are no doctors in the Birth Centre and we actively promote birth without intervention or epidural analgesia. If your pregnancy is low risk, that is, without any past or current medical complications affecting either you or your baby, and you are motivated to birth naturally, you will be suitable to use the Birth Centre. Please speak to your midwife either during your pregnancy or when in early labour if you are unsure of your suitability for the Birth Centre.
If I’m not suitable for Birth Centre will I still be able to have a normal, active birth?
If your pregnancy or labour has deviated from a ‘low risk’ category, we will support you to give birth on our main labour ward. The presence of medical staff and equipment does not mean you cannot birth normally and we will attempt to keep you as active as possible during your labour, whilst ensuring that safety is paramount. We have mats, bean-bags and a birthing pool on the main labour ward to keep your experience as normal as possible and our midwifery team are encouraged to discuss all options with you. The welfare of your baby is extremely important in labour and we aim to support you as much as possible when continuous monitoring of your baby’s heartbeat is advised.
Will a doctor be present at the birth?
For many women, only midwives will be present at the birth. Midwives who practise in the UK are highly skilled and highly trained to be the experts in supporting normal childbirth. Midwives work together with the obstetric team (high risk pregnancy) and may seek the assistance of a skilled doctor should your labour require medical opinion or assistance at any stage. It is important we work together as a team to provide a safe and quality birth experience for you and your baby. The presence of a doctor in your birthing room does not mean that you cannot achieve a normal birth!
Can my children be present at the birth?
We recognise that the birth of a child is a wonderful event for your family. It is usual to have one or two birth partners with you during your labour. Usually children are not present if you have chosen a hospital birth. If it is your wish to have your children present, please consider the hospital birthing environment and strategies for supporting children who witness difficult or traumatic births. It is advisable to speak to a senior member of the midwifery team prior to the birth.
Can my partner get into the pool?
If you have chosen to give birth to your baby in hospital, we prefer that only the woman enters the pool if the choice is to labour and give birth in water. We actively encourage partners to offer guidance, alongside emotional and physical support, while leaning over the side of the pool and this will ensure that comfort and contact are maintained.
Can I use the pool to labour and give birth if I am Group B Streptococcus (GBS) positive?
If you have been informed that you are GBS positive in pregnancy, our recommendation is that you receive a prophylactic dose of intravenous antibiotics when in established labour. If your pregnancy is otherwise low risk, you will be able to enter the birthing pool following the administration of antibiotic and a waterproof dressing will be used.
How will my baby be monitored?
Evidence shows that there is no benefit of continuous, electronic fetal monitoring for a healthy, low risk woman who is labouring actively. As you must be low risk to labour in our Birth Centre, we will listen carefully to your baby, using a doppler (sonicaid) or a pinard’s stethescope every 15 minutes during labour and more frequently just before the birth. If the midwife has concerns about your baby’s heartbeat, she may suggest transferring you to the labour ward for continuous monitoring.
Can I deliver the placenta (afterbirth) without any drugs?
If your labour and birth has been straightforward, you may choose to allow the placenta to separate and deliver without the use of an oxytocic drug – this is known as a physiological third stage. The natural process can sometimes take up to an hour; we will encourage you to breastfeed to aid the release of natural oxytocin. If there are concerns, your midwife may advise that an oxytocic drug is needed and you will be offered an injection into your thigh – this is called an active third stage and the placenta will normally be delivered within 10 minutes. Whilst standard practice is to offer an oxytocin injection as routine, we are happy to support a physiological third stage.
Can my baby have oral Vitamin K?
Vitamin K is offered to all newborns and can be administered by either injection or by oral drops. Please seek support from your midwife and read the relevant literature before you make your choice. We have oral vitamin K available. Your baby will receive a dose at birth, and further doses at 7 and 21 days of age.
How quickly can I go home?
If you and your baby are well following the birth, you may go home from as little as three hours post-birth. You will be seen by a midwife the following day. If, however, we have any concerns following the birth, you will be advised to stay on our post natal ward.
