Brierley midwives

[marvellous mavis]

I have just been to see the nurse at the Lister Health Centre and she thought I could be referred to the Brierley midwives (there are no community midwives at Lister anymore and i would like the chance to meet my midwifery team before the actual day).

I don't want a home birth - does anyone know if Brierley take people not preparing for homebirths? Alternately can I be referred to the Lanes if I am not a patient there?

Many thanks for any advice.

[Jessie]

i was with brierly and had a hospital birth...but that was 6 and a half years ago!! good luck

[Fidgetsmum]

They are delightful. Just call them - they'll be able to answer any query you have. I had my last baby with them (I was at home though). I know that Home, or mental health is their focus. It depends on your circumstances - they'll be completely honest about what they can or can't do for you.

Good luck

[apenn]

Don't know about Lanes but you can now self-refer to Brierly. However, I believe, as Fidgetsmum said, they only take on non-home births for cases involving mothers with any mental health issues.

[nancyse15]

They are absolutely amazing but they look after ladies planning a home birth. However, mine turned out to be a hospital birth but not by design. Cannot praise them more highly. Why not reconsider a home birth? You would be in the best hands x

[new mother]

Nancyse15, I know that your post was intended kindly but, frankly, "in the best hands" for most women will be next to proven hospital care.

Expressing the above will not be popular on this forum but it's true. Home births will leave some women needing to be transferred to theatre in london traffic. Not good. We have better technology available and my medical friends strongly urge their wives to take advantage of it.

Sorry OP - I know you are not considering a home birth anyway. I cldnt leave such a dangerous comment unchallenged.

[sillywoman]

new mother - I don't believe what you say is true, rather I think it's just your own opinion - which of course you're entitled to but you really can't present it as fact. If you do have a compelling piece of research or evidence base could you kindly link us to it.

Otherewise I'll be left to form the opinion that the reason your statement "frankly, "in the best hands" for most women will be next to proven hospital care" may be 'unpopular' on this forum is that, frankly, it's b*ll*cks.

Sorry OP - I couldn't leave such a dangerously misleading & inaccurate comment unchallenged.

edited for emphasis.

[Fuschia]

New mother you might

Like to actually read some research occasionally!

[JessB]

I read nancyse15 's post as saying if you do.change your mind and want a home birth then the brierleys are fab. I would agree. Also based on personal experience.

Newmother's post make sweeping comments and I wonder how much new mother knows about the home birth process? I found it very conservative and cautious to avoid precisely the situations newmothet mentions. Of course these can't be prevented or avoided entirely but nor can serious situations in hospital.....such as being left tto push for 6+ hours because there was no space in theatre and a further 5hr wait. Great access to medical technology eh?!Home birth is not for everyone either by choice or for medical reasons. But tto imply people are in huge danger by choosing such a route seems incinsiderate at best and ull informed at wworst.

Sorry for typos, stupid phone!

Edited yo address op...... I would call tthe brierley and just see what they say about your ssituation and.thry will advise if they can help.

[The Nappy Lady]

Giving birth is a natural function, not an illness.

Everyone should have the choice to give birth in the place they feel most relaxed.

Personally being at home with the undivided attention of two midwives was way more preferable than being in hospital.

OP, sorry to say I'm pretty sure the Brierley will be unable to help if you want a hospital birth. You could consider hiring a private midwife who could meet you in advance & be with you as a birth partner, but it isn't a cheap option.

Good luck whatever you decide.

(Still shaking my head in despair at New Mothers post.....sigh).

[StraferJack]

I'm going to back this up 100%

We were totally planning for hospital birth. Midwives did talk that some couples change their minds at the time. We poo-poo'd them but in the end they were totally right. It was just so much better

BUT

The most undramatic of complications meant we did have to go to the hospital for the very last bit. And the hospital were absoultely fantastic and I have zero complaints. And yet it changed the whole atmosphere completely (there was no worry or stress, nothing was wrong as such) and it meant an overnight stay when in theory we would have been able to stay in the cosy environment at home

Had anything serious happend at home, we had two midwives with us who not only were able to deal with most eventualities but were able to have an ambulance at the door in 2 minutes

So whatever birth you envisage and prefer, I would back completely. But I am a (very late) convert to the preference (not insistence) of home birth

[srisky]

I'm sure I'm going to be shot down for this comment but this is my opinion (and that of 5 paediatricians I know):

You could take your baby/child in the car without a car seat and over 99% of the time everything will be fine. However, it's against the law because that one time an accident happens it can be devastating.

I feel the same way about home births. The majority of times it will be absolutely fine in low risk pregnancies/mums, as backed by research. However, I was just not prepared to take the risk. Obviously, home births are not against the law.

[Fuschia]

srisky Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm sure I'm going to be shot down for this

> comment but this is my opinion (and that of 5

> paediatricians I know):

>

You know a lot of paediatricians. However they don't actually deal with births, that's an obestrician.

[srisky]

Yes, I am well aware of the difference!

The paediatricians deal with the consequences of labours that have gone wrong (for the child, anyway).

Edit to say: The obstetricians have absolutely no involvement with the baby once its born - the paediatricians resuscitate etc.

[StraferJack]

srisky - I hear what you are saying. And if it wasn't clear from my post we didn't plan for a home birth - we were very much of a similar mind to you

But with 2 midwives assesing the situation (ostensibly to avoid turning up at the hospital too early only to be sent away again) it was obvious it wasn't going to be one of the 1% where things go wrong. Seems eminently sensible to me

I'm not sure I think the seatbelt analogy is entirely correct either.

[srisky]

The seatbelt analogy is not perfect but it's the general concept of (for me) that it's just not worth the risk even if it is very low.

StraferJack - don't worry, my intention is not to convince you one way or another regarding home births. It was just to put out a different view point, as home births are generally encouraged by the community midwifery teams. I was lucky to be under one of them and they were excellent - it's a huge bonus to be assessed at home.

It is great that they have 2 midwives at home births but for me the knowledge that, depsite a trouble free pregnancy and labour, things could suddenly go wrong (for baby or me) was too scary and the immediacy of medical care in a hospital was reassuring.

[Belle]

I see where you're coming from - though I wonder if having 2 midwives with you who are able to call ahead to Kings and blue light you in if nec, is in the scheme of things safer even in that 1% than being left alone on a post natal ward? It's not as though you're attended to regularly by one, let alone 2 midwives after a birth in hospital. Not trying to do down the hospital choice either, just saying it's not black and white.

[Fidgetsmum]

Poor Marvellous Mavis!

All she wanted to know was some simple information and look where we are now?! I don't normally join in on threads like this, but perhaps the home birth vs hospital (I've had both) debate could be left to another thread, and we can all just wish Marvellous Mavis a wonderful birth whatever and wherever she chooses - I'm sure she's capable of checking out specific research and home birth vs hospital birth anecdotes on here herself.

And I agree, that if someone posts something 'strongly opinionated' in one direction, it's right for the balance to be re-set, I just don't think it's helpful to the OP for it to be on her thread.

Go on - someone shoot me down and remind me why I NEVER get involved in threads like this!!! LOL!

[Family Room Moderator]

Please stay on topic folks - the original poster was not asking for a debate on the pros and cons of home birth!

[StraferJack]

good points fidgetsmum and Mod... but in my defence I wasn't intending to talk primarily about homebirths. It was more to underline how powerful I felt midwives (Lanes in my case) were in advising us, not-quite-changing-our-opinion, and ultimately just being great

Mavis (who is indeed marvellous) is looking for info about midwives and I thought that was pertinent - but yes I agree a debate about homebirthing alone is for another thread

I have posted elsewhere in the past about how great I found the Lanes midwives to be (that';s who we ended up with, I have no reason to think others are any different) and wish MM nothing but the best

x

[marvellous mavis]

Gosh! Look at the trouble I have caused.

Anyway, I have put my name down for the Lanes and Oakwood midwives. But chances of getting either are pretty slim.

Which leads me to a different question - perhaps for another thread, but hey, this thread seems to have a life of its own already - which is: are there many of you out there who didn't meet their midwife before the birth?

Most of my friends with babies have had community midwives, and I am just very worried about rocking up to Kings on the day to take pot luck. That's not any reflection on Kings btw - just my own insecurities.

As for home birth... it's just not for me this time round.

[Pickle]

How pregnant are you Marvellous Mavis? I know the Lanes only take a limited number of "caseload" patients (something like 18/20 a month), but also a larger number of other patients - who don't get the at home, one on one type care, but will still be seen regularly in the lead up to birth by one of the team. It's been a while since I had my last baby, so that may have changed. Also, I'm not sure whether you have to be a patient at DMC to get the Lanes Group? Someone else will be able to confirm I'm sure.

[BeccaL]

Mavis, I hadn't met any of the midwives who were present at my daughter's birth in Kings (6.5 years ago, mind you) and it didn't bother me. Like you I felt that I wanted to be in hospital just in case. They were all great, as far as I can remember (had a lot of gas and air!!) and I was lucky enough to be able to have a birthing pool. I think we went through 3 changes of midwife because of shift patterns and the length of time we were there but that was fine - they were all good. Supportive and encouraging as I recall! Hope it all goes well!

[Pickle]

I too had "random" midwives through my labours and births at Kings, and they were lovely. By that stage I didn't really care who was there!

[marvellous mavis]

Yes - the rational part of me reckons it really won't matter once I reach that stage but then I just wonder if I would feel less worried about getting left (there are horror stories on here about Kings, although I think they are far outweighed by fantastic accounts).

It's very very early days but I should find out in a couple of weeks if I have a place with the community midwives. And if not, well I am pretty sure all will be fine anyway. My original question was simply because my practice nurse at Lister just said Brierley but as soon as I did a search it seemed that was misinformation.