Where you can choose to have your baby at SWFT

A home birth is an option for you if you have an uncomplicated pregnancy.

Home is an ideal place to have your baby. Birthing in a comfortable, familiar setting will help you to feel more in control and relaxed. Having your baby at home will also increase your chances of having a vaginal birth. Your family will also be able to see the baby straight away and remain together after the birth.

Women and birthing people often decide to labour and give birth at home because they are in a familiar environment where they can move around more freely. This can reduce the need for strong pain relief, although gas and air (Entonox) and aromatherapy can still be used. A birth pool can also be hired which is an excellent form of pain relief and can help you move more easily in to the positions required in labour.

If you give birth at home, you'll be supported by a midwife who is experienced and confident in delivering care in the community. The midwife will be with you while you are in labour and stay with you until after your baby has been born and had a successful feed. A second midwife will join you before the birth to give extra help and support.

If you need any additional help or your labour is not progressing as it should, your midwife will plan for you to travel to a hospital. If this situation arises, the midwife will request the level of urgency that is required from the ambulance service. It’s important that you have either a good Wi-Fi connection or telephone service when choosing to give birth at home. The community midwives would continue to provide care for you throughout your time at home and during any transfer to hospital.

The advantages of giving birth at home include:

• Being in familiar surroundings where you may feel more relaxed and better able to cope.
• Not having to interrupt your labour to go into hospital which enables your labour hormones to progress better.
• Not needing to leave your other children, if you have any, although childcare arrangements should be made. Your children and family members can be part of the process when your baby joins the family.
• Not being separated from your partner after the birth and able to relax in your own bed.
• Increased likelihood of being looked after by a midwife you have gotten to know during your pregnancy.
• You will need less pain relief in labour because of the support of the midwife and the environment you are in.
• You are more likely to be upright during labour and birth as you will be encouraged to walk and move around. This helps in progressing your labour, as lying on a bed is usually uncomfortable and doesn’t make the most of gravity to aid your progress.
• You are more likely to have a vaginal birth because you will need less pain relief and you’re more likely to be upright and mobile.
• You are more likely to have a water birth, if you chose to hire one, as it is only for your use. Being in water assists with the discomfort of labour and in adopting better positions for labour and birth.
• You are less likely to need an episiotomy (cut to perineum). We know that women and birthing people who are active in labour, are more likely to push their baby out naturally without much help. This can reduce the pressure on the tissue and make a cut less likely.
• You are more likely to start breastfeeding successfully if you have a positive birth experience. Women and birthing people who’ve had a home birth almost always describe their birth experiences positively.
• You can have more than one birth supporter if you wish. It’s your home and you can have who you want present. We suggest you only have people that are helpful to you though.

We can’t guarantee that our community midwives will be able to support your home birth and you may be asked to attend the hospital. This is dependent on how busy our services are and the number of staff we have available at the time you go in to labour.

Talk to your midwife if you are considering a home birth, they can give you more information and discuss whether a home birth is suitable for you and your baby.

Bluebell Birth Centre is our midwifery-led birthing unit at Warwick Hospital. If both you and your baby are well, you might choose to give birth here. Bluebell provides a calm and relaxing atmosphere. There are four birthing suites, all with birth pools and en-suite bathrooms, as well as comfy beds for after your baby is born.

You will find the approach to your labour and the birth is not medical. Midwives are highly trained to offer support and encouragement, and care for you when you have an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. They will advise you on the different ways to cope in labour such as using alternative positions, relaxation and water for labour. You will be in an environment that does not look like a hospital and feels more homely.

The advantages of giving birth in the Bluebell Birth Centre include:

• You will need less pain relief in labour because of the support of the midwife, and the environment and facilities available to you during labour.
• You are more likely to be upright during labour and birth as you will be encouraged to walk and move around. This helps in progressing your labour, as lying on a bed is usually uncomfortable and doesn’t make the most of gravity to aid your progress.
• You are more likely to have a vaginal birth because you will need less pain relief and you’re more likely to be upright and mobile.
• You are more likely to have a water birth as there is a birth pool in each suite. Being in water helps you to be in comfortable positions for labour.
• You are less likely to need an episiotomy (cut to perineum). We know that women and birthing people who are active in labour, are more likely to push their baby out naturally without much help. This can reduce the pressure on the tissue and make a cut less likely.
• The environment of a birth centre helps women and birthing people to have positive birth experiences.
• You are more likely to establish breastfeeding successfully if you have had a positive birth experience.
• You can have more than one birth supporter if you wish. Your family can be with you throughout the birth but please check with the midwife first.
• Your birth supporter can stay with you after the birth of your baby and until you’re ready to go home.

If there is a complication during your pregnancy you will be seen by an obstetrician. If this happens, you might be advised to give birth in the Labour Ward.

Most women and birthing people who give birth in Bluebell do so without any problems, however a small percentage experience difficulties and will be transferred to the Labour Ward to receive care from the obstetric team. If your baby experiences any complications, we will perform all the necessary emergency procedures and ask for the help of the Paediatric Department.

It’s important to know that Bluebell doesn’t have obstetricians; they are based in the Labour Ward. We don’t provide epidurals, continuous fetal monitoring or provide caesarean sections in Bluebell; these are provided in Labour Ward.

Talk to your midwife if you are considering giving birth in Bluebell, they can give you more information and discuss whether this is a suitable option for you and your baby.

Our Labour Ward at Warwick Hospital has seven birthing rooms, all with an en-suite shower room. We have one room with a birth pool. Every effort will be made for you to use the birth pool if appropriate but there may be occasions when it’s already in use.

The Labour Ward provides a relaxing birthing environment, however, should you or your baby require additional care and support, obstetric, paediatric and anaesthetists are available in addition to the midwifery team.

Anyone can choose to give birth in the Labour Ward, however, if you have a complex pregnancy, you may be advised to give birth in this setting.

The advantages of giving birth in the Labour Ward include:

• An obstetrician will be close at hand, if your labour becomes complicated.
• If you have certain medical conditions, it might be recommended that you have your baby in hospital where there are specialists available.
• You can be offered a wider range of options to help you manage your contractions and labour. Pain relief options include epidural, gas and air (Entonox), pethidine and Remifentanil. For more information, the following website might be helpful: Labour Pains: pain relief and anaesthesia choices during labour
• Both intermittent and continuous fetal monitoring are available in the Labour Ward. If continuous monitoring is necessary, this can be performed using a wireless device which allows you to move around during your labour.
• You may find it reassuring to know extra help is available.

Talk to your midwife or obstetrician about your birth options, they can give you more information and answer any questions you might have.

At Warwick Hospital we have two obstetric theatres that are integrated into our Labour Ward. This is so we can transfer you quickly and safely in to theatre if needed. Our obstetric theatres are used for planned and emergency caesarean sections, as well as some assisted births (also known as instrumental births) and perineal repairs. We have a dedicated obstetric theatre team who will support you throughout your procedure. Your birth supporter can be with you throughout your time in theatre.

The following websites may be helpful if you’d like to find out more about your birth options including the advantages and risks:

• NHS: where to give birth
• Tommy's: where can I give birth
• NCT: birth options
• Birth Rights: choice of place of birth