Disappointed

[mouso]

Just wanted to vent somewhere I knew people would understand...
The birth center where I had DD and where I am currently seeing my M/Ws is being closed by the hospital it is affiliated with until the new birth center is built.
(They recently built a new hospital and are building a new birth center by it).

So, even though we PG mamas were told we would be birthing at the old one we now have to give birth in the hospital.

The old birth center is so cool- it's a big old house built in 1910 and you give birth on a regular bed with a quilt (well, they take the quilt off so you don't muck it up ) and wood headboard and there's stained glass windows, etc.
It's so peaceful and you are 95% of the time the only one birthing there and have your own M/W and nurse.

This babe would have been born in the same room as his sister.

Now I will be at the hospital, as my insurance doesn't cover homebirth.
I have heard decent things about the hospital and they will let me go home 6 hours after the babe is born, have babe placed on me immediately for 2 hours until I am ready to get up, let cord stop pulsing before cutting, etc. but I'm upset this is being changed on me so late in the game.

I'm upset that even though my m/ws will be there and they assure me I can refuse things (constant monitoring, bath, drops, etc) I (and DH) will still have to be on alert and possibly constantly trying to advocate for ourselves, whereas the birth center was exactly the way I wanted my birth to be.

Anyway, there's nothing to do about it. Just wanted to vent. If you've read this far- Thanks!

If you have any advice/experiences with hospital birth- please share.

[Pernillep]

That sucks. I am sorry they changed the plans on you.

My only recommendation is to stay home as long as possible. Less chance they will try anything.

[jshannyn519]

I'm sorry that your birth center is closing, especially when you're this close to giving birth and have been planning on the BC birth the whole time.

My kids were born in a hospital and I would HIGHLY recommend a simple birth plan and a doula. Your doula can help advocate for you with the staff, which will leave you open to do your thing and labor without having to fight for what you want.

Bring snacks and juice with you if you want them, just in case they're not available in the hospital. Most have policies against eating and drinking during labor so they don't have things available.

And be prepared to repeat yourself a LOT about certain things. I told the nurses at both births at least 5 times each that I didn't want meds and to stop asking me.

[wombatclay]

I'm so sorry... I hope you still have a wonderful birth! I've had two hospital births and am having a third in August and agree... a good doula, supportive midwife, informed partner, and brief birth plan are key to making a hospital birth good. And visit the hospital birth suites as often as possible! This made a huge difference for me since I was familier with the space and the sounds/smells/location of stuff.

Since you get to keep your care provider, they should "know" the sort of birth you expect. Could you perhaps bring some things to make the birth suite more homey? A quilt for the bed or rocking chair, a birth banner to hang on the wall (covering any built in clocks while creating a home setting/familiar focal point), a battery candle for soft light, etc.