[miss_heidi]

Hi all

I am giving birth at the RHW, yet to find out if I can have a natural birth or if I'll need a c-section (placenta low)

In preparation either way, I am reading Active Birth.

Does anyone know if active birthing is allowed or encouraged in the delivery suites at the RHW?
Ie squatting, supported squatting, kneeling etc

Or do I have to give birth in the semi-reclining / reclining position?

Please note I have to give birth in the delivery suite, so not the birth centre....

Thanks!

[R2D2]

i have had both mine there, both times with induction, so monitoring, IV lines etc (so not able to be in the bath), but still OK to move around, variety of swiss balls, low stools adn other items in the room etc to choose comfiest position.
I delivered as a private patient with an Ob, but same rooms/midwives.

tbh, they are so swamped at the moment, that the issue is actually getting a birthing suite, for my second, i spent 50% of my labour in a very small antenatal room (where i had checked in for a cervical gel induction) because they had no suites available...my poor doc then spent a lot of time running back and forth between theatres waiting for someone from the op room to be free to give me an epidural...which I got just in time as i hit 10cm and needed to push!
then i spent another 7 hours in the suite (and 4 hours waiting for help to the shower to clean up) as they had no staff available to transfer me to a postnatal room.....
but great staff, and pretty relaxed about you not having to be stuck on the bed if you don't want, great about giving you plenty of skin on skin etc with your bub....
hope that helps..

[Fingers Crossed...]

I'm due to give birth to my first baby at the RHW, Randwick and had my tour of the hospital ward a couple of weeks ago - I am also keen on active birthing and they pointed out all of the equipment they have for this and seemed very open and supportive of this style of labour

And this was in the normal delivery suite not the birth centre

Good luck!

[Chief Pancake Ma...]

Yup - they have fit balls, birthing stools, matress if you want to give birth on the floor, shower with 2 shower heads (water is luke warm though), plastic chair to sit on in the shower.

I got told off for not being more active. Unless you are being monitored for some reason youu can be as active as you want. They dont allow the walking epidurals so if you have an epi you have to stay on the bed.

[Mianta]

Absolutely! They even do water birth there. Ask them for a "cosy room" if you can. They are in the normal delivery suite area but designed to have a birth centre feel. Most the midwives would be encouraging an active labour and are happy fr you to birth off the bed. I delivered loads of babies on mats on the floor and on birthing stools, when I worked there.

This post has been edited by Mianta: 07/02/2013, 11:51 AM