What if Birthcare is full?

The husband and I did a tour of Birthcare during the weekend as part of our general antenatal class recommendations.

One thing that I thought of as we were going around is that we are due in January - January is apparently chaos (LOTS of babies due) and Birthcare isn't really that big. So, I asked the person conducting our tour if they ever get full, and if so, what happens to us if there is no room?

First, she looked gobsmacked that I'd asked, and second she didn't seem to know how to answer me. What I got in response was a 'Um, well, hopefully you'll get to wait in the lounge at the hospital until we have some room, but we might not have room .... oh! and this is where you can cut flowers, and there's the visitor's toilet ..."



So, what I kind of got from that is that you get discharged from hospital as normal in the 2-4 (or 4-6 depending on who you're talking to) hours time frame, and if you can't get into Birthcare (I mean, what are you going to do? Spend a day or 2 possibly in the lounge at the hospital IF you're allowed? ), I guess you just go home ( ).

Has anyone not been able to get into BIrthcare? If so, what did you do? I was feeling perfectly happy until this little possibility raised itself!

I would say the obvious thing is you have to go to the hospital....or home for a homebirth. Pretty straight forward really. They can't exactly kick someone out if they are in about to give birth.
When you phone your midwife to say your ready to go to the birthing centre, they generally call the centre to say you are on your way. If there is no room you will get called to say go to the hospital.

Edited: Oh are you meaning afterwards? You should get your 48hours then if all is ok with you and baby, then you will be discharged.

Edited by Nefertiti

Oh and I just had another thought ... maybe lots of Jan Mums are 2nd timers .. so they may in fact go straight home .. leaving room for you

Well you can still transfer to birthcare after a c/s .. I think (off the top of my mummybrain) .. you can stay two days on hospital then you can transfer birthcare for the three days

(But dont quote me .. I unfortunately had a bad reaction to the painkillers they gave me and had to stay in hospital the entire week .. so I didnt get any creme brulee either!)

Maybe this time ...

lilfatty wrote: I unfortunately had a bad reaction to the painkillers they gave me and had to stay in hospital the entire week ..

*sticks fingers in ears* La la la la la la la things never go wrong in childbirth la la la la la la and the story I heard yesterday about a girl rupturing a lung pushing is complete bollocks la la la la la la la ...



(and the two day transfer thing is right - you stay in care for 5 days apparently, 2 nights at the hospital and 3 at Birthcare )

Interestingly I asked the same question when we did our tour of Birthcare, and was told that it very rarely happens, but when it does you either stay at the hospital until a bed becomes available or you go home.

We had a private room at Birthcare, (luckily we got the one with the double bed so DH stayed the whole time!!) and we ended up staying 5 nights as we were having problems feeding, and because the paediatrician recommended we stay - the room continued to be subsidised.

 

I asked my midwife what happened and she said it never happens, birthcare is booked well in advance and a lot of people end up not going to birthcare, just straight home from hospital.

Oh, I missed my own bed and my hubby too much to even consider staying in hospital/birth care.
I went home after one night.

But if I had the offer of creme brulee I may well have stayed longer

Nefertiti wrote: You have to pay???? Wow...we don't here!

Only if you want a private room - shared rooms are fully subsidised.

It is still free here (Hamilton). All the rooms are private and you don't have to give birth there just have to transfer from hospital within 12hrs. And your husband or partner can stay for free too. They don't get meals though.