Births @ Birthcare

thanks a million for all your thoughtful feedback =] its going to be a great help in deciding where to birth.
my new doctor is a midwife also, though we haven't yet discussed whether she will be present during the birth. can she be my midwife, or must i use the ones at birthcare?
also, are there windows in the private rooms?

Mine had a window too

My LMC came to see me twice at Birthcare.

Hi kriss, I see that you are listed as being on the North Shore. Have you considered Helensville Birth Centre? Fabulous!!!! Similar to Birthcare and free to Waitakere, North Shore and Rodney District residents. Wonderful midwives, all private rooms with their own bathrooms. Worth consideration.

another question, when at the birthing centre does your baby wear clothing and blankets, nappies etc that you have bought along or are they dressed by the centre? just thinking of what to pack

I wore PJs the entire time except for coming home lol! I found at night tho I'd have to strip down to my bra and PJ pants coz it got so warm in there. When Chiara was under the bili lights she had to be naked and even when I got her out for feeds the room was so warm I didn't worry about dressing her.

I stayed at Birthcare after giving birth at Auckland Hospital and I wish I hadn't stayed at Birthcare!! I hated it!!!

The food was CRAP and the MW's very hit and miss. Ava cried non stop and I had no sleep the whole time I was there. We had problems with breastfeeding and when i asked for help one of the MW's hung up on me!!! Another MW told me that I didnt have enough milk and that I should formula feed. I tried to pump (having no idea how to use the machine and the MW didn't show me) and I didn't realise that the suction thingy wasnt quite on properly and a small amount of the milk was dripping down my top. The MW totally went off at me, saying it was like gold and "What a waste!!".

I hated it. Next time i will be going straight home.

My 2 cents - I birthed via emergency C Section at Nat Womens, spend one night there, then transferred to birthcare of 3 nights.

Birthcare was wayyyyy better then the hosptial. The MW's at hospital seemed to change every hour! I couldnt keep track. At Birthcare the midwives were changing but not that often, some are old school, some are nice, some are bossy - but truly after the birth you are so overwhelmed that any little thing can set you off - and so I think I was a bit more emotionally sensitive than normal. They were probably doing a good job - you cant like everyone.

They have a 24 phone line - you just push a button and a MW is there within minutes, thats unbelievably helpful and comforting at 3am.

The food was better then hospital food - but nothing over the top great - like Cobb and co. But honestly you dont care about what you are eating. You have heaps of other things on your mind.

One thing though - the hosp and Birthcare are VERY pro-breastfeeding, if your milk doesnt come in and your baby is hungry - they make you wait. We waited 4 days - until my daughter had lost 10% of her body weight! Then they finally said "OK we will try formula" and they had me sign a waive rto say I wouldnt sue them if she developed an allergy!! So take your own formula - it will save you heartbreaking nights of no milk and a screaming starving baby.

Oh - and get your own room. Truly its worth the extra cost, when your up and down to the loo and changing maternity pads and expressing milk every half hour you want to a bit of privacy.

Hope that is helpful.

Seems like forever ago that I started this thread!
Now that I have had my turn at Birthcare, I can report my experience there (mostly negative i'm afraid).

~ My MW called when I was 6cm dilated to say that I was on my way, they said not to come as they had no room. It was midnight, I was already on my way, I got there and the birthing suites were empty

~ We were left to fill the pool, and went through the whole birth unassisted by them, so it was just me, DH & MW which I was totally happy with and wouldn't have changed but MW thought it was unprofessional of them as there should always be 2 just in case.

~ After the birth at 5am I was starving and they forgot to bring me a snack I was put into a shared room and DH was shooed away until visiting hours at 8am. And they kicked up a fuss when I wanted to hold my baby from the birthing suite up to my room, only a 2 min trip, rather than have the MW's carry her in the bassinette.

~ I didn't get any breakfast, though the woman in the bed next door to me did, they forgot me again and when I enquired I got just one piece of toast - HELLO I just spent hours in labour, pushing etc I was soo starving

~ My baby started bringing up mucus, I freaked out not knowing what was happening and knocked the phone off the base for a MW to come immediately.. or in a minute.. or 5.. or never! I ended up going to the reception desk for help (my room was close) because DD was choking a little bit and I was really scared.

~ When I was discharged my notes were only half filled in, and my baby didn't get an ID bracelet which I am bummed about (would have been a nice keepsake).

Needless to say, as soon as I was physically able (9am) I was out of there!