Where to give birth

MLUs are designed to support low risk women and people to have normal births without medical intervention.  They can be ‘alongside’ an obstetric unit which means they are based within a hospital or ‘freestanding’ where they are separate from the nearest main hospital.

Midwives are responsible for your care during labour and support you to have a normal birth.  If you plan to give birth at a MLU and you need specialist medical care or pain relief such as an epidural you will need to transfer to the nearest consultant led unit.  In an ‘alongside’ unit you will transfer within the hospital and in a ‘freestanding’ unit you will transfer via ambulance.

Midwifery led units have a lower rate of intervention than in a consultant led unit and the outcome for the baby is no different.  This means that midwifery led units are safer for birthing parents and babies.

We do not currently have a MLU.  However, there are two local freestanding MLUs in Eastbourne and Crowborough where you can book your birth.  Talk to your midwife for more information.

Home birth is a planned birth at home with a midwife providing care during labour and following the birth.  If you plan to give birth at home and you need specialist medical care or pain relief such as an epidural you will need to transfer to the nearest consultant led unit via ambulance.

Our home birth service is award winning and has been recognised both locally and nationally in 2016.  Our highly experienced community midwives run our home birth service which is well staffed both day and night.  Our local rate of home birth is 4.3% (2015-16) compared to a national rate of 2.3%.  Our transfer rates to hospital from home are well below national rates and our poor outcome rates are also equal to or better than national levels.

What do people say about our homebirth service?

“…feel hugely lucky that we live in a place where homebirth isn’t a risky, vagabond choice, but a safe one. For anyone who’s considering alternatives to a hospital birth, I couldn’t imagine a better place than Brighton to have your baby at home”

“Our home birth was magical, you’re always welcome in our home, tandem feeding in the bath minutes after birth was incredible …we are absolutely chuffed with how [our baby’s] birth unfolded”

“The rush of love I felt for him was instant, he filled a gap that I didn’t even know existed. I was surrounded by caring and supportive midwives and my husband. For me this was all I needed, there’s no way I would have been comfortable with anyone else there. Some people have pain free labours, but I’ll be honest, my labour was painful. The pain however was manageable and all very soon forgotten about”

“That was the best day of my life and every day I fall more and more in love with him. I felt invincible after that, like a warrior woman. I still feel amazing about that day and feel like a stronger person for the experience. I would highly recommend a home birth if at all possible, I think if I had of been in hospital I would have ended up with a ventouse or forceps delivery. I know they say you forget the pain quickly, but when I think of having another baby, I just feel excited to go through it again”

Virtual tour

Watch our community tour which includes a homebirth

Our performance

* Poor outcome means that the baby was injured, seriously ill or died during or just after birth. These outcomes are very rare amongst healthy women who are at low risk of complications, but they can happen in any birth setting. For women expecting their first baby, a poor outcome, whilst still uncommon, is more likely for planned home births.

Our labour ward at RSCH and our labour ward at PRH are ‘consultant led’ units. This means that there is a consultant on call for each site 24/7 and both sites provide medical, obstetric, neonatal and anaesthetic care.

Our hospital teams are experienced at looking after women and people with both complicated and low risk pregnancies.

Our facilities

All of our labour rooms are en suite and we have three low risk birthing pool rooms at RSCH and two at PRH. We encourage women and people to be as mobile as possible during labour and there are lots of birthing balls, bean bags and birthing mats available to facilitate an active labour. We also have a specialist obstetric theatre and recovery beds on the ward for both elective (planned) and emergency care on both labour wards.

Watch a virtual tour of our labour wards

People on the ward

You will be cared for by a midwife throughout your time on labour ward. We are a training hospital and you may be asked if a student midwife or medical student could be present to observe and take part in your care under supervision and with your permission. Many people feedback to us that they really benefited from having a student participate in their care. You will always be asked permission for a student to be present, and it is not a problem if you decline this offer.

You can have whoever you would like to support you in labour; your partner, a relative or a close friend. Doulas and natural therapists such as acupuncturists are welcomed onto the units and we encourage you to discuss your birth plan with your named midwife.

Recommendations

Women and people who are known to have a high risk medical problem or obstetric history or a known problem with their current pregnancy or baby are recommended to give birth in a consultant led unit, although low risk women and people may choose to give birth here too. Please also discuss your options with your midwife or doctor.