Newcastle Birthing Centre

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I’m due to give birth next month at the RVI and the birthing centre is closed 😟

The birthing centre is currently closed, the way they are running it at the minute you won't know if it is open or closed until you are in labour pretty much x

Oh no, doesn't mention that at all on the website!! Can anyone give any experience of the QE vs the RVI general maternity wards instead? X

And @Robyn do you think it's possible to switch last minute if it reopens? Or do you have to have hospitals planned quite far in advance? X

Yeah I was under Gateshead community but gave birth at rvi - but I requested rvi from the start - but not sure if the birthing centre is closed at the moment due to staffing levels

If it carries on the way it is at the minute I'm not sure you would know in time as they very much base whether it is open on any given day based on staffing. I swapped to Cramlington at 28 weeks and it was so so easy so you could definitely wait until closer the the 3rd trimester and make the decision then? They may have sorted the staffing issues by that time too? There are so few midwives they are not offering home birthing either

Ah damn think cramlington might be a bit far! Or is travelling worth it do we think, my biggest concern at the minute with hospitals is that my husband wouldn't be able to stay if I had to stay on postnatal wards x

@Rachael I know a girl who has midwifed at both RVI and QE and she said herself she didn’t like how the RVI felt like hearding Cattle on a conveyor belt, not very personal, she said QE was a lot more personal, I’ve personally given birth once at the QE and couldn’t fault them, I’m giving birth there again this weekend, I have a friend that went to RVI and she didn’t like it, she wished she had gone elsewhere, I think she is now going to Cramlington with 2nd pregnancy, another friend couldn’t fault cramlington hospital either x

Hi! I had my second baby at RVI 3 days ago and my experience this time without the birthing suite was so much better than my first experience! Only thing I didn’t like was having contractions in the MAU waiting area! But I was taken into a room, I was also asked if I wanted a birthing pool and I said “I didn’t realise they were available!” And they said there is only one so it’s if it’s free it is! I opted for an epidural this time and that went ahead pretty swiftly, my two midwives were lovely and explained things thoroughly and chatted to me and left me alone at all the right times. I was coached through pushing really well and managed to push my baby out in 17 minutes which is such a contrast to the 36hrs of labour I endured the first time around! After I gave birth we had about 4hrs in the room me, baby and dad to just bond alone and establish breastfeeding. Then I was moved to a private room alone with baby and my own shower and loo…

last time I was on a hot ward with 6 other new mamas in tiny curtained off sections, and it wasn’t pleasant. I was mostly left alone in this room which was fine for me as its my second baby but I imagine if it was your first you might want more interactions, but whenever I pressed the buzzer for help someone came within 5minutes. I also was allowed 2 visitors during visiting time which is 8am-8pm and they didn’t include baby daddy as a visitor so I was able to have him, my mum and my sister all come at the same time. I hope this helps some people visualise what their experience can be, obviously it might differ but I was not expecting a good time after my first birth experience at the RVI when we were in the birthing suite and I ended having a lovely experience! Good luck on everyone having babies soon! ❤️❤️