Which Dublin maternity hospital

Redpunto

Preggers on my 3rd and am now wondering where to go, had my other 2 publicly in the Rotunda. Although i have no qualms about the labour ward and staff and delivery in the Rotunda, the place was a cattle market in the lead up to the birth. On my last (over 5 years ago now) i left a couple of occasions in tears from being so tired and sick and having to wait. Is the place any different now? I have health insurance now so is it very expensive if I went semi or private? I would be willing to go to the Coombe or Holles Street if people's experiences were better, even though Rotunda is nearer to me. Thanks, id really appreciate everyones thoughts. Thanks

foxy06

If you had no problems with the first two births I would recommend the Domino/Community Midwives scheme. Check if its available in your area on the websites for the hospitals. The difference is unreal. I know what your saying about the cattle market feeling and it was the same in Holles Street on my last three. This time I am going to my local clinic with a set time and i am seen at that time by a team of midwives that will be there for my delivery in the hospital. You can also leave the hospital a lot earlier and they come visit you in at home each day for a few days after the birth. So far it has been great and I am 29 weeks. My sis in law had a baby just the other day and she swears by it too.

NextSteps

I'd reccommend the Domino scheme too, I'm only 16 weeks but so far it has been great and I get the impression there will be very little waiting around.

HerbertGirl

I'm a third reccommending Domino! I'm 20 weeks and so far it's been brilliant. Have a sister and a sister-in-law who both did it too and raved about it. Still cant believe they dont charge extra for it?!

Redpunto

Hi guys, thanks for the replies. Is it only Holles Street that do the Domino Scheme. Would love not to have to go to the hospital for the check-ups. Feels like such a pain to get your pee tested!!

January

No the Rotunda have a Domino Scheme too, if you live in Dublin 11 or Dublin 15 (and I think parts of Dublin 7 possibly?? You can attend the sattelite clinics where there will be a team of midwives for you.

Also the Coombe do it in parts of Dublin 10/12 and 24 I think (correct me on that!)

I went to the Coombe on my second, public and was only ever waiting an hour to be seen, except for my first visit, which was 3 hours from start to finish.

limelemon

Having done the Domino scheme in Holles St myself I would caution that, while it was great during the pregnancy (as others mentioned there was little or no waiting for any of my appointments) the midwives on the Domino scheme have very fixed ideas (in my experience) on pain relief during labour.

Labour is the the most important part don't forget! Generally they are anti drug relief in general and very anti epidurals...they won't actually refuse you but they will delay it as long as possible so that it could even be too late to have one before they finally relent. Epidurals often lead to complications which extend new mothers' stay in hospital. Part of the reason the domino scheme exists is to shorten the length of time new mothers spend in hospital (just so you know where they're coming from).

Also, while in some ways the visits from the midwife post delivery (every day for a week in my case) were in some ways useful, in other ways they caused more problems than they solved. We had a different midwife every day (never the same woman) and they all had their own views on what we should be doing e.g. 'it's too cold in here, she needs more clothes on', next day 'she's far too warm, strip her down', next day 'make sure you wake her for feeds every 2 hours during night', next day 'don't wake her for feeds she's grand' etc. etc.

As a first time mum I found this very confusing. The support was good in some ways but overwhelming in others. I think we would have been better off left to fend for ourselves for a few days, sure the PHN is always there is you've any major problems. As you're an experieced mum I'd suggest you don't need intensive support like this so I'm not sure the domino scheme is right for you. Personally, if I go again I'd consider going private.

?Cee?view

limelemon wrote: »

Labour is the the most important part don't forget! Generally they are anti drug relief in general and very anti epidurals...they won't actually refuse you but they will delay it as long as possible so that it could even be too late to have one before they finally relent. Epidurals often lead to complications which extend new mothers' stay in hospital. Part of the reason the domino scheme exists is to shorten the length of time new mothers spend in hospital (just so you know where they're coming from).

I think this comment is a bit unfair. Rather than the complications with epidurals just leading to a delay in hospital and that delay being what the midwives are trying to avoid, there are other very good reasons why one would choose a more natural birth. The midwives are excellent at encouraging this. For instance, recently we had a friend who was paralyzed for two weeks due to a complication with her epidural.

limelemon

churchview wrote: »

I think this comment is a bit unfair. Rather than the complications with epidurals just leading to a delay in hospital and that delay being what the midwives are trying to avoid, there are other very good reasons why one would choose a more natural birth. The midwives are excellent at encouraging this. For instance, recently we had a friend who was paralyzed for two weeks due to a complication with her epidural.

I don't understand what you find unfair about my comment? I am acknowledging that epidurals can cause unwanted complications / side effects. From the hospital's point of you these are expensive and therefore it's desirable to avoid them (the domino scheme is one way to do this). I think you are splitting hairs here.

By the way, paralysis is a very rare side effect of epidurals, your friend was very unlucky and this is not typical. Please spare us the shock tactics.

Moonbeam

Also had my baba in Holles st, it was a community midwife that delivered her and was offered what ever pain relief I wanted.

Squiggler

Complications with Epidural seem to be pretty common, I'm only personally familiar with the birth stories of a small number of people, about 15 at a rough count (family and friends) and of the 6 of them that opted for epidural during pregnancy only one didn't have problems with it. 2 of the 5 completely lost the ability to push, resulting in a "cut and forceps" delivery. Of those two, one, and two of the others, experienced paralysis for at least 6 hours after the birth. The other one developed an infection at the site of the injection and ended up hospitalised for 3 weeks following the birth.

Maybe I just know some very unlucky people but that seems to me to be pretty bad odds, only a 1 in 6 chance of not experiencing negative side effects.

Anyway, I will be booking into Holles Street, but only as a back up. We are planning a Home Birth, all going well. My two youngest siblings were born at home, and several of my friends had their babies at home. We have engaged a wonderful midwife. I've got my second antenatal visit with her on Monday. She comes to my home, has all the equipment necessary (I only need to go to the hospital for a scan, if I want one) and is available at the end of a phone 24/7 if neccessary.

If there are any complications (or it's twins) I will have to abandon the home birth, although I can still retain my midwife for antenatal care and care during labour right up until the time of transfer to hospital care.

Moonbeam

A home birth sounds great but I feel if there was an emergency we live too far from a hospital.
Did you have other homebirths?
Is the midwife expensive?

Squiggler

This is my first pregnancy, but I was lucky enough to be included when my youngest brother was born (I was 7) so I've attended another Home Birth

There aren't very many midwives available so you do have to make the decision and find a midwife pretty quickly. The Homebirth Association of Ireland or the HSE can provide a list.

The midwife will meet with you (free) and discuss everything with you, assess your level of risk etc. before you have to make any final decision. If you don't fall into any of the risk categories then the midwife will agree to assist and you sign a contract with her (or him, one of my friends had a male midwife).

The HSE will pay a set portion of the fee and most Private Health Insurance policies will cover the majority of the difference. In my own case my net cost will be €600. Taking into account the saving in travel, the comfort and convenience of being in my own home for the visits and the birth and the level of care I think that it would be cheap at 10 times that.

For that I get a private antenatal visit at home every 4 weeks initially, with the frequency increasing as the pregnancy progresses, from a dedicated, highly experienced, midwife who knows me and my husband.

My sister tried to arrange a home birth for both of her children, but wasn't able to obtain a midwife. I was almost as excited about finding my midwife as I was about finding out I was pregnant


Edited to add: Oh, and regarding costs, if, further on in the pregnancy, it becomes impossible for me to have the baby at home the contract provides for cuts in the amount to be paid to the midwife - which depends on the amount of care already provided and whether I wish to retain the services of the midwife for everything other than the birth (antenatal and postnatal visits etc.)

elius

Cant recommend the coombe enough.

We have been in and out in about an hour on all visits bar the first.
When we where in for 2 1/2 hours.

January

Squiggler wrote: »

This is my first pregnancy, but I was lucky enough to be included when my youngest brother was born (I was 7) so I've attended another Home Birth

There aren't very many midwives available so you do have to make the decision and find a midwife pretty quickly. The Homebirth Association of Ireland or the HSE can provide a list.

The midwife will meet with you (free) and discuss everything with you, assess your level of risk etc. before you have to make any final decision. If you don't fall into any of the risk categories then the midwife will agree to assist and you sign a contract with her (or him, one of my friends had a male midwife).

The HSE will pay a set portion of the fee and most Private Health Insurance policies will cover the majority of the difference. In my own case my net cost will be €600. Taking into account the saving in travel, the comfort and convenience of being in my own home for the visits and the birth and the level of care I think that it would be cheap at 10 times that.

For that I get a private antenatal visit at home every 4 weeks initially, with the frequency increasing as the pregnancy progresses, from a dedicated, highly experienced, midwife who knows me and my husband.

My sister tried to arrange a home birth for both of her children, but wasn't able to obtain a midwife. I was almost as excited about finding my midwife as I was about finding out I was pregnant


Edited to add: Oh, and regarding costs, if, further on in the pregnancy, it becomes impossible for me to have the baby at home the contract provides for cuts in the amount to be paid to the midwife - which depends on the amount of care already provided and whether I wish to retain the services of the midwife for everything other than the birth (antenatal and postnatal visits etc.)

Excuse my ignorance, but, I thought home births were not possible if it was your first birth in Ireland? Or have the rules changed?

If I went again I'd love to have a home birth but it wouldn't be possible as I have had a c section on my first

Squiggler

adrieanne__x wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance, but, I thought home births were not possible if it was your first birth in Ireland? Or have the rules changed?

If I went again I'd love to have a home birth but it wouldn't be possible as I have had a c section on my first

That's a bit of a myth, there is nothing to prevent a home birth on your first child as long as both mother and baby are healthy and the pregnancy is going the way it should.

Does one C Section mean that you can't have any natural births? If it was an elective C Section, rather than an emergency one and you are still capable of giving birth naturally home birth might not be completely ruled out. You could always check with the HSE or the Homebirth Association. They should be able to advise you.

January

Squiggler wrote: »

That's a bit of a myth, there is nothing to prevent a home birth on your first child as long as both mother and baby are healthy and the pregnancy is going the way it should.

Does one C Section mean that you can't have any natural births? If it was an elective C Section, rather than an emergency one and you are still capable of giving birth naturally home birth might not be completely ruled out. You could always check with the HSE or the Homebirth Association. They should be able to advise you.

It was emergency and I have had a VBAC since but looking up info on other sites has lead me to believe that homebirth after a section (even if you have given birth naturally since) is impossible in Ireland as the midwives would not be covered by their insurance if scar rupture were to occur.