Birth Experiences at City Hospital - and any Water Birth Experience? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Birth Experiences at City Hospital - and any Water Birth Experience?

92
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 06 June 2011 - 18:01

Hi Ladies,

I am now 3 months away from my due date and have lots of decisions to make regarding my birth plan. My Dr is at City so if I give birth here then it'll be at City ............ have any of you got any recent experiences with City Hospital - what was it like? What were the nurses like? The care during labour, delivery and after? Do they encourage you to move about and do whatever you want to ease the pain or are they quite rigid in that they like you to stay still on th bed? Do they have any TENS Machines to use and have any of you used a TENS machine and found it helped?

My other option is to go back to the UK and give birth there - it would be in a midwife led unit probably where they encourage you to do whatever your body tells you and use birthing balls etc and they also offer the option of a Water Birth? Have any of you had any recent experience with a water birth - is it relaxing and does it really help with pain relief or are you still in agony? Any advice or suggestions on my options?

Thanks
Natasha xx

494
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 June 2011 - 08:56
My Dr and the midwives at City were fantastic and NICU staff were also great. Only issue I had was lactation... I had to use n*pple shields for feeding and each mw gave me a different direction to use them as I hadn't yet seen the lactation consultant. Re paper work, if you have appointments at City between now and birth time, ask them for the paper work that you need to fill out on admission or ask them what info they need and take it with you in a pack and hand it all over then DH or you wont have to be bombarded with a heap of paper work. I did my AN classes there and we were giving all the info about what to have ready on arrival to make the paper work process quick. I thought all the mw's I had look after me and DS were lovely. Dr Elsa is fantastic (if you have her - otherwise I hear that many of the other obsts at city are very good too).
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 June 2011 - 23:29
i just read this today you may like it... its short and sweet.. a little one sided, but hey since i had a home birth i enjoyed it : )... http://www.inhabitots.com/u-s-home-births-up-20-from-2004-2008-heres-why/ when all is done if you plan to breast feed, i suggest that you make sure you get some good support! i hear its had to find in dubai, buti know its here, and if you want a natural birth i bet hiring a doula would be great, plus most offer bf support after the birth as well... alway nice to think about : )
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 June 2011 - 23:14
i had a home/ water birth 6 months ago, i went back to the states to do it, and let me tell you i would definitely do it again! soo empowering, the only problem i think if finding a midwife that would be responsible for you with only 3 months left to go... unless you go to a clinc to do it... if you can i definitely suggest it i also did hypno-birthing and that i must admit helped a lot as well...
19
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 June 2011 - 09:20
I gave birth at City 12 weeks ago and had an amazing experience. The nurses were fantastic during the birth and I felt very comfortable with them. I had a really fast delivery and so the only pain relief I had was Gas & Air but they initially asked me what I wanted to get them ready. The aftercare was also very good, the Nurses were available if you needed them but not in your face. I hadn't slept in 24hrs so they offered to take him away for a couple of hours so I could get some rest. I had a few problems with BF but the lactation consultant was great and she gave me her number so i could call anytime I had a problem. I highly recommend City and I will deliver her again for sure. Good luck with your decision.
39
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 07 June 2011 - 09:16
OK, first I have no experience of water birth so cannot comment. However I had my third child at City Hospital, and for me my care was excellent, the Dr I was under is no longer there, but that is irrelevant because the Dr never made it in time for my delivery. I delivered about 1hr after arriving at the hospital, I was offered pain relief but I knew myself I was too far along and by the time the Dr was even called I was already pushing, only criticism is that despite being told by my DH that I was 'about to give birth' - they kept saying, 'everyone thinks that, you have ages to wait yet'..... until she actually looked at me. The midwives were lovely, kind, calm and really good. I personally have no issue with a midwife delivery (both previous ones in Scotland were delivered by midwives), but it seemed to bother them more. After I delivered and they could see I knew what I was doing, and didnt want my baby taken to the nursery to be cared for, they pretty much left me to my own devices. In fact I had to stay the minimum 24hs, never saw a Dr, and had one midwife stick her head round the door to ask if I wanted any paracetamol. While not everyone would be happy to be left alone, I was and it suited me, and and no point did I feel like I had been 'abandoned' - anyone was only a buzzer away and anybody I met was friendly, and nice. The only downside..... but im sure is the same in any hospital in Dubai, was that on arrival, in the throws of labour, my husband had to be whisked off to fill in 'papework' at the other end of the hospital, which I could have done without, but I m sure this is the same anywhere!
1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 06 June 2011 - 22:36
The only thing he said he would prefer is if I delivered in a seated position on the bed rather than squatting or standing; personally, I'm ok with this. Just a quick comment - play it by ear as to how you deliver - even in the final throes. Your Dr may prefer x, y or z, but it's not them delivering - it's you and only you. They're only facilitating proceedings.
429
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 06 June 2011 - 21:41
check out my post on City Hospital. http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=138041&Page=1 i wudnt deliver anywhere else.. or rather, i am following Dr. Elsa for all my next deliveries, inshalla!
332
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 06 June 2011 - 19:44
Hi Natasha - I am booked in at City and have 2.5 weeks to go (hopefully). Like you, I also asked plenty of questions and really found the stories on this forum from other women very helpful. If you search previous threads, you'll find lots of feedback on City, good and bad. I have been very happy with the care so far and recent discussions with girlfriends who have given birth at City and all have had good experiences with the nursing staff including the lactation consultant. I recently shared my birth plan with Dr. Ibrahim who told me I was being perfectly reasonable. It included things like walking around, using a birthing ball, managing pain relief the way I want to manage it, being able to eat and drink etc. The only thing he said he would prefer is if I delivered in a seated position on the bed rather than squatting or standing; personally, I'm ok with this. Water births are not allowed in the UAE from what I understand. TENS machines can be hired or bought and this was discussed at my antenatal class but I don't recall where you can hire them from. As you are entering your third trimester, I would recommend you register at a hospital sooner rather than later to ensure they can fit you in. Also, suggest you visit your short listed hospitals and do a tour of the facilities. Post delivery, you can visit baby clinics at hospitals or medical centres. Some clinics offer a home service as well but the cost may be prohibitive. good luck!
1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 06 June 2011 - 19:09
City is apparently one of the better places to give birth here and I'm sure you'd be in good hands... however, if you have the option of and are happy with the prospect of going back to the UK and giving birth in a lovely midwife-led centre, I would be packing my bags already! I went back to the UK to give birth and ended up with a home-birth. I have some friends who gave birth in the water and I think they thought it helped - it'll still be intense, but if you're relaxed and calm (ish), then that helps immensely. If I were to have another baby, I would be back in the UK again in a flash. I think, with a few exceptions, Dubai is about 30 years behind the UK in terms of childbirth philosophy, so if that's an important factor for you, then consider it. There's also the comparatively minor details of the great home-based after-care and support you get in the UK and the fact that bubs will be "on the system" with minimal faff.
 
 

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