Goole Midwifery Suite

If your pregnancy has been assessed as low risk, you may choose to give birth in our midwifery-led unit at Goole.

Below is all the information you need in order to make an informed choice.

Benefits

• Evidence shows that some women feel more satisfied with their birth experience in a Midwifery-Led Unit
• Research suggests you may need less pain relief and are less likely to need interventions – such as forceps or an episiotomy – if you have your baby in a Midwifery-Led Unit
• Early discharge home following the birth of your baby

Considerations

• If you require medical assistance, the ambulance transfer time is between 45 minutes and an hour. A midwife would travel with you
• There is limited pain relief available but you will be well supported by your midwife
• There’s no postnatal stay. You’re usually discharged home two to three hours after giving birth
• The unit is staffed by Community Midwives. If we have more than one home birth happening or there is high demand in our obstetric unit, we may not be able to offer the service.

Who can have their baby in the Midwifery-Led Unit and is it safe?

You can have your baby in the Midwifery-Led Unit if you and your pregnancy are considered to be at low risk of having complications. You can discuss this with your midwife if you’re not sure.

If there are concerns, we would advise you to have your baby in an obstetric unit, where more support is available should you need it.

What does low risk mean?

• You are healthy and have no medical problems
• Your BMI is less than 35 at booking and you don’t have gestational diabetes
• There are no pregnancy problems
• There are no concerns about your baby’s growth
• You’re not anaemic (low iron)
• You’re over 37 weeks and under 42 weeks pregnant
• You’ve not been advised by a doctor to have your baby in an obstetric unit

Evidence shows that if you’re at low risk of complications and you’re having your first baby, you have 60-70% chance of successfully delivering in a Midwifery-Led Unit. If this is your second or subsequent baby, that rises to a 90% chance.

What are the most common reasons to be transferred to an obstetric unit?

• A delay in the first or second stage (37.1%)
• Other (16.2%)
• Meconium stained liquor (12.2%)
• Abnormal fetal heart rate (10.5%)
• Repair of trauma (7.5%)
• Retained placenta (7.3%)
• Request of the mother (6.6%)
• Neonatal concerns (2.6%)

What pain relief can I have?

Research shows that women who labour and give birth in a low risk birthing environment often need fewer drugs for pain relief (RCOG/ RCM 2007)

The pain relief available to you in a Midwifery-Led Unit consists of:

• Birthing pool
• Relaxation and breathing techniques
• TENS
• Entonox (gas and air)

What if there’s a problem?

Our midwives are trained to detect problems and to make sure that you and your baby are safe. There are no obstetricians or paediatricians (Doctors) available at our Goole unit, so if there are any complications for you or your baby, you will be transferred by ambulance to Scunthorpe General Hospital.

I’d like to give birth at Goole. What do I need to do now?

Speak to your midwife at your next appointment, so we can discuss this with you and arrange for you to come and view the unit and the facilities available/

We’ll discuss the risk assessment process with you at your birth plan appointment, assess if your pregnancy is low risk and it’s therefore suitable for you to give birth here. Once this has been completed, we inform the community teams of your plans.

If you think you’re in labour, you will still ring the Central Delivery Suite, and they’ll ring the on call midwife. Two midwives will attend the birth and we may ask you if a student midwife can attend too.

At night, access into Goole Hospital is via our Security team. Our midwives will assess you at home and inform Security of your estimated time of arrival. Please leave your outside lights on and, if you’re property is hard to find, you may wish to use the What 3 Words app to assist us.

During your labour, you will have one-to-one care and your midwife will encourage you to be mobile. They’ll continuously assess you and your baby’s wellbeing to ensure there are no concerns. If you plan on using the birthing pool, we ask that you provide a plastic sieve, and you may also wish to bring along something old to wear in the water.

Following the birth of your baby, we will support you in feeding them and provide you with some light refreshments. Once you feel ready, you can go home. The midwife will make you a follow up appointment for you and for your baby to have their newborn examination carried out.

If you need to be transferred to an obstetric unit, this will be by ambulance, and you’ll be accompanied by your midwife. Unfortunately, your birth partner will not be able to come in the ambulance with you.

What alternatives are there?

Alternative choices for giving birth include:

• Home birth
• Scunthorpe General Hospital
• Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby