Birthcentre

Lucina Birth Centre

Lucina birth suite mural1 Our birth centre provides midwife-led care in individual rooms, complete with bath or birthing pool, beanbags, subtle lighting and a home-like atmosphere. The beautiful facilities offer families a relaxed environment where you can start your journey into parenthood. There are two birthing rooms, both of which have birthing pools, and three postnatal rooms. The birthing rooms have birth pools, birthing couches, mood lighting, bean bags and floor mats, which we encourage you to use during your labour and birth if you wish. Your privacy is very important and all the birthing rooms have private en-suite bathrooms which you can use during your labour.

“Thank you for an absolutely wonderful experience. I felt respected, in control and capable. The facilities are superb and we loved being there.” Hannah

The Lucina birth centre is the ideal place for women who want to be close to hospital services, but want a relaxed environment in which to have their baby and offers sensitive, individualised midwifery care to women who are anticipating a labour with low intervention.

"The birth centre is a hidden gem” - Frankie

Your midwife will support you throughout your labour and is also able to recognise if further medical support is needed. In these situations, your midwife may recommend transferring you next door to the delivery suite team of doctors and midwives for on-going care.

We encourage your family and friends to come to the birth centre to support you during this special time. There are no restrictions on visiting times as we want you to celebrate your birth with those who are close to you. Your birthing partner can also stay with you overnight after your baby is born, if you aren’t ready to go home. Your children are also welcome to visit the birth centre, but we are not able to allow them to stay overnight for safety and infection control.

After you have given birth, our midwives will support you with feeding your baby and help you with any questions you may have.

If you opt to have pain relief while giving birth, we can offer a range of options including:

·       Hydrotherapy-use of water in the birthing pools

·       Active labour positions, using birthing balls, mats and bean bags

·       Gas and air (Entonox)

·       Pethidine injections

·       Massage

·       Hypnobirthing techniques supported

·       Women can also opt to bring their own TENS machine

Epidurals are available on the delivery suite if needed, however, the evidence shows that continuous support from a midwife during labour is likely to decrease the need for a woman to request an epidural for pain relief.

Is the Birth Centre recommended for you?

At the start of your pregnancy the midwife will agree with you as to what type of care you would like based on your preferences and previous medical and pregnancy history.One of our birthing rooms

If you have no current or previous medical problems the midwife will recommend midwifery-led care for you, as you will not need to see a hospital doctor during your pregnancy. This will be continuously reviewed with you throughout your pregnancy.

We’d recommend the birth centre for you if:

·       Have an uncomplicated pregnancy

·       Are 37-42 weeks into your pregnancy

·       Your BMI is less than 35 for your first pregnancy and less than 40 for subsequent pregnancies

·       You are 16-40 years of age

·       You are not anaemic (iron level is more than 90 grams/dl)

·       Your baby has developed normally and is head down

·       Your waters release and are clear in colour

If you are unsure whether having your baby in the birth centre is the best place for you please discuss with your midwife. There will be some women who may not meet all of the criteria but would still like to have their baby in the centre. In this case, speak to your midwife and we can ensure you receive the right advice to make the choice that’s safe for you.

Home birth

Our Crocus Home Birth service

Introduction

If having your baby at home feels like the right choice for you, we’re here to support you. mum and baby home birth photo

Women who choose to give birth at home often say they feel more in control of their birth, and need less pain relief. For women who have had an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth previously, home birth is as safe as hospital. 

The Crocus Team

The Crocus Team offers a personalised home birth service that puts women and their families at the centre of our care. This exceptional service is provided by a team of passionate, highly motivated NHS midwives with expert knowledge and experience across all aspects of pregnancy, birth and postnatal care whilst specialising in home birth.

The Crocus ethos believes that birth is a natural process. If you think that you would like a home birth contact the Crocus Team midwives for a discussion and they will offer you all the advice you need to make a decision. Home births are normally recommended for women who expect to have a normal birth and have no history of complications with previous births. Midwife supervisors are also available to discuss your birth plan, and answer any questions.

Planning a home birth

If you choose to give birth at home, your Crocus Team midwife will arrange to meet with you at a place and time to suit you, usually in your home. You will be given a ‘named midwife’ who will provide care for you and your family throughout your pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. You can feel confident that you, your partner, and family will be supported and cared for by a midwife that you know and trust.

You and your midwife will develop a comprehensive birth plan that is tailored you. You can also call them for additional advice and support whenever needed via your midwives mobile phone. Your midwife and a second midwife, who you will have met during your pregnancy, will be on hand to attend your homebirth.

Is a home birth recommended for you?

At the start of your pregnancy the midwife will agree with you as to what type of care you would like based on your preferences and previous medical and pregnancy history. If you have no current or previous medical problems the midwife will recommend midwifery-led care for you, as you will not need to see a hospital doctor during your pregnancy. This will be continuously reviewed with you throughout your pregnancy. We’d recommend having your baby at home if:

  • Have an uncomplicated pregnancy
  • Are 37-42 weeks into your pregnancy
  • Your BMI1 is less than 35 at the start of your pregnancy
  • You are 16-40 years of age
  • You are not anaemic (iron level is more than 90 grams/dl)
  • Your baby has developed normally and is head down
  • Your waters break and are clear in colour

If you are unsure whether having your baby at home is the best place for you please discuss with your midwife. There will be some women who may not meet all of the criteria but would still like to have their baby at home. In this case, speak to your midwife and we can ensure you receive the right advice to make the choice that’s safe for you.

Benefits of homebirth

There are many benefits to having your baby at home, which include:

  • Continuity of midwifery care (pregnancy, birth and post natal)
  • Personal one to one midwifery care
  • Normal natural birth
  • Enhanced family experience and bonding
  • Happy birth memories
  • Individualised birth plans
  • Expert home birth advice
  • A dedicated midwife for you, with direct mobile phone access
  • 24/7 service
  • Relaxed and familiar surroundings
  • Reduced medical interventions
  • Improved breastfeeding success rates

Croydon University Hospital supports home births for women with uncomplicated or low risk pregnancies, particularly for those who have previously had a baby.

The Birth Place study (2011) shows that having a baby at home is as safe as a hospital birth for those who have previously had a straightforward pregnancy and labour.