This guide is intended to help you plan where to give birth. You can use it by yourself, and it is also intended to support discussions with your midwife or obstetrician about where you would like to give birth.
Until recently, nearly all women and birthing people gave birth in hospital labour wards (obstetric units or ‘OU’s’). We now know that this is not an ideal environment for all women/birthing people, although birth in a labour ward is recommended for women/birthing people with health conditions or known problems with their babies. If you and your baby are healthy, your pregnancy is at low risk of complications, and you have not previously had a caesarean, you should be offered alternatives such as in an ‘alongside’ or ‘freestanding’ midwifery unit, or birth at home, and this guide explains why these choices are important.
Visit our webpage where to have my baby? here (opens in new tab) for details about the services we offer across the three counties.