York
16 months ago
Aidan was my first child and was premature by 5 weeks.
I had had regular checks with the midwife at my local clinic, and had just finished all three of the pre-natal classes at the hospital.
When my waters broke I was in hospital for 4 days before Aidan was born. Had very good treatment (own room!!), good food. Very nice staff. It was a calm, relaxing area as rooms for mums-to-be are kept separate (by a corridor) from new mums.
Birth plan was written while I was in labour.
It wasn't followed as we discussed, but ok.
Pain relief: They wanted to keep me on my back for the baby heart monitor, but I was having all back labour and pushed for me to try different positions, which they allowed with some grumbling. I started on codeine, tried gas & air, but didn't like it. I had a shot of meptid, which allowed me to relax between contractions. Had the shot to help birth the placenta, which happened very quickly!
Ended up with a 3rd degree tear, was advised to have a spinal to ensure good stitching. Excellent midwife, who stayed with me during birth and after birth, stayed on after her shift was over to hold my hand during the spinal.
Aidan was in SCBU (special care baby unit) for 9 days. I went home after 2 days, but went back to the hospital after 3 days to stay with Aidan in SCBU's rooms on the ward. Here parents are allowed to take their children out of the ward (but still attached to it). Aidan had jaundice for 1.5 days and lost some wegiht. He came home weighing 4 lb. 12 oz., but gained weight within 2 days.
Overall, although a whirlwind because he was premature, it was a very good experience and I would feel comfortable giving birth at York Hospital again.
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I was not given an option in choosing midwives, doctors, etc.
My only options were to go with the NHS midwife, go private or with an independent midwife. The latter two options were far too expensive.
I would ensure I went on maternity leave far earlier than 3 weeks before the due date! I would push harder for my birth plan to be followed or at least for reasons for it not being followed explained to me.
See if you can have a tour of the maternity ward before you give birth...so you know what to expect when the time comes.
I highly recommend doing some sort of yoga for pregnancy class. I helped immensely when I was in labour!
Research different pain relief options available to you at the hospital.
Make sure you fully understand what will and won't be provided at the hospital.
Ensure you understand what maternity leave you are entitled to. Make sure you keep on top of payroll to ensure you are getting the correct amount each month.
What needs to be done to get your child his/her birth certificate? Aidan's father had to come to the registrar's office with me or he wouldn't have been put on Aidan's birth certificate!
Ensure you know what nationality your child will have. (Aidan was technically American at birth as I was not married to his father. We had to get him a visa to stay in the country!)
Get a quote for expat health insurance in UK from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
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Expats in the U.K. are able to utilize the public health care system, which is managed by the NHS. Many expats want to have private health insurance to help reduce wait times and several other reasons. Read for more details on how to navigate the system.
Are you eligible for coverage under UK's National Health Service (NHS)? Do you also need expat health insurance? This article provides an overview.
Knowing which hospital you would go to should a medical emergency arise while living in UK is important. This information is provided (but not endorsed) by expats and the US Embassy in UK.
Help others moving to UK by answering a set of questions about health insurance, public healthcare in UK, prescription medicine, quality of medical care and emergency services.
Read recent baby reports submitted for Chipping Norton and York.
If you're an expat parent who had a baby abroad, write a report about your childbirth experiences to help other expecting expat parents.
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Get a quote for expat health insurance in UK from our partner, Cigna Global Health.
Get a Quote
Expats in the U.K. are able to utilize the public health care system, which is managed by the NHS. Many expats want to have private health insurance to help reduce wait times and several other reasons. Read for more details on how to navigate the system.
Are you eligible for coverage under UK's National Health Service (NHS)? Do you also need expat health insurance? This article provides an overview.
Knowing which hospital you would go to should a medical emergency arise while living in UK is important. This information is provided (but not endorsed) by expats and the US Embassy in UK.
Help others moving to UK by answering a set of questions about health insurance, public healthcare in UK, prescription medicine, quality of medical care and emergency services.
Read recent baby reports submitted for Chipping Norton and York.
If you're an expat parent who had a baby abroad, write a report about your childbirth experiences to help other expecting expat parents.
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