What are your thoughts?

Well here Oklahoma they are having giant Tort reform issues. The Doctors want a cap put on limits of Law suites. if it doesn't happen the insurance for anyone delivering a baby is going to sky rocket not to mention all fields but your topic was birthing suites so we already have those here in USA at least they have them here in Oklahoma so I can only assume as with all things we are about 5-10 years behind the rest of the country so I expect others have them as well.

I think it's great!

I work at a big hospital where interventions and complications are common. I really miss the more natural approach to labor.

It's unfortunate but I don't think a place like that could exist here in the US (or at least not in my state). Court cases and legislation have everyone on the scare and elective c- sections are more likely to become the norm. OB's don't want to back midwives because their isn't much upside for them and the midwives cant function without a back-up.

Elective C-sections offer a better bottom line for hospitals and OB's. There is less risk of lawsuits and more profit for them.

maybe I'll just move to Australia.. ah but I'm sure there would be a whole other set of issues there.

We do have some here in the U.S. Some are free-standing and midwife-run with physician back up and very close to hospitals. I think there are at least a few hospitals that have a suite or two like that. Most though have suites that are a little more hospital like with a regular L&D bed, but the equipment is hidden behind picutures and there is regular furniture for visitors.

All of our delivery rooms in the two hospitals in our town are LDRP's with the same atmosphere except the beds are regular single breakdown beds and there are jacuzzi baths in each room but no deep immersion pool. Midwives are basically blackballed in our town, though, so they are physician led deliveries, all of whom would be more than willing to schedule a c-section for everyone's convenience. However, an OB friend of mine in town worked with mw's in residency and she said she'd love it if they called midwives for the normal low risk deliveries and just called her for high risk! Midwives are also a lot cheaper to employ than MD's, and are an attractive option to a lot of women (customers).

We utilize LDRP's sounding very similar to those in the article. All of our LDRP's have jacuzzi tubs and rockers, a sofa that folds out into a bed, armoires that have drawers and TV's, etc. Very "home-like" atmosphere. The midwives do all of the deliveries except those that are high risk. We have a doc w/us 24/7, just in case.

The article doesn't get into particulars about utilizing nursing staff, but I imagine it to be similar to the way we use our staff....

It's a great set-up, I love it!

I have just found this artical that was in the NT news here in australia.

Would you work in a birthing suite like this?

Home birth at hospital

By REBECCA HEWETT

May 13, 2004

A birthing suite will be built at Darwin's public hospital to allow women to give birth in a ``home'' environment.

A birthing suite will be built at Darwin's public hospital to allow women to give birth in a ``home'' environment.

Health Minister Dr Peter Toyne yesterday said $2.5 million had been earmarked for a Birthing Centre at Royal Darwin Hospital.

The centre will have two birthing suites, with double beds, TV and stereo, a lounge area for family members, an ensuite bathroom and a deep immersion pool. Care will be ``midwife-led'' but a doctor will be available if complications arise.

``It's the start of a new partnership between women, doctors and midwives,'' RDH director of nursing, maternal and child health, Erna Cripps said yesterday.

``These facilities will allow women to move around and have a bath and still have the same safety monitoring.''

The centre will also have a meeting room, where women attend appointments with their midwife throughout the pregnancy.

Darwin midwives have been campaigning for an alternative to traditional maternity ward care since the home birth option was removed because midwives could not afford liability insurance.

The birthing centre will allow midwives to provide home-style care under the hospital's existing insurance.

The two new birthing rooms will bring Royal Darwin Hospital's total to eight. The existing six will be refurbished or have walls knocked down to create larger rooms.

The manager of the existing facility, clinicial midwife manager Jan Gibbett, said staff were ``thrilled and excited'' about the birthing centre.

``It's a wonderful environment to work in,'' she said.

``The mothers are low risk, so it's a less stressful environment for us, and it's a friendlier environment for women.

``No birth is considered normal until it's over. ``But if something's not going right here, there's help just through the door.''

Northern Territory News

HA!!! Well let me tell you, "eye candy" like this is something hospitals in the USA specialize in. This sort of plush "family like" atmosphere is nothing new..... many birthing suites are appointed similarly already.

HOWEVER, the type of care that goes with it, where families get true control over and choices respected regarding their childbirth experiences is another matter.

ugh----------- never mind me, had a bad night two nights ago with a very disrespectful doctor in a a mighty hurry to get home and get her beauty rest. UGH.

The centre will have two birthing suites, with double beds, TV and stereo, a lounge area for family members, an ensuite bathroom and a deep immersion pool. Care will be ``midwife-led'' but a doctor will be available if complications arise.

I delivered in a facility like this, and would love to work there. It is very low intervention. It is the birth center at one of the local hosp, separate from the L&D unit but within easy access if the need arises. All medical equipment is hidden in closets. There is a huge jacuzzi in the bathroom. The rooms have double beds with quilts, no hospital beds at all, cradles instead of open cribs. They look like a room out of a bed and breakfast inn. I delivered in the jacuzzi and carried my daughter to the bed, which she never left. The assessment was done while my 6 year old held her, and the bath was done on the foot of the bed. I loved it.

Our facility offers a "homelike" atmosphere, but with a labor bed and monitors in the room, there is no mistaking it for anyone's home.

:chuckle All hospitals in this area offer larger LDRP's with sitting area or fold out couches for family, but...... it's still a hospital room.