Botany birth centre

like most places i have heard both good and bad stories about it. i think it depends on how busy it is there.

I don't know much about birthing there, but I haven't heard great things about it after baby is born - like you have to have meals in the dining room (not allowed in your room) and you can't take baby with you into the dining room!!

Have you been out to have a look? I had a quick tour last week and it seemed quite good. I am birthing there in June, so would be quite good to hear stories, good & bad.

It seemed quite pleasant, with all the rooms opening out into the gardens. When I went to visit it was pretty quiet and most of the rooms were empty - likewise the birthing rooms.

Regarding the meals, I can't eat gluten or dairy, so was planning to get hubby to bring me in food - and I dare them to stop me from eating in my room!

Treen wrote: Can anyone tell me what it's like to birth at Botany birthing centre? Can't find much info on it when I google.

I birthed there, you can have a water birth if you desire, they have gas and it was fine , I was also lucky enough to get a huge double room all to myself .
I hated it while I was in labour , but thats because I remembered how much labour sucks and wished I had the drugs, my mw was good tho , she pretty much let me get on with things until I needed her .

caitlynsmygirl wrote: lizandtheboys wrote: I don't know much about birthing there, but I haven't heard great things about it after baby is born - like you have to have meals in the dining room (not allowed in your room) and you can't take baby with you into the dining room!! yes to the eating meals, tho , you can have yours waiting for you and you can heat it up No to not taking babies, no one told me not to take Ty in there , plenty of women did

I was transferred from Middlemore to here within 4 hours after his birth and I was knackered. They wanted me to eat right there and I said all I wanted was sleep with my boy. I went in for lunch and wanted to take my banana to the room for a snack later and was literally berated for that.

At dinnertime they let me know that I had to come and I said I just want to finish feeding and winding him. Half an hour later (Andrew was very unsettled) they told me I have to come now so told them can they just put my plate in the fridge and I will eat later and attend to him first.

They kept on me and I said okay I will just take him with me (did it at lunchtime too) and wind him there and they insisted I leave him in his cot in his room. Told them no way am I leaving a newborn baby where no one is watching him and he still has a wind and very fussy.

Told me again I have to come as they saw I didnt eat much earlier. I just sucked it up. Called Grant in tears and then got myself together and took him in with me and was waiting for them to fight with me. He came in and took Andrew with him back to the room and I got back and told Grant pack up I am going home (before he was 24 hours old). And told them release us. They still wanted to argue about his temp still being low da da dee doo dum dum. And told them my girl was the exact same and it might just be that he has low basal temp. It was like 35.9 to 36.4. Normal for my family and said I am going home now.

Seriously I have heard some say it is great but there is no way I will go back there again to be quite honest.

Cant say for the birthing part of it though.

Similar thing happened to my friend, shes a vegetarian , and the mw had let them know , but there was no food aside for her that she could eat .
She discharged herself the next day .

I was feeding Ty a couple of times and couldn't make dinner and told them that I wouldn't be there until my baby was fed, they said they would hold my food , mind you , they would only hold it for about an hour .

I've stayed postnatally at both Birthcare and Botany , aside from having a big room to myself at Botany , I probably prefer Birthcare, but Im not in that region .

Yikes! Okay, that's settled it. A big fat no to Botany. Thanks for sharing, SMoody!

If it bothers me ill just get someone to bring me in some food. I dont think the food is going to be a highlight anyway!

One of the lactation consultants there also works at a lactation clinic, I forget her name , but I found her quite helpful

I am wanting to take my own hammock & breast pump into botany when i give birth, seeing how strict they seem with other things, does anyone know if I am allowed to do this?

And Babykatnz, I would be keen to hear answer to your Q regarding what they provide...also is it possible to do washing there?

I guess for all the bad things about these birthing places, I could have very easily been living in wgtn or chch when I give birth, and from the sounds of it, you get turfed out for hosp pretty quick there!