Hi Mrsbadger - thanks for your message. BTW, thanks for the details of the yoga class - was really hoping to come but DH has been back from work too late for me to make it the last couple of weeks. Hoping to make it before the end!

hi catz

just for balance, I have opted for downstairs again this time, as I really really want the option of the pool, and my prejudice is that lentilly hippy natural-childbirth focussed mothers who are more likely to request a waterbirth will be upstairs in the Spires, leaving panicky highrisk unclued mothers canny old me with the downstairs pool...

personally I preferred having no windows - I went all primal and cavelike

Thank you all for your posts and all your experience, sorry not to have replied earlier - we've been away for a few days and I just thought I'd see if anyone had posted not thinking there'd be so many.

Thanks for all the positive experiences of the Spires (and the consultant bit - I guess we're incredibly lucky to have either close by let alone both) and for the reassurance about the lift. It does sound stupid but I hate people seeing me when I'm not in control and that didn't go away in the last labour so the thought of having a stop-start lift with random people getting in and out really puts me off. Thanks also for the reassurance about the midwives rotating. I'm sure most are great but just had a dud one at first last time... My m/w has very kindly said that if I want to got the Spires I should give her a call when I'm in labour and she'll try and come in with me for the birth which would be excellent if it happened to work out (and I was really surprised to hear her say). I'm feeling much more positive about trying the Spires now, though I've got a scan this week to check whether baby breach so knowing my luck I'll probably end up with a c/s after all!

Congratulations on your baby notjustapuppymum and good luck with your births Drskiddadle waddlelikeaduck and Raggie

I'm really jealous of you guys being able to use the spires unit... I has a c-section 10 years ago and have to use the downstairs delivery suite...

mind you, at the moment I'd gladly give birth anywhere as I am so impatient! (39+2)... feels like it has been starting for weeks now!

Thanks DrSkidaddle and raggie

Good luck and enjoy your births at the Spires - it really is a great place.

We almost paid £5000 to go to a private birth centre in London - soooooooooo glad we didn't as it wouldn't have been any different to the Spires. We are very lucky to have this facility in Oxford.

Congratulations notjustapuppymum and thanks for the positive words! I am hoping to give birth at the Spires sometime soon (36+3 at the moment) and going for a check up next Tues to have a wee look round too, will be able to pass on anything I learn after that.

Sounds like we might bump into each other in labour Catz! Did you know that there is a virtual tour of the Spires on their website?

Here it is

I gave birth to DS earlier this year in the delivery suite (wasn't allowed to use Spires as under Silver Star care), and although it was a tricky labour in many ways (two days long, induced, epidural - so far from my fantasy birth under a tree on a blanket) my whole experience of the care at the JR was a really positive one. All the midwives (we went through a few) were absolutely fantastic, and the most amazing one was both young and relatively inexperienced, but incredibly competent and kind. No imposing intervention from any consultants, all those discussions took place outside with the midwives. We even had a choice of a room with the window or a room with a bathroom! I chose the bathroom on the advice of the lovely midwife, and thank goodness. Couldn't have given a toss about the window after the first 5 minutes, and having the bathroom was a godsend.

as notjustapuppymum said, I think the midwives rotate where they're working, as far as I remember.

wow notjustapuppymum (and congratulations ) - that sounds amazing! I am DEFINITELY going with the Spires after hearing that (also hoping for the birthing pool). Hope all is going well with your new baby

I gave birth in the Spires unit last week and can't recommend it highly enough. I have been told that the midwives all alternate between there and downstairs delivery so I don't think there will be any difference in experience.
The Spires Unit is so clean and unhospital like. It was an amazing first birth experience.
I was in the water birth room, had a lovely midwife, the bathroom and everything was lovely and clean. I was mobile for my whole labour, didn't lay on the bed once. They were great at suggesting different positions etc.
Afterwards we got given a private room with ensuite, again all clean and lovely and my partner was even allowed to stay over with me the whole night.
Good luck in whatever you decide.

No problem waddle, seems so silly to me, there is no way I could have managed being tied to a bed. I marched up and down the room for about 12 hours! Was so desperate not to have another cs... Good luck with it all.