Domino Scheme Vs Going Private Holles Street

Merkin wrote: »

My little brother and his lovely wife are expecting a little bubba - VERY exciting! It will be lovely to have little cousins so close in age! She is 6 + 4 today and is trying to decide between the Domino Scheme and going private in Holles Street and she asked me to post a thread about it here. I've done a search but haven't really found a good compare and contrast exercise so would be really grateful to hear form people who have done either/or/both and what they thought/would recommend? She said:

I'd love to hear people's advice. I'm mainly worried about being transferred home too soon, right now I love the idea of an early check-out, so don't have to stay in hospital, but it's hard to know how I'll feel on a first baby, as I have no experience.

Any help hugely appreciated and thanks in advance

I did domino in holles street. The original plan was to go to mount Carmel but after a lot of research I felt holles street would be a better option for the baby. Domino books out super quick and even at 6 weeks it may be already booked and she would go on a waiting list! (I was originally on a waiting list!) don't worry if this is the case as I think a third of all patients have to leave the scheme so the chances are that you will be offered a spot if all is going well in the pregnancy. I honestly don't think I could of received any better care with a consultant etc. domino midwives are different to the "normal" midwives! They are very experienced, you will meet most if not all of them before and one will deliver your baby. You can leave as early as 6 hours (if no epi) or 12-24 (if you had epi). You can stay even longer if you feel you need to. The domino midwives will call to your for however long you need them to (we had them for 6 days). I think that that is the real bonus as even if you were private you go home and that's it until your check up and as a first time mum it was great reassurance as they checked my stitches, baby's cord, checked feeding and nappies etc. the only downside to the scheme (which was my fault not theirs!)was I had a crazy amount of visitors when I came out! Literally everyone wanted to see baby and I was so wrecked! Whereas if I was in hospital they couldn't visit me! I would do it again but I would be much stricter with visitors, although they joked that I should do a home birth with them next time lol lol! The appointments are so handy I used to go to see them in Nutgrove and whatever time your appointment is that is the time you are seen. I got loads and loads of scans too. You can also ring them anytime if you are worried. There is no way I would pay for private in a public hospital after my experience with domino! Especially as they may or may not be there. The other thing that annoys me is that even with vhi it crazy money! Now don't get me wrong when I broke my arm I paid thousands in shortfalls in the beacon (but that's another story) but I feel it was money well spent as I needed two operations. The one thing my gp said was remember you are pregnant not sick, woman have been having babies for years blah blah blah you don't need a consultant but need a midwife! He is very pro domino and thinks it should be available to everyone. I had a pretty straightforward pregnancy and a natural birth with no epi maybe my opinion would be different if I needed a section as I would of had to stay 3 days in hospital and then domino midwives visit you.

lazygal wrote: »

How many births did MC handle a year? I'd say most transferred to the Coombe as that's where the consultants went rather than Holles St.

900 afaik. And those are being spread over the 3 maternity hospitals in Dublin. So not a huge increase in comparison.

Can you use Domino if you go semi private? I have to call holles street today to make my first appointment

Merkin wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone for all your amazing advice for my SIL, she really appreciates it. She has registered for the Domino scheme but now has an additional query. She is hoping for a natural birth without an epidural but has an open mind that this might be needed come labour time! If the Domino scheme is midwife led, what happens in the event that she would like pain relief that needs to be administered by an anesthetist? Thanks!

They just call the anesthetist and they give it to you. There is no issue, my friend had the epi on domino holles street. Midwives can give you pethidine though

^^ as above. Plus if the birth is complication free she can go back to midwife led care after the birth, i.e. early discharge and visits at home by midwife.

Even though I didn't get to give birth with the Domino Scheme (had an induction) I highly recommend it.

Merkin wrote: »

Really appreciate it, thanks xx

Sorry I thought I posted earlier but I must have baby brain too
It is no big deal getting epi on holles street domino, I know a girl who got it delivered baby at 7am and was home at 8pm domino midwives then called to her for 7 days. If you deliver late at night you will need to stay till 9am regardless of getting epi or not as the paediatrician has to check your baby.A lot of people get epi on domino in holles street, they were actually all shocked I didn't get it as they said majority will opt for it on first baby. The midwife just pages the anaesthetist, they had to page them for me as they thought I might need to get an emergency section but thankfully I didn't

MaryBelle77 wrote: »

Hi everyone, I'm 9 weeks gone on my first baby. Excited but finding it hard to make a decision on public versus semi-private versus the Domino scheme. I've heard great things about Domino but my biggest concern is that I hear they're not very forthcoming with the epidural and so my GP suggested that I may be better not to go with that scheme.
Does anyone know if they try to hold off giving you an epidural?
Also, if you go semi-private can you stay in hospital for the 3 nights or do they only keep you in if you medically need it. I'm just nervous about the whole thing and being sent home too early or unprepared! Thanks!

I'm in the semi-p system now after having gone Domino first time around. I absolutely can recommend the midwives who are so far above and beyond what I have experienced through semi-p. I waited 2 hours in Holles St on thurs for literally 4 minutes with the consultant. There was never any waiting in Domino and I had all the time in the world to chat and ask questions and be reassured. So *so* important for a first baby.

I ended up with a section last time but was told there'd be no issues with an epi if I had needed one.

There is absolutely no contest if you are a low risk patient, Domino all the way!