Anyone given/giving birth in Swindon GWH?

[sleepingcat]

I've just been told that GWH in Swindon is not doing any tours of their labour and delivery areas due to swine flu.

I have quite a few questions!

Does one park in the main carpark or is there another entrance to use?
What do we do about carpark tickets, should I re-mortgage the house to pay for a long labour?!
Do you phone them before hand to let them know you are coming in?
Do they send you home if you aren't that super dilated?
What is provided by the hospital? Do I need to take nappies? DD could not BF, I worry the this one will have the same issues...what happens then? Do I need to take a bottle and formula? The aim is to BF, but then it was with DD.
We will have to take DD with us until she can be collected by Granny. What are GWH rules on this? There is no alternative but Granny due to DD's 'issues'.
Epidurals- I'd like one...what are the chances of getting one there and in particular, what are the chances of getting a mobile one?

I think that is it for now!
Many thanks for any questions you can help answer.

[Karam]

I gave birth there three years ago now, so my comments might be a bit out of date.

1. During the day, park in the main car park, and just put an hour on your ticket. They give you a free one for the rest of that day. If arriving out of hours, there is a separate entrance directly below the maternity ward, buzz them and they'll let you up. It is to the right of the main car park, just follow the signs.

1. Yes, phone them to let them know. Is the number not on the front of your maternity pack?

1. I guess whether they send you home depends on how busy they are. With #1, I was kept in even though I was not in established labour as my waters had broken. with #2, I went in at about 4/5 cms and was kept in... but gave birth 3 hours later.

1. You need to take in nappies. Not sure about formula as I bfed, but I think they supplied it to the woman opposite me.

1. Don't know about your DD - maybe phone them and ask these specific questions? Or ask your midwife?

1. Don't know, never had an epidural.

Top tip, if you think for a minute you may be kept in - ask for a room at the earliest chance. I didn't with #2 and three nights on the ward was sheer hell. I even signed myself out on the third day as I couldn't cope any more. The private rooms are sooo much nicer - worth every penny!

And good luck

[panicpants]

I gave birth 4 years ago at GWH and pretty much ditto everthing karam said.

I did have an epidural even though on my notes I had said I didn't want one...but changed my mind during labour...although I think I was pretty immobile after it.

They will supply formula I think..but not nappies or clothes.

HTH

[Tamlin]

I gave birth there two years ago (and am going to Salisbury this time). We had our parking permit expire after 12 hours, and DH wanted to leave me to renew (and I wouldn't let him!) Fortunately, we didn't wind up with a ticket. You have to wait outside the ward to be buzzed in, so if they're having a busy time of it, you might be waiting out there a wee while. As soon as you get there, you might want to get your DH or partner to request a private room for after delivery - it costs £100 for as many nights as you need it, and you get your own bathroom.

They do want you to phone them before you go in, and they will send you home if they're busy. They tested me to check that my waters had ruptured (which they had, hours earlier) and then sent me home to labour. I came back when the pain got too much to manage, and they left me on the pre-labour ward until I was actually in transition as they were having a busy night. According to my official notes, my labour has been recorded as only five hours long, which I find INTERESTING as the second stage (from fully dilated to baby out) alone took four and a half hours...

I couldn't get an epidural as they were understaffed that night. A friend of mine had the same problem there seven months ago, and is now filing a formal complaint about it - so in my anecdotal experience, they still haven't seemed to get themselves sorted. They don't do mobile epidurals there, unless something's changed in the last six months. You can definitely put that you want an epidural in your birth plan, but I think it's very much luck-of-the-draw on the night as to whether or not you get it.

The birthing pool room is very nice, though - dim lighting, you can bring in CDs if you want, and it does help to take the edge of the pain. If you can't get the epidural, I recommend it.

[sleepingcat]

Thank you so much for your replies, they have been really helpful.
Thanks again.