Liverpool women's or Ormskirk hospital which should I give birth at?

[Lulu955]

Hi there
I've been reading up reviews (but they all seem quite dated) has anybody got any recent reviews on there birthing experiances at these hospitals as I really can't make up my mind... Ormskirk is slightly quicker and faster to get to,,, however the womens isnt that much further from me either...
I was swaying more towards Ormskirk but I also think that the women's might be more experienced?
The one thing I've got my heart set on is a water birth as I suffer terrible back pain and sitting in the bath seems to help me a lot!!
This is my first child and I'm a bit of a chicken anyway lol I'm due middle of April 2013...
Can any one help me make my choice??
Thanks

[Hotcupofteaplease]

Hi Lulu, congratulations on your pregnancy!
I've had two babies at Liverpool Women's Hospital; two very different labours, but both with a fantastic level of care. I really couldn't fault them.
I had a choice of Whiston or the Women's, and I suppose I felt the Women's had more facilities and specialist care should we need it.
Have you been for a tour? If not, call up and book on one, you can see everything for yourself before the big day... Good luck x

[roofio87]

Hi lulu. i am only 5w but already know I want to go to Ormskirk for the birth. It is a far bit nearer for me than the womens, but I have also been and liked it a lot. My SIL just had her baby there and was very impressed with it. I think the women's do have more doctors around and more emergency care if things do go wrong, but Ormskirk is smaller and more midwife lead which appeals to me. You can look round both and ask your midwifes opinion (although the midwife tried to scare my SIL to having it at the womens!!) i think its really a vey personal choice, but I have heard good things about both so we have 2 good choices really!! good luck!! x

[trinitysw]

Hi lulu,

I had my lo at the womans and like hotcup felt they provided me with excellent care. I also went for a water birth, but at the time (March 2011) they only had one so when I went in I made sure they knew I want to make use of the pool. There were no problems with me using the pool room during my pregnancy. Also I found the aftercare to be brilliant as I was kept in for a couple of nights because I wanted to have breastfeesing established. I would recommend booking a tour with both decide then. good luck! x

[thelittlebookworm]

I had my son there in 2009, had a water birth also and can highly recommend it if you can get in it. The midwives were fantastic all the way through, my birth was a dream and it helped by feeling at ease there.
Sadly after the birth and in my own room I had a rubbish time, I had to change baby on the bed because I had a sore back still and some poop got on the bedding,I got a grilling from the midwife because I should of changed him in his cot thing and got thrown a sheet to change it myself. They plug it all the time about breast feeding but my baby wouldn't latch on properly and I was made to feel awful, turns out my son was tongue tied but this hadn't been picked up at his assessment. The older midwives thought they knew everything and belittled me, I was glad to go home the following day. No more babies for me, if I did I'd still have it in the women's but I'd want to go home a few hours later.

[JackieTheFart]

Hi Lulu!

I had all mine at the Women's - induced twin birth with several days stay, and singleton birth in the Midwife Led Unit in 2011, went home same day. Both times were great, I can't praise the staff more highly.

Good luck and congrats.

[PolyesterBride]

Hi lulu
I had a good experience of the labour ward at the women's but not so good postnatal experiences. I felt they were very understaffed, not very caring and really unhelpful when it came to breast feeding. If I was going to have another baby, I would try a different hospital. Disclaimer: my not very good experience at LWH was very similar to my not very good experience in a hospital on The other side of the country. So maybe it's just the NHS!

[JemimaPuddled]

Ormskirk. they're fab

[JemimaPuddled]

recent thread here

[pitujones]

horrible time at the women's ended up with a 3rd degree tear and had a horrible experience

[Lulu955]

Hi there , I'm not sure if everyone will get this message but I just wanted to thank you for all the responses and just let you know how I got on... I booked a tour with LWH but unfortunately had to go in before the tour due to complications and ended up having to be induced there which from my experience was an awful experience on the body, the induction suite was lovely and so comfortable. The room I was taken to once I was in labour to deliver reminded me of something out of a black &white horror film and made me panic, especially when I saw this little metal trolley with loads of metal instruments on! However the nurse and doctor could see what sort of a state I was in and were really nice in trying to keep me calm, and it did help, however things went wrong for me after 9 1/2 hours in that room and had to be rushed off to theatre for an Emergancy c-section which again made me panic but the surgeons were amazing with me and made me feel really safe and I knew I was in good hands! But the aftercare I would have to complain about they were understaffed in my opinion and the nurses available where run off there feet! I had to wait over an hour one time for a nurse to come to help me... I found they were very good at helping with breast feeding but overall the LWH is a safe place to give birth but like polyester bride said above I think the NHS after care are just poor no matter where you go.

[flossy14x]

My Dr's signed me up with Liverpool Women's however i knew i wanted to be transferred to Ormskirk as id heard many horror story's of women's. my midwife with Liverpool women's forgot about me and didn't put my referral through until i contacted her to remind her. by this point i was 13 weeks and panicking, as soon as ormskirk got my referral through they priortised me immediately. i had my booking within a day and my scan within a week. i personally already feel so much safer with ormskirk

[Lauet]

Hi,

I have recently found out that I am expecting. I am finding choosing a hospital to give birth in very daunting!

I am fairly local to the Liverpool Womens (2 miles) but also considering Whiston (6 miles).

I don’t know much about either, I have friends who have given birth in both or are hoping too. I’ve heard some bad things abo her LWH.

I’m just not sure. Can anyone offer any advice?

Thank you