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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Pregnancy

Which hospital in Birmingham?

28 replies

Coldand · 04/12/2015 22:27

I am expecting my secind. First was a horrendous experience in good hope hospital so not going there. I wanted to go to women's hospital but they are all full for my month so can't go there. Which hospital would you recommend. I am really scared of having a bad experience again.

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sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 05/12/2015 00:09

A friend of mine had her baby at city and was very happy with the care. She used to be a midwife there

Angelto5 · 05/12/2015 00:29

Definitely recommend city also. Had my last dc there (as the hospital i had older dc had closed their maternity).

Care was excellent throughout pregnancy & as I stayed longer than expected due to dc medical problems I also spent time in neo-natal & they were also amazing .

Coldand · 05/12/2015 08:14

I know serenity is really amazing in City hospital but how is the labour ward? I may not be allowed on serenity as I had a previous section

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Brummiegirl15 · 05/12/2015 08:30

Have you consisted Heartlands? If you don't want Good Hope and can't get into women's it may be an alternative. I've heard great things about Serenity but don't know anything about labour suite at City

I'm at Worcester as the Alexandra at Redditch is now closed and Women's aren't taking anymore.

Leviticus · 05/12/2015 08:54

Heartlands is great. Lovely staff and very clean.

Angelto5 · 05/12/2015 09:47

The labour ward was lovely at city (although I give birth really quickly I didn't see much of it)

My midwife was lovely ,the birthing room was big & very nice.I felt very well looked after.

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 05/12/2015 10:42

Brummie are you from redditch? I'm in the same predicament but the baby doesn't seem to want to be born in a hurry anyway

Coldand · 05/12/2015 10:53

I have asked to be referred to city. Hope they have space. Fingers crossed

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tinyme135 · 05/12/2015 17:40

I was going under city originally, heard great reviews if you're midwife led but not brill but not bad for the labour ward.

I've had to move as I moved under a different ccg and I live 40 mins away. my new hospital is only 15 mins away :)

Coldand · 05/12/2015 18:00

Tinyme135 I wish my nearer hospitals were better but they are dire. Have had terrible experience with one and my friend works at the other and she doesn't have much good to say about it. I wish there was a guarantee of a good hospital :(

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Brummiegirl15 · 05/12/2015 19:54

Hello Sharon yep I'm in Redditch, am due Feb and giving birth @ Worcester.

Had my delivery suite tour and under consultant care and been really pleased with care so not too worried about not being at the Alex

CosmicMonkey · 05/12/2015 21:57

Hi OP can I just ask how long ago your first labour was? I am due with my second and have to go to Good Hope (first I had when I lived in Coventry) and was worried as I had not heard great things about GH.

Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:20

CosmicMonkey my labour was in 2014 and it ended up in a botched EMCS due to no senior cover and the registrars not knowing anything. It was very mismanaged.

The consultant did explain everything to me reassured me that all the staff will take adequate training blah blah blah.

I again had very very poor experience with the gynae staff at good hope from the consultant down to nurses when I had to admitted in early pregnancy about a month ago.

I will never go back there again. No matter what. I have raisef concerns with PALS buy not holding my breath.

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Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:22

Sorry the first time the consultant came to me after I had raised hell with the nurses when my dressing was removed and I could see the mess they had made if the operation

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Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:24

Excuse the typos. I get filled with rage when I think of that hospital

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CosmicMonkey · 05/12/2015 22:29

Sorry about your experience OP but thank you for sharing. GH is my nearest hospital and not sure if I can go elsewhere as my first labour was very short and not too confident about getting anywhere further away but I may have a word with my midwife

Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:36

CosmicMonkey I also had a fairly quick labour but haven't decided on VBAC or ELCS. Leaning towards ELCS. I have asked to be referred to city hospital which is an hour away in traffic but I can't face good hope. I wish you best of luck. A friend of mine had good experience there
I guess it depends on who you get but so far I have not met anyone competent from the gynae department.

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Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:37

One friend had good experience in good hope. Sorry not very coherent today

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Peppaismyhomegirl · 05/12/2015 22:43

Ds was born in good hope few years ago and my experience was they were overstretched. No one avalible to give me any pain relief except gas and air, but kept telling me I was coping so I cracked on with it (I was begging them tho) so one came to give me an epidural about on hour after ds was born tho
No beds avalible so was discharged very quickly after having him and came back the next day for check ups. Again, not the best but they got ds here fine and I survived it so can't moan really. I would go back. The staff did the best they could under the circumstances

Coldand · 05/12/2015 22:50

Peppa my experience was exact opposite. They were not busy at all. They lacked senior cover but plenty of junior staff who mucked about. Also very glad my baby came safely but when the doctor told me at least be glad your baby is safe I felt like smacking him. I also found their children's ward staff useless. We stayed there for a few days after coming out of SCBU

SCBU were good though.

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sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 05/12/2015 23:08

Brummie- nice to meet a fellow Redditchonian- most people are like 'wtf is Redditch??'

Peppaismyhomegirl · 05/12/2015 23:11

To be honest, I was told they were busy and just took their word for it. I assumed they wouldn't of had me screaming in pain if someone there could of helped me. I didn't actually see any other mothers there as I never made it out of my initial examination room. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the best but I just wanted to give a different viewpoint incase others were worried and had no option to change hospitals. Someone has to go there, not everyone can swap hospitals and I just wanted to put a bit of reassurance out there

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Coldand · 05/12/2015 23:28

I agree peppa. Sorry if I am scaremongering. My recent experiences have coloured my view. But as I said one of my friends had a good experience there.

I would recommend getting your birth partner clued up on labour and your preferences and having their wits about them.

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sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 08/12/2015 20:48

My son was born Sunday at Worcester by EMCS and the staff here are all amazing, caring and a right good laugh. I've had a great experience to be honest so anyone thinking about Worcester Royal I would highly recommend

Brummiegirl15 · 08/12/2015 20:56

So great to hear positive things about Worcester. They are properly being slated due to the Alex closing, which is unfair on the staff there.

Just had my ELCS booked - eeeekkk! But so glad you had a good birth Sharon, congrats on the birth of your son!!!!

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