Queen Elizabeth University Hospital - Glasgow

[KayTee87]

I'm due to have my first baby at this hospital (southern general) in July and just wanted to know how things usually went. I will of course ask my mw too when doing my birth plan.
I know there's 12 labour rooms with en suites, 2 of them have birthing pools. How long after an uncomplicated delivery are you allowed to stay in the labour room for skin to skin, first feed then shower etc for me? How long is your husband allowed to stay after you give birth assuming it's outside visiting hours.
I read that the maternity wards are 5 bed wards but a few people I've spoken to ended up getting their own rooms after birth, does anyone know how many there are? I will ask for one and hope no one else needs it, bit worried about trying to establish bf sharing with other people (maybe I'm being silly)
If you arrive at hospital in established labour I assume your husband is allowed to stay with you even outside of visiting hours?

[CityMole]

I'm giving birth in a couple of months at the Princess Royal, as I live in the west end and it was easier to get to than the south side!

The maternity unit at the QEUH is not part of new hospital- it is still essentially the old Southern General Hospital mat unit, which has joined to the hospital by a walkway, I believe. It has been serving Glasgow for decades as a fantastic maternity unit and I'm sure you'll be in good hands. Maybe somebody else who has experience of the southern will be along soon, but in the meantime, if you search on here for threads about the southern general in Glasgow, they will be applicable

[KayTee87]

City mole royal would be far closer for me too, I'm in a suburb north /west of the city but for some reason my GP told me to go for southern, as I've got no experience I just listened to her. We were 45 minutes getting there for my 9am 12 week scan

[CityMole]

How do you feel about that? I was concerned about the distance to QEU, so I opted straight away for PRM (I was given the option by my GP and on the post, just went for PRM as closer).

Have you considered seeing if you can change? Don't get me wrong, the PRM is.... eclectic, shall we say, and not without its faults. My particular favourite aspect of the PRM experience is having to battle your way in through the illicit smokers at the hospital doors. However, I have had an amazing standard of care (I spent a few nights in there with a cardio related thing) and I was so well looked after and so confident in their care. I am actually looking forward to delivering there.

The organisation of the ante natal appointments are absolutely shambolic (you are never seen on time- basically: take that morning off work), but I understand it is the same at QEU.

[CityMole]

woops, I meant 'spot' not 'post'

[Danglyweed]

I had my two eldest dd's at the sgh. The 7 year old was born in the old maternity unit, was horrendous, but I did get my own room(although the heating wasnt working...in january lol). 5 year old was born in the new unit and it was brilliant, again given my own room. I labour fast so never had the chance to use pool etc but the birthing rooms seem to be well stocked etc.

[KayTee87]

I think I will stick with it even though it's further away as I've heard better things about it. My midwife appointments are at Yorkhill maternity unit so only scans, gtt, anti-d and birth at southern.
It being more difficult to get to for certain family members might also be a reason I'm sticking with it

[brookeberry]

Hi kayTee, I'm due to give birth to DC1 there in April - you are asking some questions I realise I haven't thought about yet! I am also a 45 minute drive away, although it took us 1hr 30mins to get there in rush hour for a 9am scan yesterday

As far as I know it's got a great reputation and the care I have received so far has been faultless.

I just had my NCT class and they said in general you get an hour in the birthing suite for skin on skin etc. Then you are moved up to the ward. And yes, your OH has to go home if it is out of visiting hours so you are left with bub and he has a very weird drive home!

I will have to ask all of this at my next appointment though to be sure.

[KayTee87]

Brooke an hour is a tiny amount of time for skin to skin, first feed and to get cleaned up so potentially you're left alone with an hour old baby that the father might not even have held yet as you're trying to feed (if bf). I honestly thought it would be a couple of hours. I know someone else might need the room though

[KayTee87]

I've read that you're first feed should really be within an hour after birth. I know things don't always go to plan but I had in my head, baby would be born, I would ask them to delay clamping the cord for 15 minutes anyway while baby was lying on my tummy/chest. Within that hour I would attempt to bf (I read a first feed could take up to 40 minutes), once first feed was hopefully accomplished I would go for a shower while my husband got a chance to hold and bond with the baby. I don't think I'd have time to even get a feed in before being sent down to the ward

[KayTee87]

Your*

[KayTee87]

Can you tell I'm anxious about birth and planning

[Danglyweed]

Well I guess it depends on how busy the birthing unit is, but I certainly got to stay longer than an hour. Im sure I sat with dd for an hour or so before the widwife asked if I wanted to go for a shower and for dad to have skin on skin time. Then we got our tea and biscuits then moved upstairs. Dh was allowed to stay all day, dd was born 7.30am, im sure I sent him home about 9pm, but thats maybe cause I had my own room so not likely to be annoying anyone else etc

[brookeberry]

I think we need to hear from someone who has just been through it. I wonder if all of this is maybe dependent on whether someone else needs the room or not. You would maybe get a lot more time if the room was free. The impression I got from the classes is that you are very much on a working ward and not everything can be scheduled . . . .

I'm in the 'expect the unexpected' frame of mind. But I do have certain requirements like the skin on skin contact and not to clamp the cord until all the blood from the placenta is in the baby (a third of his blood). It takes around 3 minutes apparently for this, and the cord to stop pulsating. I am writing Birth Preferences, rather than a Birth Plan - everyone I speak to says try not be too rigid with your expectations as it never goes to plan!

[KayTee87]

Yeah it is more preferences as who knows what will happen. Is it only 3 minutes I thought it was more than that. Skin on skin, delayed clamping, bf and me getting a shower are my preferences defo. My mum had 2 emergency sections though

[brookeberry]

I'm reiterating what we were told on the course - I hope it's correct! (off to Google )

I echo your preferences - I would think these are all possible. I am keeping my mind open because almost everyone I know ended up having a C-section!

[CityMole]

You can still have skin on skin and delayed clamping with a section.

[KayTee87]

City yes definitely, just meaning birth plans quite often don't go to plan

[Runningbutnotscared]

I gave birth in December 2014 in the Royal after being registered at the southern I.e. I had all my scans at the southern but then decided the Royal would be easier for me to get to so changed hospitals.

I was living in the west end so I figured it would be easier to not cross the river if we needed to get their in a hurry.

So I can't tell you about the southern, but I can say that in no way was I hurried out of the labour suit post birth, nor were we left alone in the suit for any significant time.

My baby came out blue with a wee difficulty breathing so we didn't get to delay the clamping, happily I was on the diamorphine by this point and didn't mind!

I was very very lucky and apart from the quick clamping they were able to follow my birth plan. We didn't get very far down the 'scale if intervention' the NCT are so keen on. I am pregnant now and fingers crossed I will be lucky again. I felt listened too even though I didn't particularly like the first midwife.

Post birth I had plenty of time for skin to skin, baby had a feed, I had a shower (of sorts) while my dh held the baby, midwife brought tea and toast. I think we were there for a few hours?

After, I was put on a ward of six. I don't remember if my husband came to the ward. I love him but after being in active labour for 17 hours I just wanted to sleep.

I wanted to breast feed and found being on a ward really helped - the rules in the PRM say that you can only have the curtains drawn around your bed if your feeding, so as i wanted privacy I basically stuck the baby on my boob every time he opened his mouth and shut the curtains. I really believe that helped us get over the difficult first three days.

Sorry for the essay.

I'd wish you luck but you all sound like you are all very prepared and won't need it.

[Runningbutnotscared]

*there

Now I think about it....I gave birth at 1330 and made it to the ward by visiting at 1930, so think I was in the labour suit for 5 hours post birth.

Remember they have to deliver the placenta and potentially stitch you back up while in the labour suit - that all takes time and your dh can be holding the baby if you can't while that's going on. :-)

[KayTee87]

Thanks running. I thought it might be easier to bf in a private room but maybe thats not right.

[Blackpoollassy]

KayTees87
i was in a similar position to you, lived 2 miles from the royal (5 mins to get to on the m8) and about 7 to the SGH and about 45 mins as no direct route and they tried to send me the the SGH! I refused and asked to be referred to the Royal, which i got both times. Also, i worked for the health board at the time and felt much more comfortable at the royal than the sgh. this was about 2 years ago now so don't have experience of the new hospital but from seeing the plans during build, and as someone has already pointed out, it the same maternity hospital as before.