How do you choose the hospital you want to have your baby in?

[Suzy000]

I'm working on a maternity project in association with the NHS and would really appreciate any feedback on the following:

If you have a choice of hospitals in your area what factors make you choose one over another? What information is important to you?

For example, do you just pick the hospital that is nearest to your home, or are there other considerations?
Ease and cost of parking?
How many birthing pools the units have?
Ratio of midwives to patients?
Food options?
Pain relief options?
Recommendations from other people?
Please list anything that you would take into account when choosing.

Also, are women aware that they can refer themselves directly to a hospital as soon as they find out they're pregnant with no need to see a GP first?

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds!

I didn't know I could refer directly to a hospital. In fact, when I was first pregnant I didn't know I had a choice of hospitals -- just assumed I'd be assigned one. So when GP asked me which one (of three) I wanted I was a bit rabbit-caught-in-headlights. I plumped for the one that I knew a friend of mine had had her DCs at, given she seemed to be reasonably happy. I knew nothing else about them at that stage.

For my second pregnancy I stayed with the same hospital because by then I knew that it had

• easier and quicker access from our home than the other two options (all about the same distance, but this one definitely easier to get to and less chance of getting stuck in traffic)
• smaller postnatal rooms/wards (most are 2 bed rooms and there are several one-bed rooms (generally for c-section patients who are in longer); one of the other hospitals has 6-8 bed postnatal wards that are quite cramped and difficult to rest or get any privacy in)

and because the first experience had been OK overall.

Least number of interventions for dd1 & really no choice for no 2 as rural area. Had him at home. Must say having left London - we are quite city centric. Not really choice in rural areas unless you are prepared to travel 20 miles plus

I wasn't given a choice but if I were I would have picked one with better ratio of midwives, easy access to pain relief and on recommendation.

The most important thing I feel is lacking (in the hospital I gave birth in) is privacy for women before and after birth. I was stuck on a 6 person bay both times, luckily I was out the next day but the other women who had much greater needs than me and had to stay longer had to put up with it.

I desperately hope my daughters get to give birth feeling safe and with privacy if they choose to have children.