which hospital will you give birth in?

[SusiS]

was just wondering in which hospital everyone will give birth in!

mine's heatherwood/wexham in ascot, berkshire

I am going to Heatherwood! Thought I was the only person in the universe. Had my first child there and loved it. Got spoiled rotten.

i would prefer heatherwood!! it's closer and i heard only good things! - but being 'high risk' i am booked in in wexham now - but maybe things change

when are you due? i am 2nd october

I am due 9th of May. I went on the Wexham Park tour a couple of weeks ago because I was having pre-labour contractions (at 35 weeks). Obviously if I'd gone into proper labour then I would have to have gone there and not Heatherwood. I was honestly happy with what I saw and would have been happy to have given birth there too. It was spotless and the staff all seemed friendly...

very reassuring!!

9th may is a very good date to have a baby!!! my ds' first bday will be 7th

How old is your ds?

Doh! Sorry, pregnancy brain-ache! Which hospital did you have your ds in?

Hello, don't know how far everyone is apart but I'm hoping to give birth in a midwife unit, in Guisborough, Cleveland. Anyone done this before? It's really cosy and more like a home than a hospital but can't have an epidural there if you need one, as I've no other children I've no idea what I'll need ???
The unit is good as it lets partners stay for 24 hours and you all go home together too.
I'm 30 and due 26nov - feeling quite nervous already.

Luton and dunstable hospital

Luton and dunstable hospital

hoping for home but Kings if not

Home again I hope, or Wythenshawe hospital near Manchester if not.

Colchester General if not at home!

In Scotland there isn't alot of choice really birthing units etc. are pretty thin on the ground. In my experience you're told where to go and there is no real choice, especially as many maternity units have closed in the last 5 years - anyone else from Scotland found this ? Although things might be different in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

DS was born in Ninewells, I suspect this one might be too even though have moved and will probably be about an hour away........

Littlemermaid, I have the choice of my local midwife-led unit in Fort William (very good, also handling all of my antenatal care), which is about 30 mins away, or Inverness (hmm) which is 2-2.5 hours away. FW will only handle subsequent (ie not first) births and ones with absolutely no complications (they won't even do inductions). Very nearly closed the FW hospital recently, there was such an outcry though (where would they send all the people who fall off Ben Nevis?!)

Crikey, Miao what option are you planning on ? In this area in the last couple of years they've closed Falkirk maternity unit and the one at Perth Royal although they may have a very small midwife unit there like you describe in FW so that might be an option for me !

Hoping to go to FW and have a waterbirth - they only handle about 30 births a year there so it is likely I will get the place to myself! Also I know almost all the midwives there as they have been handling my antenatal care. This is my third baby and atm I am low risk so looks good for going there.

Really don't fancy having to trek up to Inverness - lots of people get sent up there by ambulance and don't make it, and end up delivering in a car park on the way there!

I guess I'll go back to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Sigh. But am hoping to be discharged from the delivery suite.

Saint Richards Hospital - hichester/West Sussex - hate that place its a bad hospital that needs shutting down

charleepeters - I too am due to give birth in St Richards, Chichester. Could you elaborate on why it is bad?

My last baby was born in St Mary's Portsmouth and I was expecting St Richards to be much better - especially as it is a Baby Friendly hospital. Now I'm a bit concerned.

Hi Beatie - I wanted to say, I guess everyones experiences are different. I gave birth to ds1 at SRH and it was superb. I HATED my midwife in labour but she has since retired! Everyone else was fantastic. (I use to work there as a nurse, not midwife) but having had two babies since at older hospitals I think you'll find the clean, airy, good equipment of the hospital nice and friendly and efficient so do not worry. I know there are good and bad experiences you will read however, just try not to worry beforehand, every hospital has these!!!!! all the best.

Thanks Sax. I haven't even visited the hospital yet as we are waiting to move house and haven't exchanged yet. I'm about 11 weeks off my due date so certain we will have moved by then. I think it's fear of the unknown. I don't even know what the set up is at SRH.

i think you'll be fine Beatie, try to go on the tour and you will be familiar with the set up - ring labour ward to find out when these are!

I am meant to be moving to a west coast island at end Dec/early Jan...nearest town Oban where they recently closed the maternity unit...

Can't decide whether to hang around down here and go to St John's in Livingston or move anyway, but come away to Dundee (my home town and where all my family are) 2 weeks before due date.

Hi has anyone gave birth in st richards -chichester recently. Just wondering what the staffing levels are like. and how you are treated there.

My parents will not visit St Richards (even the private wing) any more, obviously they are not needing maternity services but my mum often has to see a gynae and she would rather travel to Worthing if its NHS or Goring Hall for her private treatments.