did you have your baby in Whittington Hospital? What was it like?

[babynelly2010]

Hello,

I am pregnant in second tri and currently scheduled to deliver at Whittington Hospital.
I am going on the tour next Saturday.
I know they have birthing centere and maternity ward which i hear both are very good.
I have some concerns. I am not afraid of pain as much as I am afraid of people near me in pain. I get easily influenced by that. This will be my first time staying at the hospital.
Could you share your Whittington hospital experience with me? Did you give birth in the ward or in the birthing centre? How much privacy did you have? Did you have a private room?

Thank you.

I had an emergency 999 and gave birth by section there - the team were amazing and all remember me now i am back there for my next child.

i had a terrible time at UCH with my first and can tell you from the bottom of my heart the Whittington is miles better all the nurses i have experienced are lovely.

I didn't stay long as we were transfered back to UCH as my baby was very sick and needed specialist care - it was hell again at UCH, i was on the mat ward while my son was on the neonatal intensive care ward(which was great mind you) but i had follow care up at the the whittington and they were brilliant.

with my next child i will be admitted to the whittington at about 32 / 33 weeks and i am confident it will be fine event though i will be doing my nut waiting for it to all be over.

I gave birth to my first child at the Whittington 9 weeks ago and, personally speaking and based on my own experience, I couldn't fault them. I had a great birth experience, and I am sure that was as much down to the hospital facilities (had a waterbirth in their amazing birth centre) and the wonderful midwives/staff as much as to my body being kind and giving me an easy(ish!) time of it.

I don't know if you would be able to have your own room immediately on arrival, either on the labour ward or in the birth centre, if you were only in the early stages of labour when you showed up as I get the impression they are pretty busy and rooms are needed for those further along the line. You might be placed on a ward for a while until you've progressed a bit further, but if you live close to the hospital and go in early, they will probably suggest you go back home for a bit and come back later (which is what happened to me) and which I found preferable. By the time we went back later on, my labour was much more advanced and we were taken immediately to a room in the birth centre where we remained for the birth and afterwards. For the first bit I was just with dh and one lovely midwife. It felt very private, I think another midwife might have popped in to have a word once or twice but they always knocked first and I definitely felt my space and privacy were being respected. After the first midwife finished her shift I ended up with 2 other midwives and a support person (+ dh!) and although this was more people in the room than I had originally envisaged when I wrote my birth plan, I was really glad to have them all there. They all sat around the edge of the pool and I felt so totally safe and supported having them all there, it was amazing. As for hearing anyone else labouring in another room, if there was I wasn't aware (they might have been aware of me though, I was that noisy person!). For me I felt like I experienced the whole labour and birth in the birth centre in a sort of protected and intimate bubble, if that doesn't sound too strange.

As soon as dd was born and pronounced fine, and I'd been stitched up etc. I had a shower in the ensuite shower room and by the time I came out the bed had been tidied and made up and dh, dd and I spent our first night in the same room as a little family. The midwife who had been in charge of the birth came in a couple of times to check on dd but otherwise we were left to sleep/recover undisturbed. The next morning they brought me and dh breakfast in bed, and later on lunch as well! DD had been born at 10pm, about 3 1/2 hours after our arrival at the birth centre, and we were able to stay there in the same room until about 6pm the next day.

So, that was my experience of the Whiitington, and (as you can probably tell!) I was very happy with it. :)

HTH, if you want to ask anything else please feel free!

Congratulations Jezabella that sounds utterly fantastic! I can also vouch for the Whittington and the fantastic care after giving birth there 3 years ago and the midwife and consultant care through this pregnancy - I'm aiming for a VBAC (fingers crossed in the next few days) so won't be allowed into the birthing unit

I had a c-section at the Whittington. The operation was fine, and I healed very well. The postnatal ward is HUGE - unbelievably noisy and crowded but the staff are kind and helpful which is really more important as you are unlikely to sleep much with a newborn anyway.
Just one tip - the breakfast service can be erratic so make sure someone comes with coffee and toast for you in the morning from the canteen downstairs.

Thank you, Poncherello

I hope you get your VBAC - good luck with it!

Oh! Sorry for derail but wow, can't believe I found this thread. One of the reasons I would like to try for a home birth is that my GP has put me in at the Homerton.

I have heard that the birthing centre and baby medicine unit are great, but I have also read so much about how terrible and horrible the post natal ward is. Stories I've heard of post natal care at the Homerton have included women left in pools of dirty blood, sometimes other people's blood, babies given formula despite their protestations, bullying night staff telling women to get on with feeding but not helping them at all, mad noise all the time, stealing...

I was also told that DH would be chucked out and could not stay overnight and I am frankly scared of being left there alone with a tiny baby - but at the Whittington your DH can stay over? Not being left alone, having my DH with me is so important to me. I have cried at the thought of giving birth and being in pain and then him having to leave me there.

The Whittington is actually much nearer to my flat than the Homerton as well.

I wonder why I was put forward for the Homerton? The midwives who do shared care based at the GP's surgery are mostly from the Homerton, I think. But can I ask to visit both hospitals and can I request to change to the Whittington if I like it better there (and as it's nearer?)

Once again, sorry for derail.

I had DS2 at the MLU in April.

I did not hear anyone else at all. We didn't see anyone else (although I know it was full) - walls must be thick.

So total privacy. Went home after 12 hours straight from delivery room. No need to pay for private room... delivery room was amazing - double bed (useful afterwards both DH and I slept), en suite, flatscreen TV.

Only comment was didn't get waterbirth because things moved on too quickly and pool takes 20 mins to fill. But it was totally wonderful can't praise them enough.

Hi Miffster - you can self-refer to the Whittington.
www.whittington.nhs.uk/default.asp?c=6980&t=1,151
Links to the form (in Word and as a PDF) are on the right of the page above. This site gives you lots of information about the maternity services the Whittington provides - they do a tour of the unit every Saturday afternoon. Details and times on the website. No need to book - just show up.
If you like what you see, consider self-referring. Personally, I wouldn't bother going through your GP - it just takes longer. It sounds like you are "in area" but from what I understand, even if you are technically "out of area" you can still receive your antenatal care there and give birth there, it just means that for your postnatal care you will be referred to a hospital that does cover your area. I self-referred to the Whittington after deciding that I no longer wanted to be at the Royal Free. Really easy. My experience was that my GP (who in all other respects is lovely and fab and very efficient) didn't have the slightest idea which hospitals I was and was not "allowed" to give birth in and didn't know that self-referral was possible. When I told her what I'd done after transferring my care, she was gobsmacked that such a thing was possible.

As for DH's staying over - I think that if you are admitted to the postnatal ward, then DH does have to push off at some point, so he can't stay over night. I think the Birthing Centre is different because everyone is in their own room. On the postnatal ward, you are usually in a curtained off cubicle with a hell of a lot less space.
Another point about the Whittington - God forbid any of us should need it, but their neonatal care is superb.

I also self referred via email after I realised I didn't want to be at RF. Very easy and no point in doing it via GP. I am out of area so couldn't see the Whit community midwifes - so you either need to see your GP or actually go to hospital for appointments. I didn't transfer right until the end so just went to GP for last couple of appointments.

I'm 2.3 miles from the Whittington and 5.3 miles from the Homerton! And it's a much easier journey as well. Going to the Homerton from my flat is a real nightmare. The bus takes 55 minutes.

So I am sure I must be in the right area, I reckon it's just cos my GP surgery happens to have an antenatal clinic with Homerton midwives and so does 'shared care' ie. sometimes I see the GP and sometimes the midwives - I have had 2 GP appts and 2 midwife appts so far. It's all very convenient but going to the Homerton just isn't.

I don't want to make the GP or midwives feel criticised in any way because the antenatal care - what I've had of it ie. 4 ' well done Mrs Miffster, you are perfectly healthy' appointments - has been fine so far.

But I am worried about a home birth with a 5+ mile transfer if it becomes a medical emergency. ( I don't want to take 35 minutes to get to hospital if something goes wrong.That's assuming I stick with the home birth plan.)

And I am also very anxious about the horrible post natal ward/no DH/lack of BF support/rough and rude night staff/infection risk/generally traumatic likely experience at the Homerton, post-birth.

My DH is also anxious about a 5 mile (10 mile round trip) ambulance ride in a home birth emergency and he is gutted at the thought of watching his son arrive then getting sent home leaving us alone.

He supports a home birth but wants to be able to get to hospital fast if needed. If I have a hospital birth, he wants it to be as calm and positive as possible and he wants to be there and support me during and afterwards.

I am low risk despite being 39 and have a marvellous pregnancy so far, healthy as a horse.

Thanks to this thread I am going to visit Homerton with DH this Sat and see if I can transfer right away!

Hello,
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Jezabella reading your post made me feel relieved. I feel much better about my choice of Whittington hospital now.

I did the tour after I posted here and everything looked fine, however, postnatal wards did not look very good to me, so tight with all these curtains, screamed germs to me.
The birthing centere very nice. We are contemplating on water birth. The only thing, they said that the stay at the centere is 12 hour max, is that enough time? Even if the birth is normal?

All of the midwifes have been wonderful during the antenatal care so far :)

Thanks again!

Hi all!! It's great to hear all that in here! We have done the tour at Whittington last weekend, and quite frankly we are totally disappointed with the post natal ward!! With those tine rooms and those curtains!! Those of you who have been there, can you tell me a bit more about it?? Didn't have any issues AT ALL with the labour ward or the birth centre, and all the midwives have been GREAT with me!! I'm on my 31st week now and I'm all worried and considering go private, but it might be a bit late now... anyone with the same feelings and experiences?!?!

I know what you mean 1stboy - doesn't look good, does it? I had the misfortune of spending a night on the antenatal ward at 33 weeks (39+1 today with DC1 and counting!), which has the same crappy layout as the postnatal ward. The staff were fab and I felt looked after at all times. But the environment was just impossible - little privacy, not enough bathroom facilities (some of which were out of order), no peace and quiet, noise and lights left on at night. Nothing the staff can do about that - they've got their job to do and they need light and they need to be able to talk and I understand that. But it's still rubbish. I got 3 hours' worth of fitful dozing that night and was like a complete zombie the next day. God alone knows what it would be like after giving birth and with a new baby to look after. I'm hoping like hell to be discharged straight to home. Failing that I have asked for one of the "amenity rooms" - i.e. those small side rooms. Put it in your birth plan and make sure the MWs see it. You have to pay I think 100 quid a night. But obviously these are on a first come first served basis and are allocated according to need as well. Again, this is as it should be - but it's still rubbish. I've been really happy with the care at the Whittington, and the birthing centre looks amazing, but the prospect of inpatient care is really putting me off going to the Whittington if we have a DC2!

Babynelly - you're right, a 12 hour discharge may not be enough particularly with a first baby when you are trying to get feeding established.
All I can say is that post-natal wards across London are less than lovely. None of my friends has been thrilled with the post-natal ward. However, those who had easy births generally were not there for long and those of us who don't and who therefore have a longer stay often get our own rooms (after the first 12/24 hours anyway).

1stboy - to me it wouldn't be worth going private just because of the PN ward. The care you receive during the birth is the main thing. I was on the Whit PN ward for 4 days with my DD2 (planned VBAC in the birth centre which turned into emcs) and although I could complain about aspects of the care in fact it wasn't terrible and it is only a few days. To me the value of being near home so that my DH could get to see me easily and regularly outweighed any benefits of being elsewhere.

Whittington is insanitary,brusque staff,chaotic. I wouldn't put the dog in there.

I had dd1 at the whittington last December. I was due to go to the birthing centre but had to be induced (3 weeks over) so couldn't go.

Antenatal ward (where I was induced) was v busy/ massive lack of privacy etc.

I was moved down to a delivery room fairly quickly. This was standard - the loos were a fair walk though which was not great for DH disappearing or me waddling through after they broke my waters. My first midwife was great - the second when they changed shifts was appalling. Ended up in instrument delivery - the doctors/ anesthetist etc. were brilliant.

Post natal ward looked horrendous. I was given an amenity room (didn't pay just think I looked knackered). It was fine but you do miss out on chatting to midwives etc as they don't check the amenity rooms as often as the ward. Plus they lay out breakfast in a room at the other end of the ward. There is no way I could have made it with dd1 and stitches. I was lucky that DH could come every day but they are only allowed from 9 to 9. I was desparate to be discharged but as a bf hospital they like to keep you in until they are sure bf has been established. By day 3 I was so tired with the constant noise/ overheating etc I insisted on being discharged.

Midwoves on ward fine and lots of bf support. The neo natal care (thankfully didn't need) is exceptional.

In summary (sorry for length of the above)it is fine but I would fight for a) birth centre and b) private room.

MW were grumpy,insensitive,shoving breast into baby mouth.MW sat at nurses station bitching about new mums.The community midwife's were variable and unreliable.Wholly scary and insanitary dump.Next time, definitely Royal Free.

I had DD there 3 years ago. Labour ward was fine but by the time I arrived I was 5cm so went straight into a room.

It was the middle of summer so there weren't enough midwives. I ended up having a trainee and continuous monitoring flat on back because the supervising midwife had to deal with a problem birth next door. the main midwife was fine and did help me when I started yelling about trying other positions but the student was clueless and just kept telling me it hurt.

Anyway, DD delivered safely (by the anaethetist trying to do an epidural ) and I had my small cup of tea and one piece of toast and then was moved to the postnatal ward. There were about 15 other women on the ward. I was so desperate to get out that I said I could bf although actually it hurt a lot and didn't seem to be working.

I do think the MLU is better and the postnatal midwife visits were actually pretty good but that postnatal ward .

I had a baby at the Whittington recently. I was desperate for the MLU which is like a hotel. Of course nothing went to plan and I was on labour ward, instrumental, theatre etc etc. I had a very difficult time and without exception the staff were amazing.

As you will have gathered the PN ward is not that great - noisy, crap food but I think it's good to be realistic and prepared- postnatally nothing is very comfortable. Bring some food, get through the first night, go to the toilet and go home.

Just to reiterate, the staff were all so good and even if there was the occasional brusque MF I felt like I trusted them all. My PN care is with UCH and I have only had one midwife who inspired confidence ( I have seen 5). But that is not a reflection on the hospital but just that it's all about the staff.

As for the OP's fear of hearing other people's pain - I heard nothing and saw no one - until I was put in a room with another mum for a couple of hours (postnataly before being taken to the PN ward). And it was weird but we had a nice chat and I appreciated that it was something they had to do. And you will have as much privacy as you need during labour and after - until they feel you are ready.

On the "hearing other peoples' pain" point, I was in the MLU and then transferred and heard noone in either place. There was one poor unfortunate woman who was sitting up in bed reading calmly in the labour ward who was treated to the sight of half-naked me walking to theatre, wailing through contractions and totally out of it (she looked horrified) but then she had her door open! She was so calm that presumably she had had her baby by then anyway...

I have had both DDs at the Whittington, second DD was born there 3 weeks ago.

Was hoping for a VBAC but DD was 10 days late so had to go ahead with the booked elective section.

I can't fault the care we received both ante and post natally.

I was dreading staying in but the post natal ward has significantly improved since last time 3 years ago as it has moved wards from Murray to Cellier (T layout instead of one long ward). I was set on requesting a private room but was lucky and had a bay next to the wall so it was quite quiet but close enough to the MW station to get help if needed.

The midwives were really kind and helpful, even the night ones - the more friendly I was the more they responded and made a fuss of the baby, even cuddling her at 3 in the morning when I waddled off to the loo.

The food isn't great but what hospital is known for their food? However I now have a full on love for Bran Flakes which one of the staff brought for my breakfast (with just the right amount of sugar and milk).

It's worth bringing in some snacks to munch on plus the food area on the 1st floor sells lots of hot food plus some delicious muffins so DP can pick things up from there if you need it.

Bringing in some home comforts like a pillow, slippers, magazines and a cooling spray (to combat the heat of the ward) all help to make you feel more comfortable.

I agree with Haliborange, location and ease for DP to visit is a plus and it is only for a short time in the grand scheme of things plus you finally get to meet your new baby!

Hi

I know this is an old thread but I had pretty rubbish post c-section care at the Whittington 2.5 years ago and I'm dreading going back .

I'm tempted to elect for another c-section, just so I know what to expect and so I don't have to stay in for longer than I have to. Last time I laboured for over 48 hours, followed by ECS and one week stay due to feeding problems; out for 2 days, readmitted for another week due to infection in scar. Not upset about having to have a c-section delivery; rather, it was the attitude of some of the staff when I had to go back in due to the infection. Was put in the SBU and whenever I buzzed to get help with feeding DC (which I only did twice because I felt guilty) I was told that I was taking up time they needed to look after poorly babies .

I did go into labour while the labour ward was undergoing a refurb so I guess I'm hoping that someone out there can reassure me that things are a bit better now? Although posts from last year indicate that it's still a bit grubby looking and you're packed in like sardines?

On a slight tangent, Milfster (if you're still around?) you mentioned you were allowed to try for VBAC in the birthing centre. I've been told that, since I'm high risk due to previous c-section, and therefore consultant-led, it's against hospital policy to allow me to go in there. I think I might feel more positive about it all if I could at least start of there!?

Thanks!

Sorry, Miffster not Milfster!

Hi Creme. Gave birth to DD at the end of September last year. Started off in the lovely, gorgeous birthing centre and then transferred to the labour ward after the birthing pool, g&a didn't quite do the trick and I needed an epi . All the MWs I encountered in the birthing centre and on the labour ward were fab fab fab. I felt very supported and looked after (at some points I was feeling pretty terrified, so I really value how they helped me). The MWs in labour triage, where I was shunted before beign admitted to the birthing centre, were not that great, but they were OK. In terms of cleanliness and facilities - the birthign centre was amazing, labour ward less so. The room I was in had no toilet - becasue of the epi I had a catheter so it was neitehr here nor there, but if I had been more able to go to the loo on my own I owudl have had to walk down the corridor to the loo that serves the entire ward. And when I had my tour round there I remember that it was blocked and not that clean. I had a bit of a bleed after passing the placenta and was admitted to the post natal ward. This was hell. Again, the MWs were fine and no complaints there. But it's one of those old-fashioned Victorian wards with loads of beds packed in and just separated off from one another by curtains. No peace. No quiet. Lights on all night. Not enough loos/bathrooms and they were not clean. I mean it's inevitable - when you have that number of women who've just given birth using hte bathrooms, they are going to be pretty messy. There were a number of private rooms "amenity rooms" that on the tour we were told we could request for a payment of about 100 pounds. But when I was there, none were available. Obviusly they are given to women who have greater need, and CS should bump you further up the line of priority. But it's still not a given - my mate who had a section and an ill DS was 4 nights on the main ward before she got her side room. Good luck!