Anyone given birth at Colchester or Chelmsford hospitals?( esp. ELCS))

[Helzapoppin]

Hello,

I've just moved to a village in Essex and have been asked to choose between Colchester and Chelmsford hospitals for the birth of our second child (due August).

DD1 was born by crash section at the Royal London and I am requesting an elective caesarean section this time round.

Has anyone had experience of the care in either of these hospitals, especially in terms caesareans? What about requesting an ELCS? I know that some hospitals can be reluctant to agree to an ELCS and I don't have the energy for a battle for the birth I want. Can anyone suggest a lovely consultant I can request?

Thanks :)

Mr Sanderson in Colchester is lovely, I don't have any experience of elcs but he's a very modern forward thinking man.

Colchester has a much newer maternity unit than Chelmsford, the paediatric doctors are excellent too.

I haven't had a c-section, but all 3 of my dc were born in Colchester. As will dc4 when he comes (tonight hopefully, I've had enough of being pg!). I do know that some of my friends that have had c-sections in Colhester have been, erm, very vocal that they didn't necessarily get the 'aftercare' that they felt they needed afterwards in Colchester. My Experiences with vaginal births in Colchester are that the delivery suites are nice, but that there were some problems with cleanliness on the postnatal ward, but that was 7yrs ago. MW's were very helpful to me, but it took hours for a peadiatrician to come and do the final check so that we could be discharged. Was a long time ago, though. Having said all that, with DP not being able to drive, and only living a 12 minute walk from the General, it stands to reason that my DC4 will be born there.

Just to clarify that the maternity unit at Chelmsford is much newer than Colchester - it moved to a purpose built unit at Broomfield Hospital mid November 2009. The Colchester maternity hospital opened around 1997-8 if my memory serves me well!

The facilities at Broomfield are lovely but the postnatal ward can be very busy. VBAC is favoured and midwife clinics are provided to discuss options but I dont think there will be a problem with your request, particulary if you book under the care of Mr Partington.

Meant November 2010 - it is very very new!

I stand corrected, I'm glad Chelmsford has a new unit, the old one was very tired.

Yes, Alouiseg, it was much needed and a great improvement.

Thanks for your thoughts ladies. I'm meeting my GP this afternoon to discuss this and it's useful to have some thoughts to go in with.

My last birth (planned HB with an independent midwife) ended in a crash section before I was even in established labour in the Victorian buildings (and squalour) of the Royal London at Whitechapel. TBH, I suspect both places will be infinately better options than that!

Good luck :)

I know the Mat unit in Colchester was open in March 1998, as that's when my DD was born there. Think it had been open for about 6-8 months by that point?

I had my DD by ELCS at Colchester in March 2009, and they were excellent, couldn't fault them.

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm booked into Colchester with GP stating my request for ELCS. She at first mentioned that there was no reason that the problem with my first borth should recur and so she would advocate a trial of scar but gave in pretty easily as I dramatically recounted the last birth! So finger crossed they'll be nice at Colchester and it will all go okay.

Thanks again :)

They'll be fine I'm sure. I was adamant about having an ELCS there and they were pretty relaxed about it tbh, I got my own way quite easily!

Hello I had a c section in Colchester, I was young and first time mum and was at high risk so they had to watch me closer, I then found out my baby was breech, and I had a planned c section.... During the night I called the bell to have my baby picked up for me so I could feed her, as I was told to do (incase my stiches popped open) to my disgusted a midwife came in and started shouting at me telling me I was being lazy and to do it myself... In the morning the midwife came up to me and z sorry, I didn't check ur papers and that she didn't no I had a c section... Later on my stiches were checked and bcoz of her being lazy, rude and dreadful midwife I had infect pulled my stiches!! And had to have them redone..I then discharged myself that morning, I felt so awful and discgusted with how unprofessional she was!!! Worse nite of my life (should have been one of the happiest)