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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

UCH or Royal Free?

18 replies

Sillyoldme · 12/01/2011 15:57

Hello! I would love to hear from anyone who has recent experience of either UCH or Royal Free - I have heard some pretty dire things about RF and although the location is much better for me, if necessary I would go to UCH (I assume I get a choice??). Many thanks in advance

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Firawla · 12/01/2011 16:18

you should get a choice ive had 2 at uch and my nearest is whittington, i was allowed a choice of royal free, uch and whittington

i found them brilliant really, couldn't complain. the postnatal is perhaps a bit lacking in some ways but then i think thats the case with all the hospitals and some of the staff on postnatal ward were very lovely and so helpful. with my 1st i was in quite a while because we both got ill after the birth and some of the midwives were really nice and so helpful, especially night staff actually, but was in a special ward not the normal postnatal one. when i was in the actual postnatal they weren't that helpful, eg breastfeeding advice etc some midwives can be a bit rude to you. but during the labour they were all v v good. got room straight away, midwifes always there never left on your own, no delays getting pain relief if required etc
i have had both a quite medicalised and a v normal birth there and both were with really good staff. so wouldnt hestitate to recommend them really, im sure you would be fine with them

however i am going to whittington with this one cos its too far to travel dont want to end up giving birth in the car, and have also heard good things of whittington esp with the new birth centre

one of my friends had in royal free though and i think she was happy with it so apparently they are not too bad

Original poster

Sillyoldme · 12/01/2011 20:01

Thanks v much anyone had any positive experiences at the royal free?

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dikkertjedap · 12/01/2011 20:43

My experience was 2006 at UCH: truly truly awful. Doctors, midwives and nurses not on speaking terms with each other and busy squabbling rather than looking after me and unborn dd. Postnatal ward was filthy with bloodclots in shower and staff behaving in spiteful way, no help breastfeeding. Dd then needed to go to special newborn ward (forgotten what they called it) where nurses could not care less if they hurt her: this baby is not bleeding for me (needed to take bloods to check if jaundice was improving). Also, they didn't have enough machines for jaundice treatment (she had bad jaundice as they had initially not noticed it) and when they finally had one of those machines they forgot to switch it on, dh went to tell them and they laughed in his face saying of course what did he think, of course it was switched on - it wasn't, dh collared a doctor who sorted it out. It was hell on earth and has scarred me for life, I am not joking. It was a combination of disrespect, real nastiness and simple carelessness. One baby died while we were there in pool at midwife unit because they hadn't noticed in time that baby was in distress, by time they were out of the pool and mom had emergency section was too late for baby (overheard it from paed treating dd who came back in our room in tears and shaking as she was so so upset as she said it had been totally preventable). Hell on earth.

TwinkleToes76 · 13/01/2011 10:38

My first was a home birth using UCH midwives and couldn't fault them really. I'm now pregnant with my second and am using them again - they have a brand new maternity unit and birth centre and seem a bit more efficient than last time. I am also between RF and UCH with RF being a bit closer but I never really liked the feel of it. I know a few people who've given birth there in the past few years, but all were emergency CS and don't have great things to say about it! They do have some nice community midwives there though.

Highlandgirl · 13/01/2011 12:01

UCH....it's all brand new and shiny..I started off there, but sadly we have moved. Gutted

Had bloods done and had the results within 40 mins...very impressed.

I saw the same 2 midwives (maybe I was lucky) and they were lovely and very helpful.

sundayb3st · 13/01/2011 17:46

Hi I am at UCLH at the moment (31 weeks pregnant) and I've been very happy so far. The midwifes are nice and the hospital is new and clean. When I had my 20 week scan there was something I didn't understand in the report so I called them and they invited me for another scan to reassure me. And when I was deciding whether to have a flu jab I called the community midwife and she had a really long chat with me about it and explained everything and was in no rush to get me off the phone. I?m planning to give birth in the birth centre and hopefully use the pool and even though I haven?t seen the centre yet I hear it?s really nice and only a floor above the maternity ward in case there is problem.
I have a couple of friends who gave birth at UCLH and both were happy (one was a c section, one a water birth) and also a couple of friends who had their baby at RF and they were happy too.
Hope you chose the right one for you and your baby.

susiey · 13/01/2011 20:49

I have had all my 3 babies at uclh.
Each time antenatal care has been amazing long waiting times but thats fine ( I have complicated pregnancies health wise and they always give me the time I need)
postnatal care has imoproved each time but is still not as good as it could be.I think this is the same across all hospitals though

new hospital has great facilities compared to old building and labour ward was lovely with a private bathroom on each room - can't comment on birth centre as wasn't allowed in!
postnatal ward toilets and bathrooms were all lovely and clean, midwives friendly witnessed chief midwife giving breast feeding help to a firsttime Mum in a really gentle and caring way. I didn't need help as the baby was feeding and she was my third

saying that my friend had a great experience at royal free!

carolondon · 13/01/2011 20:50

I gave birth in July at UCH and was very impressed with the care i recieved during and after labour. I will definitely be returning if i have another even though we have moved and it is a bit further away.

Original poster

Sillyoldme · 13/01/2011 20:59

Thanks so much for responses. The new uch sounds great. The reason that I'm torn is that royal free is literally 5 mins walk away from me, and whilst uch would only be 20/30'mins away from me I have already done sitting on westmister bridge in rush hour traffic on way to St thomas' (first dc) and was horrid!(especially as people on bus in bus lane pointing and staring at the screaming banshee!)

So - any positive rf stories?

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dbg1 · 14/01/2011 12:04

Although it's not popped out yet the midwives at the RF have been absolutely fantastic so far. Plenty of encouragement and advice for natural childbirth (hoping for a waterbirth). We have met a few of the consultants and all have appeared lovely so far.

The nurses we have met for various bloods and injections have also been excellent (hilarious!).

The classes have also been excellent. Appear to be a lot more thorough and relaxed than any my friends have had at other hospitals.

I'll let you know after the birth, which I appreciate is when it all really matters, but so far my experience has been excellent.

HandMini · 16/01/2011 13:36

I am going to UCH and would agree with the above that waiting times are long, but once you actually get there, midwives, sonographers and doctors seem reassuring and switched on. I have also heard good things about the level of senior care available if needed overnight/weekends (which I understand can be an issue at other hospitals although I don't know anything about RF or Whittington so can't comment on them).

Firawla · 16/01/2011 19:08

I would agree that about the overnight thing at uch, my first was born @ 3am, had plenty of doctors there (seemed to be loads as was quite medicalised dunno how many exactly tho bit of a blur) and ds had to go to neonatal straight away at 3am, wasnt any problem being night time, didnt seem to have any delays everything done asap and to a good standard
although dont know either how others compare at night but definitely didnt seem to be a problem with nightimes at uch

moosky · 17/01/2011 10:44

Had my second at RF (2008)
Antenatal care was dreadfulWaiting woom was always packed and they were always running very late and weren't very pleasant.
My BP was often raised but I always put this down to the stress of them running late and getting a parking ticket!!! It was never a medical concern.
Labour ward was okay as was postnatal ward. Postnatal was very busy but the nurses and midwives were very friendly and happy to help (in complete contrast to the vile staff I encountered at Barnet with DD).
Postnatal ward was constantly being cleaned but i still made sure that DH disinfected the toilet and shower before I used them!!

My advice for a second child is to think about the journey you have to make. I had a very quick labour with DS and had the journey been any longer, I would have probably delivered in the car!

Original poster

Sillyoldme · 17/01/2011 13:33

Thanks so much for all the responses. I have decided to go for the Royal Free - I am hopeful that Ill have a quick labour this time(wishful thinking eh!). If the antenatal care is dire I will switch to UCH (Ill let you know ...!) Thanks all :)

OP posts:

dbg1 · 18/01/2011 16:07

Hi Sillyoldme,

We came back from the RF yesterday. Nothing went as planned - got there too late for the Birthing Pool, did not want to stay overnight, etc, etc.

We did stay overnight, did not get to the Birthing Centre (labour ward in the end). The staff were absolutey fantastic - one lady in triage talked me down and my mw was amazing. Night on the ward was not excellent - I just wanted to be at home. The NHS toast is the best toast you'll ever get and both partner and I had two great cups of tea and plenty of help and care showering, etc.

At the end of the day it's an NHS hospital in London - as long as you have reasonable expectations, nothing to worry about. I would recommend it.

My tip to you is bring at least £30 in pound coins for the carpark!

FYI - had to go back 12 hours later to A&E with baby. Wonderful in there as well.

Good luck.

Firawla · 18/01/2011 19:21

congrats dbg1 on your new baby!!

babyxmas2011 · 13/05/2011 21:30

hello. I live in Hendon and my GP tells me that if I choose UCH, I won't get assigned a midwife, and my care will be through the GP. Is this your experience?? I've heard so many negative reviews about Royal Free (which apparently does have its own midwives) that I'm worried about choosing that.

Firawla · 14/05/2011 23:48

yes thats true if its not your nearest hosp then its shared care with a lot of the routine apts with your gp, as community midwifes from there wouldnt cover your area? (or maybe if uch dont have any community midwife at all but i would have thought they do for people in the immediate area?) i had gp apts with mine when i was @ uch, it was fine though. if you live far out then it will be more convenient to have those apts locally anyway, as the travelling would be much longer than the apts themselves..
unless your on consultant care then they would prob make all your apt in the hospital as you will have to go in and see the dr?

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