Winchester - IM/ doula?

[EggyAllenPoe]

my sister is due near xmas - they have advised against HB as she is taking heparin - but i note that winchester has a very high c/s rate...

1. doula/IM a good idea even if she plans to go to hospital?
2. any recommendations?
3. tell me not to panic.

I've had both my DD's at Winchester and they were fab... DD1 was a text book VB, all went very smoothly and had a lot of support afterwards in post natal (although have to admit it wasn't busy).

DD2 was a CS for breech, but again they were fantastic. They gave me the option of a VB, but I didn't feel comfortable going against the "advice". Again I had a lot of support afterwards in post natal.

Only negative comment would be that it took them 48 hours to suggest DD1 was tongue tied (although from reading mumsnet this seems common everywhere!!). The post natal care was never as good when it was manic, but again I believe this would be the same everywhere.

I know a lot of people who've given birth in Winchester... I only know one other who has had a CS...

Is it just the CS rate which is worrying you...? I assume your sister is also worried??

I have had both mine in winch, and yes both were CS but due to very valid reasons

DD - 2 weeks overdue, induction, all interventions possible, drip etc - never fully dialated - DD was back to back and head never descended (43 hr labour or something equally horrific - have blocked out the numbers!)

DS spontaneous labour, extemely long latent phase (about a week) mostly fab labour - waters broke spontaneously, monitoring was minimal and was able to stay active even though post CS they normally like constant monitoring... unfortunately ended in CS again due to similar issues... DS never descended, never fully dilated. Turns out I have dodgy shaped hips.

anyhoo - they were REALLY supportive, very pro vbac,

yes there were times when they were manically busy - but they still did all they could. I was in labour with DS during the mega snow in jan last year - there were staff there for days covering shifts for people who couldn't get in, they were sleeping in a closed ward and there was a real sense of family / comaradarie - the staff then particularly were amazing!

Oh and IF it does come to CS, both mine were great - the second one had some issues (had to be knocked out after DS was born) but the surgeons / anaesthetist were fab, all was calm, really happy

I highly rate the care there in case you can't tell

my sister has been TTC for several years and is not thinking about the birth in order to avoid 'jinxing' it.

to be honest i get worried about anythign to do with hospital, but also the fact that she would not be guaranteed one-on-on care bothers me, as my most concrete concern.

i did note that Winchester gets good reviews, but also i note their staffing rate is not as high as recommended, and a search revealed concerns (hard to nail down statistically) that they were too eager to go for a C/s before exhausting other options.

as i would be a gibbering wreck even thinking about being with her in a hospital i can't go, so i suppose i want her to have a knowledgeable person with her to look after her.

..so i am putting out feelers as to what to suggest, IYSWIM.

i am a concerned little sister. ultimately my big sister will always do what she wants (as is the way!)

I think you would struggle to find many maternity units with the recommended staffing levels tbh

oh and my DSIS had one at the princess ann - far bigger, higher staffed unit - was a nightmare.. the whole experience was awful basically! She since had one at winch and said it was like a revelation!

My experience with Winchester is that they were very busy. If anything they were slow to move to a c/s for me - although when it did come, they were excellent. I don't know where you found the information that their staffing rate is not as high as recommended, but I can well believe it. My labour was very long (3 days) and I consistently fell through the net as each new shift came on - the only person that had a handle on events was my husband. I would suggest that if your sister is considering a doula then she should do it. I found post-natal care very good, but your sister should do her best not to get stuck on the ante-natal ward. If given the choice - GO HOME and come back later!

I had both mine in Winchester, neither was CS and everything was fine, but 7 and 5 years ago so not the most up to date info. Does your sister live in Winchester itself? I'm about half an hour drive away up the A31 and there is an independent MW here that I know, if she might be interested and is in my direction you are welcome to PM me for details.

yy nora - i wasn't considering the Princess as an alternative, i was thinkign more

1. that she will probably do early-phase labour at home anyway - if she is like me this could result in delivering at home (by mistake in her case)

about what point did they want you to come in during spontaneous labour?

2. that as she will be taking medication up to birth, she needs someone there to constantly remind staff of this - someone they will listen to
3. she may only give birth once, i want it to be an ok experience for her.

it is reassuring that you found your c/s (s) to be a positive experience, and the post-natal support was good.

I wasn't expected to go in until I felt ready basically each time - the guide they say is not until 3 good contractions in 10 mins or not managing the pain... and that included second time around where I counted as 'high risk' because of the previous CS

The medication.... I would say her partner would be in charge of that, no ? But if she puts it in her birth plan and makes sure someone is aware when she arrives it should be ok

Like I said - my first birth went against absolutely everything I hoped for - and it was still a positive experience! Even down to them offering to put music on in the operating room
Second was in a whole nother league - I felt so amazingly supported and positive throughout, ALL of the staff were amazing... I don't know if that is because I was expecting it understaffed etc because of the snow or what? They actually recommended I came in before I was in extablished labour second time around as they didn't want me getting stuck at home (the blizzard was due that day) and they knew I had been in latent labour for days... I can clearly remember at least 4 members of staff from that labour which I will remember their care until the day I die - I can't remember their names (rubbish with names!) but there was the anaesthetist - Neil ... his NHS card had his job title down as 'supa nice guy' he's a trainer there too, he was amazing, kept me so relaxed even when the epi wasn't working and they needed to put me out, made me laugh, took pics of DS emerging for us - the lot! A fab midwife who was little, short hair, scottish - she was amazing... completely there for ME as well as baby... when she could see I was at the point of being frazzled (days in labour) she got me in the shower, washed me (!), got me changed, and got me a shot of pethedine and basically forced me to get an hour or two sleep - my god did I feel better after that... she rubbed my back when DH needed the loo, she was brilliant,
then there was a lovely young midwife, who had got stuck there in the snow, she was there when I was first admitted and then she was back when the scottish lady came off shift - she was so friendly and lovely, even though she hadn't been home. She was also in to help on the surgery and passed DS to DH after he was checked
Post natally - there was one particular midwife who was fab, she was so kind to me when I hit 2nd night hell... really patient, completely 'got' the hell of emotion / exhaustion that night can bring - and just a chat with her got me through the night... she even arranged me a cuppa -and basically advised me to sod the advice, to get through 2nd night just keep baby on me - I love her for that

Even though I always remember those 4, there was not one member of staff who was 'bad'!

The only things I would recommend is make it clear what she would like... IE in birth plan put - in case of CS I would like skin to skin asap (I was able to have it with both, they even paused the op second time so I could have some before they put me out and stitched me up)... I would like music, I would like DH to be able to 'cut' the cord etc etc
They are really really good at helping to make it a positive experience... promise!