Darent Valley Hospital

[MissRee]

Does anybody have any experience of this hospital? I've heard some very mixed reviews... my friend gave birth in a surgical recovery room last week as they had no room elsewhere!

When are you due? I'm due on Monday and am having him at DVH so will feedback then if you're not due for a while!

Due New Years Eve so a while yet! That's another concern... Potential lack of staff over the holiday period!

I'm sure there won't be a lack of staff. My mum was a midwife and if her shift fell on NYE/Christmas day, whenever, then tough- she still had to work. I'm sure it will be fine for both of us!

Hi Peaz, how's it going? Did you have your baby yet?

Hi I had my son there and couldn't fault the friendly helpful staff and hospital in general was clean etc. Had my own private room as week! Good luck!

I had DS at DVH last year, and found it to be excellent. I wanted to give birth in the midwife led unit, but had to be moved to the hospital for the birth. They moved me back to the midwife led unit afterwards though, and I couldn't fault them.

It is good to hear some positive stories, thank you for sharing! The sad thing is, I've only heard negatives from people I know... am hoping I'm one of the positives

I had DD#3 there in the midwife led unit and they were absolutely fantastic. Such a different experience to my previous two who were born elsewhere.

I am also leaning towards the MLU there... Altho am slightly concerned that at my antenatal class they mentioned that you can't go there if you have a bmi of more than 30. My pre-preg BMI was 30 spot on but at my booking appt (12 weeks), it was 31 Am going to double check and argue it tho as surely I could already have put on weight by 12 weeks which would have pushed my bmi up?

I had my two at Pembury but my friend had her two at DVH. The first was a C-section and the second a VBac. She spoke very highly of the service she received.

MLU sounds good. They tend to go on your booking BMI AFAIK

Er, so I had my baby at DVH on Thursday, 10 days late. I couldn't tell you what I thought of the MLU though, as I never quite made it there. My son was born at 5.35am in the foyer of the hospital, right outside WHSmith! I was holding him in my arms just as a team of midwives came running down the stairs!

Thankfully my mum is a retired midwife so she basically took over!

I can say that the after care was fab- I needed stitches and the MW was brilliant (had stitches at QM for my first and that was hell).

Good luck with your birth! Hope it goes as smoothly (but maybe not as eventful) as mine!

Oh blimey that does sound eventful Peaz! Congratulations - glad you are all doing well :)