Switching hospitals for my 2nd birth, or should I stick to what I know?

[AmeliaEarhart]

I had my antenatal care and gave birth at UCH the first time round in 2010, and my experience of both was very mixed. For example, during my antenatal care I never saw the same midwife twice and no one ever seemed to have time to look at my notes, which led to to things like me having to ask for my anti-D injection at my 24-week check-up as the midwife wasn't aware I needed one and didn't have any to hand. Also I was led to believe I could give birth in the MLU because no one had spotted the bit in my notes which mentioned me having fibroids until I actually arrived there in labour, then was turned away and sent downstairs to the labour ward. It was a difficult birth and a rocky few days following; the midwives and obstetrics team who delivered DS were fantastic. My experience of the post-natal ward was hideous, although the paediatricians and the nurses were lovely.

A family member is pregnant and is booked in at the Whittington (my other local option). She has been assigned one midwife, who she will see for all her appointments and who sounds very thorough (for example, her booking in appointment lasted for 30 minutes and a very detailed medical history was taken; mine lasted 5 minutes and I had to fill in my history myself sitting in the waiting room). Also all of the borough's community midwives are based at the Whittington, so she will have a continuity of care.

I'm wondering whether to go to the Whittington this time. Part of me wonders if it's 'better the devil I know' and I should stick with UCH because my experience wasn't THAT bad, but then it could have been better...

Does anyone have experience of both hospitals? Do people generally go back to the same place for subsequent pregnancies?

Sorry, should have mentioned that I'm 6 weeks pregnant, so this isn't a theoretical question! I need to make a decision fairly soon.

I had ds1 at st mary's and it was generally ok but when I conceived the next one I switched to uch because I was desperate to vbac and for my condition I knew uch would let you go to 40 weeks and st mary's was only 39 and I thought I'd have a better chance of vbac there. Unfortunately I had a mc and uch screwed both my booking in, mc and follow up so badly I was very nervous to go back. It then took me over 2 years to conceive again this time with dts and I decided to stay with st mary's as I was under their care already.

I found it much better than with ds partly because I think the post-natal ward had improved a lot and also because I was more sure of what I could get and asked accordingly. E.g. when informed in no uncertain terms that if I fully dilated I'd be delivering in theatre o knew to ask how many people could come with try and argue for 2 and decide btwn dh and my doula in advance so I felt more in control.

I don't know if this helps and the whittington may just be better but wherever you go I'm sure you'll be better able to handle it than last time.