Wirral Hospital NHS Trust Maternity Unit

[Katrina79]

Hi, has anyone used this hospital to give birth recently? I'm trying to decide where to give birth at the moment and Wirral gets a best performing rating, but it would be great to hear real experiences too. Thanks!

Is this Arrowe Park?

Hiya, I've had all four of my babies at Arrowe park. The new maternity unit was still being finished off when I had my last baby in 2010, I was the first mother to be to see the new MLU rooms before they were finished .

The MLU is really really nice, most of the rooms have birth pools, music systems to play your own music, comfortable couches and birthbeds and the usual birthballs etc. I only got to experience it for 2 hours in the end, got there and baby was delivered 7 mins later and I went home after 1.5 hours, so I didn't use any postnatal rooms (my choice, they said I could stay in if I wanted to have a rest). As long as the birth is straight forward and you and baby are well and you want to go home you can be discharged from 1-2 hours after the birth, although they encourage first time mums to stay in overnight to receive support.

I didn't see any of the new consultant led care rooms which are used for higher risk births or when the mum has an epidural.

All of the postnatal rooms are private, there is a postnatal ward but I think they are used for mums and babies who they need to keep a closer eye on. The rooms are pretty big, lovely beds/decor, etc and I was told that visiting hours are pretty much open if you are in one of the single rooms as your visitors can't disturb anyone (this may have changed but it was open visiting in May 2010). The atmosphere in the whole place is very very calm and peaceful and if you choose the MLU rather than consultant led care then you don't have to worry about doctors interfering unless absolutely necessary, the consultants are not allowed on the MLU, if an issue arises or mum wants an epidural they are moved to one of the normal delivery rooms which are just down the corridor.

Although the MLU was brill I will be using the One to one midwife service next time, if you haven't heard of it before... It's basically a private maternity service that is paid for by the NHS which provides women with thier own midwife (like an independant midwife) and she will usually only see her own midwife during the whole pregnancy, they provide at home antenatal care etc. Here's thier site www.onetoonemidwives.org.

I didn't even know there was a MLU around here! I'm due to have baby at Chester, but desperate for a water birth and they only have one at Chester :(

Yes, it is attached to Arrowe Park, I thought they had a few birthing pools at Wirral

Many thanks for that! I have heard it is brilliant. Do you pay for the private rooms?

Nope they are free, available to everyone, they got rid of the ward system mostly. Arrange to go have a look around before baby is due, I was really really worried when expecting no.4 as my third birth had gone pear shaped. I wasn't keen on another hospital birth (it was a planned hb but was transfered in for mec in waters) but was too scared to book another hb incase it failed again. So the midwives arranged for me to nip in (before it was opened to the public) and we got to have a look around, it wasn't finished when I first saw it but I was very reassured by what I saw and felt alot better about birthing there. I didn't notice much when I was there in labour as it all happened so fast and I had a fast discharge, but it was really peaceful and calm, the staff were lovely and relaxed. Gutted that I didn't get to try out the pool though, they didn't even get chance to turn the taps on, lol.

whenskiesaregrey Can you transfer yourself to Arrowepark? If it's one of your available hospitals then there shouldn't be a problem. Speak to your midwife and if they pull a face at the transfer, speak to the supervisor of midwives.

I had ds there in jan 2011, was hoping for a waterbirth, but he was having decels, so I ended up with a cascade of intervention, and eventually an emcs. The experience, though, was still wonderful, and I can't fault them (apart from getting discharged!). I'll be back there for dc2, if all goes well, next January!

I gave birth at Arrowe Park in October, and I'm also a medical student there. All the staff are lovely, the MLU is great and has 3 or 4 pool rooms- I didn't get to try one though as I was 10cm when I arrived! I went a few times for monitoring too, and they were always brilliant even when really busy.
Definitely go with One to One midwives if you can- I just missed out but it's such a great service.
The postnatal ward is wonderful- if you've been to theatre you have to spend 6 hours on a bay by the nurses' station so they can keep an eye on you, but then you're moved to a private room. ALL the rooms are private, and really big with en suites. I was dreading having to stay (had stitches in theatre in the end) but actually it was fine and I felt very well looked after, and DH got to go home and get a good nights sleep. Partners are actually allowed to stay, but there's no beds for them, he'd have had to sleep in a chair.

I had dd1 at arrowe park in August 2009 in the midst of all the building work and had a very positive experience on the mlu and even being on a ward after was fine. Due dd2 in June and actually can't wait to make the most of the all improved facilities. Am hoping for a water birth and a nice overnight stay! Can't fault the care I've had there so far.

It all sounds amazing, especially the one to one midwife service throughout the pregancy. I'm based in London but from Wirral originally. Wish there was that service here on the NHS. Even the post natal ward sounds very good.