Advice needed on hospitals in Hertfordshire please?

[no2ontheway]

Hello mums and mums-to-be in Hertfordshire - I need your help please!
I've recently moved to Ware and have been given the choice of Harlow, Lister (Stevenage) or Welwyn hospitals for the midwife care/birth.

Keen to seek advice from anyone who has experienced birth at any of these hospitals.
My first birth was traumatic, so my key criteria are:

• fathers allowed to stay over night
• nice staff/midwives
• willing to give epidurals (as in, when you ask, not waiting another 10 hours to 'see how you're getting on')

Thank you!

hi there! congratulations you're nearly there!

i was under the impression that the maternity unit at QEII has now closed ?
someone correct me.

i have experience of QEII in welwyn garden city. The care was very good, midwives lovely and efficient, and allow epidural, pethidine, and tens machine etc BUT i think you find that most hospitals dont give epidurals at the drop of a hat. First baby, i got epidural as soon as i asked, second baby midwife tortured encouraged me to do it all 'naturally' as i was nearly 'there'and i was in agony for hrs (luckily there was change over at midnight, and new midwife gave me epidural straighaway) so it all boils down in the end to the actual midwife.

i cant answer your question about dad'S staying overnight as i didnt require dh to do this.

Harlow i know has a brilliant birthing unit (i think they have a new fancy water bath or sumfin) it was all refurbushed a couple of years ago and everyone raves about it. havent used it before but havent heard any complaints.

The Lister i would assume has every facility put together but not sure what the whole 'experience' is like. Lots of services have been moved from QEII to the Lister, its supposed to be the main hospital now for that whole area, so its got all the key consultants, equipment etc should anything go wrong, but its not pretty and parking is bloody awful, unless they've finished their gigantic multistorey they've been building.

Good luck!

Harlow has a very good reputation. Are you also in the catchment for The Rosie at Addenbrookes?

Thanks for the quick replies - so it sounds like all of them are fairly good, or at least no one speaking negatively so far.
I don't think I would be catchment for Addenbrooks, anyone know how I confirm? I have a friend who has had all 3 of hers there and loves it. But hy Health Advisor only mentioned those 3...

Had DS at Lister just over 2 years ago (EMCS for undiagnosed breech) and they were all lovely. Due DC2 in next week or so, went for tour of both new Midwife Led unit and Consultant Led Unit and they look amazing. Most of the midwives from QE2 are at Lister now (so I hear)
I recommend going on a tour as the midwife was happy to answer a lot of questions (the MLU has these huge recliner chairs that your DH can sleep on and all rooms are en-suite)
Oh and parking much better now

Thanks LadyKatieJ - how do I go about booking a tour? And what's MLU?

I had DD at the Lister 5 months ago. The new MLU (midwife lead unit) and CLU (consultant led unit) delivery suites are AMAZING, the mw's and consultants were just lovely, I had an emcs and DD was in SCBU for 5 days and everyone was so helpful and calm and professional it was as 'good' an experience as that could be.

However, on the downside the pre and post-natal wards are old, tired, full and understaffed. I mean, they're OK but a real let down compared to the brand new unit. I know a few mums who, like me, struggled and had some poor care during their stay on the ward (not that I've heard of anything serious).

If you look as though you are going to have a pretty straightforward birth - as much as anyone knows that - then actually giving birth at the Lister seems to have been a good experience for everyone I know. Its just little bits of the other care that let them down. But they could be getting better at that now, I think maybe it was just a huge transition closing the QEII and getting everyone dealt with at the Lister.

Call the main hospital number and ask to be put through to the Midwife Led Unit (MLU) and they will tell you what days/times the tours are (quite frequent as I remember so you should get one that suits) You 'book' yourself on one so they don't have 100 people showing up at once!

If you are keen on being able to have an epidural on request the MLUs are not for you, as I think they only support G&A. A MLU is much more likely to allow your DH to stay overnight though.

I'm in Ware and planning to go to the MLU in Harlow. From what I've heard both Harlow and Lister have similar issues. Both have lovely new delivery suits, but the hospital wards aren't so nice and shiney.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. Sounds like both are like for like so giving that journey time is double to get to Stevenage I am probably going to hedge my bets on Harlow. But will my baby hate me for making them an Essex boy or girl??
My HA has said I can change at any time so if after going for initial scans etc I am not impressed then I might change my mind... Also thinking that due date is in deepest winter, the shorter journey might be quite welcome if things are icey/snowy!

Hello, I had DD in Harlow 15 weeks ago and couldn't fault the care I received and will go there again if we have another. Got my epidural as soon as I asked for it, the birth ended in EMCS - all staff involved were great... Was in labour for 24hrs so met quite a few midwives, all absolutely lovely. Post-natal care was very good too - the ward is divided up in to units with 4 beds in each so privacy was quite good. Visiting hours are very limited which I also liked as I didn't want hordes of people traipsing around all day while I was trying to get BF established. DHs are allowed on post natal ward from 10am - 8.30pm.

Thank you everyone for replies - without wanting to be a weirdo, if anyone is also expecting their second (or more!) or knows someone to put me in touch with, let me know? Being new to the area it would be good to get to know some local mums, but I am reluctant to do NCT as, knowing how much I got out of my old group as a new mum, I feel it will change the dynamic being the only mum of a group with an older child too... and the only refresher course advertised on NCT in my area is too far to make it worth while... Thanks!