Alexandra Birthing Centre is CLOSED! Should I choose Edgware or Lister or somewhere else?

[RightUpMyRue]

So The ABC is closed for a refurb, not due to open until the end of March. My EDD is the 3rd of April. This is my 2nd so I'm not overly keen on relying on the centre re-opening in time. I can still give birth on the labour ward but I really wanted a midwife led unit.

Do you have any experience of either The Lister or Edgeware? We live in St Albans so neither is a short journey but then Watford isn't either. I'm open to a homebirth but DP isn't so keen.

We're booked onto a refresher parenting class tomorrow at Watford which will include a tour of the labour ward and I'm going to try and book onto tours of both The Lister and Edgeware.

I'm 33+4. Would transfering care now be difficult?

I'm glad The ABC is getting a make-over but the timing is pants for me!

bump

Edgeware!

Amazing place!

I've given birth twice at Edgware. Absolutely brilliant experiences. The births were very different but i loved the way the staff treated me as an individual.

The facilities were excellent.

I am currently expecting my 6th baby so can't go back as the cut off is 5 but if i could, i would!

The Lister's new unit is absolutely amazing, I think there are three pools and every room has a bath even if you can't get a pool. It only opened about a year ago. Personally I didn't have the best experience there but then I was unfortunate enough to go when it had only been open a few weeks and there were still big teething problems with coping with all the women from the other hospital which had closed (I can't remember which one, it might have been Welwyn)? I've heard they've sorted it all out there. And the problems I had were on the ward before and after - the actual birth in the new unit was great and the staff there were wonderful.

I'm liking the sound of both of these more than the delivery ward at Watford that we went to see today. Rooms were a bit small and grim.

We're booked on tours for Edgware and Lister for the next two Sundays. Having spoken to both of them it seems I can continue my antenatal care here in St Albans with the community midwives but go and give birth where I like which doesn't sound bad at all.