Whipps Cross vs Homerton, London hospitals

[Shruggy]

Hi all,
I'm new here and just found out last week I'm around 5 weeks pregnant (first baby). Seeing my doctor again on Tuesday for my booking in appointment and am confused about which hospital in my area to go for.
Whipps Cross and Homerton both seem to have pros and cons.
Does anyone have any experiences to share? Good or bad would be massively appreciated.
Thanks x

[legallyblond]

Shruggy I would have been a different side of Whipps geographically I suspect (Woodford) but I chose Harlow over Whipps and had a totally brilliant experience there. It's a quick nip up the M11, so maybe worth thinking about if, after visiting Whipps, you're not happy.

[creamoftomato]

hello, this is my first posting on mumsnet so i hope its ok to just add something to this thread even though its on page 3 of the talk here now!
i live in walthamstow, im 6 wks pregnant with my first baby and ive been trying this week to self-refer to the homerton (bc i cant get a gp appointment for another fortnight). we're technically in the whipps x catchment area i think but we live closer to the homerton and its much easier to get there. plus everyone ive spoken to says whipps is a nightmare so im very keen to avoid having to go there if at all possible.
i spoke to a midwife at the homerton today on their advice/help line and she warned me that they were unlikely to accept my self referral because i dont live in hackney - im still waiting for a final decision but im just wondering if there is anything else i could do...? if they say no i'll try to visit whipps x, but if i arrive and find it dirty and smelly like the previous poster noted i think i'll just really panic. any advice...?

[Shruggy]

Hi creamoftomato,

Welcome to the chat.
I had my booking in appointment with Whipps on Monday and the midwife was lovely. She was really well informed and gave me loads of paperwork and talked me through upcoming scans etc and what to expect. I wasn't in the main hospital as their units are purpose built blocks outside but it was clean and I have no complaints.
Hope they helps alleviate some of your fears. I'm yet to do a tour of the maternity ward but I had a scare a few weeks ago and had checks in gynaecology Rowan Ward. Again, it was clean and everyone was very efficient and kind. Fingers crossed the rest of the experience will be a good one for both of us if you end up there too.

[creamoftomato]

hi shruggy, thanks so much for this, it's really reassuring. the homerton rang me late fri afternoon to say I couldn't come there because they are so oversubscribed so i rang whipps to book a tour - they are full until mid September (!) so were going then. Maybe after the gp appt though I'll have an appt at whipps before this. Thanks so so much again for replying, it's just so so kind of you and I really appreciate it.

[Shruggy]

Hi again creamoftomato,

You're welcome. It's a scary time for us all so being able to hear from other mums to be is so important. I hope you get a tour arranged soon. I'm going for my 12 week scan on Tuesday so will ask then when I will be able to have a look around the actual ward and birthing pools.
I wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy x

[rubberband]

I delivered DD at Homerton and had mixed care. Triage midwives were brusque, patronising to me as a first timer and pressured me into having pethidine which I was not keen on and which did not help AT ALL; I was also sent home (20 mins away) for a warm bath at 3cm with contractions coming every minute (!) and returned to hospital by ambulance an hour later at 7cm. I was also told by the same MW that my waters had broken when they hadn't.

However... Once I was admitted to the delivery suite my care was brilliant; knowledgeable and attentive MWs, consultants were great; the whole team put up with me pooing everywhere . It was Christmas day and so they also waived their 2 birth partners only rule and allowed the in laws into my room straight after the birth. And at the end of it all DH and I were allowed to sleep in one of the birth centre rooms with double bed rather than being moved straight to postnatal ward.

Apparently they do a mean Christmas dinner in the canteen too (seasonally dependent) - DH are three in front of me whilst I couldn't eat a thing due to epidural

Hope that helps! And congratulations Shruggy