Most recommented Maternity Hospital/Units in Beds, Bucks & Herts

[MJBennett]

Hello,

I am 6 weeks pregnant with my first child and have been asked to consider which hospital I would like to go to give birth. The options were: Luton & Dunstable, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Stoke Mandeville.

As you can imagine, I don't have any clue and when I look at the reviews on the NHS websites they all come out with 3.5 out of 5, which is really not helpful.

I would ideally like to have a waterbirth so a well recommended hospital that have birthing pools would be perfect.

I would like to ask the ladies on Mumsnet what their thoughts are?

Thank you :0)

I had my 2nd baby at L&D by accident, live in Essex, was having lunch at a friend, waters broke.
I found them excellent, particularly the post natal care which is were so many hospitals seem to fall down. Don't know much about the other hospitals but thought I'd share my experience
Congratulations!!

That's s big geographical range! Which is closest? I had an ELCS at L&D and it was great. Looks so scruffy outside but the medical care was great. The SCBU is good too. Congrats!

I chose stoke mandeville . The midwifery led unit is on the same corridor as the consultant led care area. Both have big modern clean rooms all with ensuite bathrooms. If you are low risk you can choose a water bath if one is free (there are 2 i think) . If there is a problem during water birth you just move to the medical area so it is much safer than places with separate areas imo. I was low risk but 12 days over due so ended up with induction in the consultant led care area. The care for my delivery was first class i had a brilliant mid wife . However not all midwives were good there. The post natal ward is shocking - noone willing to help me breast feed, understaffed, left after c section with ds crying unable to reach him. So not all good. Still if you are having vaginal delivery and low risk a good option.

Absolutely the Edgeware Birthing Unit.

People come from NorthHampton to give birth there.

It's amazing.

They have an ensuite pool for every room and you retire after birth to a room with a double bed that your partner can share and you are shown how to cosleep safely with the baby if you want to.

L&D only has one birthing pool I think, and the aftercare when I had my DS there in 2010 was appalling. Having said that, I'm having DC2 there (imminently - am 40+1) so it can't be that bad! They have the benefit of an excellent SCBU should you need it and friends who've given birth there have had better experiences than me on the whole.

Really though I'd go for your closest if you have no automatic preference - there's some geography between those three so I'm surprised they're all options!