Leicester Royal Infirmary

[RachH]

Does anyone have any experience (both good and bad) of the LRI? Anything that you didn't expect and were pleased/disappointed about in terms of the care or facilities?

I had my little boy at the LRI 3 years ago and am going back there in about 5 weeks to have no. 2. It was brilliant on the delivery suite - got plenty of attention from the midwife. It is a bit harder to get time with the midwives on the ward you go to after having the baby though - but they do come if you pester them enough. Overall, I felt well cared for, and it is a large hospital, so has the facilities i would expect. When are you due?

I am pretty sure that that is the Hospital 2 of my friends gave Birth withe their lil ones...shall ask them if it was and how they rate it!

I had both my two there. Had dd in 2002. She was back to back and after a failed ventouse they did a c-section. I was pretty happy with the way things went overall. Getting in was the difficult part - triage seemed to want me to stay at home for as long as possible so I ended up being rushed in at 9cm. I guess I should have been more forceful with them but, hey, I hadn't done it before! and they just kept stressing they would send me home again if I wasn't ready.

I stayed in for a few days afterwards on a ward of 6 and found the midwifes really helpful with breastfeeding etc. I couldn't really fault them.

So to ds ....(you did say you wanted good as well as bad experiences didn't you !) I had a VBAC with ds last year. I didn't hang about this time and went in when contractions were about 5 or 6 mins apart as instructed by my midwife. It was a bank holiday and there didn't seem to be many staff about, though, by the same token, I don't think there was many in labour either. I was about 2cm when I arrived and they suggested dh might like to go home as it could be a while - luckily he didn't because within the hour I was feeling the urge to push! ds was positioned really awkwardly though and I was struggling. He was delivered with a ventouse and episiotomy. I was stitched up by a doctor. To cut a long story short he left a large swab inside which only emerged 3 weeks later. I couldn't work out why I was feeling so crap! On reflection I wonder whether he didn't even anaesthetise (sp) the area either because it was agonising when he stitched me. I also stayed in for a few days this time as I had a temperature (mmm...could that have been due to the 3inch swab inside me perhaps?) but wasn't so impressed by the care. At one stage they brought me a fan and a midwife told me off for not sitting directly in front of it. She said if my temperature didn't come down I wouldn't be allowed home but, even at the time, I thought perhaps they should have been concentrating on finding the source of my high temp not artificially lowering it so they could get rid of me! I had a room to myself, which was nice in a way, but also meant there wasn't as many midwives to help out.

So all in all not a good experience. It took me over 6 months to feel normal again. I saw a lovely consultant afterwards though who was of the opinion that my stitches had not knitted together properly possibly due to an infection which makes sense, I guess.

I didn't expect the care I got in the NHS to be brilliant tbh. I expected a bit of a production line which I suppose is what I got. I think if I had gone in thinking I was going to have some wonderful birth experience I'd have been very disappointed.

I don't know whether or not I will have another baby but, from a practical point of view, I think I'd have to go to the LRI again. I just don't see what choice I have other than mainstream NHS care. But I'll cross that bridge when, and if, I come to it.

Oh and the food is pretty rank but you probably guessed that

I'm due on the 21st November. I've heard mixed reports about the LRI, but that seems to be the case with most hospitals, so I guess it's the luck of the draw. Thanks for the feedback.

RachH

Just to add that I have just spent 3 nights in LRI - one on delivery suite and 2 on the maternity ward (bleeding at 36 weeks). All the new mums were happy with their birth experiences and all were happy with the support from the staff afterwards with breast feeding etc.

Had my dd in the general rather than LRI as it was closer. (june this year) Have actually moved from Leicester now but my friend had hers at the LRI and seemed to be fine if you cound induced labour as fine! One peice of advice. They were v keen to kick me out after 24hrs. DON'T DO IT! I refused to go and stayed another night. Best decision as DD had all her tests at the hosp. Friend left after 12 hours or so and had to keep carting lo to the docs which was miles more stressful than staying anotehr night.

DTDs - I was on a ward for 2 days before I had them. To cut a long story short MW was telling me for 5hrs that I wasn't in labour - then they decided that I was 9cm dilated. After that they were pretty good. Let DP stay for a week as DTDs were in intensive care etc.

I had DD3 in the Kensington Birth centre, which i bascially the active birth centre at the LRI. It is located just though the doors of the main delivery suite so if anything goes wrong (or you get desperate for an epidural or something) they can move you straight away. I had a FAB experience. The MWs are much more positive & seem to have more time for you & help you to get the birth you want rather than a birth which fits around the other 30 (or whatever!!) mums that are in labour on the main delivery suite.

I would definately recommend the Kensington centre if you are thinking about have a non-epidural birth. I think the atmosphere & attitude of the MWs makes the whole experience more positive & easier. They only take women that have an uncomplicated pregnancy. They do a antenatal session at about 37wks as well to help you get the best from the experience. If you are interested in this I will try & find their number for you.

Thanks for the additional comments. I feel reassured by them. If you have that number for the antenatal class at 37 weeks, that would be great.

Hi,

I have had a look for the number, but can't find it. I had it on a post-it which I think must be on my notes which were kept by the hospital. I could tell you it from memmory but I wouldn't be confident that it is correct.

If you ask your community midwife she may have the number &/or more information (as long as she is more competent than mine!!!). If not ring maternity reception (not delivery suite) and ask them if they can give you the details. Thats where I got the number from. You will need to book the antenatal at about 28-32 weeks as I think they get booked up quite far in advance.

As I said they only take uncomplicated cases (so no high BP, VBACs or anything like that) but they were wonderful. The antenatal session is aimed at those wanting to use the birth centre & they do hire TENs and stuff if you are interested in that.

One of the best things that I didn't mention about the birth centre is that you will have your whole experience in the same room - so you can make yourself 'comfy'. They don't shuffle you around depending on which stage of labour you are in. You are assessed in the room that you will (hopefully) give birth in, unless you use the pool. Oh and they have proper TVs in the rooms which DP/DH may be interested in. Mine sat watching snooker for the first couple of hours .

A final note if you want to speed things up - ask for the birthing stool. Not comfy for long periods - but definately helps baby to descend - highly recommended!!!