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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Hospitals for birth in london

20 replies

failingmammalian · 21/10/2014 20:43

Hello ... Hoping for some collective mumsnet wisdom....am expecting no2 and have just moved to london. Dd1 was born abroad with the most amazing doc (lots of emphasis on natural but also pain relief when needed and cleverly administered) so basically I have been spoilt rotten. Am now slightly anxious about my options in london, partic since I was chatting to the nurses at the a&e of my local hospital the other day who basically said the mat Wing wasn't v good . I've heard real horrors about whipps cross from others too . So where should I go? Have heard good things about UCH (and meanwhile I'm just hoping there is as much choice about which hopper as I've been led to believe. ) thanks!
(((Last birth involved a dislocated coccyx as mine is apparently freakishly inpointing and forceps due to cord getting tangled but bcs I had a (late) epidural it really wasn't that bad at all and I came away feeling id got off lightly -- no stitches for example. I only mention that as I can expect a bit of intervention this time and I think an episiotomy would kill me!) help ! Thanks

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Original poster

failingmammalian · 21/10/2014 20:43

Yikes that was long

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Solasum · 21/10/2014 20:47

I am not sure how easy it is to choose any hospital? I was encouraged to choose between two localism ones.

Chelsea and Westminster was great for me pre and during labour, and has a still almost brand new midwife led bit. The postnatal ward was not ideal, though.

bloodyteenagers · 21/10/2014 21:04

You really want to attempt getting to an hospital that's at least 40 minutes away? What if you need to be there very quick?

crochetcircle · 21/10/2014 21:05

I have given birth at UCLH twice and would recommend it. I was given a choice of four hospitals for this pregnancy and chose UCLH again.

JoJoCK · 21/10/2014 21:19

I gave birth at Whipps Cross in Feb 2013 and had a good experience. I think my expectations were realistic, I did a tour of the maternity unit which was helpful in terms of visualising what it was like to be there. I would add that it was busy and staffing seemed tight and I think that is similar in all London maternity units. The midwives didn't have time to chat but I was happy with the care and aftercare.

fishfingerSarnies · 21/10/2014 21:24

You want one that's easy to get to. Preferably with parking (good luck with that) I had dd a st Marys Paddington, thought it was busy and very impersonal no one had time to speak to you and my post c-section care was poor, I wasn't told what I could and couldn't do etc.
How ever having dc2 there in march because it's close and I know now not to expect too much, better the devil you know sort of thing.

WhatWouldCaitlinDo · 21/10/2014 21:29

I'm not sure how much of a choice you get; we had a choice of 3 - Tommies, Tooting and Chelsea & Westminster. Most people only get a choice of two.

TexanKenDoll · 21/10/2014 21:50

Mark Johnson at the Kensington Wing, C+W. He is amazing, I cannot say enough about him. He's also a bit of a secret as no one will recommend him for fear of letting the cat out of the bag! I have recommended him to everyone I know and he is a proper 'scientist' as well as having an amazing bedside manner and is not in favour of c-section (unless medically needed). I love him! Pm if you have any questions.

Original poster

failingmammalian · 22/10/2014 17:29

Thks all. Wonder how crucial it is to be near though. Short labour quite rare isn't it?

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bagofsnakes · 22/10/2014 18:48

Short labour not necessarily rare, especially with a second birth. I've heard plenty, and I mean plenty, of first hand accounts of very short second labours, even if the first was quite long.

My first labour progressed pretty quickly and was 9cm when I arrived at the hospital so it was a good thing that it was just a 15 min drive away. Have been advised that a home birth might be a good way forward for the second, as I just might not get there in time. Realise that a home birth may well not be a solution for you though, if there have been complications before.

Hope that you get a good experience, where ever you go.

fishfingerSarnies · 22/10/2014 19:26

Not just the labour I'd want to be quite close for, you don't want an epic journey every time you have to go for appointments and if partner has to go back and forth between home and hospital if you end up being in for a while for any reason.

WhatWouldCaitlinDo · 22/10/2014 19:35

When you are in labour, sitting in a car is just hell. The most comfortable positions are (for me anyway) leaning over or on all fours. We lived about a 7 minute drive from our hospital and I probably couldn't have lasted much further. Also, lots of first time mums get sent home in early labour and told to come back. So it may not be a one off journey.

shirkingworking · 23/10/2014 13:22

I've had two babies at UCH. Brilliant maternity services - was very happy both times.

But I agree that you should probably think about going to your nearest. UCH was the nearest for us at the time. I have v fast labours (but obviously didn't know that with DC1), so wouldn't have made it to any other hospital. But I know people who've had long labours who have been backwards and forwards from home to hospital a few times and (obviously) HATED it when they were having contractions.

Which hospital is your nearest/second nearest? We'll be at King's this time as we've moved. Don't like it as much but I need to go to the nearest hospital.

Victoria2002 · 23/10/2014 23:02

You can in theory choose ANY hospital, and I would not personally be freaking out about the journey time (but would bear it in mind when judging when to leave home). Most babies come at night and it's rarely like in the movies where your waters break at the shops then you need an ambulance! I liked Chelsea Westminster and I'm pleased there is a great new midwife-lead birthing suite now. The post natal care is apparently not great but nowhere seems to have great post-natal care reviews. I didn't stay long after ds birth so can't comment. You can buy a separate but NHS room or a private (with private care) room or move down the road to "mermaid maternity hotel" if you have some cash and feel you'd like the extra luxury.

Mummymidwife87 · 24/10/2014 02:33

Go to somewhere close... One you will be travelling frequently to see the midwife and two, you don't want a long journey in labour. Most babies do not come at night, about 50% come during the day. Could you sit in rush hour traffic whilst in labour?

I went home mid induction, about 10pm... I was contracting 2-3:10 and my god, that 12mins journey was horrific

Original poster

failingmammalian · 24/10/2014 06:08

Thanks all. Maybe the solution is an independent midwife at whipps?it just feels stupid to go somewhere almost everyone says is bad. Second neareat is homerton but they are full/ won't take referrals from my GP. Anyone gone the independent midwife route? Yikes this is stressing me out already

OP posts:

bagofsnakes · 24/10/2014 08:15

Sorry that you feel stressed about this. It's going to be fine, really and I think, if you're unsure of the hospital, an independent midwife or doula is probably a really great idea. I don't have any experience of having an IM myself, although a friend of mine is an IM and I know that when she works in hospitals one of her key roles is to advocate for the labouring woman to get her the best care. As the main issue with hospitals seems to be staffing, having your own personal member of staff would solve that problem.

Another big complaint seems to be aftercare, so I'd just say (if all is well with you and the baby) get home as soon as possible and get your IM and/or doula to take over. Can't get better than personal care in your own home!

Mummymidwife87 · 24/10/2014 09:05

If you can afford an IM, go for it.

HotMommy · 24/10/2014 10:46

Narrow it down to the ones that are closest to you. Is your antenatal care not affiliated with a hospital? I have birth the first time at the Whittington and found it to be very overcrowded and quite uncomfortable but i had nothing to compare it to. This time I'm going to the Homerton which as far as I can tell has very good reviews. They have a newly built (or maybe renovated) birth centre that my midwife keeps telling me is underused so no trouble getting in there. They also have a very well regarded emergency labour ward and special care unit in case things go wrong at all. My antenatal care has all been through them and has been great. We use the homerton already for my 2 year old - she goes to the allergy clinic and eye clinic and was admitted to children's a&e last year and all have been very good experiences.

HotMommy · 24/10/2014 10:52

Just saw that you were told you can't get in at the Homerton - I'm surprised as they never seem to be busy when I go for appointments and as I said my midwife keeps telling me that they want to get more usage of the birth centre. Maybe call them directly and see if you can self refer - I think that's a possibility. I've not heard good things about Whipps Cross (the bad reviews seem to be about the labour ward before and after the birth more so than the actual birth).

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