QMC birth centre or St Marys

[321sarah]

Hi there,

I had my first midwife appointment yesterday and she asked me where i wanted to give birth, to be honest I hadnt researched options as I thought she would discuss this with me.

Based on the horror stories, LRI and the General are out of the question. That leaves me with QMC or St Mary's.

I told her QMC birthing centre as I'd like a natural birth if possible, however I am aware of St Mary's from 2 friends who had their babies there.

I'm really confused by it all as reading the QMC site and feedback it looks as though they are busy, the likely hood of using the birthing centre is small if they are busy, but you will get immediate consultant care if anything goes wrong.

St Mary's looks a nice peaceful place but you will need to be transferred if anything goes wrong.

Is it too late for me to change my mind? or even after my first scan, can I change my mind if I dont get a good vibe about QMC?

Any advice on the two sites would be appreciated.

St Marys is nice for uncomplicated births but the ward after is noisy with up to 8 mums/babies and I know people who had very little sleep however bf support is excellent. Lri and general are fine really - single rooms at general for post natal care for all people I know who went there. Lri were wards after the birth. Don't always have enough midwives at St Marys so you have to wait for on call staff sometimes.

It's not too late to change your mind, no.

You're right with the general. Both a friend and I were turned away from the LRI as it was closed and got pretty bad care at the general - not their fault but they're just simply too busy to cope.

Another friend tried to go with St Mary's but got transferred to the LRI and had good care. She wasn't too impressed with the midwife at St Mary's but it just sounded like she was doing her job if I'm being honest.

The birth centre at the QMC is fabulous, the midwives are very pro normality & are trained in waterbirth, active birth & aromatherapy. It's very unusual for it not to be open.

However, the postnatal ward there is not great, very noisy, hot, busy & understaffed. But, if your delivery is normal & straightforward, they let you go home straight from the birth centre. My friend was home 5 hours after.