Anyone got any experience of birth in Cambridge, Bedford, Stevenage or Huntingdon?

[OTheHugeManatee]

I'm in NE Beds and it will be my first birth. I've no idea how to choose! Please help, MNers - anyone got experience of any of these hospitals? Thank you

I had dd in lister at Stevenage earlier this year and have to say the staff were amazing! She was back to back and it was a long drawn out process but not once did I feel alone. The facilities were all really clean and new in the birthing suite and I had a birthing pool and bathroom all in the same room so no need to see anybody during labour other than birthing partner and midwife. Midwives literally couldn't do enough to help but also weren't interfering just allowed me to take the lead and prompting in the right direction

Lister in steveage- agree, amazing. Ended up with emcs but despite that came out of it feeling incredibly positive. Midwife and consultant units are great- rooms are brilliant, all private massive en suite and in MLu, pools.

My only word of warning- if you end up on the post natal ward get the hell out ASAP. I'm told all post natal wards are horrific though

Also, they tried everything before giving me a c section. No time or expense spared :)

I gave birth in Huntingdon a couple of years ago. No complaints and the birthing pool room is great.

I gave birth in the Rosie. It was so busy I was kept waiting for literally days while my induction didn't work. Actual labour was well attended, midwife lovely, but postnatal absolutely awful. They are so busy they don't have time to care for anyone. I left the next day not knowing how to breastfeed so switched immediately to formula and baby had to have her checks at GP as no doctor had been available to do them at the hospital. The crucial care can't be faulted but they are utterly overcrowded!

In terms of what I can find online, Huntingdon looks good. The NHS Choices website is full of its praises and it seems to have really good facilities. But I'm a bit put off by the fact that Circle pulled out of running it earlier this year and worried it might be a bit chaotic under the surface

I've given birth at the Rosie in Cambridge twice and it's been great. With my daughter (four years ago) it was pretty busy, had to have induction and stay overnight after the birth - would agree with pp that the breastfeeding advice was rubbish. But overall it was fine. Then had my son (2 years ago) in their refurbished birth centre and it was fab - great midwife, never examined me or made me lie on the bed, just let me get on with it and I had a fantastic water birth (birth centre has pools in all the rooms). I was the only mum-to-be in the birth centre that night! Postnatal advice much better this time. Maybe it depends on how busy they are, but everyone I know who has used the birth centre has only positive things to say about it. Hope it's still that good - due in with DC3 in 5 weeks! Good luck!

My experience at Hinchingbrooke was utterly horrific, really awful. A whole catalogue of things. But to be fair it was 8 years ago so hopefully different now.

As a result I went to the Rosie for my second 5 years ago and I couldn't fault it at all.

I've heard good things about hinchingbrooke and not so good things about Bedford.

Depending on where you are in ne beds then take traffic into consideration - I spent 40 mins in traffic on Shakespeare rd the other day!

Two births at Bedford both wonderful. First using the birthing pool and second a very quick one with wonderful care . Very happy with aftercare . Kind nurses and midwives .Both babies has tongue tied that were snipped post birth as soon as identified.

Had DD in Hinchingbrooke 2 years ago.

Unfortunately didn't get use use the MLU but staff were all lovely. I was on postnatal ward for 4 days (and they would have kept me longer I think) and were really helpful with breastfeeding and spotting DD's tongue tie.
Food was good for a hospital!

Well it sounds like with the exception of flowery (I'm sorry you had a shocking birth ) everyone who's responded had a good experience at all these options. So hopefully I'll be ok whichever I go for