Change hospital from Warwick to Oxford?

[yconn]

Hi ladies, just wonder how difficult is it to persuade midwives to agree on this?

I'm half way through and as it starts to get real so I'm getting worried now. I'm happy with Warwick hospital but they can't guarantee a private room for me. I'm quite nervous being left alone with the baby (my first one) - I'd like to have my husband around (as he seems to know what to do better than me!). After some research online, John Radcliffe in Oxford seems to have plenty private rooms available and they got excellent reviews as well.

Of course the last resort would be to have a private birth in London but it seems to be more common to have a caesarean there. I would like to have a natural birth if possible. Besides getting to London from Leamington Spa (where I live) could be a challenge if I'm in labour:( Of course on top of that it's the cost.

I'm not after any luxury, just want good care in case things go wrong. After all, we've been through a lot to get where we are now. I don't want to lose the baby.

I'm just not too sure what to do and whether I will be able to persuade my midwife to change Warwick to Oxford or not. It would be really helpful to know your thoughts/experience. Thanks

Thanks Amroc18. This was my understanding as well. Also I was told that the amenity room will be given to mothers who have complications. I didn't consider any birth centres in the past because I felt hospitals are better equipped, just in case. I feel that I will ask my midwife to transfer me to JR and as you said, asking to go to Warwick for my antenatal till late.

Also worth bearing in mind if your labour progress fast you might not make it to hospital, my first labour was 40 minutes the head was showing when I arrived at hospital, my 3 labours after have been 15,12,14 minutes.

You never know how you will labour

I might be wrong, I thought that it says the husband can stay if you are in the £450 per night room online.

gosh, you were lucky Datingbarb!!! :)

Just worth checking with them first, the birthing unit (spires) is meant to be lovely! I've got a lot of friends who have recently birthed there and the transfer to delivery of needed is 1 minute as it's just downstairs. In the spires partners are allowed to stay definitely.

I'm going to be giving birth at the JR, soon I hope (40+1!). You can pay for private rooms but I'm not sure that this will allow your husband to stay outside of visiting hours. Check this out before you make this decision.

Of course it is an amazing hospital, medically.

As it's in a different county, a transfer may not be something your midwife can choose, I don't know. Worth exploring.

As it's in a different county, a transfer may not be something your midwife can choose, I don't know. Worth exploring.

You can choose to go out of country if you wish. I did.
Though as I've said, it can be a right headache.

This is really encouraging, RedToothBrush. I think I'll just get as much done as possible in Warwick and manage everything myself. I feel it is important for me to have my husband with me after the birth, I'm sure I will feel so stressed if I have to be left alone with the baby. I'll try to book the double room where they guarantee the availability.

Sometimes you can't be referred to a unit in another area if they are already bursting at the seams with local patients I've heard, I don't know about the Oxford Hospitals though. Your local midwife would hopefully know if that were the case? Otherwise maybe there is a phone number you an get information from at the JR Hospital?

I'm slightly surprised to hear you were told there were 'plenty' of private rooms at the JR, that wasn't my experience. Has anyone said how many exactly there are, and how many women are admitted to the postnatal ward every day?

Sometimes you can't be referred to a unit in another area if they are already bursting at the seams with local patients I've heard

I am aware this is the case in London. I haven't heard it too much elsewhere, except close to where a hospital was put into special measures.

For the most part, you are supposed to be. And if you were to turn up on the day they would be unlikely to turn you away if you were in labour, unless they were refusing new admissions anyway.

That said you'd be unwise to go to a hospital which didn't have your medical history - even with your hand held notes - except in emergency.

I gave birth at Oxford several years ago and was told at the time that you couldn't pre book a private room. I did get one but it was the last available one and cost around 130 and DH couldn't stay. Things may have changed and finding out is on my to do list for this time. I was at the JR recently for and appointment and they were advertising that the person to contact with questions is [email protected]. I hope that helps and you get what you want in the end.

I hate two babies in the JR and they wouldn't guarantee an amenity room. You can ask when you arrive, but it completely depends on who else is in labour at the time and what cases they have on the ward.

If you're having a straightforward pregnancy wouldn't you consider the unit at Chipping Norton? Have heard excellent things about it, much smaller, more relaxed and lots of breastfeeding support.

Hi ladies, just a quick update: my midwife agreed without any questions. Apparently there are more and more women wanting their partners to stay overnights. Also most of the rooms in JR cannot guarantee that partners can stay overnight, however, the £450per night room can be booked in advance and your partner is guaranteed to be able to stay.

I'm glad she agreed to your request but I do think that planning to give birth in a hospital almost 50 miles away from your house is complete madness.

You will not want to be in a car for over an hour in labour. You just won't. You cannot stay in a hotel close to the hospital for potentially 5 weeks before you give birth. Logistically, how will it work?