Ealing Hospital vs Queen Charlotte's Hospital

[minniethemouse]

I have to choose my first birth between these two hospitals. My NEW GP (because i moved to this area not ago) did not help much and provided very little information about the hospitals and I cant trust her because she made simple mistake to calculate my due date wrongly and put wrong due date on my medical records !!! I lost my confident to ask her any information.

I just compared two hospitals on basic facilities, tests or etc. But still not sure. I am 36 and have a family history of having DOWN sydrome on my paternal aunt's pregnancy. It worries me that if the hospital cannot give me good support to check up. thanks

Personally I would go with QC, they are used to dealing with high risk pregnancies. You need to choose quite quickly though because the hospitals get booked up very quickly. Good luck

Personally I would go with QC, they are used to dealing with high risk pregnancies. You need to choose quite quickly though because the hospitals get booked up very quickly. Good luck

Definately Queen Charlotte!! No competition really. Book there ASAP or you might not get in.

I've had one at each hospital - QUEEN CHARLOTTE"S def the better one.

ealing is one of the dirtiest hospitals in the UK - def QC's!!

Had both my two at QC (dd when it had only been opened a few months - so much better than the old one and lots of lovely new equipment) and thought it was a lovely hospital. And they do deal with lots of 'high risk' pregnancies so it always felt like a safe environment. I would be interested to see what the birthing centre is like there as I didn't get the opportunity to use it for ds....

Many thanks... to all of you....definitely qc.

i am not so sure whether i can get my place at QC which my gp screwed up the bookings. I have just checked with the hospital that they did not receive anything from my GP. And i called the GP, the clinic insisted they faxed it to the hospital. When i checked the fax number - it is wrong. Then i called the clinic to ask them to refax... the answer is the secretary is not around. Call tomorrow again. The GP and the clinic makes me so miserable and stressed. It worried i will not have my first appointment when i arrived 11 weeks (I am now nearly 10 weeks). Finger-crossed to me.

Avoid Ealing if you can. QC is fabulous, the birth centre is great if you can use it, the rest is great if you can't. They have a fab birthing pool with disco lights.

I gave birth in March 06 at EH and it was fine. Half my NCT group went to QC and the other half to EH and there wasn?t any noticeable differences. I had two midwifes (one trainee) and they were great fun when everything was fine. When the baby?s heart beat dropped they called the consultant straight away, everybody was on stand by for an emergency and there wasn?t any delays to get me to theatre. In the end, that what?s matter, that if you become an emergency, the medical team is ready for you. Good luck and don?t worry about EH, thousands of women have given birth there.

Minniethemouse,
Where did you get booked in to in the end?

MTM I had my last baby at EH and have booked in there again because i had originally intended to try for a homebirth. The team who delivered my 1st baby were fab we had 2 or 3 complications but the midwife, doctor, anethestist etc were all professional, encouraging and kind and I managed vaginal birth by the skin of my teeth! Aftercare was not so good but I am planning to pay for a private room with shower this time. Hope it all goes well

I was born at QC!!

Definitely go for Queen Charlotte's, I had a rather bad experience of an ectopic pregnancy at Ealing, where it was sooo dirty.. and know others who had babies at Ealing and were not very impressed. I had my dd at Chelsea and Westminster, though as there was rather a shortage of midwives at QC's as it's so popular. I thought it was great apart from one particularly bossy woman on the post natal ward. They weren't as proactive about the bfeeding either, so it was good that I was so damn determined!!!

Had ds1 at the old Queen Charlotte's and the care was fantastic, although the ward furniture was being packed up around me as they were moving to the new site in DuCane Road imminently. Would happily have had ds2 in QC's too if we'd still been in London when he was born.

Had short stay in Ealing Hospital after a miscarriage some years ago, and it was vile - really dirty and the staff didn't seem to give a toss. But that was some time ago.

I gave birth at QC and would definitely recommend it. It has a great reputation and is CLEAN.

Good luck getting in!