QE in Woolwich / Lewisham hospital - recent experiences

[Azure83]

At the moment I am booked into QEH as it's slightly closer to where we live but we can change our mind closer to due date. We will go to the open evenings etc but does anyone have any recent reviews of either? A lot of improvements have been done recently and I'm particularly interested in the midwife-led birth centres.

Not been to the birth centre at Lewisham (2 sections) but I can vouch for the ante-natal care. Mine was great, although I was high risk both times, which you may not be. Postnatal ward is utterly horrendous, mainly due to too few staff. However, if you can go to the birth centre, I've heard noting but good things about it.

I am booked to give birth any day at QEH. I've found the care to be exceptional. Always had the same midwife at all check ups, and she is lovely. Have been to the day assessment unit twice once for reduced fetal movement and once for heart palpitations, and always received great care.

I am actually closer to lewisham hospital, but chose QEH because I used to live in Greenwich and had some health problems last year that were treated at QEH and I always received fantastic care there, so I just felt really comfortable about using the hospital again for birth.

I'm hoping for a birth centre delivery, and the new birth centre is fantastic. And from what I hear, it's still quite an under used choice at QEH, so you're less likely to find it will be full when you go into labour.

Everyone else in my NCT has laboured at lewisham - they have loved their experience too, but haven't had the same positive experience with the community midwives that I have. They have found their midwives to be quite stern and difficult - but that's sometimes the luck of the draw. I am just lucky with my midwife.

Had baby recently at Lewisham. Was booked into birth centre but baby came early enough to be a bit scary so had to go to labour ward. The staff were amazing, respectful to the point where they would cover me up if someone wanted to come in (quite a lot of people about due to early baby). Like you we wanted the birth centre and ended up a long way from that type of birth, but I still had a good experience and that is definitely due in part to the support I had. Postnatal care felt quite disjointed but prob due to understaffing. There are however some private rooms with en suites you can use (if one is free) for £50 a night, if you have the money I would recommend it. Anecdotally, QE aftercare is also a bit rubbish but am guessing same issue. Hth and good luck!