Hampshire Hospitals

[user1475010427]

Hi, I'm due in March and we need to choose between Andover Birth Centre (our most local and midwife led), Winchester and Basingstoke. Does anyone have any particularly good or bad experiences of any of the above please? Thanks

I've heard good things about Basingstoke but nothing at all about Andover to compare it to. I considered Winchester but was put off by somebody else's experience. However, I sadly think that bad experiences in maternity hospitals is worryingly common. Is Frimley Park too far, as that is regarded highly and I haven't heard anything but good about there?

This site may help: www.which.co.uk/birth-choice

My son was born at Basingstoke. Not a bad thing to say about it - staff were all friendly, polite, helpful etc; I always knew what was happening and why it was needed. Baby had to have 2 hourly obs for the first 12 hours, so I didn't sleep well, but who does sleep well after having had a baby?

I was a little surprised to be discharged at 11pm (28 hours after a relatively easy first time birth) but to be perfectly honest I was happy to be heading to my own bed.

I've heard terrible things about Winchester although I have no experience of it myself. Andover is a good option but I've been told if you want anything stronger than gas and air, or if you have any complications, you'll be takn straight to Winchester.
I am in Hampshire but I've chosen to have both my babies in Salisbury (Wiltshire) and I loved Salisbury last time, they couldn't do enough for me when I needed an EMCS.

I had all 3 of mine at Winchester. 3 good births. All induced for medical reasons. Very good care for me and the babies.

Thanks all. I guess we need to go and visit them to properly decide. Do you know why Winchester has bad reviews?

I had my first at Winchester. Once I was properly in labour my care was good (before that I was very lonely waiting for induction to work in an antenatal bed. The MWs just put me on a monitor and forgot about me for 2 days). I had an emergency section and the theatre staff were absolutely fab. After care on the postnatal ward was crap. I had a student MW inform me that I was probably tired due to a PPH. No one ever told me how much I lost. The lights came on in the ward at 6am, the paediatrician came to do her check soon after, followed by the Reg for my post birth debrief (all I remember was blah blah you can have a vbac next time blah blah). I was totally bewildered - I hadn't even had breakfast! They only remembered to give me iron tablets on discharge ie I wasn't given them during the 48 hours I was on postnatal. They took an absolute age to answer call bells. I was given my own ensuite room the second night as had no sleep the first night due to noise. The ensuite was great but it was basically a windowless room with no windows out to the corridor, so again I was very isolated and lonely. They were reluctant to discharge after 48 hours but gave no reason to keep me.

I had my second at Princess Anne in Soton (vbac). They were chocka but far more responsive than Winch. I had iron tablets from the word go. People explained things to me.

The food was nicer at Winch (apart from the very very basic breakfast) but I wouldn't go back there.

Having baby at winch, hopefully my experience wont be too bad. Due nov.