Queen Charlottes v Chelsea and Westminster

[FlyingSaucer]

Sorry to cover old ground - I've read the other posts on the board - but does anyone have any advice to offer on whether to go to QC or C&W for my first baby? C&W is closer to me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have done a tour of both but would like to hear some other views. Has anyone tried a private room at C&W after the birth?

I thought C&W was vile, along with everyone I know who has been there. Doubt a private room would make any difference. A close friend had a bad time at C&W on NHS but a good one at QC - but went private second time around.

I have to say that individual midwives, doctors and nurses are not necessarily bad at C&W but they are so short staffed that you end up with very little care - and this particularly applies to after the birth.

Also, at the time, I thought my antenatal care, labour and after care were okay, but on reflection there are lots of things I would have preferred to have gone differently.

I agree that a private room probably wouldn't make much difference.

Sorry, can't comment on QC because I haven't experienced it.

Sam

Know nothing about either but one of the obstetricians at C&W is rather dishy. Had an, ahem, 'date' with one a few years ago

I went to C&W and had good treatment for the labour and birth, but agree with the comment about understaffing afterwards. I had very little support, particular for breastfeeding. The cleanliness left a lot to be desired too. I was told at the time that I couldn't get a private room afterwards unless I had gone private the whole way through - has that changed?

I had my first at C&W and my second at QC.

I thought the antenatal care was better at C&W - I got seen more promptly and I felt my concerns were always really well listened to. At QC, I had to wait ages for each appointment but having said that, I thought the midwives were good at QC. I think they just need to sort out the admin a bit better.

As for the birth, well they were miles apart. I had a great experience at QC - the midwives were wonderful. The rooms are great (and I didn't go private) - there were only 4 in my room and we shared a bathroom and at the time this was their biggest room and we all got a lot of support. At C&W I was in a MASSIVE ward and there was no help at all. When my dd was crying, they came and told me I wasn't making enough effort to feed her - my first child this was and I had no clue how to even do it. THey didn't help at all and in fact, I nearly gave up breastfeeding because of this. Also for the birth at C&W I had a student midwive with a very inexperienced one and they advised me to push even though my waters hadn't broken. After 2 hours of pushing (and it only took me 2 hours to be fully dilated), I insisted on seeing the senior midwife who was absolutely horrified that my waters hadn't been broken, she did it immediately and dd was born in 5 mins. She really told them off afterwards.

Anyway, I won't bore you to pieces but to be honest, if I had a choice I would go to QC if I had another. But bear in mind, both are understaffed (you can't escape that in London) but I felt QC treated me more like a human being.

HAHAHA re private room after the birth at C&W. My insurance co offered to pay for one (£650 a NIGHT) but there were none available of course. They only have a few and there are a lot of people who go private for the whole thing so of course get priority. Dd's godfather's wife had one and he had to clean it before he let her go in as it was so filthy, he asked for a bucket and mop and disinfectant and did it himself.

I thought the ante natal care was exemplary, they were really very good. I was in hospital for a couple of weeks before having dd (high bp and then a week trying to induce me) and I was very relieved that I was in C&W as there was plenty to do all around - dh and I went to the cinema, out for dinner etc every night! Also plenty of nice food places around so you don't have to eat the hospital muck.

During labour and in intensive care and HDU (where I spent several days after the birth) the care was excellent.

As soon as I was sent onto the post natal ward (in a room of my own) the care went out the window. I couldn't breast feed due to drugs I was on, and one evening dd was crying and crying because she wanted a bottle, I couldn't walk as scar was so sore and kept falling over due to too much morphine, so I ended up CRAWLING round to the room with the fridge in it to get a bottle as I rang the bell for 40 mins with no response.

Can't comment on QC as haven't been there.

I had my first at QC (the old one before it relocated to Wormwood Scrubs). The antenatal care was fine but the waiting was atrocious. I never got seen within an hour of the time of my appointment. I was well cared for during the birth but I fouhd the aftercare pretty average and I got no help with feeding and did have to give up after about a week as dd was losing too much weight. I put much of this down to no support at the hospital.
This time I'm trying C&W. I've found the antenatal care to be superb. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for an appointment - midwife or scan - When I had a bleed at 24 weeks they called me in, monitored me closely and I saw a consultant relatively quickly and they were very apologetic about keeping me waiting at all! Haven't reached the birth stage yet but have friends who have had positive experiences there and I don't plan to stay in any longer than I have to.
Oh, and the shopping's better near C&W for before and after appointments .
I had a private room after the birth at QC bit haven't enquired about this at C&W yet.

see my post re unavailablity of private rooms Sponge!

But you say you had a room of your own. That's all I meant by private - the one at QC was far from luxurious and I still had to go down the hall to the loo and bathroom, just didn't have other people in it.

I had one due to hideous post partum haemorrage and days in intensive care and HDU! Their policy is that you only get a separate room if you are really ill or have something like HIV where you need privacy to administer medication etc. Otherwise I'm afraid it's the ward (which is 8 or 10 to a room and hell on earth)

actually I should have said in mine that I had my second at the new QC not the old one (so nice new rooms and cots!).

Thanks very much for all the responses. It is really useful. Please keep them coming.

flying saucer my mother is a gp local to C&W, and I had both my first 2 children there 6 and 3 years ago. She says that in the last year or 18 months or so there is "something going on" at C&W, and wouldn't recommend anyone to have their baby there. she sends her local chelsea/s ken mothers to charlottes at the moment. she has had two unexplained neonatal mortalities there after seemingly straightforward pregnancies and early labours, and when the notes were requested to see what had happened C&W claimed that they had been "lost".
she used to be a great supporter of c&w - good clinical care despite limited resources on eg the postnatal support - but she doesn't think they are even managing good clinical care at the moment.

flyingsaucer, have you considered a homebirth, then you would not need to make the choice

princesspea - they really need to sort out their filing - they "lost" my notes too. Funny how they only seem to lose potentially contentious ones, isn't it?

I highly recommend QC, had my 2nd there 19 mo. ago. It was brilliant. Ante natal care was iffy until I got myself onto the natural birthing floor where it was great. Try to get yourself on the one to one program or at a minimum on the natural birthing floor. I was in a single room with my own bathroom after the birth as I'd had a post partum haemorage, but even the other rooms were really nice. They've got extra beds so your partner can sleep through your labor and special bassinets that slot onto the side of the bed so that you can easily nurse your baby without getting out of bed. (i could have used that the first time around when I had a cs)

I had my ds three months ago at the C & W. As with everyone else the antenatal care was excellent and every appointment was bang on time, since I had my ds we have had a number of minor referrals to Paeds Outpatients and again no waiting either for referral appointments to come through or for the appointments themselves. In addition labour was great and despite my reserve birthplan demanding every legal drug and a few more besides I managed to get through the whole thing with just gas and air. The midwife who looked after us was brilliant and a real supporter of my first birthplans aromatherapy and active birthing positions, in addition she showed be how to latch ds on and he bf without problems from 10 inutes after birth.

The postnatal ward does leave a bit to be desired though and I left as soon as I could the morning after the birth.

Personally though I would happily go back to the C & W if my dh ever gets me drunk enough to agree to another baby!

I had a baby at QC a month ago and cannot recommend it highly enough. The antenatal care was fine (although I suggest you book early morning appointments as I hear you have to wait a long time if you have ones later in the day).

It was my first birth and the midwives in the Birth Centre were fantastic. They were just the right mix of gentle, but firm. I had my baby on NHS - my room was fantastic (en-suite) and partner/baby slept the night in the same room too.

My only warnings for QC are: (1) if you want to try the Birth Centre, be aware that they can get very understaffed and turn lots of people away to the Delivery Ward. (2) the aftercare isn't that great. I was asked to leave within 24 hours to make room for incoming patients. The community midwives also gave several pieces of wrong advice.

I have no personal experience of C&W. However, I was originally booked into C&W but 3 of my friends had their babies there. All three said it was the most awful experience and the standard of care was terrible. I immediately swapped to QC and haven't looked back. Good luck with whatever decision you make and all the best for a healthy pregnancy!

I had dd at QC recently - the ante natal care was okay (very low key) but waiting time was quite long (at least it's a clean nice waiting area with a tv); I had to use the labour ward as I was trial of scar and the rooms were large and well-equipped; staff were polite and seemed much more 'skilled' than the local hospital I had my first birth at; post natal - I only stayed overnight, in a ward with 3 other beds but it was very civilised compared to my last birth..little things like clean toilets; bidets; food brought to the bed; cheerful friendly staff who are willing to help...make a lot of difference in the first day when you are tired, in pain and recovering.
If I had another I would go back to QC.

pph that is scary. I wonder what is happening?