In tears after visting UCHL birthing cenre-anyone had a positive experience there?

[beckmo]

Partly the tears are down to the midwife being too busy to show me the delivery rooms as well so it felt like waste of time, and that I ended up doing my birthing plan in approx 2 minutes flat and being left to fill it in alone because staff also too busy but ...I'm scared if I go here staff will be too busy to give me proper care.
It also looked really dirty and certainly not "home from home" as they kept telling me. Am I expecting too much from the NHS?And am I better off going to the mysterious delivery rooms instead of the midwife led birthing centre?At least the baby will be monitored if everyone is too busy.
At 34 weeks I feel I have no options and no one to talk to who has any time (seeing GP not midwife in fortnight as she is booked up)...
Thinking of selling the furniture so I can go private.

do you mean UCH, central london or UCHL, lewisham?

I gave birth at UCH birth centre and had a water birth and found the whole thing amazing. Very gentle switched on midwives who were quietly 'there' and I felt totally empowered post birth. I felt that I had 'gone private' and in fact the gauntlet has been laid now, so for DC2, I'm going to be panicking that I won't get the same again.

I think it's the first monday in the month at 4pm, they have proper show arounds the birth centre - very calm and you get as long as you want and see all vacant rooms etc. It's funny - they start it by saying that when you're in labour and if met by someone who is a bit short with you or doesn't make you feel special, then request another midwife and it's UCH that's in the wrong.... I thought a lovely realistic approach bearing in mind that they do have times when all staff are used up e.g. 2 midwives must be present for the actualy birth, the have 5 rooms and just one skeleton staff member who calls others in as necessary depending on numers etc. All are trained for 'birth centre births' though! Speak to Astrid Osbourne - she's the big cheese and totally fabulous, down to earth and honest.

Thanks for all your messages. They have made me feel much better and I think there is some truth in the reality of giving birth hitting me.Have been strong and confident so far so it was only a matter of time!Really good to hear about some positive experiences there and to hear its not just me that got upset on seeing where they were going to give birth.Will definately look into amenity rooms though...if I have to stay in hospital (I'm going to work hard not to!) having my own room and not scaring others family members would be a godsend....

Sorry Helomama -Central London.

And Lulamama -thanks for the link I'm going to have a look.

i had a client birth a uch and the mws were fab, really kind and caring.

hope you have a great experience there.

cx

If you have a normal straightforward birth UCH should be fine, but I agree the birthing centre is vile when we went for our tour some guy wiped his nose then rubbed his hands on it! Yum. I had a bad experience there but I had a c-sec and was in for four nights (in an amenity room for 3, they won't let you have your own room the first night after a c-sec in case they forget about you, which they probably would). The birthing rooms are dark and a bit dingy and certainly not the light, bright places I envisaged giving birth in, nothing at all to get excited about. In retrospect I realise all London hospitals are grotty and understaffed and sadly unless you can afford to go private - dream on - it is not going to be the lovely experience you anticipated - just get home asap is my advice.
For some reason the postnatal midwives are not nearly as nice and helpful as the prenatal ones - some are gorgeous but unfortunately you remember the nasty ones. You need a dp or birth partner with you who is very proactive and makes sure your wishes get seen to, mine stoood up to the staff when they were rude to us (one woman who brought round found was HORRIBLE tutting when I hadn't eaten my dinner yet because was breastfeeding, saying I'd throw her off schedule, another told me off for being in the loo when my dd started crying in her cot, like I was pyschic and knew that would happen. Sorry to sound negative but I think it's as well to be geared up for the reality. At the end of the day, the medical teams there are supberb, a doc friend of mine comforted my afterwards by saying if I'd been at the Portland I'd have had a nicer room but my baby would probably have died as they couldn't have coped with the emergency I faced and you leave with a gorgeous ds/dd who will be the light of your life

Beckmo - dont be worried, would you email me please, emily . benton @ hotmail . com

as I would like to share some stuff with you - and cant type it all now, baby on lap

Beckmo - listen to frogs.
I too have have three births at UCH - was v well looked after at all of them.
Third one was in the birthing centre bit and was fab.
Agree about amenity room: def worth the money if you can spare it.

I know the birth centre seems a bit dingy in the cold light of day but my personal experience was that when it came down to it, I really didn't want to be in a bright bustly place - maybe something to do with being a mammal?? Dog and cats etc tend to curl up in shady places don't they? I am big on how a place feels rather than looks and I felt very comfortable and 'safe' there. I had no expectations of being looked after a certain way and to be honest I felt that everyone was very kind, respectful and treated me extremely well.

Do you know...I'm feeling much, much better about going there after all your messages. Just knowing others experiences (the good bits and the bad) is really helpful.

Funnily enough I'm an ex nurse so I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe I know the realities a little too well (hence ex)!Have an excellent, supportive DH and a strong desire to get home asap and know I will at least be safe there. x

Glad to hear it, beckmo!
Good luck - and come back and tell us how it went, won't you?

I know that this thread is just about over by now, but I've only just read it and something has occurred to me which I feel I have to say (even if only to myself!). Beckmo (glad you are feeling more positive now, by the way ) - you made the point yourself in your second post, but nobody seems to have picked up on it.
At the end of the day, no NHS hospital is going to be perfect - that may not be right, but it is just the way that it is. I think that to a very high degree we will get out of our delivery what we put in, especially in terms of the way we look at things. You could look at this situation as being that a very busy midwife was too busy to give you a good tour and help with your birthplan. That is not great, and I am not saying that it is right. But, you could also approach it in a different way, and think of it like this: a very busy midwife looked at what she had on her plate and made the decision to prioritise a woman in labour over a woman who will be in labour in 6 weeks time...
I would like my midwife to think like that!

Yup. I'm an ex nurse. I know all about having to prioritise patient care. The reminder of just how often I had to do that that is probably what scared me so much!

Honestly though-I think I was having a bad day and know I can handle it really.I think what you say about thinking about circumstances in a positive light is true and one I am going to work hard at!

Hi beckmo - I was at UCH not long ago. Started in the Birthing Centre but had to transfer to the Labour Ward delivery rooms halfway through labour due to slight complications. Was lucky enough to get an amenity room for postnatal recovery.

Birthing Centre midwives were great and the general atmosphere there is relaxed which helps when you are in labour for the first time and don't know what to expect. Labour ward is more "medicalised" but I guess that it what they are there for - if you decide to start there or end up there for medical reasons know that they almost without fail deliver your baby safely which is what counts.

Postnatal recovery can be a bit haphazard as the place feels busy and - more importantly - organised around THEIR routines rather than YOUR needs (amenity room makes little difference from this point of view). Ask for breastfeeding support early on, and from a bf counsellor rather than ward midwife. And - provided all is well with you and your baby - do try to get discharged before too long. Remember community midwives provide additional care in your home for 28 days (it is mandated by law) and they are more attentive / less rushed than in hospital.

Hope all goes well and enjoy your baby.

Thanks Finsburymama -that is all really helpful information.Nice to hear from someone who has been there recently.