Any Experience of John Radcliffe in Oxford?

[Catz]

Hi,

Just wondering whether anyone has given birth in/knows anyone who has at the John Radcliffe in Oxford. I know it has an excellent reputation for teaching and research and am sure that it'd be one of the best places to be if things go wrong... however I've heard several people say it's getting horribly busy and I'm a bit concerned I'll be stuck in a corridor in the style of the Panorama programme that's on tomorrow!

I had the first antenatal class a couple of days ago and was pretty shocked to find 'disinfectant and a cloth' written as one of the essential items to take on the hospital bag list. I knew that lots of mums advised it but for the hospital themselves to essentially say 'our wards are dirty' seemed a bit worrying...

Any experience, either reassuring or otherwise (still time for the home birth!) would be very much appreciated.

I had my son at the JR in August by cs. Can't really comment on the labour/helping with the baby afterwards aspect as no labour and ds went straight to SCBU, but I was on level 6 for 4 weeks (pre-eclampsia) and I thought the care was very good. All the staff I came across were lovely and very helpful with pain relief etc after the cs, midwife in the recovery room even buttered my toast for me, I also saw a couple of midwives who were looking after babies during the night so their mums could sleep. Level 6 was always very clean but the bathroom on the recovery room was NOT, rather a lot of blood, but fortunately I only had to use it once! Likewise the toilets just outside the delivery suite/SCBU which were always horrible. No experience of bf clinic (it is still open) but I had help expressing from the midwives. Tip for the food: order the halal option, you get a microwave curry which I though was much better than most of the "English" options.

It is often quite busy, however a friend of mine had a baby there about a month ago and she was the only person in the delivery suite so you never know your luck!

I had DS in the JR last July. It was very busy but at no point did I realize it (only when DH mentioned it and midwives agreed that it was the busiest weekend all year). I had excellent care. I am quite familiar with hospitals, so wasn't too shocked at giving birth in one. All hospitals (as opposed to birthing centres) are very clinical, and hospitaly (if you see what I mean!). The staff at the JR are brilliant, the rooms where you give birth are great (do take anything you want to listen to or have with you), but as someone else said the food is terrible. If you don't have access to a birthing centre (or somewhere like Wallingford) then it really is a great place. The staff will give you great confidence and you will be in a very safe environment.

I don't know the hospital as such. But I do know one of the consultants. And a more caring, earm, highly intellegent and competent indivudual I am yet to meet!

I know other things are of more practical use for you, but I felt that I should post this

I was transferred there from the Horton (unspeakably dirty) last October with pre-eclampsia. I ended up having an emergency section after a failed induction so I got to see a lot of the maternity bits (over eight days).

IF you have a straightforward delivery they try and kick you out after two hours apparently. The food is okayish. The wards noisy, fairly clean (or mine was). The consultants are nice, the midwives too (except for the fecking sister on seven who is a sourfaced trout).

They are very busy though and you have to remind them to do your obs if you have probs.

I had to wait seven hours for a delivery room (admitted at 2pm, didn't get started till 9pm and they left me in a waiting room with DH and people kept wandering in to sit down, seeing me, contracting away and buggering off, not great).

I have heard nothing but good things about Wallingford Midwifery unit and Chipping Norton Midwife unit though.

I had ds in John Radcliffe in December, I couldn't have been given better care. The Consultnts, midwives and nurses were all fantastic. I was in for 10 days and I don't have a bad word to say about anything I experienced.

having a home birth but been to the labour wardand saw a lovely mw there. Have heard lots of good things about the maternity unit.
Breastfeeding support good there apparently, if you dohave problems there are lots of la leche councellors and peer support groups in oxford.

looking forward to my birth due around same time as you but worried as i need a couple of people to help out when the time comes and dont know anyone here eg looking after children, taking photos etc,

I was born there. I cannot say my mother got terrific support - she gave birth to me in an X-ray room where she'd been plonked, and unsuprisingly had my sister at home - but as that was nearly 44 years ago I suspect my experience is not directly relevant

Have had tour of Wallingford, which seemed v good, still to look round the JR so interested in these comments. Am a bit in favour of Wallingford at moment (9 weeks to go) as keen on the more "natural" approach, and it's closer to home and more convenient, and slightly anti JR as when I had an ovarian cyst drained a couple of years ago I found it a bit dirty (floor obviously hadn't even been swept from previous day - not what I wanted to see when they were about to stick a big trans-vaginal needle into me). Will wait until have done JR tour though before making decision

Jamantha, I live in Wallingford and know several people who have had their babies at the midwife centre. They have all really liked it, as long as you don't have any complications or want an epidural I think you would probably get better care there than in the JR, especially after the baby is born. I had my antenatal care there until I got transferred to a consultant and the mws were all lovely. Am guessing you live nearby - Wallingford is a great place to have a baby, there are loads of mums and lots of stuff going on, if you are registered with the Wallingford gp/hv the postnatal groups they offer are a great way to meet people and get advice.

Thanks fearscape. A tiny bit of me is scared that if I go to Wallingford what happens if I feel I do want an epidural? But I am very keen on trying without, and also think that if the temptation isn't there... And I thought the size of the unit was lovely when we visited. Even if I deliver in the JR I think I'll ask if I can be transferred afterwards. (We live in Didcot by the way.)

For those of you thinking about the JR, we went for the hospital tour this evening. There were loads of us so it wasn't that easy to ask Qs etc but I am very reassured after going. Everything seemed very calm although they had 11 women in labour. The midwives were very keen on you moving around and had birthing balls, beanbags, chairs etc in each room. As twofalls has mentioned, they are very supportive of active natural birth and promoted the pool, aromatherapy, keeping active etc. We were told that midwife care is one to one once you are in labour.

The midwife who took us around stressed that the high c/s and epidural rates that they have there are partly because they have to deal with all of the complex and high risk cases from the surrounding area (e.g. people who would have gone to Wallingford but have a breach etc) so their intake is already skewed towards people who are likely to need intervention. That was quite reassuring. All looked clean (though food on ward smelt vile!). Still thinking about home birth but happier abour JR.

Catz, how did it go in the end?

Any more experiences anyone? I'm thinking of going along to the tour on Monday.

.

bumpy bump

Hello HWBB. I know that Catz had her baby a few weeks ago, so she might not be checking MN at the moment. I'm also an Oxford person and am planning to go to the JR. DH and I went on the tour a fortnight ago and were impressed. Delivery suite seemed very calm and clean. They really emphasised importance of individual choice during labour. I've heard v. good things about delivery suite (esp. if there are complications) although apparently post-natal care leaves something to be desired (this is my first, so I've no personal experience yet). Hope tour goes well. Let me know what you think.

Atalantis (34 weeks)

Hi all,
I have to say I was really pleased with the JR on the whole. I've not posted a birth story so here's one on the JR bit - sorry it's a bit long but I really appreciated these stories when I was waiting so thought I?d give the detail.

The only potential negative bit was that I went in having had contractions 5 mins apart for 30 hrs and unfortunately hit a shift change. The first mw put me on a monitor, confirmed they were contractions and said she'd hand me over to the next person and I'd probably be admitted. 2nd mw didn't do an internal and told me to go home and take some codeine (which the pharmacy then refused to sell to a labouring woman without a prescription). Went back 3 hrs later and was 7 cm!

From then on I was very happy with the JR. The mw was a community mw and was really wonderful. There the whole time, very calm, suggested ideas to keep active but very quick to help me do what I wanted. Did the whole thing on G&A but had a ventouse even though she was very close as had been pushing for 2 hrs and they thought she might be getting distressed. I'd really feared this but the Dr was excellent and after 40 hrs of contractions and no sleep it was a relief!

Postnatal I was so tired that we decided to pay for a private room on level 7 (c£100 a night but well worth it for me) they don't tell you about these but do ask - the rooms are used for people who've had a bad experience but they are often not occupied and all the money goes back into maternity services. The privacy was great for time to bond and sort out feeding. The night staff were really helpful but the day staff were so busy they didn't really have time to do anything for non-priority people.

One last thing the bf clinic that others mentioned is still there but moved to level 1. I found it extremely useful ? went in with a baby who wouldn?t feed and not had a problem since, it was like a light switched on for her.

Message withdrawn

Good luck to both of you HWBB and Atlanis. Hope that all goes well for you.

Atlantis, hope to catch up with you when your baby is here and things have settled down. Actually I meet my antenatal group in a cafe not for from you on Wednesdays if you are ever around.