autism and giving birth: which hospital & any advice?

[Sisken]

Hello,

This is my first post on here, so I apologise if I do it wrong.

I am a 35 year old woman with autism and I'm pregnant for the first time. I'm still in the first trimester and have reached the point of being asked by my GP which hospital to chose. I live in London, so there are a lot to choose from, but I'm having trouble knowing which way to go.

I have a couple of specific requirements that don't seem to get much mention on Which or NHS: firstly, I need to have an elective C section, and secondly, I suffer from acute hyper-sensitivity to noise, light and touch, so am keen to find a way of negotiating these as much as is possible.

I'm looking for healthcare workers who will be gentle, positive and sympathetic and ideally somewhere where I won't see a different person each time.

Additionally, I have a diagnosis of bipolar and OCD.

I can't afford to go private, so it needs to be NHS (although I might be able to stretch to paying for an amenity room).

Any tips on which hospital might be a good option would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Hi Sisken

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I’ve done a fair bit of online research to London hospitals and I guess maybe you could start with looking for a hospital with fewer deliveries - perhaps the less busy the more able they’ll be to meet your needs?

I wouldn’t fret too much - you can choose one for now and then when you see your midwife discuss all of this with her. She will have a good idea of what’s available and you can always move hospitals (quite easily I think) if it’s not for you.

Good luck!