Anyone delivered their child at Queen Charlotte Hospital in London?

[Mewstar]

Hi ladies!

Does anyone have experience delivering their child at the Queen Charlotte Hospital? I'm trying to do a little research during my pregnancy (I'm 18+5 weeks) for my birth plan.

I know for definite that I want doctors and specialist led care on the labour ward. Things I wonder about this hospital:

1. Did you request for epidural from admission? Is it possible to do so? I would want minimal delay getting an epidural when I want it.

1. For those who did not ask for epidural, how soon after asking for it did you get it in the end?

1. Did anyone use one of those self-control pump for epidural medication so that you're not completely paralyzed down below?

1. How tidy and clean did you find the general labour ward facility?

1. Do you get your own side room when in labour?

1. Did anyone upgrade to a private suite or room and how much was it for you?

1. How friendly and helpful did you find the staff including midwives and doctors?

Any help with questions above would be really appreciated. :)

As 1-3 will really depend on what happens in the moment. I've had 2 epidural, one with a self-medicating button, one without, both were lovely, former was a quicker recovery as I could still feel everything. As for the other questions you probably won't care at the time!

I think it's safe to say you're in for a rude awakening dear

No help to you but I was born there in the 60s! It was in Hammersmith then.
Why don't you take a tour?

epidural I asked for it when I was first brought into the labour ward, I was being induced so knew I wanted it ASAP. It was fairly fast to get it about a 30min wait. It wasn’t self controlled, I wasn’t given an option of that. Midwife kept it topped up for me though there was no question of that.

I upgraded to the private ward post birth, it’s £625 a night. Your partner can stay and is also fed the entire time you are there too. They take the baby at night if you want them to so you can get some sleep. It can be hard to get a room though as they prioritise the private patients over you.

Staff were all fine when we were there, I do feel that some of the night staff weren’t as nice as the day staff but that could be because you don’t bond as much with them I guess.

Care when leaving the hospital wasn’t great to be honest, a few small things that built into a bigger thing then it should have been which effected my mental recovery. Some of the community Midwife’s can be a bit hit and miss too but to be honest that’s the same with any line of work and not just a queen charlottes issue!

I gave birth there 17 years ago when it had just moved to its current location.

I was NHS for 2 weeks and then went private for 4 weeks. My 4 week in patient stay with planned c section and consultant led care was £16.5k.

Generally good and if things go wrong they are very good. SCBU seemed good. Didn't need it in the end but they showed ne v round just in case.

Thank you very much everyone who responded here! I will definitely take a tour around. It has the best CQC rating in London for their maternity unit (which includes St Mary's I think) for anyone else wondering.

Sounds like I won't have as much control for epidural dosing - I will ask about this specifically.

Sometimes there are medical reasons not to give an epidural too early.

If all doctors are in theatre then your epidural will be delayed until they are back as they are the only ones who can administer it. I waited 50 minutes from asking for mine and then it needed topping up a few hours later and none were available so I ended up giving birth without it.