Good /Bad Experience at Milton Keynes Labour Ward?

[IslayBrigid]

Hi everyone

I'm first time pregnant and considering options for the birth. Closest hospital is Milton Keynes. I really want to have a water birth but I have heard there are only two pools at MK and that you aren't guaranteed to be able to use them if they are already full, for example.

I have at this stage opted for a home birth and will probably hire a pool. I'm aware I may decide/need to transfer during labour.

I'm wondering if anyone can provide their experience of MK labour ward? And is there anyone on here who used the birthing pool rooms? What are the rooms like?

Do you have enough control over your environment e.g. can lights be dimmed?

Thank you :)

Anyone?

BUMP!

They've got a FB page, so worth posting on there or looking at the reviews. I can't help as my nearest was Northampton

I have had two babies in MK, in 2016 and 2019. Both times I was induced and the pool wasn't an option but I think usually there's not too much difficulty using a pool if you want one. I have no idea if the lights can be dimmed as both mine were born in broad daylight! My care on labour ward was fantastic both times, especially after DS2 when I had a haemorrhage and they took really good care of me. Not such a fan of the postnatal ward, it's very busy and the bedspaces are quite small.

Friends of mine who've used the home birth team have all had really good experiences, even if transferred into hospital. Depending on your location, the MLUs at Northampton and Stoke Mandeville also seem nice.

Thank you @SockQueen and @annlee3817! I'll check out the FB group.

I've asked Northampton MLU if I could go there but they said no as I'm not in the right area. Haven't checked out Stoke Mandeville but may have a look! Thanks!

I have heard the pools aren't used that much so perhaps that means I'll have more of a chance of using one if I do go to hospital. X

Hi OP, I had DS1 at MK hospital in 2010 and DS2 at Stoke Mandeville in 2012, so I appreciate my experiences will be very out of date!

MK was not doing well at the time and the post natal care wasn't good. Birth was quite quick and I was high risk so wasn't on labour ward for all that long.

Stoke Mandeville has a triage that you go to on arrival and they decide whether you go to the midwife lead unit or labour ward (I went to labour ward) but again a quick birth and not there for long! I was discharged from labour ward a few hours later. So having that option at Stoke Mandeville was really good. At the time I lived in an area where I could choose between those two and Luton, no one ever went to Luton!!

I'd suggest a visit to both sites if you can, depending on where you live getting to Aylesbury can be a pain in traffic but it totally depends on your late stages of pregnancy and early labour.

Best of luck!

Thanks @Schlobbob it's useful to hear your experiences!
X

I have a friend who had a baby at MK 3 years ago.... this time she's having baby at Stoke....

I had my baby Oct 2019 at Stoke. I can't speak highly enough of the care myself and my baby have received antenatally, during labour and now ongoing. They really are excellent there.

Praying that's good to hear Stoke M still has a good reputation. I wish I had had DS1 there!! I chose MK as it was more convenient. MK did look after me antenatally quite well, it was the post natal care that really could have been better. Especially with a first child and everything is so new.

SM is a newer hospital and had an overall much nicer feeling to it

I also live on the border where I could go to L&D. Personally would never choose to go there.

I was in stoke for a week in total (induced then c section with bumps in road). So really got to know their services.

Thanks everyone! I had a dream about Stoke Mandeville last night haha it's a sign I must look into it. Not sure they will let me go if I am in Milton Keynes? Tho I wonder if whether I just turned up on the day, they would accept me and let me go to the midwifery unit if I was in normal labour?

@IslayBrigid where are u having your scans? Speak to your midwife.

I'm having them at Milton Keynes.
I've opted for a home birth as didn't think I could go to a MLU so at the moment I'm with the MK home birth midwife team. I'll chat to her about whether we are in the area for Stoke Mandeville x

I had DS2 at MK 2 years ago. I had an elective section so can't comment on pools etc, but the post natal care was good. I had trouble getting going with breastfeeding and the midwives helped me with every single feed for the first 36ish hours.

Thanks @bluechameleon!

I just spoke to my midwife and she is going to look into the birth centres at both Stoke Mandeville and Bedford. She did say that there is only one pool at SM (two at MK) and that MK has done a lot of work improving over the last few years. I'm not sure how many pools they have at Bedford but that is one of the main things I want in my birthing room!

Will see how it all goes :)

That's not true! I've had a tour of the MLU centre at Stoke (although I was consultant led so wasn't an option) and there are definitely several permanent pools and they have the option of inflatable ones they can put up in any room if you are suitable for that kind of birth

www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/birthchoices/aylesbury-birth-centre.htm

Hmm interesting! Well I will see if I can do a tour of the unit and have a look. Thanks for coming back to me on this! X