Birmingham Women’s Hospital experiences

[Connie222]

Hi there

I’m due to have a section at Birmingham Women’s in August (my third section but first there).

I’ve had ok treatment so far, consultant led seem a consultant twice but it’s my third so it was just “all ok?” “Yep” “ok bye then” both times.

I have an independent midwife so she is seeing me at home for routine appointments/bloods so not seem a midwife there anyway. She will also be with me for the section instead of Dh, mainly as I’ve not had great experiences in my previous ones so would like professional support.

I just wanted to get peoples experiences if c sections and after care there.

Are there private rooms available to pay for? (I asked the consultant I saw but he didn’t know).

How was it for post natal generally?

Also, I’m quite fat, BMI 37. So I’m also having GTT in a couple of weeks.

I've had two sections there, completely different experiences. The elective was super, though the surgeon was seriously grumpy, possibly because it was elcs not emcs, and it was the height of the baby boom so they were so busy. Midwives we're all utterly ace.
Or maybe she'd had a crap morning trying to get to work in a blizzard?

Pn care after elcs was good, there were only two of us on ward, and the other person was a rotating series of mums with normal births that spent about four hours on ward then went home.

After each, I was discharged at 48hours later on the dot. (But TBF I was desperate to get home).

Emcs I don't think I can describe how awful labour, complications, midwife, anaesthetist etc were. The surgeon was wonderful though. PN ward was like Euston station, and I didn't sleep for the whole of the time I was in (after 24hrs labour).

I can't comment on GTT as I didn't have it. The antenatal clinics we're always completely heaving though. I was there for hours each time (consultant led care both pregnancies, due to underlying health condition).

@KingsHeathen thank you!

The only saving grace of corona virus has been that the hospital has been quiet! First time I went was before this shit show in Feb, I was there 6 hours waiting for 12 week scan and to see the consultant.

I’ve been twice since for scans and consultant and been in and out in an hour and a half, hardly any women there waiting.

Seen two different consultants (no idea who my named consultant is, I did ask but was told that it wouldn’t really matter anyway).

The last one tried to book in my date for the section but it was a farcical attempt at him trying to use the email system and having to get three other members of staff in the room to help him.

If this was my first baby and I didn’t have the private midwife is be seriously in a panic!

Oh, I never saw the same person twice! The place is huge and they have so many staff, it's always someone different I'm afraid.
You'll have continuity with your midwife though, so work on building that relationship
My neighbour just had a baby, and she was sent home v quickly (4th baby, normal vaginal delivery). They just want as few hanging around as possible, which is understandable really.
Good luck with everything