C&W hospital or St. Mary's?

[DutchIrishLondoner]

Hi there,
I just found out I'm pregnant and want to self-refer to a hospital closeby as my GP does not do antenatal care. The options are St. Mary's or Chelsea & Westminster Hospital in London.

The pro for St. Mary's is that I would have a community midwife team that is consistent
The pro for C&W is that partners are allowed into the scans, they have Dula's at the birth and their overall approach seems more friendly (from what I see online)

Both similar distance..

Any advice from mum's on what to watch out for and experience with both? Which would you recommend?

Thanks so much!!!!

I can’t speak for St Mary’s but I am at C&W (currently 30 weeks) and think they’ve been fab. I’ve had a MMC and TFMR which were at Queen Charlottes and think C&W has been so so much better. I had a CVS done at C&W and the consultant who performed it was amazing. Have also had to have a few extra scans due to small baby and they’ve been so accommodating. I didn’t get the same at QC, felt they were really reactive in comparison. Midwives have all been really good as well. The one thing I will say is that every scan appnt they are running late - one time I had to wait over an hour! Other than that I’ve been happy so far.

I had my daughter at C&W and was very impressed with them, for both ante and post natal care. I felt very well looked after, and safe even though it wasn’t a straightforward birth. And I felt I was given choices and listened to all the way through, which is probably why even though it was a complicated birth it didn’t feel traumatic.

I had my Dd at st Mary’s.

The antinatal clinics have long waiting times. The midwives were good, but obviously it’s a very old building. I had a section and I felt like I was giving birth in a 1970s school science lab! It was so odd!

Post natal care was good, food delivered to bed. The wards were good - I ended up in a two bed one.

Leaving the hospital is crap though - no where to park! I had to stagger out to the main road where Dh was precariously parked.

Thanks so much for your response. Sounds like a great place, C&W! All the best for your last weeks!

Thanks for letting me know. Very helpful! Congrats on your baby :)

@Lpc123 I agree on being accommodating with the scans. I had a midwife measure me small at 39 weeks and they managed to squeeze me in there and then for a scan (all normal thankfully).