Choosing a hospital

[HDL500N]

I have been offered the choice to give birth at the Royal London in Whitechapel or the Homerton in Hackney. Can anyone provide any feedback from their experiences at either of these hospitals?

You sound like me!

I have friends who have given birth at both, and have heard nothing bad about either one.

The Homerton is supposed to have nice facilities, although I've never experienced it myself.

The RL is opening a mw-led birthing centre on the Isle of Dogs in December at the Barkantine centre.

Where you choose will determine where you go for your ante-natal appointments and scans (ie. your surgery, or the hospital).

For me, I've chosen RL as it is closer and meant I could see the midwives at my surgery. And I also want to go to the birthing centre. I'm pleased with the choice so far.

Hope this helps.

had both my sons at the homerton - both good expereinces. First one rooms were full - moo'd like a cow in the labour suites reception area with every contraction, they found me a room! . Second one (4 years later), had the 'mother's suite' to ourselves. Mother's suite is three delivery rooms, one with a pool, for 'low maintenance' births (am sure that is not the correct phrase) - if you want more than gas&Air/pethadine you get transferred to the labour wards -through a door basically! But I think it is midwives only in there.

ante-natal appts all fine, midwives v nice - especially the ones who delivered my sons! After care not the greatest, but I didn't need much and was keen to leave. Good luck wherever you end up!

I transferred to UCH from the Royal London because I was absolutely hating my experience there. I'm much happier at UCH.

Obviously everyone has different expectations and different experiences though as E14mum is having a good experience there. I didn't know they were planning to open a MLU. That should be good.

I've heard pretty good things about the Homerton. Like Catgirl I've heard that the postnatal care is rubbish but then I've yet to hear of a London hospital where it's meant to be good!

My personal advice would be to avoid RL like the plague but it's up to you...

PS. Did you know you can ask to go to pretty much any hospital? You don't have to go to the ones you've been offered. Obviously you will want to go somewhere close enough that you can get to your antenatal appointments easily and get there when in labour. Depending on where you live and work you might want to look into your choices at other hospitals too.

... can I just add that "nothing bad" of course takes into consideration the general acceptance that postnatal care is supposed to be rubbish wherever you go!
missbumpy, I'm glad you're having a better time of it now. tbh, I've only been to the RL for 1 scan so far as everything else is being done at my surgery.

Hello

I had my second child at the Homerton and was really happy with the birth experience (except afterwards I wanted to take advantage of early discharge and they wouldn't let me...nothing wrong with me, just had to wait for bleedin' paperwork/baby check: took 18 hours in the end).

A lot of midwives wince when you mention the Royal London...

Ah, lucky you E14mum. All of my care was taking place at the hospital for some reason and it was a total nightmare. I had to wait at least 2 hours for every midwife appointment and each time I saw a different midwife most of whom seemed stressed, busy and disinterested I would then have to wait another 2 hours in a cold noisy reception area to get any bloods taken. I also saw some pretty run down and grimy looking consultation rooms.

Having said that, I'm sure the clinical care is excellent and it's a big teaching hospital so I have no doubt that they'd be great in an emergency. And if you're having your antenatal care at your GP's then you won't have to deal with all the waiting around and stuff.

Still happier to be at UCH though

Go and have a look around both units see which one feels right.
Everybodies experience is different

agree have a look at both and see what you think. Try www.drfoster.co.uk/localservices/birth
it's another site with stats