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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Northampton or Milton Keynes maternity unit?

28 replies

NHarr · 17/01/2023 10:36

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone has had experience of Northampton General or Milton Keynes maternity services recently and would give me their opinion on what they thought was best?

I gave birth to our son in Northampton General in Jan 2022 and it was horrendous. Without going into the details, our son arrived safely (although I'm not sure how) after 25 hours of labour and an emergency c section. It was a fairly traumatic experience for me and have been having private therapy to try to resolve my trauma and anxiety about another birth.

We are trying for another baby but I think until I have come to terms with doing it again, I will struggle to get pregnant.

I would plan to have a c section next time round to avoid a lot of the mistakes that happened last time.

Has anyone else been through this and can give me their experiences of a planned c section in either hospital?

Thank you in advance :)

OP posts:
mumoffourminimes · 17/01/2023 10:41

I would avoid NGH at all costs. They have massive problems with staffing and are being investigated at the moment. Have you reported your concerns to PALS?

Original poster
NHarr · 18/01/2023 14:39

Thank you @mumoffourminimes , I wanted to but I honestly felt they would only defend themselves and not do anything about it. I don't want to take my time away from my family only to be wasted. But I probably should.

OP posts:
mumoffourminimes · 19/01/2023 06:21

Yes I understand that @NHarr, I complained formally and was brushed off so your instinct is probably right. I have the email for a journalist looking into this. Pm me if you'd like it to speak to someone you'll take your concerns seriously. X

bluechameleon · 19/01/2023 06:27

Not that recent, but I had DC2 by ELCS at MK in 2018 and it was good, much better than my precious experience at a London hospital. Midwives spoke to me respectfully and put a lot of effort into establishing breastfeeding.

Wallywobbles · 19/01/2023 06:45

I'm 52 and NGH has been awful my whole life. Actually when I had my tonsils out aged 5 they weren't so bad, so just for 47 years.

Original poster
NHarr · 19/01/2023 10:21

Thank you @bluechameleon , that is helpful :)

OP posts:
Original poster
NHarr · 19/01/2023 10:22

😂blimey ... hope you never need to go back 🤗

OP posts:
MasterCherry · 22/01/2023 00:07

I had superb care from the NGH homebirth team in 2017 - but the hb team sadly is no more, having been disbanded in rather unclear circumstances. In 2022 I got no continuity of care at all until we moved to a completely different part of the country when I was 30 weeks. I think I'm glad to have avoided a Northampton birth this time around. Sorry to have to say it.

annlee3817 · 22/01/2023 21:28

I had a really good experience at NGH with DD1 in 2015, couldn't fault them at all.

Had DD2 end of last August, was in for induction and was in for six days, it was stressful and not a good experience at all, but I would like to stress it is due to staff shortages and not the staff themselves, they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Most planned c sections in my bay went ahead as planned with only a day maximum delay, the delay was mainly for those waiting to have their waters broken like me. They had 11 midwives for the shift when they needed 18, they're not the only hospital experiencing this though.

Original poster
NHarr · 23/01/2023 11:48

Thank you @MasterCherry for sharing that. I'm thinking the same, although maybe every hospital is in the same situation but sounds like thats not the case if you have found better since moving?

OP posts:
Original poster
NHarr · 23/01/2023 11:51

Thank you @annlee3817 . Mine was also an induction. Did you feel in hindsight that you would have just waited? I don't feel like I was fully informed of the process which I do feel stupid for now. My pregnancy was just amazing and felt it ended up being needlessly traumatic, mainly due to the induction. I also agree re: staff, they were great but very stressed and even ended up crying in front of me.

OP posts:
annlee3817 · 23/01/2023 11:56

I couldn't have waited, am 41, had group b strep, excess fluid and they thought she was going to be a big baby, if I didn't have the risk factors I would have refused induction absolutely. In hindsight though, I'm relieved I was in, as her heart rate caused a problem most nights that I was in there, so it was good to know I was being monitored, although would like a debrief at some point as to why I was left like that for six days with that problem, amongst a stressful labour

Original poster
NHarr · 23/01/2023 16:34

@annlee3817 sounds like absolutely the right decision to induce in your case. I really wish I just left mine as the only risk factor was my age (also at 41 :)) but i just listened to the professionals and was my first so didn't know what to expect.
Would definitely ask for a de-brief. I think the time period is 72 hours so 6 days is excessive and a total stress for you. Being in a hospital for that long is not a great start. I hope you and baby are ok now.

OP posts:
sidsgranny · 23/01/2023 16:43

Definitely not NGH. Is Bedford an option? Have found them to be really good.

MasterCherry · 23/01/2023 23:47

NHarr · 23/01/2023 11:48

Thank you @MasterCherry for sharing that. I'm thinking the same, although maybe every hospital is in the same situation but sounds like thats not the case if you have found better since moving?

I wasn't particularly excited about changing from what I knew, and didn't expect any better elsewhere. But we're now in the University Hospitals Sussex area, and the care I had was excellent. I saw the same community midwife at each appointment (not happening in Northampton at the moment), and had enthusiastic support and two great midwives for my homebirth. By contrast, NGH seemed to be actively sowing confusion about whether homebirths were even a possibility any more. I met one of the former HB midwives at a community appointment and she was still lovely, but seemed so disheartened. It is a massive shame as they were early pioneers of a dedicated HB team, and all my care in 2017 was outstandingly good.

Sorry if this isn't directly relevant as you haven't mentioned homebirth - but I do think it's probably indicative of the general state of things. What a pity!

Original poster
NHarr · 24/01/2023 09:54

Thank you @sidsgranny will look into Bedford, didn't even consider that, thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
NHarr · 24/01/2023 10:00

Thank you @MasterCherry A HB was not even discussed with me at NGH, not even to rule it out due to the risk factor. They also have an amazing birthing centre which they have spent millions on but had been closed for over 9 months when I have birth in Jan last year. I'm not surprised the HB midwifes feel disheartened and probably completely disenfranchised ... this was certainly my experience. I really feel for them.
I'm so glad you ended up having such a great experience 😍

OP posts:
mumoffourminimes · 24/01/2023 10:23

I had similar @MasterCherry, fantastic care for 2 home births with the NGH home
Birth team (2015, 2017)
and then had the rug pulled under me in this last pregnancy (2022) both the home birth service and MLU closing without informing women, promises made and withdrawn at the last minute. They seem to be trying to put women off home births at the moment, I was however told I could book a c section (no
Medical reason whatsoever - the reason was they wouldnt send me a Homebirth midwife) or call an ambulance, just bloody neglectful. My last one was a BBA anyway I couldn't have got to the hospital if I'd tried.

I had fantastic support and a Homebirth with a midwife from KGH in the end.

MasterCherry · 24/01/2023 11:27

@mumoffourminimes They offered you an elective caesarian as an alternative to homebirth? That is absolutely shocking!

mumoffourminimes · 24/01/2023 11:38

And an induction @MasterCherry. They were quite happy to put me and baby at risk of an induction and all that involves and provide staff for that but wouldn't send a midwife to a Homebirth. I labour very quickly so it's not as if they'd be providing a mw all day, just a couple of hours. I think the leadership are making very very poor decisions about the staff allocation and ethos there.

My 4th was BBA anyway in the end (less that 30 mins labour).

mumoffourminimes · 24/01/2023 11:39

MasterCherry · 24/01/2023 11:27

@mumoffourminimes They offered you an elective caesarian as an alternative to homebirth? That is absolutely shocking!

I did make a formal complaint, but they aren't interested

Jellybum2019 · 24/01/2023 11:43

Hi I had a induction/emergency c section at NGH on 2019 and then a natural labour that led to a semi-emergency c-section in 2021 and couldn’t fault my experience on both occasions. So sorry to hear your experience wasn’t a positive one. Haven’t heard much about Milton Keynes unfortunately to help, but I know a few friends who gave birth at KGH who also had positive things to say.

MasterCherry · 24/01/2023 11:43

Wow. Glad you managed to escape to Kettering! I asked about that, but was told KGH wouldn't accept me as I lived in Northampton itself. We had no idea we'd be moving away until it actually happened but now I'm so glad we did...

mumoffourminimes · 24/01/2023 11:47

Yes I was very lucky, I live on the edge of both 'patches' a 45min drive to either hospital. They didn't have to accept me but did. Thank God I got some sanity from the community mw who took me on because I was absolutely bloody done with maternity 'care' in general by then. It was very stressful.

Toddlerteaplease · 24/01/2023 11:54

Have you had a post birth debrief with a senior midwife? They will go through your notes with you and explain what happened and why. It may help you process it more.

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