Experience at Queen Charlotte & Chelsea

[Sunandsea13]

Hi everyone, please can you let me know about your experience at QC&CH? Deciding between natural childbirth or ELCS.

My concern is that it is a single maternity hospital and no main hospital attached (unlike St Mary’s), but I know Hammersmith hospital is very close.

[SeaBlueSky]

What troubles you about it being a women’s/ maternity/ neonatal hospital, @Sunandsea13 ?

[reallyworriedjobhunter]

It is attached to Hammersmith hospital.

[reallyworriedjobhunter]

The buildings are physically attached to each other and are connected.

[Sunandsea13]

Oh I had no idea they were connected so that makes me feel better, thank you! Did you have good experiences @SeaBlueSky @reallyworriedjobhunter

[SeaBlueSky]

I worked there, @Sunandsea13 , rather than giving birth there. It’s 15+ years ago now, but they had good facilities then, with theatres, HDU (in case your concern is around access to emergency care) as well as a lovely birth centre.

[KindOliveBee]

Hi there,

I would also be very interested in any experiences at QC&CH.
I registered with them and so far I am very happy with their care.
I just heard that you are sharing a room with 4 other women until you are further progressed in your birth and ready for the birth centre / labour ward. Is that true?

[WolfMother326]

Hi. I had my baby there. I was consultant led and that part was positive. Unfortunately I was induced and then not properly monitored and it ended in an emergency c section. The aftercare wasn't fantastic, but the section itself was very well done. It was hard being on the shared ward overnight afterwards but you'd have that experience many places. We ended up getting a private room for the 2nd night which was much better.

[KindOliveBee]

@WolfMother326 Thanks so much for sharing and sorry to hear your experience was only partly positive. And congratulations on your baby :)!

Can I ask you, until your labor was more established, so the time you arrive at the hospital until the time you are maybe at 4-6cm, are you already in their labour room (where you are alone) or are you in another room (I think it might be Lewis suite?) where you share the room with others and only moving to the delivery room later?

Thank you so much

[WolfMother326]

So I was induced by pessary and stayed over night in the antenatal ward. I was in labour for about two hours in the antenatal ward and wasn't moved to labour ward. I wasn't properly monitored (they were short staffed) and then it was discovered my baby's heart rate was low, but they couldn't say for how long. I was brought to the labour ward but they quickly took me to theatre and did the EMCS. After the recovery ward they took me to a postnatal ward that was also understaffed and I had a really difficult night not being looked after. So overall, my experience wasn't very good but I think it was the circumstances. It was during the pandemic and the hospital was very over full. You could ask about if they have long waits for the labour ward now or if there are usually enough beds.

[horseyhorsey17]

Son born at QC. Horrific. It was understaffed, I was stuck at 8cm for four hours with no drugs as nobody to administer them. They literally flew a midwife in from Scotland in the end. Forceps birth, sustained massive arterial tear, nearly died. Zero aftercare and my hospital records were mysteriously 'lost' (presumably to make it harder for me to sue). Had an elective Caesarian for my daughter (second and final child) at Chelsea and the whole experience was a million times better.