Decided to get transfered to Qeen Elizabeth from Royal London..am I making a mistake?

[Forensica]

Hi to all! I am in my 18th week of pregnancy and I am being looked after by MW's from Royal London where I should also give birth. I went to see the labour/postnatal wards at RL and was not impressed. It felt creepy to be honest. So then my friend told me about QE in Woolwich and thought that it was much fresher and nicer (larger rooms, cleaner, lighter,..) so I decided to get transferred there for care and birth. But my current midwife told me that the medical care is incomparably better in RL, but did not explain in what aspects. Could there really be such a difference and am I making a mistake? Any ideas anybody please?

I'd go where my gut leads me. If bright airy rooms are important to you then go for it - you'll probably be more relaxed there, and have a splendid birth.

i went for the medical teaching hospital (out of fear of something going wrong) and it was APPALLING - over crowded, dilapidated and depressing. I wished i had chosen a quieter nicer hospital - I know I would have fared better being looked after by motivated interested and happy staff unlike the grim burnt out witches in the Medically superior hosp.

Good luck with your lovely birth in the lovely airy fresher and nicer hospital!

Can you visit QE before you make a decision? I had my DD there last year - and wouldnt describe it as fresher and nicer! but then I have nothing to compare it to - and perhaps it is airier and fresher than others! They do frequent hospital tours (used to be on wednesday evenings) so why not visit before you make a decision?

Hi Forensica,

There is a tour on next Wednesday night from 6pm, I am not sure if you have to book or not. I think it is usually the 4th Wedensday of each month. I am going to QEH at Woolwich and have so far been impressed with all the help and cleanliness of the hospital. Not actually had baby yet so can't help on that I'm afraid.

Thanks for the replies!
I went to see QEH before I wrote this, that is why I know that it was much nicer in comparison to RL.
Curleyshirley - I would say that probably any hospital can be nicer than Royal London, there it looked like giving birth in a cellar and the same seemed the antenatal ward. Scary, tiny rooms,dingy,grey,dark,..you get the picture. I can not comment on the medical side, but feel that there possibly can not be such differences between hospitals in terms of childbirth, right? Hard to say, however I am now in process of being referred there (having Barkantine birthing centre as another possible option ;-) ).

Ugh - Royal London sounds awful! I meant to add in my post that QE does have the advantage of being new (well, 6 years or so?), so in fact it is likely to be a bit nicer than some of the older hospitals just on that basis. I had quite a traumatic birth ending in emergency c-section so I think my whole experience of QE is probably a bit biaised! The hospital itself I was very happy with. The major issues I had (around how crowded and busy it was, that my DH had to leave me during induction etc) probably apply anywhere/everywhere (though Greenwich is a very densely populated borough). I had a private room for the last couple of days of my stay (at a cost of c. £35 a night I think) which was in fact very spacious, with own personal bathroom...which was aboslutley lovely! Sounds like you have done your research and are making a sensible informed decision. My gut would say I dont think you can go wrong really with QE..depsite trauamtic birth the hospital istlsef was good. So good, in fact, I am returning there in November to do it all again for no.2!!!!

Good luck with everything Forensica!!!

Agree with curlyshirley that QE can get very crowded. If you were delivering in September/October (peak stock period), I would be concerned. But around end Jan should be ok.

Some of the midwives were fab. But very very overstretched when I delivered in Sept.

Thanks curleyshirley/blueshoes , I really appreciate your replies. They said that September is the busiest (something to do with x-mass the year before )so we should be fine. I am still hoping that I might end up in the Barkantine centre, but I guess that will be decided later on basis of my health and also how confident I would feel about the birth when it starts. Yesterday, I got a letter from QE so they are probably taking me on board then . I am glad.
Good luck to the no.2 curley!