The Whittington/UCLH/Private midwives - opinions please

[ScaryHairy]

Hi

I am expecting my second child and have moved to North London so have limited experience of the hospitals around here. My NHS options will be the Whittington, UCLH and the North Mid (to which I have been and which I do not like at all so it's not really an option).

I had a terrible time giving birth to my daughter at a West London hospital and was very traumatised afterwards (which is why I am also considering private hospitals, some of you might have seen the thread on that).

Does anyone have any views on the Whittington or UCLH? Did your ante-natal care run smoothly? Were you listened to in labour? Was active labour encouraged? Were the post-natal wards hell on earth?

Also, has anyone used a private midwife to give continuity of care whilst giving birth in one of these hospitals? If so, did it work well?

Any recommendations for private midwives also greatfully received!

Gosh, a too-long post with too many questions! Any help much appreciated, though.

My friend had a child in the Whittington and was very happy with the support she was given there -slightly premature baby. I had my last child in Barnet Hospital- terrible experience never again. North Middlesex is not supposed to be good at all -so I've heard. I would look at whittington. There is a website where you can compare hospitals for there labout wards but I cant remember where.

I had both my DD's at the Whit.

ante-natal care good. Liked the midwives very much.

I also had 2 MC there and very supportive for subsequent successful PG.

second to none support during delivery- however I had minor complications which ensured a consultant was present on both occasions.

after care- bit neglected i.e. left to lie in my own poo/ blood/ gore for 2 hours post delivery in delivery room.

I paid for a private room (money I don't have) as after 2-3 sleepless nights in labour wasn't happy being placed on a ward full of mums/ relatives/ crying babies.

great midwife follow up with second DD.

good luck

Go to the Whittington. It's rather lovely. I've worked in there lots and lots and it's one of my favourite hospitals for birth. The antenatal care can be shared with your GP's practice but the antenatal care at the Whit is fine.

Postnatal care in London hospitals is not so good across the board.

Active labour encouraged at the Whit and in the Bloomsbury Birthing Centre at UCH, however UCH are moving at the end of the year and they won't have a dedicated MW led unit.

Another option, alongside the private mw idea, is a doula

Oh and I had 4 children there!

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Thanks for the responses.

I kind of expect post natal care to be less than great and so am hoping for a successful VBAC and a quick discharge. Being allowed to move about in labour is therefore very important to me as I want to avoid another stuck baby!

Mars - I may well look at doulas too. So many options though, I'm starting to get confused...

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I had DD at UCH (Elizabeth Garrett). So have many of my friends. Fabulous care. I was induced and I couldnt have asked for better treatment. The aftercare was good too. Several of my friends have given birth there and all had very positive experiences. Also, they are moving to the new building soon which is meant to be fab.

Thanks Pudding. A friend of mine also had a baby at EGA about 3 months before I had my daughter at QC. She basically had many women's dream birth and a fair amount of that must be down to the care she received.

So it sounds like both hospitals are good options (although I am tempted by the new buildings at EGA - if they ever move into them!).

Just need to find out whether I can have a VBAC notwithstanding my funny pelvis, check the baby is where it is meant to be and interview private midwives. Not much to worry about then...

hi, if i had to choose a hospital birth, twould be uch for me. mind, i had poor antenatal care both there and the whit for ds2. please read my story. we hired an indy MW in the end. magic.

Thanks Merryberry.
Your midwife is one of the ladies on my list of potentials so it's nice to hear good things about her. My mother had retained placenta twice so I am keen to be in the hospital when I give birth (having heard in hideous detail about how dangerous childbirth is for most of my life I find it hard to get that programming out of my head) but am not about to rely on the NHS on its own. I firmly believe that better ante-natal care last time could have led to me having a better birth with a quicker recovery and an easier time bonding with my daughter.