Has anyone else heard that the care at Queen Charlottes (Hammersmith) has really gone down hill?

[artichokes]

I am due to have my second baby at QCH in 3 weeks. I met one of the midwives at a party a few weeks back. She was telling me how things are really stretched at the moment and although QCH has a great reputation it is not living up to it now. Her advice was to go to the birth centre as the care there is better.

I wanted to go to the birth centre anyway but have been told I cannot as I do not fit their criteria.

Now I am really worrying as I am stuck with going to the delivery suite when an insider says they are really struggling. Has anyone\given birth there recently? How was it?

No direct experience, but a friend had her DS at QCH earlier in the year - PP, premature baby and I think the care was excellent.

Thanks Effie. I know their neonatal care is still great but I think they now have a real shortage of midwives and so care in a normal labour can be hit and miss.

Any other experiences?

Same anywhere. I think any midwife in an NHS hospital would be singing the same song. They're all overstretched as there is a shortage of midwives. I had my twins at Queen Charlottes two years ago and although the care was amazing and I had lots of it (traumatic pregnancy/difficult caesarean/complications/prematurity) AND I was on the private ward I could still sense the struggle to provide care where it was needed. It was never for want of trying - I just think the midwives were very overstretched. I remember midwives from the private ward having to go over to help on the NHS post natal ward as things were so busy. And it took three days of nagging for me to get help expressing my milk for my premmie twins. Again, not for lack of caring on the part of the midwives, but for lack of time.

For all the staffing issues I DO think Queen Charlottes holds its own in other areas - the hospital is immaculately clean, up to date and the midwives are all willing and friendly, so the basics are there at least. My advice would be to be vocal and go in with the expectation that you might hit a busy stretch. It's never ideal and it seems wrong that labouring women are unable to rely upon one-on-one care during delivery, but staffing issues are endemic in maternity units.

It's two years since I had my daughters and maybe things have slid drastically since then but I have never heard any bad reports. They had staffing issues even when I was there but for all that I never felt let down. The consultants and midwives and staff were all incredible in terms of care and expertise and the hospital was clean. And my twins are alive and well thanks to the balancing act that they did.

Good luck.K

Hi Kits

I am not sure if you remember but we worked out a few months ago that we were in adjacent beds at QCH when I was being induced and you had just had a bleed. Nice to "see" you again.

I had no real complaints about care last time round, they were great while I was in labour, but a few friends who have had babies there in the last couple of months have had bad experiences. It may mean nothing, I have hardly examined a large sample size, but together with the midwife's comments if made me think.

How are your twins doing? I am expecting another girl .

No experience of QCH, but re. the birth centre - do you feel you'd be at risk if you gave birth there? If you've done your own research regarding your personal circumstances and feel that the birth centre would be appropriate you could always push for it - telling them your alternative is to birth at home (which they cannot deny you, whatever they may say) is often a useful lever, regardless of whether you'd actually do it or not...

If you haven't come across it there's a lot of information on the risks of birth on the homebirth website, much of which is relevant to women that are interested in controlling their birth experience wherever they choose to give birth.

I had DS there in Jan 2007. He was induced at 37 weeks because of obstetric cholestasis. I was in hospital ten days beforehand because at the time I didn't want a swift induction (as they weren't sure it was OC at first). I was supported in this by the midwives and although it wasn't constant care, it was fine. Things were ok in the post natal ward but during delivery they were 100% brilliant.

I started off with a m/w plus an anaesthetist for the epidural and then when DS got distressed b/c of strong contractions I got a full on room full of doctors and nurses. The m/wife was there all the time throughout my entire labour, calming me down and telling me what was happening (as the business end of things had gone medical so she wasn't doing the birthing).

I never felt that things were out of control and despite the medical nature of it, it was still a good birth experience. As soon as DS was born and checked, they made sure DH had had a chance to take pix, then dimmed the lights, made sure I was comfortable and cared for. M/wife brought me a cup of tea and biscuits and I could have kissed her.

Post natal is rushed and I had to ask a lot for bfing help but I felt in safe hands in delivery which is the most important thing imo. I am having DC2 there next year and have no worries.

Thanks for that link Tangle.

I do fit their criteria because I had a large bleed after my last birth and had to have a transfusion. However, from what I have read I was at high risk from a bleed last time as I was induced and had a very long labour and a forceps delivery. If I don't have an induction or instrumental delivery I believe I have a good chance of being OK - I am happy to agree to a managed third stage. Even if I did bleed I would be one floor away from the doctors on the delivery suite.

I am appealing to the Birth Centre Manager so we will see what she says.

Hello!!! I didn't read your name in the original thread. Of course I remember you. We were 'ward buddies' on that loooooooooong night when that lady went into labour.

My girls are good. They've just turned two and are fantastic fun - much easier now the first year is over, which was pretty tough. We're vaguely trying to have another baby (fools that we are!) although I'm probably going to have to hold off on this as I've just got into the London marathon.

I don't know if this will help your cause but it might help to know that they are sometimes flexible in the birth centre. I know (through an MBF talk) that a mother of twins gave birth there this year, which previously has never been allowed. So the signs are if you're adamament and you push and back up your argument with lots of facts and research in your favour (which I think she did) then it is possible.

Hope the birth goes really well and you get to try out the birth centre. I've heard it's really good, although obviously I never got anywhere near it!

Kx

Makes me so mad that the government feels it is alright to put labouring women and their babes at risk by not providing one to one care in the delivery suite.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if it were men having babies, there would be no shortage of midwifery staff.

And if the midwife makes a mistake because she has 3 ladies to look after instead of 1? Then she will be struck off the NMC, thus ensuring they are another midwife short.