any feedback on recent birth experience in WATFORD GENERAL HOSPITAL?

[ranirani]

any feedback please? 36+6 PG and can have it any time. especially epidural section. I am going to maternity ward straight away, not ABC centre. and what about post natal care?

thanks x

[ranirani]

I mean, I am interedsted in epidural section
not that i am having it any time

[sandcastles]

Nothing on the epidural side, I had a c-sect under GA. But please don't expect much help on the ward, I was told to ask for help feeding at night if I needed it, I asked, was told none available. That is, until dh threatened to stay the night.

Also very little help to establsih bfeeding. They gave me a leaflet & just said 'feed'!

I was in for 5 days & repeated calls for help were left unanswered.

Hence dd1 not bf!

[ranirani]

when was it, sandcastles?

[sandcastles]

August 2003

[halfwaythroughjan]

I had a baby there 6 years ago when the aftercare was dire, and like the previous poster my baby did not BF and my experience was horrible.

I went back again 3 years ago and it was a totally different story. There were BF counsellors on the ward all day long and they spent a long time helping with feeding and I went onto successfully feed my 2nd child.

Like all NHS hospitals it has its problems but you can a) pay for a private room on the knutsford suite if you don't like the ward, it's about £400 a night but was worth it for me after my first experience but b) and this is key, they have amazing doctors there. I have many many friends from all walks of life who have delivered their babies there and almost without exception have praised the antenatal and delivery care that they have recieved. I have one particular friend who was seriously ill at the end of her pregnancy and the care she was given was truly unbelievable, she was meant to be having a private delivery but the consultant believed that he could support her more on the NHS and did not allow her to have any of her treatment privately. He gave up a serious amount of money in order to give her the best care possible and that is a great sign to me.

All in all, postnatal care can be hit or miss but it's not bad, delivery for me was superb both times and most people I know have had a similar positive experience.

[AussieLou]

I just saw the name Watford Hospital and wanted to ad my two cents. I have not been there for anything pregnancy related but was there for a A&E visit with a susspected spinal injusry. The refused to give me a bed. Made me sit in the chairs and then gave me medication that I had said numerous times that I was allergic to. If they are that bad in A&E I dread to think that the rest of the hospital is like.

[halfwaythroughjan]

aussielou,

I think that the maternity unit at watford is very different to the rest of the hospital which is just horrible. I am very comfortable with the care I had there and I am the queen of private care, I rarely even see an NHS GP. Your a&e experience sounds awful, I've only been to the Royal free a&e and it was very good.

[Tiredmumno1]

The famous watford general, i had my first boy there 6 yrs ago, i was induced and my hubby wasnt there when my waters broke, they made me feel like the next piece of meat, i got really bad with contractions, hubby told them to do something, they then realised i was nearly fully dilated, i was lucky after when they took me to the ward, i got to have a room by myself cos one was free. I also had my 2nd son there 2 yrs ago, i was nearing the end of my pregnancy and was told he was breach, so i had to go through the agony of trying to have him turned, luckily it was my consultant from my first pregnancy, so it was a familar face, but it was to painful i just couldnt carry on. I was then told i need a c section, turned up on the day, they got me ready then scanned me and he had turned back by himself. So i went home (soz know this is long) one morning i woke up the bed was soaked, my hubby was at work so he had to get back and get me to the hospital, i had to go to the bit downstairs where they monitor you, and the midwife checked me over listened to the heartbeat she said all was fine, sent me home without a scan, it didnt explain about the wet bed and no i didnt pee myself. I was in agony the whole of the next night, so first thing it was back to the hospital where the same midwife took a look at me, and u could tell by her face that she was wrong bout the day b4, she had to call someone else over, she looked worried cos guess what he had turned himself back into the breach position, and i had to have an emergency c section, i could barely move afterwards, they kept forgetting to give me painkillers, i had to beg for help with him and for tablets, it really was horrid i just wanted to go home, they only had 2 members of staff at night and barely anyone in the day. Dont get me wrong, there r a few competent midwives, at least i managed to find one who could take blood without hurting me. Cos the one that had to do my drip stabbed my hand bout 5 times b4 she thinks she got it right, but it was agony and i could barely move my hand.

[naturalisbest]

I'd always had a good experiences at Watford General however nothing could have prepared us for the nightmare and incompetence that greeted us when my partner and I arrived on the "third floor" maternity unit from home after 31 hours labour. It was like a bus queue of screaming rooms. First it was hold your horses, we change shift in a hour. Then the new crew detected complications immediately they arrived, but left us in triage for another 4 hours with only a TENS machine and paracetamol. By the time we got a proper room with Entenox, the (ha ha natural) birth plan was a distant memory. From there one in it was down hill to the operating theatre (and all that that entails)just to save the baby?s life. One is left feeling that it may have been better to have stayed at home or gone to a back street abortionist. The only thing that went right was the epidural. Hat's off to the anesthetist who seemed to be the only person who actually knew what he was doing or had a plan. As he candidly pointed out, "lucky it was a girl (because a boy would have died)". My feeling is that the majority of midwives and registrars hate working on the third floor as much as we enjoyed their care. Many of them appeared to be temporary or just passing through to better positions and hospitals of elsewhere. Only when we got home to Rickmansworth did all the neighbors let the cat out of the bag by telling us their equally horrific experiences at this hospital. Great... :-(

[jaabaar]

Hi,

I am 39+5 and due any moment.
I was on in WGH this last week end due to high blood pressure.

During the 3 day stay I was in the Victoria ward (next to ABC). I have to say that every single person I came into contact with (nurse, midwife, doctor) were very very helpful and considerate.

I calmed my nerves a little bit as I said to myself at least when I return I know a bit how it is.

However having listened to women screaming (and I never heard human screamings like that before) it really made me panick now about giving birth!!!!!!!!

oh well....... regarding the hospital I had excellent experiences this last weekend.

Wishing luck to all.

Gx

[abimael19801]

why in the world hasnt this hospital been closed or their staff brought to account for the horrid ways they treat women in the maternity ward.
i had a miscarriage last year and believe me the staff on the ward made me feel like a pice of dirty meat! the one i hate so much [grrr], was the dr awala who scanned me to see if i still had any product left in, she was awful and a real nasty person (and i am not sorry to say it) she virtuallly screamed at me to lie down well, and she said she wouldnt scan me, then laughed during the scan!!!!she laughed i swear she laughed, i had a miscarriage and this woman laughed how dare she! she laughed and said (they didnt take out all the product, i will give you a tablet and ull go and pass it out at home)hmmmn! the worse was she told me to go and stand outside in the waiting room (downstairs) with an open-back hospital gown(they were people there men and women and this woman made me stand out there with an open back gown and blood all around it!!!!! i am determined to make sure the world knows about this hospital, and stays away from it.

[blackletterday]

I had an elcs there 2006 and 2009. Not great really, epidural was horrid both times. At one point had 2 anaethetists jabbing massive 20g cannulas in my arms at once, it was fucking agony, they looked at me like a loon when I cried. In 2006 the bloke tried about 20 times to get the epidural in before calling for help, I had a bruise the shape of the USA on my back.

Theatre staff generally disinterested, although the midwife who was looking after me was nice. I do really fecking hate it when they gossip about nothing whilst rummaging about in your insides. Surgeons are obviously too important to introduce themselves.

Aftercare was shit, bf help consisted of half heartedly trying to latch him, oh he's not hungry. Hot, noisy, crowded, 2009 was worse. Nobody changed my bloodstained sheets despite asking 3 times. (some)Midwives who didn't listen/kept whipping back the curtains when trying to bf.

Bullying scbu Dr, all in all not very nice. I discharged myself after 36 hours, could not bear to spend the extra 16 hours there, could feel myself getting over wrought. Went home, bloody marvellous.

[Emlou82]

I had my baby boy there in Nov last year. Sounds like my experience is the exception and not the rule though because, apart from the screaming (my own), I had a lovely experience at WGH :) both before and after he was born...thank goodness because sounds like that's not always the case!

As an aside, I had a scare at 14 weeks and my doc at WGH was Dr Awala. I thought she was a bit of a treasure and really reasurred me when I was terrified that my baby had gone.

All in, I won't have an issue going back there with bubba no. 2

[keith123]

My 17 year old daughter gave birth at watford general yesterday. I am so disgusted with the care that she was given. I am a phlebotomist by tarde and have spoken to my practice nurse who is under the impression that my daughters life and that of her baby was put at risk last night. I have never been so horrified with the care in any of the uk hospitals as I was last night. It is through the grace of god that the day shift came on ..... took control and were as horrified as I was at what she had been allowed to go through. I am writing a list of events and will update this site with the clear details of what occured in the next couple of days. Like I said the day staff that came in and took control were superb . I just want people to know the horrific events that went on 2 nights ago at this hospital and if you have selected watford for your delivery change pretty quickly to stoke manderville.

[whackamole]

I haven't, but my friend did just over a year ago now.

As far as I am aware she is completely happy with the experience - emergency section in the end. I'm hazy on the actual birth details but I know that her little one had strep-B which was picked up and dealt with very quickly.

I also know my mum was on the maternity ward for a hysterectomy about 8 years ago and it was awful.

[Katiebeau]

Stoke Manderville left DSil totally without any pain relief at all. Treated her like an animal. All maternity units without exception will have extreme experiences. For me Welwyn was a disgrace from booking in to post natal. Not so for my friend (quiet night). Watford so far have been amazing. Depends on the shift, how busy etc. Unfortunately it is the real life experience of the over stretched NHS maternity services. It's all pot luck.

[PinkFondantFancy]

I was originally booked at Watford but switched to Lister (Stevenage) after I visited both wards. In the end I went for a homebirth-not helpful for you I know-but felt that out of all the options, going to Watford was my least preferred. It seemed dirty, and crowded, with sanitary bins in the toilets overflowing with bloody pads.

[LadyAnnieLuck]

Hi! I am new here and new to the Watford area. I'm expecting my first baby at the beginning of May 2012 and am beginning to put together my thoughts (and a plan) towards birthing. My orginal hospital was MK General and some stories surrounding that place were horrific. Sounds like some of you ladies have also experienced nightmares at Watford. I guess that there will always be reports, good and bad, and our poor NHS is suffering a lot of cut backs, but why should we have to suffer at the hands of the banks' and governments' cock ups! Anyway, I was hoping for some advice from some of you. OK here goes - I am 32, fit, healthy, 12 weeks pregnant and a few weeks ago it became apparent that I am going to be continuing this pregnancy and birthing and raising this baby on my own. I want to try and do it as naturally and comfortably as possible and am thinking about Stoke Manderville birthing centre... but I'm also scared (pain, complications... doing this on my own...) and wondering if being at a big General Hospital would be better.
I have tried speaking with my sister-in-law, she had a good experience at Watford (but it was her 3rd child and she was discharged a few hours after), my Mom is miles away in a different country and a little jurrassic in her opinions... "Well I never had any pain relief and was home within hours of having the both of you..."
... I guess I'd like some honest thoughts and opinions first hand from you ladies to help me make some decisions and put together my plan.

[amyshrdn]

Hi Annie,

I read your message and wondered how your experience of Watford went? I hope it went well for you, im in a similar situation to you. Im 12 weeks first baby, 26 years old and have moved here recently so am not sure about local maternity services. I have been reffered to Northwich park, and had my dating scan there but i read some horrific reviews and am thinking of changing. Not sure if watford is any better from reading the above reviews.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :)

[3littlefrogs]

Hi. I don't want to go into detail, but if you can go elsewhere do.

[arthurfowlersallotment]

I had EMCS at WGH three weeks ago. Third floor staff were amazing. They acted fast when it was clear my baby was not doing so good..

Post natal not so much. NO help with baby despite being in pain, I had to beg for drugs and when my baby was screaming but I couldn't get up, was offered no help.

I was sobbing the first night as my baby was starving and I was having trouble feeding- again, had to beg for help that wasn't forthcoming. I received very little sympathy from night staff! (There were a couple of absolute (sorry) cunts who should not have been allowed near vulnerable patients IMO.

On the last day, a stupid, patronising bf counsellor marched in to me and berated me for giving DD a bottle. Where was this useless person the previous three days when I was struggling to bf and getting no help? I am bf now)

After four utterly fucking miserable nights I was going to discharge myself had they not done it anyway.

I will say that there were many lovely midwives and docs; but I mostly remember the bad stuff..

Sorry!

[amyshrdn]

Sorry to hear you had such an awful time. hope baby and you are doing well.

im totally confused on where to go now! I think all maternity wards are as bad as each other and its just luck of the draw who is working when your in.

Thanks for your feedback

[newgirl]

I think a bit of perspective needed here - watford was not great 10-6 years ago as st albans closed and a north london hospital closed (forgot name) and the demand on watford was ridiculous. I have heard (my kids are 6 and 10!) that it is far far better now. I really hope that is the case.

[arthurfowlersallotment]

OP we are fine now :)

I realise my post was v negative. But I had a traumatic birth and was in agony afterwards so my experience will be negative anyway.

Here's the thing- from my experience and that of other women I have spoken to- the delivery care is second to none. If, heaven forbid, you get into difficulties you will be in excellent hands. Hopefully, you won't be in post natal any longer than one night. You will be able to handle that!

The NHS is massively over stretched, especially maternity- so I think it's all much of a muchness.

Good luck xx

[sophiesmum10]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to put forward a positive experience. I gave birth to my son at wgh 3 weeks ago and had excellent care. My midwife was Kate and she was so helpful, caring and considerate. She reassured me and helped me through the whole process and really listened to what I wanted. I had my first child at QE2 and found that to be a much more stressful experience. In fact my postnatal care almost put me off having more children!

I was strep b positive and was given the antibiotics straight away. I got to see my consultant soon after who explained how everything would work and he broke my waters for me as I was 41+5.

My labour only lasted 58 mins, so there was no time for more antibiotics. Kate and the consultant explained that my son would need to be monitored for 24 hours.

Luckily I had booked a postnatal room on the knutsford which was well worth the £400! Overall a much happier experience than my first birth.

I will mention though that I had to go in for monitoring on the Saturday before (ds was born on a Tuesday) and my experience of Victoria ward and care were very different. There were only 2 doctors on duty for whole of maternity and we were left waiting around for hours. The midwives were great, but I wouldn't have felt safe if I had gone into labour at the weekend without sufficient doctors on duty.