Elective C-section for 2nd birth - Frimley/Basingstoke or Guildford?

[smackapacka]

Hi - Just looking for anyone's experiences. I had DD at FPH via emergency cesearean last year. The birth was fine (great actually), but the aftercare was a bit upsetting for me. I had hair in my food, there was blood in the shower, and nobody really helped with BF. They were slow to come with medications.... usual type of gripes I suppose. I self discharged after one night and coped OK although never really got on with BF.

Anyway, I'm pregnant with no 2 and worried about going back to FPH. I know I have the choice of these 3 hospitals so I'd just be interested to hear other peoples thoughts.

Thank-you!

guildford has similar issues postnatally but i found it clean and had a lot of help with breast feeding. Nearly impossible to get meds etc on time which set my recovery back by days (bp issues). They all need more staff desperately its not the fault of the staff its a government / management issue.

I think that you will find that every maternity hospital has the same issues with post natal care unfortunately . Unless you go to a private hospital. If you go private for the cs at one of these hospitals it won't make any difference to your postnatal care though.

mmmm that's what I wondered.... No way can we afford private care. I am always grateful that we had a (live) good birth with amazing care for that part. Just afterwards it all went downhill.

Hair in food... Should we just come to expect that

I had my em cs and planned cs at basingstoke. I was so unhappy with the aftercare after my em cs so I was a lot more demanding after my planned cs and it was all quite easy . I got the midwives to change nappies more the second time around and I recovered very fast as I rested for the first 48 hours. If you ask them nicely, but firmly they'll probably be more helpful.

I had to visit guildford a few months ago and I was very at the lack of alcohol hand cleaners for visitors and the main entrance. Basingstoke is very strict on clean hands for everyone.

Sorry that's not much info but I hope it helps.

Oh, and the head midwife was talking to me after my em cs and she agreed that the post-natal care was poor and told me to ask more when I needed help. So second time around I was more in control and it made a world of difference.

THat's really helpful - thank-you.

I have had 2 c-sections at Guildford, one 4 years ago and one 2 years ago, and was basically very happy with the hospital. It was clean and the midwives were excellent first time round with bf support (I didn't need to ask them second time around).

The food was terrible, but there weren't any hairs in it! Didn't realise I should have counted my blessings for that...

It helped that I had an amenity room both times (a private room which you pay extra for, I think it was about £100 per night, but get the same medical care/cleaners/food as everyone else).

Big yes to private rooms!! I had one with my planned cs and it was nice having privacy and feeling more 'at home' in my own space. At basingstoke its the luck of the draw if you get one, you can't book them, I kept asking and got one after 24 hours. I think they wanted to shut me up .

I think it's the same everywhere - I couldn't pre-book the room at Guildford either, it is first come, first served. Although expensive, it was worth every penny to get some sleep!

I can imagine that getting sleep makes everything look different. I think that was half the problem last time round. They did actually offer me a private room at FPH but by then I'd decided I just wanted to go home.

I loved Guildford and I had an amenity room for 2 of my 3 nights too.

There weren't really enough midwives but everyone was really helpful I loved the food (top tip: tick the 'large portions' box on the menu and you get normal portions).

Note about the alcohol handwash comment above: there are bottles all over reception and you can't get in the maternity unit until you've 'done' your hands. There, they ask every visitor as they come in.

I am sure I heard on the radio that FPH has just scored highest for it's maternity care.
Anyway I went to FPH last year and had an emcs and thought it was great, but I agree the b/f support was patchy. However out of all of the horror birth stories I heard in the 3 NCT classes I know most of them were in Guildford.

yup here it is:

www.frimleypark.nhs.uk/maternityCNST

Oh interesting - thanks for those posts. I met with my midwife yesterday and looks like I'll be going for VBAC at FPH. If it does end up with another emergency c-section then I know I'll feel reassured about the operation at FPH.