Stoke Mandeville or Watford hospital

[thefatladyscreams]

Hi, I have a choice of Stoke Mandeville or Watford hospital. Heath Commission rates Stoke Mandeville better and I've heard some negative things about Watford.

Wycombe is closing before I'm due - so that's not an option.

Anyone got any experience of either?

Thanks

I've not heard anything on Stoke Mandevilles maternity unit, but the hospital part is appalling. My FILs wife had meningitus a few years ago and was quarranteened...well, allegedly. The amount of people who were coming and going without any protective gear on and the confusion surrounding her illness makes me amazed she didnt pass it to anyone or contract anything else!

That being said I work for a local prison which often sends inmates to SM hospital and they've always been very helpful and efficient with them.

Personally I would visit both places and get the facts from them. It really helped me decide where I want to have this LO...if it ever comes out!

No brainer - Stoke Mandeville. As well as a good reputation they have just opened a brand new maternity unit which is supposed to be really nice. just missed it but still found the care to be really good back in feb!

Had both my DCs at Stoke Mandeville and would highly recommend it. Watford is pretty grim by all accounts. I went to look round it when about 3 months pg and burst into tears. To be fair, it was a grey, rainy day but I couldn't get past the heavily pregnant women standing outside having fags, and the general air of depression. Plus, as I'm sure you've been told, parking is a nightmare and you just don't want to get stuck in rush hour/football traffic. Several friends nearly gave birth in the car!

Stoke was a great experience - I had two emergency c-sections - and the maternity ward was fab.

Thanks for all your comments.

I'm afraid FairyTaleEnding's story about Watford matches what I've hear . Just relieved that the feedback on Stoke Mandeville is overall good!

I chose a homebirth to avoid Watford.

I believe that the Alexandra Birthing Centre is supposed to be nice. But I haven't heard anything good about the consultant led unit.

I might well be under consultant care - so that's useful to know. Thanks.

I had to go to gynae emergency at Watford in November - an hour to get there (6 miles) and 2 hours back whilst bleeding through pads in the back of MIL's car .

It has put me off going there at all to be honest, even if the birth centre is nice.

Had DS 1 & 2 at Watford, Alexander birthing unit and they were fantastic (this was 6 & 4 years ago). Football traffic can be a problem if you are unlucky, and parking at the hospital isn't great.

Just 2 weeks ago I had a tour of Stoke Mandeville as expecting DC3 and am much closer to Stoke now. It looks amazing - brand new having just opened in March. It is pristine as you would expect. I just phoned them directly and they popped me on a little organised tour thing - well worth it. Each individual room where you give birth has its own bathroom with nice big bath in it, TV / stereo etc - all painted nice colours. Ward you move onto upstairs is bright and airy. Parking is right outside the ward.

Hi, I've had two babies at Watford (one in consultant unit, one in ABC)and one at Stoke Mandeville. Both had excellent consultants and midwives, both had poorer postnatal care. Watford is much busier and the traffic situation is dreadful so on balance I would go for Stoke.

Hi - I had a home birth but was under Stoke Mandevile for my AN care. Found them to be absolutely fabulous, mainly for not putting me in a room full of beaming, pregnant ladies when I went in to have the scan that may have shown whether I'd miscarried or not.

Not sure what the new Maternity ward is like but my friend used to work for SM and always was full of praise for them.

I work at SMH and it is fine, really

I also had an admission to the maternityunit at Stoke last week and have to say the midwives were fantastic. I heard bad things about Watford as well and wouldnt even consider having a child there

Thanks for all your responses.

Unfortunately I've started spotting and being a worrier I'm fearing the worse

But didn't want to leave your comments unanswered.

sorry to hear you've been spotting, I hope everything is OK with you xx

void Watford maternity hospital
Hi guys, I jaust have come back from Watford Hospital. Be aware THEY DON'T TELL YOU THE SEX OF YOUR BABY. my midwife did't tell me that. Her performance is the worse I ever seen. They don't inform mothers at all.
If you can find other hospital to go.

Does anybody know where to complain about Watford maternity hospital and their midwife? plssss, thanks

mm14 that's not just a Watford-specific policy, it's the policy of West Herts PCT not to reveal the gender of babies during ultrasounds. So if you wanted to complain, you'd need to do it to West Herts PCT - if you google them you will get their website and there will be a link to contact them from there.

I live in High Wycombe and I was lucky to have my daughter at Wycombe Hospital. It makes me sad and angry that Wycombe Maternity ward is shutting becuase I had a fast labour and I would never have gotten to Stoke Mandeville in time. I only just managed to get to Wycombe Hospital in time and it is only a 10minute drive from my house.

I've heard good things about Stoke Mandeville. Nearly everyone I know who has given birth there, has had only positive things to say about it.

I have my first antenatal appointment tomorrow at Hemel Hempstead because k was planning on having the baby at Watford. Can I change to Stoke after reading this? Will they just pass my notes over to Stoke? TIA