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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

UCLH or Whittington for labour?

65 replies

Clairona · 01/02/2010 18:19

I was hoping the government promise of choice would be more than just spin but St Thomas' has declined my referral as I am outside their catchment area. I now don't know where to have my baby. The Whittington is on my doorstep but I have read bad things about their maternity services and staff. I'm going for a walk-in scan at the UCLH tomorrow as I'm not assigned to any hospital.
I would love to hear about women's experiences at either of these hospitals or if someone could recommend an alternative. Unfortunately, private is not an option. Feeling slightly overwhelmed.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

roselover · 12/04/2010 23:27

the thing about that lady who sat for six hours to be induced - thats awful - if I ever get pregnant again I will re- mortgage the house to go private - sad hey? Having given birth in UCH in October (finally left there on bonfire night....) I found the trauma of lack of care was with me till about feb ....I blame it on bad management - shudder - I was asked to write up my views on the place as I had spent the best part of a month there....but I just tried to forget it once I had left - I regret that now - I should have done something .....maybe I will - do you think it would be worth it...would it help future mothers do you think? I once sat for five hours waiting to be scanned for twins - you loose all sense of humor dont you .....but thats not the same as waiting to be induced.....

ylenia · 13/04/2010 08:40

I did write a formal letter of complaint but I have not heard back yet. It wasnt even the waiting that got to me. I am aware that maternity wards are busy it was the bedside manners of the midwives. I've decided to get a doula this time. Hopefully things will work out better this time.

MumNWLondon · 13/04/2010 09:45

I think its always writing a letter, and chasing up if no reply within a month. They need to know when they have let women down because if you don't tell them the hospital senior management they don't know.

Sadly I think a lot of it is the luck of the draw... ie how busy and what staff are working on the day...that being said I will call the hospital when I first am sure I'm in labour and again when I am ready to go in and if there is no room waiting for me I will be calling the other (nearby) hospitals until I find one with a free labour room.

Actually my SIL didn't mind waiting 6 hours to be induced as she thought the care was better than the RFH where she'd had her first child!

Firawla · 13/04/2010 19:36

waiting hours for induction is sometimes unavoidable i think? i had to wait long for mine too, the whole day pretty much and other ladies came in the same morning as me had 2 wait til the next day to be induced.. but i think thats a lot less worrying than going in actually in labour and being asked to just wait in a room cos they have no space, because @ that time you are in pain and need looking after, whereas waiting to be induced you can just wait and no harm done really although waste of time, inconvenient and tiring to spend all day @ hosp b4 a long labour, but being just left to wait actually while in labour is really bad!
doesn't sound good about the prisoners either i never thought of that.. you would have thought they would keep them seperately in an own room if they have to have guards and everything

MumNWLondon · 18/04/2010 20:07

I had DS2 at the MLU at the whittington on saturday. I was very happy with the care...

I called them at 1am sat morning, saying wasn't sure I was in labour, they told to me take warm bath and call them in a couple of hours. When I called back at 3am still not sure they told me to come in as it was baby number 3 and they didn't want me to have any chance of giving birth at home. I came in at 4am and as they thought i was in quite early labour they left me and DH which i was very happy about as it was really pretty mild. Just doing gentle breathing through contractions.... she respect my wish not to have any VEs.

I put on my tens machine and at around 5am I asked for some G&A and at around 6.20am I asked if they could fill the pool - as my contractions still were very irregular in length, regularity and strength she said far too early might slow it down, i guess she thought that because i was coping so well (totally calm and relaxed, chatting normally between contractins) in the end didn't get into the pool as at around 6.35am waters broke and he was born v v v quickly after that - not enough time to fill it.

All was fine, no stitches, so far seems to be no bruising down there (not sure how), and already bleeding like normal period...

We stayed in the extremely nice (think spa not NHS hospital room, including double bed) delivery room until around 9pm and had regular visits from midwifes & pediatrician (who checked out DS2 very carefully) having a lazy saturday.... we didn't see any other patients at all, and we went home at around 9pm.

So I guess only complaint was i didn't get my waterbirth but as no tears / bruising and I coped so well without don't really mind. Aftercare was fab.

hippopo · 18/04/2010 20:31

Hi MumNWLondon,

Congratulations on birth of DS2 and really glad to hear it was such a positive experience.

I am also hoping to give birth in MLU at Whittington and its great to hear you thought aftercare was so fab and delivery room was like a spa.

Congrats again and enjoy your first few days with LO.

MumNWLondon · 19/04/2010 14:04

Goodluck hippopo - a tip is to call them as soon as you know you are in labour... I did and when we turned up the bloke on the desk said they were full but actually our room was reserved because we'd called a couple of hours earlier.

whittingtonmum · 30/04/2010 11:40

just to say that it looks like Whittington maternity services are safe for now:
whittingtonmum.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/whittington-saved-yippeehhh/

Well done to everyone who helped with the campaign !

MumNWLondon · 30/04/2010 12:15

fantastic - I asked them about this 2 weeks ago when DS2 was born there and they seemed very sure it was not going to be closing.

well done!

cityangel · 30/04/2010 21:09

I am 20 weeks pregnant with dc2. I know its still early days but I want to get my head round being breach .

What positions/ things etc. have people tried successfully to encourage babies to move?

What approach does the NHS take on trying to deliver breach babies naturally. Are there any hospitals/consultants etc. that actively support this in London or elsewhere?

I had such trouble finding a birthing centre with pools across town and now I feel like I have to start my research all over again!

cityangel · 30/04/2010 21:10

oops posted in the wrong place muppet sorry

hippopo · 01/05/2010 17:18

Just been on a tour of the Whittington Midwife Led Birthing Centre and have to say was very impressed and would feel very comfortable giving birth there.

Still haven't ruled out homebirth but it was so nice am thinking it would actually be more comfortable at the Birthing Centre.

Still a little bit worried about them being full when I need it even though I keep being told this never happens!

whittingtonmum · 06/05/2010 09:48

Well it did actually happen once - a few months ago - that they had to close the Whittington Birth Centre. There was a major virus or something. So many midwives were ill that they didn't have enough staff to keep the Birth Centre open.

However they did handle it very well and the women who wanted to give birth at the Birth Centre got their own midwife throughout their entire labour. So they were quite happy even though they were in the Labour ward.

So I guess it almost never happens and if it does you're still well looked after

motherdoula · 05/04/2011 08:45

Whittington have a home birth team as well.

skandi1 · 05/04/2011 12:09

I have posted a number of times on MN about my horrific experience at UCH. I wont bother going into detail again, save to say that it was staff on the team dealing with me in labour and post natal who were worse than awful. Facilities themselves within the hospital could not be faulted.

However, I could just as easily have had my horrific experience at any other NHS hospital unfortunately.

Its all down to who is on the team dealing with your care during labour. And that, I'm afraid, is pot luck on the day.

I chose UCH as it was the closest (whittington was 1/2mile further away).

I would go for the closest as a car journey in labour is very unpleasant (DH stopping every 1 min for contraction which made it longer).

I know 2 others who have had fab experiences at UCH and I know several more who have had a great time at the Whittington too.

Honestly think that both hospitals are a good choice. And don't worry too much about it. In all likelihood you will have a wonderful experience whichever one you choose. Thankfully those who have a poor experience are thankfully in the minority.

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