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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Have you given birth in Brighton?

21 replies

clarabell79 · 31/03/2010 00:29

Hi all.

I am not due until November but I have been hearing lots of negative things about the Royal Sussex maternity unit in Brighton. Has anyone given birth there recently? I also wondered if anyone had any other birth place recommendations in or near Brighton. This is my first pregnancy so not feeling brave enough to do a home birth.

Thanks everyone!
Clair
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foxytocin · 31/03/2010 01:05

have you actually researched what a hospital birth entails and what a home birth one does?

I appreciate that this is early in your pg but you have time on your side to make a truly informed decision and your OP is a first step for that.

MN is a great place to do a lot of lurking and learning.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do. Sorry I don't have any answers as I am miles away from Brighton.

girlsyearapart · 31/03/2010 08:03

My sister was transferred there when she went into labour at 28 wks a nd stayed there for 2 weeks. They were great with her though she eventually got home before giving birth at 31 wks nearer to home.

mamasmissionimpossible · 31/03/2010 08:14

I too heard awful rumours about RSCH too and was terrified of giving birth there. I booked a home birth because I was worried. However, dd had other ideas and was born at 35 weeks. I have to say I was very glad I was there, as I received very good care and the staff were lovely and caring. I really have only good things to say. I have spoken to other mums who gave birth there and say the same. Please try not worry and good luck with the pregnancy/birth.

PestoMonster · 31/03/2010 08:16

I have, but my dds are 12 and 10, so not recently.

Had an emergency C-section with DD1 and an elective C-section (on Consultant's advice) for DD2.

Both were fine.

donttrythisathome · 31/03/2010 22:52

I gave birth there this month.

I was transferred in from a homebirth due to meconium in the waters.

The staff were fantastic and they did everything to ensure I avoided a caesarean and delivered vaginally instead (albeit with a forceps...but they were needed).

I would recommend.

Fibilou · 01/04/2010 07:45

Are you near Crowborough ? There is a birth unit there which is MW led,you are guaranteed a waterbirth and natural birth is the default option (ie immediate skin to skin, natural 3rd stage etc)

I was due to deliver there but we live 35 minutes away and in the event I couldn't stand sitting down so couldn't face the journey and ended up at Eastbourne. I can't make any recommendation there for labour as baby's head was practically out when we got there so didn't experience labouring there and went home after 5 hours so never went on the ward (yes, first labours can be quick and easy !) The MWs were very friendly though.

Lizzzombie · 01/04/2010 08:02

I had my DS there 3 years ago & couldn't fault it what so ever. They actively encouraged me to use the birthing pool & I hadn't even considered that prior to the labour. They were fantastic.

Close friend of mine had her baby there 2 weeks ago and had the same experience. Again she had heard dodgy things, but had no bad experiences herself and couldn't fault it.

hairymonkey · 01/04/2010 20:49

I had both ds there, induced and emergency c section with ds1, they were fab, the midwife stayed with me from 8 in the morning until ds1 was born, she was in theatre and stayed with us in recovery, really lovely women, lots of skin to skin (with baby not mid wife!)
Planned `c section with ds2, again everyone lovely. The only down side was the post natal ward where they were just so busy, still really well looked after, but things just took longer. Staff fantastic

policywonk · 01/04/2010 20:56

I was supposed to have DS1 at RSCH, but got turned away because it was full and had to get a taxi to Haywards Heath instead. Luckily HH was blooming fantastic and I had DS2 there by choice.

Crowborough is worth looking in to if your pregnancy is all uncomplicated and tickety-boo.

Worthing is supposed to be very nice - has a home-from-home birthing suite with telly, armchairs etc.

Good luck!

Original poster

clarabell79 · 02/04/2010 01:39

thanks everyone - it's such a big decision so I really appreciate all your advice!

OP posts:

GOODASGOLD · 02/04/2010 02:38

I was booked in for a hb with dd2 at Haywards Heath, but they were full,so they got the lovely Chloe to come from Brighton to attend me. She was fantastic, let me get on with it, in the end dd2 as born just to me and dh. Beautiful.Dh sent her a massive bunch of flowers and she sent back a lovely card to say that it was a 'pleasure and priviledge'. And she said that I did really ell with a back to back birth. I think if I had been in hospital it would have been forceps. Anyway it was lovely and I would do it over and over if accomadation in Sussex were cheaper.

SpeedyGonzalez · 03/04/2010 23:06

Clarabell - why don't you check out the Brighton NCT homebirth group - the lovely lady who runs it chairs a hospital panel which key midwives are on. So she'd be a great source of information.

Best of luck!

MrsDermotOleary · 04/04/2010 21:34

I had my second baby at RSCH and can't fault it at all. My first baby was prem and emergency CS with no labour (different hospital). So although second baby it was my first labour. I went in as soon as my waters broke as they were full of meconium and ds was born 3 hours later. The midwives were amazing, so friendly and calm. I felt that they really cared. Would recommend, but do find out about homebirth too. I wasn't allowed to have a home birth due to complications with my first pregnancy & birth

donkeyderby · 05/04/2010 00:17

I believe RSCH has become a centre for complicated births so there are a lot of higher risk births there which I would have thought gives the staff a good grounding in complications during birth. I gave birth there 7 years ago - all good, no complaints and a very experienced midwife, though a bit of a panic at the end which wasn't recorded in my notes. I was only there about 9 hours in total from beginning to discharge so I didn't hang around to find out about postnatal care.

changer22 · 16/04/2010 21:34

I have had experience of RSCH, Crowborough, Tunbridge Wells (Pembury) and Haywards Heath.

Haywards Heath in a league of its own. Fantastic care during labour - everyone seemed to know what they were doing (as you would hope but its not always the case) - they were kind and just fantastic.

Dumbledoresgirl · 16/04/2010 21:38

I had the option of going to RSCH, Haywards Heath or Worthing. I chose Worthing as it was near where dh worked. Most people in the village seemed to choose HH. The RSCH was only chosen by one person I knew at the time, but I have no idea why. This was 7 years ago so maybe a bit out of date.

Worthing was nice enough.

thisisyesterday · 16/04/2010 21:41

i've heard only good stuff about Brighton recently tbh! I believe they are very good with breastfeeding stuff. Worthing also has a good reputation

gailforce1 · 16/04/2010 22:00

changer22 - what did you think of Pembury?

changer22 · 18/04/2010 18:26

It was really old and dirty when I was there - seven years ago. I was transferred there from Crowborough and the first 'docotr' I saw looked about 12 and panic stricken. DH nearly punched a midwife who said I wasn't trying hard enough (after a 22 hour labour, 5 spent pushing). Fortunately a fab doctor came in and took over and saved the day but he was fuming with Crowborough.

When I had to go back for a check up - major tear, stiching, etc. - there was no curtain around the bed or towels for me to cover up with. The curtain around my bed on the ward had blood stains on it.

So pretty grim all in all. It might have improved!

gailforce1 · 18/04/2010 18:57

Dont think it has changed much. Friend was left in labour for 60 hours before they would agree to a CS, she is v lucky that her baby was not brain damaged. Sister had huge first baby by CS as induction failed and she was blue lighted back in after discharged as they neglected to remove a large part of the placenta and she haemorraged!
Why was your Dr fuming with Crowborough - heard very good things about that unit?

changer22 · 19/04/2010 18:02

I had been pushing for 5 hours at Crowborough before they transferred me. DS was clearly stuck - hand/arm presentation - and his heartrate was dropping. The only thing they could do at Pembury was ventouse and forceps to get him out. I think the doctor felt I had been left to labour for too long when it clearly wasn't going to happen. I haemorraged and was in surgery for 1.5 hours.

They also broke my waters at Crowborough as they said I was in labour at 4cms although I didn't have any contractions. I was 10 days late but 2 subsequent babies were 14 days late and with one of them I was at 3cms for about 3 weeks. So, in hindsight, it seemed unecessary plus it mauy have contributed to DS's presentation and the problems that followed.

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