The Rosie vs Hinchinbrookes

[AsiaMajor]

Asking all Cambridgeshire ladies for advice.

I live near both The Rosie in Cambridge (Addenbrookes hospital) and Hinchinbrookes Hospital in Huntingdon. Only 7 weeks pregnant, but must decide now which hospital to have my baby in according to my midwife.

Has anyone got any experiences (good or bad) from either?? Hoping for a midwife led, natural birth, but with epidural etc available if I can't cope or things go wrong.

Any experiences appreciated. Thanks!

I had both mine at Rosie. In the midwife led unit though with dc1 ended up moving upstairs and having epidural as waters were broken for over 48 hours and no progress.

I had brilliant experiences both times (2007 and 2008) and would happily go and do it all again

Rosie. Had DS1 at Hinchingbrooke, absolute nightmare, poor care in a difficult situation, all sorts of horrendousness. Friends who had babies at Hinchingbrooke also had alarming proportion of scary stories.

Had DS2 at the Rosie, couldn't have been better, would highly recommend. Was a c-section so can't comment on the midwife-led bit, but whole experience so much better in every way.

I've not yet had my first, but have had loads of friends give birth at the Rosie, all of whom have spoken very highly of it. According to formal reports it's one of the best places to give birth in the country. My DH, who teaches medical students at Cambridge, reckons if you have a choice you should always give birth in a university teaching hospital because the quality of the staff is generally much higher, and more stringently assessed.

that is, if you're choosing a hospital birth! obviously!

Oh yes, hospital it is... I have nothing but admiration for all of you who opt for the home birth option, but it's not for me, not with first DC anyway.

I had ds2 at The Rosie and I loved it, going there again for this baby, currently 10 weeks tomorrow and my 4th I lived near both too, whereabouts do you live?

I have to say I didn't have a great experience at the Rosie, but that was nearly 6 years ago. I subsequently had two home births because I didn't want to go there again. However, the vast majority of people I know who have given birth at the Rosie (lots, as I live in Cambridge) all seem to have had positive experiences.

I had ds at the Rosie. i wasn't overly impressed although have nothing to compare it too!

I asked for an epidural and never got one (their staffing during the night isn't adequate imo) and they put me back into labour after giving birth to get the placenta out without explaining that this is what they were doing. The post natal ward is pretty shabby too. this was in 2007, it may have improved now! I discharged myself early even though i'd lost a lot of blood because the ward was so horrible.

having said that Javier the midwife (midhusband!) was fantastic and i've heard that he's still there!

i thought hinchingbrooke was due to close, that's what i was told in 2007.

i'm currently 5 weeks pregnant and will have to go to the rosie again as no other choice but i'm going to try really hard to get them to agree to a caesarean. Some hope!

sorry, this is not amazingly helpful is it?

Thanks all for the helpful comments.

Hinchinbrooke has apparently now a new, improved birthing unit and they are keen to encourage me to go there, since that is where the midwife team is based.

I am tending towards the Rosie as is twice as busy (6000 birth p.a. vs 3000 at Hinchinbrooke). I am hoping they have twice as much equipment, anesthetists, pools etc. so I have a better change of what I need/want being available to me.

Everyone I know has had a great experience at the Rosie. The Midwife led birth unit is fab and you can go upstairs to delivery suite if there are any problems. Also my friend's baby was very sick and they ended up transfering the baby to the neonatal unit at Addenbrookes for further care anyway!

My sister was a midwife at both, I'll ask her.

Sis says the same as SillyTillyBilly , but loved Hinchingbrooke a lot, she said it really depends on where you live, but either will be excellent and that you are lucky to be able have a choice and good luck with your baby.

At the moment she is delivering babies to people who have never used a bed, on their 16th baby and sometimes 8th Cesarian! She quite often finds MIL in the bed, but the labouring mum on the floor!

I'm in between both these hospitals too. Had MC last year when I lived nearer Hinchingbrooke and they were so great that we have decided to stick with them. They've been amazing throughout. It does make a me a bit nervous - my local GP/midwife are linked to the Rosie so all my blood results keep going there so I have to get them to Hinchingbrooke myself, but I think it might be worth it. My community midwife, although based at the Rosie, said both were great hospitals and to go with what I was happy with. She also said that although the Rosie has an incredible special care unit, it wouldn't matter where I gave birth as the baby, not the place of birth, is the priority. So if there was a problem and bubs was born at Hinchingbrooke, if he/she needed care more than a baby born at the Rosie, they would get it. Obviously you'd still have to transfer. That was a bit rambly, hope it made sense.

I have had two early scans there - both done with great sensitivity and kindness; and dating/NT scan there yesterday, also done with a lot of care and kindness. We have been really impressed so far.

I must be due about the same time as you - am due in mid-December. Let us know what you decide!

Hi, I'm due my third baby in September and I live in between the two also.

My first was born in a completely different area and my second was an elective c section at the Rosie. I found the experience of the c section and care beforehand to be superb but I must say that afterwards on the postnatal ward I did feel a little bit like I was just 'left to get on with it' (which is difficult when you have had a c section and can barely sit up). They were very busy there but then it is a big busy hospital.

I'm going for a vba2c this time and have chosen Hinchingbrooke just because I know a few mums who have given birth there and all have had fantastic experiences (I've been told it seems more personal there). And I've heard a few negative stories from mum's regarding the Rosie too. Obviously, it's just people's opinions and I have no idea if I have made the right choice myself but that's the decision I came to anyway!

Also, I would like the chance to use the pool and they have telemetry monitoring at Hinchingbrooke (which I don't believe they have at the Rosie) which means it's wireless and you can walk around the room and also get in the pool with it on and still be monitored continiously. Apparantly the new birthing unit that opened there last year is really nice.

They seem really good about what I would prefer with this vbac so it suits me better there anyway.