Queen Charolette's, St. Mary's, or Chelsea & Westminster?

[caramelcream]

As I have been searching online for a place to give birth (or assist with home birth), these three seem like nice options.
Has anyone had water birth at the birth centres connected to any of these hospitals? Has anyone used caseload midwifery and/or had a homebirth through one of them? Has anyone had a high-risk pregnancy/birth with one of them?
Ideally, I would like a home water birth, or at least a water birth at a birth centre. My last baby, born this past February, died after 8 hours of labour due to a placental abruption, most likely. Although having it happen once doesn't mean it will happen again, I think I might be considered "high risk". We just moved here in March (I am from Dallas) and I have not registered with a GP yet.
I would really appreciate any input. Thank you!

Sorry to hear about your previous experiences.
There are lots of threads on here about all those hospitals- good and bad stories of both.
I had both mine at C&W. Relatively straightforward except they were both a few weeks early. Couldn't fault the ante-natal care and labour and special care for DS. Post natally they are all a bit stretched but personally I think the labour experience is the most important.
A friend had one at QC then her second at C&W where she had a water birth. She preferred C&W. There are only a couple of pools there.
I would probably try and go to the hospital nearest to be honest. London traffic can be a nightmare.
Are you pregnant yet? If you are I would register with a GP asap. Most GPs tend to send people to certain hospitals although I think you do have the right to go anywhere.

This is also assuming you are going to go NHS and not private?

I had my first baby at St Marys, I laboured in the pool but had to have an emergency c-section because he was breached. I am expecting my second now and have gone back to St Marys bue I have been told that I cannot use the pool this time because of the previous c-section. I have a feeling that St Marys will not let you have a waterbirth or homebirth if you are classed as high risk. They don't have a underwater doppler.

I heard very nice things about QC and wished I had chosen that hospital from the beginning. Aparently QC is very popular and hard to switch to later on the pregnancy. I would say go for QC.

You could also try contacting an independent midwife that has experience with all 3 hospital. I am sure she would be unwilling to give her view on which hospital is the best. I have done so and I now trying to switch from St Marys to UCHL but I have may have left a bit too late (I am 35 wks!)

Best of luck!

I had first at cw and the medical care was acceptable but the emotional care was non existent (this was 8 years ago) I had an emergency c sec

2nd was at QS and they were amazing. Consultant led cs, fantastic hospital, great medical care and super emotional support.

Go for qs hands down

Good luck with bump

Although judging on friend's recent experiences I think C&W has got better and QC a lot worse. Certainly it used to be that QC was the one everyone wanted to go to and C&W the one that had all sorts of horror stories...
Still think you should go to the one that is closest- took me 10 mins to get to C&W when in labour and that was way too far!

My sincere condolances. It must be very hard facing a new birthing process, and to do so in a foreign country too! Given your history I think it might be unlikely that you would be able to have a waterbirth, just because they would want to monitor the baby continously.

I have many friends who have given birth at most of London's hospitals and I must say that Queen Charlotte and Chelsea & Westminister are considered to have a very high clinical standard, i.e. their consultants are very good with complicated pregnancies/births. So either I would think would leave you in very safe hands. As far waterbirth facilities I only have one friend who's birthplan included water and who actually got to birth her baby there!(I was for instance eventually wheeled away from teh lovely pool which I had even decorated and was longing to go into...oh well, next time!) She had her boy at Queen Charlotte, so I know their faciliites are good.
Don't be too disappointed though if they consider it out of question for you. Not sure if it is appropriate for me to give you this very personal advise but if I were you I wouldn't consider a home birth. That is a non-clinical opinion though so you should seek a professionals view on that!

As far as general preference go of all my friends/family who have recently had babies in London Queen Charlotte gets best score. After care and lovely staff being main reason. But C&W has a very good reputation for complicated births too so I wouldn't dismiss it. So basically I would say the choice is between C&W and QC.

If I were you I would register with a doctor asap explaining your history, then I would ask to be booked in to one of Queen Charlotte or Chealse & Westminister just to get a place as it were. I would thereafter arrange a visit with both hospitals (ask to see the head of midwifery at both hospitals as you case is sensitive).

I wish you a healthy pregnancy and a very happy outcome.

I asked to transfer to Queen Charlotte's as I have a high risk twin pregnancy and they are overbooked. So my advice is to book in now.

Congrats btw

Thank you all so much. I have been accepted at Queen Charlotte's and will have my first apt. there in July. I hope it all goes well this time!