Childbirth - Llandough or UHW?

[DuelingFanjo]

Hi all

I read this story about the closure of Llandough maternity unit today and it's made me wonder about changing my choice of where to give birth.

I am due in December so could give birth in Llandough instead of UHW before they close it.

Can anyone tell me what the pros and cons of Llandough are?

I have no experience of Llandough but have just given birth in the MLU at UHW and can't praise it highly enough. Fab facilities and midwives and lovely en suite double room that allowed DH to stay with DD and I for the first night.

I know a few people who have given birth at Llandough and they've been similarly happy with their experience.

The only thing that would swing UHW for me was the fact I have quite a bad internal tear (fast birth) which meant a trip to theatre.

At UHW this simply meant a ride in a lift and then back down to the MLU to recover where as Llandough would have been an ambulance transfer and possibly (I don't know for sure) having to stay on the main ward rather then transfer back to Llandough.

Good luck

oh, thank you for all the info. Was the double rooom something you paid for or does everyone get that?

Also - what was the breastfeeding support like?

I agree with JamieJay's post...I had both my children at UHW (the youngest born in April) and my experience was fab.

I was on the Consultant Led Care as I said prior to the birth that I wanted an epidural and when I came in with waters broken & contractions, I was given an epidural very quickly. The staff were so nice & had my own room throughout the labour, and then transferred to a ward with one other mum and was discharged less than 24 hrs later!

The brestfeeding support is brillant, you can stay on the ward for longer if you want to get used to breastfeeding before they send you home - and even then they will make sure a midwife comes out to see you and support you if you need help when you come home. I'm still breatsfeeding now, and the one thing I would recommend 100% in the early days of breastfeeding is Lansinoh - it might seem a bit steep (about £9.99) but trust me its a life saver, pack it in ur hospital bag!

I would speak to your midwife too and ask her opinion of the two hospitals, but remember that you cannot have an epidural in Llandough or any major treatment & giving birth never goes according to plan!

Good luck & enjoy your pregnancy :-)

The double room was standard - there are some single rooms so it can be a bit of a case of luck of the draw as to whether a double room is available. But even if it was a single room I was told DH could stay as much as we wanted and could sleep in a chair if he behaved himself!

Due to my 'complications' I had an overnight stay and found the breastfeeding support really good - even though they needed to get me up to theatre they made sure I had the chance to feed DD before moving me.

There was also a breastfeeding trained midwife on duty that night and she spent a lot of time with me and even tried to teach me how to feed lying down (didn't work as DD still to small compared to my boobs )

Can repeat what 123molb says about Lansinoh, have had challenges with latch due to large nipples and layering it on has helped saved me from any cracks or soreness.

If you've any other questions just let me know - I found their care made what could have been a very scary labour really easy to cope with.

thank you :)

First thing I bought after teh 12 week scan was a tube of Lansinoh

I think in general I worry about having my wishes ignored but it sounds like I just need to make myself clear in the birth-plan and make sure DH is informed about what I want and what my choices are so he can speak out for me if I need him too :)

I totally understand the worry, esp if its your first child. And to be honest my first experience wasn't as good, I was totally unprepared for what to expect, was given gas & air and when it became too much I asked for an epidural, but the midwives were really reluctant to give it to me and persuaded me to have Pethidine - which I would NEVER recommend as it sends you off to another planet, unable to speak and not really aware of what's going on, yet in just as much pain, was just awful. I ended up having an epidural anyway so I feel that being given Pethidine definately made my labour a negative experience, for me and my partner.

In contrast, as I mentioned above, the second labour I went in knowing exactly what i wanted, totally in control and was a great experience :-)

Just trust your own body, trust your own instincts and i'm sure you'll be fine :-)

Bit late on this sorry but wanted to add my bit.

Don't know much about llandough but had both DC in the MLU in UHW.

Many points have probably been mentioned in other posts but here's my experience.

Was a very positive experience both times.

Was offered anti-natal class in the actual MLU at 36 weeks. It was a one off 2 hour session. Guided tour of of the whole place, all the on-duty MW came to chat to us....very informal. There were 4 couples in each session and lots of tea and biscuits MW gave us all a go of the gas and air (DHs included!)

It was very clean and tidy, midwives were very, very lovely. Had a waterbirth with both DC. Very good experience.

After an hour or so after each birth, went and had a shower (MW waited out side the door to make sure I was OK!), washed my hair, put on some clean PJ and jumped into bed with DD in the cot and DH by my side. Double bed in each room with en suite bathroom. Lovely thick quilt, not usual hospital blankets (minor but it was very much "hotel like" rather than hospital!). Mini TV at your bedside with radio (think you had to pay for the TV channels though).

Very good breastfeeding support. DD1 was ok but DD2 was very difficult to feed. MW sat with me for hour at a time and helped get feeding established, including hand expressing. She was very supportive and patient.

No visiting hours, so family and friends are free to come when they/you wish. MW always run in by you before letting them in, so no need to worry about unwanted visitors.

MW need to buzz people in and out so it's a very safe and secure unit and baby is given an electronic tag on his/her ankle at birth. Sensor by the door which sets off the alarm if baby crossed the door way.

I had such a very wonderful, happy, joyful experience there.

I was gutted to leave

you've all made me feel much better about UHW - my friend hated it but she had her baby before they revamped/built the new ward. As im only 14 weeks and havent seen the ward yet i had no idea what to expect! Can't wait for a nosy/tour!

Am surprised at the 'no visiting hours' I would much prefer if they were restricted! At least the midwives do ask though!

rastababi how long has the midwife led unit been open? I was under the impression that it only opened late last year?

Just to confuse you a bit more, have you thought about The Royal Glamorgan?

I live in Barry and had ds1 shortly after Llandough became a MLU.

I had a few nagging doubts about being in a unit without full emergency facilities that I just couldn't get off my mind. We live in Barry, and the trip into UHW can take ages at peak periods, Royal Glamorgan is a much more reliable journey and has full facilities so I opted to go there. During my 1st pregnancy, the mw's were very keen for me to go to Llandough. It was only when I insisted at 35 weeks that I wouldn't be going there that I got transferred to the care of Royal Glamorgan. It wasn't an issue with ds2 - I was under their care straight away.

I was induced with ds1, the care throughout was excellent. I had a private room for 2 days afterwards (at no extra cost) and excellent bf support. DS2 was a very straighforward delivery early evening. I spent 1 night on a general ward and came home the next day.

The parking there is easy - and much cheaper than UHW.

Depending on where you live, it may be an option for you.

DuelingFanjo Yes the midwives always ask before even buzzing the visitor into the unit (there's a intercom by the main door). I had DD1 at 4am and by 6am MIL had arrived, I told the midwife to promptly send her away, which she did!

No the MLU has been open for some time, I had DD1 late 2005, and even then it had been open for a year or so already.

IwishIwasmoreorganised I've heard great things about Royal Glam too.

Ah right - I think it's been re-vamped or re-done fairly recently though.

Yes it has, when I was there with DD2 (2007) there was talks of it, or they were in the process of starting off some sort of development work there I think. Every time I've gone past it recently there's been lots of scaffolding etc surrounding the building.

It was lovely when I was there so it must be extra lovely now

sorry but i had a terrible time with UHW

I was meant to have dd there - as i'd had a cs with DS. I went over due and they asked me to come in and be monitored - fair enough

Got there at about 7 in the evening - the waiting area was packed and no staff were available. There was a lady there who was 26 weeks and bleeding - she'd previously spent the night before in hospital in Tenby and was really anxious as had lost a baby pretty late on before. She was made to sit there for over an hour and when the 'midwife' came to her said 'so why are you here............what do you want us to do?' so say the woman was upset was an understatement and her husband was furious.

When it came to my tearn, after waiting almost 3 hours the midwife told me she was having trouble finding a heart beat as I has a 'pendulous belly and alot of fat' - in llandough 2 days earlier they'd had no problems

after going 12 days over i was booked for induction and told to call at 9am. did so and was told 'don't know why you are ringing - we'll call you if we have room'. They eventually phoned me at 6 in the evening to say soory no room you'll have to go to llantrisant.

God was i happy to go there!!! They werre lovely and couldn't do enough for me. The explained that they thought UHW were wrong in letting me go so far over and it would be way to risky to induce as my baby was largish, i have a small pelvis and the baby was very high. The consultant even came in from home to see me.

So after all that I would NEVER EVER step foot in UHW maternity. I would go to Royal Glamorgan in Llantrisant every time. Staff were better, hospital was cleaner and parking was much easier and cheaper

PS sorry for the novel

oh gosh! how long ago was this?

I have to say that every time I have called the MLU to arrange a workshop or a tour the people answering the phones have been spectacularly rude so I dread to think what they might be like if I were to ring in labour.

I just hope it has improved since you were there, sorry to hear you had such an awful experience.

it was 2006 - it may have changed.........hopefully

Blushingm, sorry you had such an awful experience. DF - I had DD in the UHW (the consultant led unit rather than the MLU) in 2006 and had no problems. The ward wasn't the best tbh - noisy with little privacy but I guess that's to be expected, but the delivery suite was new and clean and I had 2 midwives with me at all time up to the birth.

I'm having DC2 in Bronglais in Aberystwyth - now that's really scaring me as if they are full it means an hour's drive to Carmarthen or even further to Haverfordwest - in the middle of January. Eeek!

I thought I would update. I went for a tour at the Heath today and came back feeling really positive. The MLU seems really lovely and it was great to be able to see where I will be labouring. I spoke to a midwife who was absolutely lovely and stressed that they really do like to encourage use of the birthing pools and natural labour.

One thing I didn't know is that if I want an epidural I will have to be transfered upstairs to consultant care, so here's hoping I can cope with the pain with gas and air and the pool. :)

MLU at the heath is fab. I used the pool and gas and air as pain relief. I did get into difficulties at late stage and was an easy transfer upstairs to the consultant unit.

That option isn't available at Landough.. the thought of an ambulance journey at that point in labour (30 mins from actually giving birth..)just doesn't bear thinking about.

At the end of the day I think it's a question of risk management..! if you're willing to take the risk that nothing will go wrong during labour then I'm sure landough is fine, but speaking from personal experience there's absolutely NO WAY I'd reccommend it..!

Llandough Hospital houses one of the best midwifery led maternity units in South Wales. Llandough delivers 400 babies a year, would people from Barry to Penarth and further a field really fancy the logistical nightmare of getting to the heath?
Our son was born here August 2007 & our daughter was born here February 2010. Both born at the Midwifery Led Unit, under water in the birthing pool. The staff couldn't do enough for us, and were very re-assuring and understanding. We had our own room with lounge area and en-suite. Its a big decision to choose the midwifery led option as opposed to consultancy led care. The Heath does provide both, but how many mothers will change mid labour to consultancy led knowing an epidural is just around the corner?
Llandough is a lovely place to have a baby. A Relaxing, home from home experience, which is clean and has great staff. I would highly recommend having a baby here.

Hmm I had my DD2 by planned section for breech at UHW, obviously the medical unit as it was a section. the post natal care was beyond terrible and I wouldnt go back there if you paid me!

I had my first daughter in UHW and 2nd in Llandough. I preferred Llandough as i had a private room (which was very big!) and was made to feel very welcome. I stayed in the same room throughout whereas in UHW I was in 3 different beds, but was in hospital for about the same time (just over 24 hours each time).