Chelsea Westminster

[Emmteethree]

Has anybody recently (2011) had their baby at Chelsea Westminster? Im booked to have my DS there in 2 weeks and wanted to know more about the NHS after-care there now?

I had my LO there in 2010 and it was absolutely terrible, the postnatal wards. However the antenatal and labour were perfectly ok.

I had my dd there in 2010 and it was fine as was my experience with dd1 in 2007.

I was booked in to have my DS there and have since transferred after a stay on the labour ward... Constantly heard poor woman arriving in obvious pain and labour begging for pain relief or even a bed to be told rudely to sit down and wait for someone to see them. A woman was even told to be quite. They seem to lack compassion and quite frankly look bored with their jobs. The hospital looks amazing but lacks substance.

I gave birth there in April 2011 and the postnatal ward is absolutely terrible. If you stay 1 or 2 nights it is fine but if you or your baby has any problem you will stay longer and it may end up a nightmare (I stayed 4 nights and it was like hell to me). Midwives and staff are just terrible. Pediatrician and doctors (antenatal) are neither competent or helpful. If something goes wrong, do not trust or listen to anyone until you see a specialist. Check and be careful of everything. Do not hesitate to harass staff to sidestep the heavy and slow administration. And ask for a bed near the window as soon as one gets available.
Labour was perfectly fine yet.

Had dd there in 2007 and ds in 2009. They were both a few weeks early so was in for 5 days and 9 days. Labour was great. Postnatal was fine too. Ds was is special care for a couple if days so they put me in a private Nhs room. Went back on the ward after that as someone needed the room more than me but went back again when ds was severely jaundiced. All the staff more or less were great. A few friends have good experiences there recently, some not as good but friends at many other hospitals have had good and bad too.

Ps- I didn't mid being on the ward. In fact, had it been my first I would have felt very isolated in a single room I think. But the wards I were on were fairly quiet so was probably quite lucky.