Had my antenatal referral today for DC2 and am in a quandary about which hospital to ask for. I live in St Albans, which doesn't have maternity facilities, and though we're both learning, neither DH or I have a driving licence.
If I want to have to have my antenatal appointments in St Albans - and that would certainly be most convenient - then I have to be referred to Watford General. I've been to the hospital, and while the staff mostly seemed good, the hospital appeared dirty and decrepit. Reading reviews online the best that seems to be said about maternity services there is that they've got better in the last couple of years, but still aren't great, and a lot of people seem to have had awful experiences.
The Lister at Stevenage is a bit of a non-starter for us, as to get there on public transport we'd have to go into London and back out again (yes, when in labour we'd get a taxi, but it's not ideal for scans and so on).
Luton & Dunstable is a possibility, and I was there over the weekend (DD had an appointment there) and it seemed much nicer and I can get there on the train from St Albans. Anyone else give birth there? How was it?
I know it might seem like I'm over-thinking this, but with DD I didn't give it any thought at all and just went with our local hospital (we lived in London at the time) and had a really dreadful experience. I discharged myself within 16 hours of an emergency c-section because the post-natal "care" was appalling. I don't want to make the same mistake again!