NHS birth in Worcester - procedure?

[DKJ]

Hi mommies/mommies to be. I am a newbie, both to the mommie world (due end of 09) and to the NHS' birthing options. Would be interested in hearing your experiences at Worcester hospitals. I am expecially interested in having the option of a natural, water birth. Midwives? General experience? Is it rushed with oxitocin injections? My husband and I are moving to WOrcester in July and I am a bit lost on this subject...

All your comments would be greatly appreciated.

Daria

Welcome to MN Daria.

I had my DS at the Worcestershire Royal nearly 5 years ago so things may have changed since then, but I'm sure someone will have more recent experience that they'll share with you.

My experiences there were very positive though. I also have a DD who was born at the John Radcliffe in Oxford but IMO
Worcester was a much better (not to mention cleaner!) place to give birth.

I aimed for a water birth and managed to get a room with the birthing pool (it couldn't be "booked" in advance, just the luck of the draw) but didn't get to use it as there wasn't enough time to fill it as DS came along rather quickly in the end!

The midwives who delivered DS were superb. I felt that they were listening to me, happy to let me take the lead and encouraged me to listen to my body. They were so positive and encouraging -I felt on such a high and so in control of things (I appreciate that this may be because this was my second baby so they knew I'd been through it before and that I knew what to expect to a certain extent).

When I had DD in Oxford I didn't feel that I had any control, they had just made the decisions and "threatened" me with intervention if I didn't push her out soon etc. In Worcester I didn't find that I was being hurried along or forced into anything.

In Worcester I could have gone home later that day but asked if I could stay O/N to get B/Fing established (as I'd had problems before) -they were fine about this, there was no pressure to get you out the door. They also gave me appropriate phone nos. for help after we were discharged including a 24hr hospital one.

Overall it was a very positive experience. Hope yours is too

Hi DKJ

I'm also fairly new to the Worcestershire area and definately new to having a baby. Because of my postcode I'm in between two hospitals - Russells Hall & Worcester and don't know which offers better antenatal classes and maternity services. I'm planning for a home birth but would like to specify which hospital to take me to if a problem arises and I have to be transferred. Just wondering if you could share with me your experiences of Worcester so far (if you ended up stying with Worcester Hospital)? I'm particularly interested to know what antenatal class they offer, and what services they ahve in their unit (pool, midwife led unit? etc)it's hard to tell from the website which seems to just give you a virtual tour. Do you get an actual tour when you got to antenatal? My midwife is lovely but not very forthcoming with info! and as I am 3 miles from Kidderminster all my scans etc have so far been done at the small hospital there but it doesn't have a delivery suite.

Any information would be appreciated.

Hi ladies,

I've just (7 weeks ago) given birth in WRH, also had my second daughter there in 2007. Both experiences have been very positive. The MWs on the delivery suite have been excellent both times. The only negative I have found was when I went in to be induced with my third child as I went 12 days over. I had the pessary, but all the firking about must have started things off anyway. The only difficulty I had was getting the MW's on the antenatal ward to believe I was in labour and examine me.

Hi there!
re. antenatal classes, Most of the Childrens Centres in Worcester and Droitwich have a four week antenatal programme which you can book a place. I think there are two pool rooms in Worcester. I don't think it's a midwife led unit at the moment, although I only encountered midwives on the labour ward.
I have two children both delivered at the Worcester Royal Hospital, and both positive experiences. I stayed in for a couple of days both times - breakfast was a buffet with cereals and toast, one meal was a hot cooked dinner, the other meal was sandwiches, so get your OH to bring you a bit more food rather than go hungry! Four beds to a room on the post-natal ward, lots of curtains in between each bed, and the 4 ladies share their bathroom. There are some single rooms probably for special circumstances.
Do ask for help with breast feeding - the big chief infant-feeding advisor is actually on the ward on some days of the week, alternatively ask to speak to a midwife who has actual experience of breastfeeding her own children!

Hi,

Does anyone have a phone number at Worcester Hospital for their ante-natal class co-ordinator? I'd like to do the NHS classes as well as NCT but my midwife is a bit dippy when it comes to arranging things, and that's being really kind!