Lets get Exeter group talking again....Thoughts on the RD&E

[Ladylou83]

So I have only just found the Exete page on here (taken me long enough)....noticed that conversations arent really happening?

Wondered if anybody could tell me what th RD&E experience is like? Im at the TTC stage and know thats where Im probably heading if we do ever get a BFP, and wondered if RD&E was any good? Have heard its a bit of a cattle market, they like to wisk you in and straight out again. Is this really the case?

Any comments would be greatly received?

Also does anybody know of any doula's in Exeter?

Hi Ladylou
I have had both my children in Exeter, the first in the old heavitree hospital (where i was also born) and the second last november in the RD&E. I personaly found both to be fine, understaffed as expected but all the staff that were there you couldnt fault their kindness and help. Most importantly (for me) on both ocasions there was an anesthetist available to give an epidural.

Thats good then (I'm a big wuss, so would prob head down the epidural route - She says thinking, "I need a BFP first")

A girl I work with had slated the RD&E for both her pregnancies, but am suspecting it could just be her. Thanks for ur thoughts Catfish, its good to hear something positive

I had a baby at RD&E last year. It was a mostly positive experience. I was unable to bf for 12hrs after the birth (had a nuclear scan while in hospital as suspected lung clots) and we were not allowed to use donated milk from the baby unit. My friend brought in expressed milk which the hospital lost so we were forced to offer formula.

I found the floor really slippery in the bathroom of the labour ward and slipped getting out of the bath and fell, didn't help my spd much.

Having said that the room was clean (different to my experiences in London hospitals with the other dcs) and the midwife at the birth was lovely, although there is an Australian midwife that everyone seems to rave over. The the staff were generally attentive and accommodating and security seem pretty hot (again different to my London exp).

I had planned a low tech delivery, possibly in birthing pool, but was so poorly I ended up taking everything offered. Despite that delivery was calm and quiet and quite lovely. We went home the following evening when my new room mate landed up with a stereo and even bigger speakers, non stop ringing mobile phone, tv card etc and I realised I'd never sleep.

Welcome to the board btw.

I had a horrific, terrible birth at Heavitree

he's 7 in September and I still have nightmares about it

I don't think it was "just me"

shall I post the horror story, or are we only looking for happy tales? I don't mind either way

New building is fab, much nicer than the old one. Still rather under staffed though and it took them a good half hour to find a spare cot for my baby!
Baby was born early morning, I had a good quick straightforward birth, thank goodness. They put me in a private room (yay! my own ensuite bathroom) and I was allowed to go home early evening the same day.

I see this thread is a few days old but i'll add my experiences too...

I had a late loss in Aug 07 and felt the staff there weren't particularly supportive when I thought it was all going wrong but as I was under 24 weeks just there was nothing they could do anyway and the ward had only just opened etc etc. I slated them for weeks and weeks after that but...

I had a healthy baby in Aug 08 and had a completely positive experience the whole way through. My two consultants there were/are fantastic, one in particular has a good reputation no matter who I discuss him with. I live just outside of Exeter and had an appointment there once a month throughout the pregnancy and got to know a couple of midwives who were fantastic. I was always surprised they recognised me each time but they did.

My birth experience wasn't fantastic but then that's partly to do with my previous loss but I can't fault my midwife, who looked like she had only just graduated but despite my nerves at that she was great.

The ward was heaving when returned to it so getting help with breastfeeding was almost impossible so it was good for me to be transferred to my local midwife led unit for that.

The new(ish) building is good, parking is ok, sometimes busy and security is very good but overall I guess a good experience second time around.

Hope you get your BFP sometime soon!

Thanks for all you thoughts on the place. I'm totally scared of all hospitals so its interesting to get peoples view on it.

Horror stories are welcome as well as positive. I think I need the full picture.

I didnt get my BFP this month, so at least I dont have to worry about hospital visits for a long time.

Hi Ladylou,

Just a thought for the future but there is a lovely midwife led unit at Okehampton.

I am due on 9/9/09 and have looked at this as an alternative to my planned HB if there is a midwife shortage on the day.

I don't know the Exeter hospitals personally but am told if I were labouring at Okehampton and needed to transfer thats where I would be taken. My friends who have visited both units have been positive in their feedback.

Good luck with your BFP!!

Hi,

Im due in December. I have a 6yr old daughter already. I have live in the area for 2 1/2 yrs now so i am yet to experience the labour ward at Exeter. I have however heard afew not so good comments about the hospital from some mums in the playground, who didnt have very good experiences their. My daughter was treated at the hospital a&e & childrens ward after haveing surgery for a dog bite attack which we had to complain about as the treatment she received (she was 4) was disgusting. My fella about 6 mnths later had to go in for a tooth extraction where they ended up sewing his gum to the inside of his cheek!! Now i realise these departments are nothing to do with the labour ward but i am very anxious as to what care i will recieve on the delivery/labour ward as i do not have much faith in the hospital as i whole. I have expressed my concerns to my midwife and said i would prefer to deliver at Okehampton, but apparently due to my BMI i may not be able to and may have to go to exeter. Okehampton hospital is alot nearer to me.
I am very anxious about having to go upto exeter hospital

I'm actually living in Exeter, so I guess its likely I will be sent there. I think I would have prefered to stay living in Newton Abbot and go to the new Maternity Unit. I think that worries me about Exeter is it is so large, that Im concerned over the one to one care a new mum should get. So many of my friends have had kids at the new unit and leave not having had the right guidance on breast-feeding and other things......

I had DD at the new unit in July 2008. The birth was fine - MW was lovely, staff very supportive and helped me through. However, the post-natal care was terrible I'm not going to go into details but it did leave me pretty miserable and unable to breastfeed.

I live in Okehampton (next door to the maternity unit - couldn't give birth there because of blood pressure) and the midwives there were amazing. They looked after during pregnancy and once I was home from hospital. Sadly, I was never able to breastfeed but they tried their best to help me and were fabulous all the way. I've heard Tiverton and Honiton have good maternity units too.

I'd say to make sure that you have somebody around who can stand up for your rights in the post-natal ward, and to ensure that you have all the contact details for breastfeeding counsellors/support groups so that you can get extra help if there's a problem.

As I say though, I found the labour wards to be generally pretty good and was very impressed (I was induced and my midwife worked really hard to minimise any further intervention).

Good luck with getting your BFP

Have you thought about a home birth LadyLou83?

I had one in Exeter last year and Midwives were lovely and supportive.

We looked round the RD&E (at Midwives insistence) and while I am sure it was fine, it was still just a hospital, even though relatively new. And toilets on delivery were 1 between 2. Can't imagine that having had lovely, lovely homebirth.

My NCT teacher based in Exminster is also a Doula I think.

niche - why were you not allowed to use donated milk? I donate to the RD&E and would be interested to know why?

And was the Australian midwife Jenny?

BCLass you may be able to help. What did u think of the NCT classes? DH says we can them if I wanted to when the time comes.

I would love a home birth but because of past gynie complications I dont think I will be allowed one, but I guess I could pursue for one when time comes....Hmmmm, will have to read into that and talk to Dh. thank you for that one

I was meant to have a homebirth but ended up being ambulanced in to RD&E. I thought all the community midwives were fantastic (had them all through labour and birth) but post-natal care was awful.

I wanted to get out as soon as possible but was stuck there until 8 in the evening despite the paediatritian having checked DS at 9 in the morning (apparently this is what normally causes any hold-ups). The midwife who finally discharged me was a total bitch, the last thing she did before finally letting me out was give me a total bollocking for not getting a wristband when I arrived. I was wheeled in on a stretcher and wasn't exactly in the right place to stop and ask for a wristband! It was the final straw at the end of a long couple of days and made me burst into tears .

Once I'd got home and was back with the community midwives the care was fantastic. I had several home visits from the Australian midwife (think we're not meant to name people on here) but she is brilliant. They gave me the support and advice I needed to get bfing properly established, which was sadly lacking in hospital.

My first choice would be a homebirth every time but if you do need to RD&E then I'd try to get out as quickly as possible. If you're not ready to go straight home I think you can transfer to Tiverton or Honiton post-natally and, from what I've heard, they do after-care much better.

Good luck with the BFP

Having been reading up on home births. They sound like they can be a wonderful experience

oops - sorry for naming - had not realised - am sure in any case there are hundreds of Aussie midwives!

I loved my homebirth - loved it, loved it loved it - cannot recommend highly enough.

Ask away if any questions

(Tis BCLass btw)

NCT classes were good for meeting friends - but not sure I learned anything that I had not already read in a book (or on Mumsnet). DH seemed to enjoy them and learn stuff - he is not a big reader.

I very much doubt anyone will sue if you're saying nice things .

I think the only thing which would put me off a homebirth is living a long way from the hospital, I was only in the ambulance about 10 minutes and I seriously thought I'd been transferred to Bristol, it felt like it took that long. Maybe the gas and air had something to do with that...

Tis a small sheep here in disguise
I am a bit late coming to this thread but thought I'd add my experience.I've had 2 dc at the RD&E, 1 in 2004 at the old unit, and 1 at the new one in June 2008. The expereience at the old unit was not that brilliant, I was induced when I really don't think in hindsight that I should have been, and ended up on my back with an epidural, trying to push a back to back baby out for 2 hours. I was in hospital for 3 days after and didn't get any bf help, though it helped that dd was a natural.
My experience in 2008 was great. I had the fabled Aussie midwife (If you are on the willowbrook team of midwives you will most likely meet her) and she came to my house when it was clear I was in labour and mad eit clear that she was with me til the end, however long it took. It was a relief as with dd it was a 13 hour labour with midwives constantly coming and going without introducing themselves. In the end, ds was born in 3.5 hours and I managed the active, drug free birth I had been hopign for, and I completely credit the midwife with that for maintaining a positive and calm atmosphere. When she came to my house she said it would be fine to stay there but after my experience with dd I wanted to be in hospital- I now wish I'd stayed at home but that is my only 'regret'.
I think that a lot of it is luck tbh- the midwives now have a lot more patients than they did before and I think that shows in how brief the antenatal appointments are. Having said that, postnatal care is now much better, as with dd I got one visit from a midwife before being discharged to HV care, but with ds I recieved a visit every day for 10 days.
I also think birth partners have a big role to play. If anyone needs a doula I have a friend doing training who I believe offers her services free or for a very reduced fee
And need I say, it's good to be back

Hi, I had my dd induced at rd&e, may 09, very understaffed and did the first part of labour alone, as partners have to leave at 8pm on antenatal wards.
However when, her heart rate dropped and the may have had to operate there and then, they were very organised.
I didnt have to have a c-section, luckily and had a fantastic midwife who delivered her, and dealt with the junior registrar who was quite annoying!
I transferred to Tiverton midwife led unit after and found it absolutely fantastic! They really look after you and support you with breastfeeding. AND they make fantastic hot chocolate for you in the morning and evening, and cups of tea at 4 in the morining if your awake with a screaming newborn!

Hello sagan, nice to see you around!

Purplebuns, I live in Tiverton and they do look after you really well don't they? I still prefer my anti natal care at the RD&E and would still labour again there if I ever have another but nothing beats the calm of Tivvy after the hectic RD&E!

Hi bluebump! I live in Tiverton as well. I enjoyed my antenatal care at Tiverton, but I think it is luck of the draw on who your midwife is.
Exeter is definitely the best place to be in case anything goes wrong in your labour.
But my mum had a homebirth 9 years ago as an older mother and she loved it, all us siblings could come and see our new sister straight way and she could have a cup of tea in her fave mug straight after!
But Tiverton was amazing you can get chatting with the other mums and watch tv in the dayroomand have guests there, they are very relaxed on guests and how long partners can stay and things, and they have an amazing bath! the staff are lovely and helpful, you certainly wish you could take them home with you!

I saw the bath but didn't use it, it looked massive though, they even had bubble bath there for people - it's those little touches that make that place lovely!

Ps nice to meet another Tiverton mum!

Hi, bluebump, it is defo good to see a tiv woman! I must say the bath I had was fab, it was ran by one of the midwives with bubbles and the whole thing lowers to the ground in a very cool way! I recommend anyone a stay in Tiverton unit. I think I have raved enough now tho lol!

Well I guess Im going to find out for myself what the RD&E is like, as yesterday I got a BFP!!!! EDD is 19th June which is also my birthday and 1st wedding anniversary. Thank you all so much for your thoughts on the RD&E

Sagan would love to know more about your doula friend