Hello all,
I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, I spent a lot of time looking up info on London hospitals to decide which one to go for. I live near Chelsea and Westminster and found it hard to find current info on the place. In the end, I went for C&W because it was nearest, and I didn't want to have to risk fighting my way through rush hour traffic to a maternity unit further away.
Anyway, for those of you who are doing the research now, I thought I would let you know my experiences - although they may not be completely indicative of others because of the circumstances of birth.
I was admitted to maternity at 32 weeks with a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and ended up spending 2 weeks in ante-natal. The care was great: the doctors, consultants and midwives were attentive and helpful, even though I have a ridiculous fear of needles which created havoc every evening when they tried to administer the dreaded Clexane injection!!
Granted, it was a bit frustrating that no-one could give me any idea of how long it would be before I was likely to go into labour, but that is the nature of pre-eclampsia! It was also a little frustrating, and not at all restful to be in a general ante-natal ward, with other mums going into labour all around in the middle of the night. But they do try and give "long-termers" like those in with pre-eclampsia their own side room - indeed, I got one after nearly two weeks... although I didn't have it for long!
In the end, I ended up in Labour ward with very little notice as my condition deteriorated quite suddenly. And they were also fantastic. Because I have a scoliosis of the lower spine, I had a consultant anaesthetist, and the surgeon who did my emergency-C was totally brilliant.
The downside was - as is the case is so many hospitals - with post-natal. There were some great midwives there too but some horrors also - one of whom tried to stop me from going to see my little boy (delivered at 34 weeks and in Neonatal Intensive Car) because my BP was a little high. I was moved from a side room (which I was placed into because I didn't have a baby with me) into a ward after 4 days.
BUT I guess, on balance, the guys at C&W were great, and whilst my circumstances were not usual, and I found it all very frustrating / upsetting / hideous at the time, in the end it was actually not as bad as some older posts indicated it might be...