North London Maternity Wards? Lucky me... Not

[Roopachoo]

Ok so after the initial euphoria of seeing those faint pink test lines turn darker and darker, I am now petrified of having to take myself off down to one of two of possibly the worst maternity wards... ever. Yes, either Barnet or Chase Farm...

The next best option is The Royal Free, although it is a 40 min drive, and even here I haven't heard the best of stories. UCH or Guys and Tommys is just too far. What would you do in my situation? I've heard there has been a staff overhaul at RFH- has anyone given birth there this past year? Am I being a sissy and should just give birth in the shed?

[Jcee]

I had DD at Chase Farm last December and I had all the same worries as you beforehand from looking at the stats but it wasn't so bad in the end.

I was booked into the Ridgeway midwife led unit and spent the best part of a day in there, which was great.

But my labour slowed right down and stopped so I opted to go home to rest. Then it snowed really badly and when it started again in the middle of the night, the Ridgeway MLU had had to close as staff had had trouble getting in, so I was taken into the consultants unit downstairs.

It was totally fine and when the shift changed in the morning, I opted to stay downstairs and was supported by midwives from the MLU.

Good job I did stay as it turned out DD was an undiagnosed breech and went into distress and so I had to have an EMCS.

On the whole I'd say everything in labour and delivery was fine and all the staff in both units were great.

The postnatal ward, however, was awful and if I'd have known that you could pre-book and pay for a private room on the MLU I would have done that, but I only found out you could do that after I left hospital.

[MegBusset]

Yes we booked a private room on the Ridgeway after DS1 to avoid staying on the postnatal ward. Didn't need one after DS2 as I was in and out of hospital so quickly!

[LoubyLouLondon]

I'm at the Whit and it is really good. I am being seen by community midwife team and have been seen by the same midwife the whole way through. The ante-natal ward at the hospital is quite old but its very clean and all the staff are really friendly.

You also have the option of the birthing centre right next door so if there is anything amiss they can whip you straight upstairs.

I was overwhelmed by the choice of hospitals at the beginning so asked the midwife at my doctors which one she would recommend and she said the Whit was really good.

No complaints so far - although i havent got as far as the actual birth yet!!

[LexiWITCHious]

The Midwife Led Unit in Northwick Park was fantastic for me last August. After some bad mother/baby outcomes there was a huge amount of money pumped into maternity services there and I think it shows.

MLU being attached to a conventional labour ward (well, two floors up in the same building) is a great safety net IMO.

[Roopachoo]

Can you pre-book a room at The Ridgeway and then use it only if you need it? Hopefully I'll be home as soon as humanly possible...

Does anyone know if this is possible at The Whit also? It's always the post-natal environment that sounds poo everywhere.

Since there are only 5 rooms at The Whit's birth centre- what's the likelihood of actually getting into one on the day?

Thanks everyone :)

[Haliborange]

I had my DD2 at the Whit (crash section).

There were bits I didn't like, when it all got a bit fraught, and the post-natal ward is, well, a typical London post-natal ward. Overall though it was fine. My consultant was excellent.

If you had your baby in the birth centre you can stay there until you discharge, usually about 12 hours after the birth. If you wanted to stay longer (e.g. to get feeding established) you'd transfer to the PN ward for a night. IME breastfeeding support there is good - they have people who randomly pop by to see how you are going with it.

There is a speedy lift from the birth centre to the labour ward.

I don't know anyone who has been turned away from the birth centre for lack of space. when I looked round only one room was occupied and when I went there (before things got dramatic) it did not seem busy.

I don't think you can pre-book amenity rooms on the PN ward. But with a normal birth you wouldn't be there for long. Longer stayers (emcs, poorly babies etc) tend to get given their own rooms (subject to there being space) from my experience, although after a CS you wouldn't get one until you were mobile.

[Roopachoo]

oh my Jcee, I remember that snow! Took me 4 hrs to drive from Southgate to Winchmore Hill. it's a small wonder you got there!

[Roopachoo]

Thanks Haliborange that's good to know about availability. Did you get any continuity of care from the MWs you saw throughout your antenatal appointments, and then at delivery?

LoubyLouLondon- did you give birth in the ward or birth cenntre?

[LoubyLouLondon]

I havent got that far yet!! Trying not to actually think about that.

Last night at the preggo yoga class that I go to, one of the women who had just given birth at the birthing centre at the Whit came in and she said it was very good. Managed to get a room no problem.

Im going to aim for birthing centre and hope for the best! x

[Haliborange]

No continuity, no. The birth centre midwives seem to work mostly in there. I did see the same community MW more than once and they would do your ante-natal care and then post natal visit(s). Because I had had such a shit time of it with DD1 (elsewhere) I hired an IM to do my ante and post natal care and to act as doula in the hospital T'was great.

[Roopachoo]

Of course you haven't LoubyLou sorry! Best of luck and hope you get the birth centre (remember 'your body knows how to give birth' lol). I digress but did you start the preggo yoga once you were too big to do normal yoga classes?

A doula would be fantastic (might get DH to dress up as MW instead).

[WillbeanChariot]

I booked at Edgware and it is fantastic.

Ended up at UCH but by way of Barnet so I spent some time on the antenatal ward. One midwife in particular was amazing and really helped me (though I wasn't in labour). I really think it's down to who you get.

[Jcee]

Roopachoo - we don't live too far from CF so the journey in the snow was ok and it was 3am so roads were quiet.

Although DP and I had a right laugh trying to get me dressed in boots and warm clothes to go back to the hospital - I looked like the mitchelin man by the time I was wrapped up! And I swear it took me 45 minutes to walk the 3 minutes stroll from the car park to the hospital entrance because I was obsessing about slipping on the ice/snow.

[mollymawk]

I have had 3 DCs at Barnet General and the birth were ok - as far as any birth can be ok! Pre-natal care was not bad as I had MWs attached to GPs surgery - although in some cases had to go to hosp which was the usual 10-hour outpatient wait scenario.

Births were all actually ok, esp for DC3 (but perhaps I knew what I was doing by then...), even though had scary bits.

Must admit it is all a bit chaotic though. With DC2 I was asked if I wanted some gas and air and I said ok, then MW returned 10 mins later saying she couldn't find a machine without any bits missing so I couldn't have it after all...

Post natal ward seems to hire some very odd night staff but most staff are lovely really.

Bizarrely I would go back (if I was having any more DCs, which I'm not!).

[Roopachoo]

Mollymawk- no gas and air?!! I think I'd have a breakdown right then and there! Did you want any other form of pain relief?

[Roopachoo]

Yes would be nice to hear about QEII mrspickles- haven't heard much back about it- ta.

Jcee- I'm thinking you didn't get any pictures of your michelin man impersonation? So funny...

[mollymawk]

Roopachoo, actually the whole pain relief thing was a bit chaotic generally.

DC1 - induction, epidural, worked on one side of my body only, asked for top up, waited ages due to unavailability of aneasthetist dealing with other mother having crash section (how selfish...), still didn't really work, gas and air made me sick

DC2 - incident above of missing working gas and air machine (DS2 came out quite quickly anyway TBH so it wasn't too bad). I did try at one point to sit on one of those birthing balls but the MW said very irritably "That's not for YOU! Get on the bed!"

DC3 - you may be unsurprised to hear that this time I didn't bother to even ask...

[lilmary]

My fiance & I have done tours at the Whittington & the Royal Free. We were booked in at the Whit and changed to the Royal Free after seeing the state of both the ante & post natal wards at the Whit.

They were like something from an old movie - long corridors with 20(?) beds in tiny curtained cubicles, with dust 'tumbleweeds' everywhere. The tumbleweeds told me that the wards weren't cleaned regularly or effectively and due to this lack of infection control, cramped conditions and the unfriendly midwife showing us around we decided to have a look at the Royal Free.

The Royal Free was clean, friendly and both the ante and post natal wards were only 4 people to a room so there is a chance that you may be able to get some sleep.

Overall I've been satisfied with the care I've had a the Royal Free.

[Roopachoo]

Oh dear that doesn't sound good. If I did go to the Whit I'd hope to deliver in the birth centre... but I guess would end up being transferred to the postnatal ward anyhow. Have tour tomorrow, hopefully the cleaner has been in...

[Roopachoo]

So went for the tour of the Whit yesterday. The corridors approaching the labour do stink a bit (pee...?) but once in the labour ward, seemed ok. Labour rooms are nice enough, good to know that there is always an obstetrician on duty 24hrs, usually 1-to-1 MW care on the labour ward. Birthing pool in room but only used for pain relief, not birth. Mobile epidural...

Ideally would like NOT to have to come here, as usually labour ward mothers are to be discharged from the awful postnatal ward which is just a corridor with beds, partitioned by curtains... aaaagh.

But if you don't mind this, the level of care seems good and the staff friendly.

The Birth Centre is LOVELY. My one concern was that the chances of getting a room on the day would be slim, but yesterday out of 5 rooms only one was in use (delivery already taken place). The MW said it was unlikely that all 5 room would be in labour use, and any resting mums who were using the rooms would be shifted to the post natal ward if a labouring woman did come in.

I'd only come here if you were a low-risk pregnancy for the birth centre, and try and discharge from the centre. If you don't mind a dingy post-natal ward, then the labour ward here is good enough. All that being said, who knows what it will be like on the day. It's just pot luck in any London hospital.

Next stop The Royal Free.

[MumNWLondon]

I went to birth centre at the whittington even though i am out of area and it was fab, the aftercare was better still, DH spent whole day in lovely labour room with ensuite (also like spa), double bed, flat screen TV while the midwifes looked after us.

can't recommend it enough.

Unlike the edgware birth centre the CLU is up one floor, so if there is a problem there are doctors nearby.

[MumNWLondon]

in response to the bit about getting a room at the whittington, they said it was really unlikely there would be a problem, because they like to keep women in for 12 hours afterwards but if they get too busy they need to move you out a bit earlier. also we called before we left the house to say we were on our way so we had a room reserved for us on arrival which helped as well.

[MumNWLondon]

sorry also read more of the thread - we changed from RFH to whittington because this was DC3 and i knew i wanted to go to birth centre and didn't want to go via the triage system at the rfh to get to their birth centre. at the whit it is organised in advance that you can go to birth centre.

the aftercare at the rf (like most london hospotals) isn't that good anyway - lots of friends been there, after DD i was on a 4 bed room and got no sleep and no attention. after both ds1 (RFH) and ds2 (whit) managed to get discharged directly from birth centre - with ds2 (april this year) we stayed for 14 hours after the birth and no pressure to leave, although would have been happy to go home had they been busy. if its an easy birth you can go home straightaway (a couple of hours).

tbh if i wasn't fixed on a birth centre birth (including no internals etc) i would probably have stuck with the rf

[MegBusset]

Forgot to mention on this thread that maternity services at Chase Farm are earmarked for closure (putting even more pressure on Barnet and North Mid) so might not even be an option by the time you're due...