JohnRadcliffe/Great Western/Royal Berks/Basingstoke & North Hants?

[muffymiffy]

I'm pregnant for the first time (5 weeks) and have been told I need to choose which hospital I want to have the baby with. I can choose between John Radcliffe Oxford, Great Western Swindon, Basingstoke & North Hants and Royal Berks.

Don't have a preference yet, though my GP was less keen on Royal Berks as it's a bit like a conveyorbelt.

I've had IVF and so it may be twins (bit early to tell yet) and I also have an inverted uterus (no idea if that makes a difference to what I might need).

I think I'd like the option of a midwife led unit with normal delivery suite on hand if things go wrong. Equally sometimes an elective C section seems appealing as at moment thought of labour terrifies me!

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Wow that's quite a spread to choose from! As I live about a 15 minute walk from Basingstoke hospital it never occurred to me to go anywhere else. Am due at the beginning of September - was born there myself as was my sister and my husband/SIL. All I can say is that it's been fine everytime I've been there so far, 2x scans, appt with consultant and the GTT. However it was VERY busy every single time I've been up there, hardly a spare chair in the waiting area. Maybe Basingstoke is experiencing a baby boom right now?!

Have heard not very complimentary, conveyor belt type feedback about Royal Berks from the guys I work with whose children were all born there. One child picked up MRSA but I'm sure that's very rare and can happen anywhere.

I'm happy with what I've experienced so far and my sister's best friend is a trainee midwife who is going to be on delivery suite when I'm due! She was also shadowing my MW for my 28wk appt last week, she'll make a wonderful midwife when she has qualified so I'm sure I'll be grateful to see a friendly, familiar face at the hospital!

Good luck OP whereover you choose :)

I had my DS1 at the JR and was happy with the delivery suite and staff there. Wasn't impressed with the aftercare but usual issues of not enough staff in my opinion. That was on the 'specialist' maternity ward though not the MW lead unit (Spires). Two friends have had both their babies on the 'normal' wards and have been happy with everything but it is v busy. Good luck with making your decision! Can you have a look round these hospitals to see what you think?

I had DS at the JR and stayed over in the spires overnight for one night afterwards in a private ensuite room on the seventh floor overlooking Oxford (hence being called the spires). We weren't charged anything for that. It was absolutely fabulous and the team up in the spires are so fabulous, headed up by a midwife called Linda Allen who is just lovely but not at all patronising or condescending even though he was my first