Which hospital in North London? Advice please

[coveredinflour]

Hello,

I' nearly 6 weeks with my first pregnancy. Live in NW London and have an appointment with the GP to tell them I'm pg on Wednesday.

I understand I can choose where my ante-natal care happens, and so I'm wondering which hospital would be best. I live nearish to St Mary's, Royal Free and UCH but there may be others. I guess it's easier to choose where I want to give birth and then go there for all scans etc (or if I mc, though fingers crossed I don't).

I've heard bad things about Royal Free. Does anyone have any advice or experiences you could share?

I would like to go for a midwife-led birthing unit rather than labour ward if possible (would at least like to try the natural approach, but within reach of an epidural and surgical theatre just in case).

Thank you!

I should have said, at the moment I'm thinking probably UCH but would appreciate advice.

Just realised I may not have posted this in the right place. MN forums are a mite confusing. Sorry!!

I've also heard that Royal Free is pretty bad. Don't know anything about St Mary's.

I went to UCLH for my first pg and am back there again for pg2. I have always been very impressed and pleased with the level of antenatal care from doctors and (most) midwives there and personally would not go anywhere else.

Because it's a teaching hospital, there are always lots of staff on hand. For scans (of which I've had more than a dozen) I've almost always been scanned first by a junior doctor and then again by a more senior one basically two exams each time. And when you go for your 12-week scan and combined blood test (if you opt for it), you get the results right then and there no agonizingly long wait of days or weeks as I've heard is common at other hospitals.

The birth centre is really lovely, if you're considering that route. I wasn't able to go there for various reasons but was pretty happy with the labour ward, despite some issues with some of the staff.

It's not my closest hospital but worth the journey IMO.

hi, i'm actually from northampton but because my ds3 was expected early (and there were no special care beds available in northampton) i was transferred to uch the day before he was born. i found the staff there amazing - particularly to me as i was all on my own miles from friends and family. ds3 was born by emergency c-section (which my dh didn't quite make as he was on the train on the way down!!) and the midwive was amazing and supportive knowing how scared i was. i ended up being there for a week before a space came available in scbu in nothampton, and was looked after and would highly recommend it to anyone. i only experienced it for the birth part of my pregnancy, but i imagine to undergo the whole pregnancy there would be a very positive experience xx

There's nowhere to park at the new UCLH

Hi there, we've moved this into Pregnancy.

P.S. Congratulations OP!