Anyone given birth in Brighton or Hastings hospitals? Need to decide between them quickly!

[aufaniae]

I've just learnt that my local hospital (Eastbourne DGH) is losing its full maternity service and turning into a midwife-led unit only.

As I may need to be induced, I want access to an epidural! (Midwife led units don't do epidural, right?)

I think most people will be transferred to Hasting, but I think Brighton might be a possibility too (it may be more suitable for me for a couple of reasons).

Has anyone got any experience of either hospital? I'd be really grateful to hear any experiences, good bad or indifferent, as I may have to make up my mind quite quickly about this.

I didn't have a good experience at Hastings with first baby, and am booked for c-section at Eastbourne this time around. Guess I will be transferred back to Hastings now, but to be honest all I want to know now is where I am meant to be going.
Everything was settled and now its not and I don't know what is going on.

My midwife said women are considering East Grinstead and Pembury as well. I would prefer Pembury over Hastings, but not sure if I can go through the stress of trying to organise a new ELCS date with a different trust when I'm running out of time..

I guess it depends where you live as to which hospital it best for you. You will always find good stories and bad no matter where you go.

Thanks for the reply bunnynose. Do you mind if I ask what you thought their failings were?

I think East Grinstead and Pembury are a bit far from us really.

It's really unsettling isn't it? I was happy to be going to Eastbourne especially as our NCT course leader had lots of good things to say about them. I know nothing about Hastings or Brighton.

In my case there was a serious lack of communication. My labour lasted days and I didn't know what was going on. Had to have forceps in the end, but didn't realise this until the doctor was getting them ready. Then baby was taken to SCBU and again I didn't know why. It was a very traumatic experience.

I am now getting stressed because I need to know where my ELCS will be, but no one seems to know what is going on yet. I hope they decide soon, as I don't want to be spending the next few weeks worrying about this.

Thanks for your reply bunny. That sounds like a horrible experience

If I knew I was having a CS one of the questions I'd be asking would be whether they used a dedicated obstetrics team for surgery. Apparently the team at Eastbourne were a dedicated team. In hospitals without a dedicated team they only stitch every other layer when stitching you back up. This is pretty standard apparently as the priority is to get you put back together asap. The team at Eastbourne were very fast because of the experience that comes with being a dedicated team, and were able to do every layer. I think this makes healing happen faster?

I got this info from my NCT class. You may want to do your own research on it, but hopefully that's useful info.

Thanks aufaniae, I didn't know that. Hopefully we will get some answers soon. Just seen on the Argus website that the hospital will be contacting all pregnant women soon.

Anyone else given birth at Hastings or Brighton?

Yes, Brighton, although v. straightforward delivery so I'm not much help providing info on how they are in a crisis. It's a teaching hospital though, so theoretically a good place to be if things go wrong. DD was delivered by a student midwife who was lovely - experienced midwife who was supervising was a bit offhand, but I guess I was a boring case!

The warning people tend to have about Brighton is that it's so busy you can be on a bit of a production line, but when we were there only one other baby was being born. They did shunt us along quite swiftly to the post-natal ward, where were then ignored for hours (went home the same day, but could have gone sooner if we hadn't been waiting for ages for them to complete the paperwork!). Oh, and the health visitor/midwife (still not absolutely sure who she was) who showed me how to breastfeed for the first time not only told me off for doing it wrong, but she absolutely STANK of cigarette smoke. As DD was about three hours old, and this woman was only the second person in the world other than me and DH to touch her, that kind of bothered me!

I gave birth at the sussex county hospital in Brighton august 2011. Could not have asked for better care on the labour ward they were fantastic!

The post natal ward on th other hand was hell. The midwives, individually, were brilliant but they were so understaffed, that they just didn't have the time to do anything if you know what I mean?

I was in for 3 days after and I was struggling with breastfeeding. I lost count of the amount of times I was told 'someone would come and help me soon' without anyone ever coming. Eventually a doctor told me it would be best if I gave a formula top up and that someone would bring me some soon. It never came. I'm actually grateful that it didn't to be honest as I eventually figured out the breastfeeding myself.

A few times I went without lunch or dinner as even though someone had come to take my order, it never turned up.

My bed sheets were covered in blood but they didn't get changed until the third day when I asked someone.

Overall it was a horrific experience. I eventually discharged myself at 2am on my third night as soon as my blood results came back because I couldn't take it in there any more.

Hi there, your post has made me delurk. When is Edgh closing I'm due to give birth there in June, haven't heard anything official about closure yet.
I gave birth at Hastings conquest, 1st time, midwife care was good, although the delivery room was dirty with blood spatters around room, they were clearing it up as my mum pointed it out! (it wasn't mine either). It was 9 years ago though they may have changed there.
Went home from labour unit didn't get to ward.

Hi LadyEdward I think we've spoken before about EB / Hastings related stuff :)

This was announced yesterday, and they're aiming fo 6-8 weeks from now.

Here's the report in the Argus

It says "The decision does not affect Crowborough Birthing Centre, out-patient gynaecology, in-patient gynaecology for elective surgery, out-patient paediatrics, out-patient ante-natal clinics, early pregnancy services, Maternity Day Unit provision, community midwifery services or community paediatric services."

Minty and Chocolate coins that doesn't sound great

Although "Could not have asked for better care on the labour ward they were fantastic!" sounds good!

That's not a lot of time 6 - 8 weeks, in an emergency you would never make it to Hastings in rush hour!
I'm quite worried now. Hope it all goes ok so I can make it to a hospital!
If you need to be induced maybe Brighton would be better if its a teaching hospital there should be well qualified midwives looking after you with students around, but I'm sure someone with recent experience will be along soon!

I haven't given birth in either, but raised an eyebrow when MW mentioned it the other day! I'm due in just under 4 weeks so should just be able to give birth in EDGH, however MW explained that if I did require inducing (they do it at 40+10 here) that my induction would begin at Eastbourne DGH and I would then be transferred to the conquest. Seems like a lot of faff to me!

I did all my training at the conquest though, it's a nice hospital .

Oh and obviously that means the conquest is a teaching hospital too.

Great experiences of Brighton here has DS 1 there 2.5 yrs ago and DS 2 there 3 weeks ago

Lovely midwifes and care - the only issue is that it does seem to get quite busy so you may end up waiting a while for certain things (pain relief etc ) but I had none of the poor experiences above and post natal care/breast feeding help was fabulous for me. I was kept clean, happy and well fed too!

I had both my boys in Brighton (some 12/13 years ago, so maybe not that helpful) but I had the same lovely midwife Glenda both times. She was brilliant. As a first time mum I was rather 'left to get on with it' on post-natal ward, as they were v. busy. With the second baby I had an epidural (superb pain relief and expertly done) and I was very well looked that time afterwards.

I worked in Brighton General and can recommend it as a hospital - reasonably high standards etc. Best of luck wherever you decide to go!

There is a website where people can write reviews about the maternity unit in Brighton. (don't know about Hastings though sorry) I can't link as I'm on my phone but try googling.

Hi All

My wife expecting twins in Sep-Oct 2013. I just heard the new that Eastbourne DGH is losing maternity service. It is moving to Conquest (Hasting)I was thinking about the brighton option as well. Midwife asked us the preferrence but at that time we said Hasting would be fine. Now, we are thinking brighton as well because for us both hospitals have almost same distance.
Can anyone advise please? Also could anyone tell us how to change the venue(hospital) for delivery? Many Thanks

Kind Regards

so pleased the early pregnancy unit is staying at dgh. they've been absolute stars recently, and the thought of it happening to me again and having to go to Hastings really worried me.

a friend had her baby at Brighton and sung their praises, and of the amazing sunrise she could see from the window

The view is pretty amazing, especially on a nice day! Not so good if you're scared of heights though