After care at Bristol, Bath and Taunton?

[orangebubbles]

I have a choice of all three and the most important aspect in my decision making is the aftercare. Unfortunately I shall being having a cs under general so I'm not concerned with labour wards or mw led units. Really would help to hear your experiences to help me make a decision. Thank you.

I hate posting from phone! Sorry for typo's!

Anyone! Any thoughts to help out with my decision?

Hi Orange
I am suitably unimpressed with my community antinatal care I've had so far in Bristol! To the piont that i am not expecting much post natal care and planning accordingly.
Can't comment on the other areas. intrested to hear what others say.
good luck

Hi orange
well i had a cs at st Micheals and it was a dire stay am sorry to say. i've heard the recovery ward has had a makeover since (2011)as the loo seats were broken and try sitting on one when you've had a cs! but the staff were knackered and dismissive too busy to tell me basic stuff about my daughter's care (she was prem and needed heel prick tests every 5 hours) i ended up signing myself out early in tears, no way to start your new life as a mum.

I had DD 2 years ago VB at RUH Bath but was kept in 3 nights on Post Natal ward as though overdue was small and they wanted to keep an eye on us.

They try to group the wards by CS, babies in NICU or SCBU, I was with a room full of new mums that had their babies in NICU or SCBU, I think they thought DD might need to go at a later stage.

I found the care was mixed, one or two good MW's with a couple that were not so good. I struggled to establish BF, advice from different MW's was awful, no time to spare, no basic care help (was my first) DH was snowed in at home and though was there for the birth, went home and struggled to get back in. I was tired as all the other women on ward were watching TV loudly, snoring or crying. I was the only 1 out of 8 women who had their baby and the curtains were closed the whole time, was so lonely and desperate to get home. Once I was home DD had to have a MW check daily for two weeks, so had to go back in and saw the clinic MW's who were brilliant and had more time for us.

SiL had a ELCS at Yeovil and couldn't fault the aftercare, saying as it was so quiet the MW's would offer to look after my nephew while she slept, she staying 8 nights and didn't want to go home. That was 4 years ago, though.

Am going back to RUH Bath for DC2, due in 28 days! Just hoping won't need to stay in.

Hello orange, I had a cs at st micheals in 2005 and although I had difficulties and ended up having a emergency cs I found st micheals ok. I wasn't on a ward I had my own room which was just a bed in a room but was nice not to be on a ward. I was in for 7 days and I would say I had no issues with the staff or the hospital although it was almost 8yrs ago. I am now living in a different area and booked in for a cs early may at taunton I am a bit unsure as its a different hospital but quite a few of my friends have had babies lately by emergency cs at taunton and none of them seem to have a bad word to say about the hospital. I could of gone to st micheals for this baby but taunton is a lot closer. I think in general most hospitals r good they work their ass off and are always understaffed and have a massive work load I would go where u feel more at ease + where is closest to you. I hope this helps

Thank you all. It really seems to be the same across the board, mixed experiences which can probably be attributed to how busy the staff are! Well Taunton will be the closest by a few minutes, really neither here nor there but I think ill arrange a visit.

Had both Dc at St Michesls both induced as overdue. Induction ward awful, everyone do so busy, just left, only managed to get to labour ward as found when told to shop shouting and screaming to be pushing!!

Can't fault labour ward or staff both excellent care.

Post natal ward again he'll with filthy dirty toilets and bathrooms. Due to go there again in three weeks .

Have heard only good things about Musgrove, we're in the middle (Weston-super-mare) between the two Bristol slightly closer but a bugger to get to.

My SIL had her first at St Michaels as she was high risk. She hated it, said it as filthy and understaffed. That was 6 years ago tho. Her second was a home birth as she just delayed and delayed going in, determined not to go there again!

My other SIL had an emergency section at Musgrove after a very complex pg and had no complaints at all. That was also a while back though. Taunton far easier to get to than Bristol though, IMO. Good luck!

Well I'm def not hearing anything great about st.michaels! You'd think in this day and age you could expect a good level of care and cleanliness! Dirty toilets after giving birth! Nooooo that's just not right! In fact dirty toilets in a hospital full stop

Another st michaels here - appalling care post natally. Great on delivery but filthy blood covered showers and toilets. No attention, noise. Worst time if my life tbh. This was 2010. Avoid like plague.

I can't comment directly on aftercare for a cs but I recently had an induction on labour ward in Taunton and they were great, couldn't fault them at all. From what I hear from friends, some chose Taunton if they had the choice of two. I'd go for a tour and see all your options. Be interested to hear where you decide to go x

I had good care at southmead. Had quite a traumatic birth but I was looked after well. I'd originally booked for a home birth though. Midwives who visited after were great and also had hv who came for quite a Long time as I was unwell. She also arranged for someone to come who showed me how to do baby massage which was great as all the classes looked really expensive

My friend recently had a cs at st Michael's. She's not really commented on what it was like but she got transferred to her local hospital not long after anyway.

I had DS at the RUH last September, VB not CS though. I was in for 3 nights. MWs very helpful but overstretched so limited time speaking to them about establishing BF concerns which meant we were readmitted on days 6-8.
On our second stay we had BF specialist speak to us and MWs spent much more time helping to get BF sorted.

Interesting. I'm going to visit Taunton first as its dec looking like a forerunner!

St Michael's is horrible. None of the midwives seemed to believe me when I was delivering DC3 that it would be quick. She thought it would be a great time to have her break , so DH had to run and get a midwife. They imitated me when I was in total pain, (also have a kidney condition) and whispered in the corridor that I was 'sensitive...' One of the midwives flirted with DH, and after delivery left DD2 out of reach, and didn't bother leaving me a buzzer. My legs were numb from the epidural and couldn't walk, and ended up screaming at the top of my lungs for about 40 minutes.

Oh and the midwife delivering DD2 had bad breath (garlic) and once her shift was up, she walked out without saying goodbye.

When I asked to speak to the head midwife, she told me that I had, 'upset one of her staff...'

Really really avoid.

I had DS2 and DS3 in Musgrove and will be having DC4 there in July. No experience of the postnatal ward as was discharged from the labour ward but will probably be staying in longer this time.