Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Queen Charlottes

20 replies

peacemakerukuk · 05/10/2006 13:41

Hi,
Has anyone had a baby in the last year or so at QC's? If so can you tell me whether they are still as good as they were. I had my youngest there in 2000 and wanted to know what they were like since moving to the Hammersmith Hospital.

Thanks.
Sue

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

wools · 05/10/2006 15:13

Yes, I had ds2 there July 2005 and am having baby 3 there next week hopefully. I was impressed with them last year and this time round, have had no problems.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 06/10/2006 10:59

Thanks Wools. Has no one else had a baby at QC's recently? I've got my booking in visit on 20th October which will take 3+ hours

OP posts:

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 06/10/2006 11:00

Meant to ask Wools, what are they like for seeing you on time for appointments?

OP posts:

slinkstah · 07/10/2006 01:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ThomBat · 07/10/2006 01:31

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

wools · 07/10/2006 08:06

Peacemaker, regarding appointments I've found it really does vary. Sometimes, I've been in and out in under 20 minutes, other times I've waited between 30 mins and an hour before they saw me. Luckily for me, I've not had to attend as many appointments as first time round. I still rate them though and feel appointments are a small price to pay.

Plibble · 09/10/2006 09:01

QC was pretty variable for me, although the problems seemed to me to be symptomatic of being short staffed. I had probs during pregnancy (high bp, so was admitted to QC before the birth) and then a complicated long labour which ended in forceps and a section. I found the medical care (when things got difficult) very good, but the post-natal wasn't great. I found one midwife in particular rather useless, e.g. when I asked for pain relief after the section, she disappeared for 3 hours.

The most important thing, though, for me was that I felt I was in safe hands during labour and the birth.

Azure · 09/10/2006 09:16

I went to QC's last year for DS2 after going to Chelsea & Westminster for DS1. I had a generally good experience - I didn't have to wait around too long for appointments, the place was much, much cleaner than C&W and the wards smaller and pleasant, with their own (clean!) bathrooms. My only concern was that I didn't seem to see many midwives throughout the pregnancy, but don't know if that was a function of it being no. 2. I had high blood pressure towards the end which meant a lot of hanging around in the day-unit, but that's just the way it goes. I had a planned c-section due to complications with DS1, which went really well - checked in at 7.30am, baby at 9.45am, home in 2.5 days. Main problem is the ridiculous lack of parking - I got the bus right up to my last check the day before DS2 was born.

Azure · 09/10/2006 09:16

Oh, and on the ward afterwards I saw a lot more of the midwives than I had at C&W, although that may be due to the post-operation checks.

alex8 · 09/10/2006 10:22

The car park is a nightmare unless you get there at 9am but there is a lot of parking in the streets around. Its still the same awful price but have always found tons of free spaces.(I only realised this with my 2nd pregnancy.)

I found it great except the post natal care in the wards which was very patchy.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 09/10/2006 10:33

Its funny you should all mention the post birth thing. I found that too when I had DS2 there. I'd had a c-section and my son was in the cot next to my bed yet I was expected to get him out of the cot and breastfeed him with no help, it was quite a struggle me not moving yet getting my precious bundle onto my lap. Its the before birth care I need as I'll probably have the high blood pressure again

OP posts:

alex8 · 09/10/2006 10:43

They were quite good at helping me to get my son out but there was one midwife who was rude to the other 3 woman in my ward but made me a cup of tea after showing me where I could express. A

I was very near the midwives station so I could hear them bitching about the women always ringing their buzzers. But to be fair some were asking the midwives to fetch stuff on the other side of the room when they were surrounded by friends and relatives!

alex8 · 09/10/2006 10:45

If you get monitoredd in the fetal care day unit, they have very lovely recling foot rest chairs which I happily dozed off on once or twice. Also the midwives in that area are really lovely.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 09/10/2006 10:55

Is it quite new and modern the part that QC's moved to?

OP posts:

alex8 · 09/10/2006 12:43

Yes its a completely new build, in about 2001 I think. Everything is still clean and doesn't have that hospital smell.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 09/10/2006 13:38

Thats always a bonus - not smelling like a hospital I just can't wait for my scan in 2 weeks so I know everything is as it should be

OP posts:

alex8 · 09/10/2006 13:46

Just to warn you if you are 37 or over they will give you a nuchal scan. Or you pay for an integrated test (nuchal plus blood test). That means they then won't give you a reassurance early scan.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 09/10/2006 14:55

It said on the letter they sent with the appointment that they probably would

OP posts:

alex8 · 09/10/2006 15:59

Try crying a lot. It worked for me! They fitted me in for a quick one just to see there was a heart beat.

Original poster

peacemakerukuk · 09/10/2006 16:17

I'll try that Alex8, thanks

OP posts:

Flip