Best N London hospital for consultant-led care, probable cs and stay on postnatal ward?

[ag123]

Not sure where best to post this but...
Ok, so only just found out I'm pg with dc2... Not even convinced about it due to lack of symptoms but anyway, am already going round in circles trying to decide which hospital to go to!

Had dc1 at the Whittington and had a pretty traumatic time of things- induced labour with failure to progress resulting in emcs, ds was 11lbs at birth so they struggled to get him out of the cs wound, resulting in extension to wound, 2l blood loss and infection afterwards.

My time on the postnatal ward I would remember with one word as 'horrific' with really unsupportive staff even though I was really poorly and, on reading back over my notes with an obs and gynae doctor friend I learnt that I was moved back down to the labour ward post-birth not only because of how poorly I was but also because the doctor in charge felt the postnatal ward staff weren't looking after me like they should have done (since I was so poorly).

Long story short, I am quite hesitant about going back to the Whittington and since there were complications I am quite terrified about the thought of a (probably inevitable) Caesarian again and feel that I want to have the best people doing it. I am also expecting that because of my history + other things like I'm overweight now I will probably be consultant-led from the off.

Part of me thinks that the best people (consultants etc) will be at a teaching hospital, and my nearest is UCLH. That is certainly not my nearest actual hospital though...
I am in Bounds Green so I think distance-wise my nearest hospitals are: 1. North Middlesex (not very good reputation) 2. The Whittington (previous experience + not tht easy to get to from where we are now- nowhere to park and not that easy on public transport) 3.Barnet Hospital (again not that good reputation) 4. UCLH 5. Royal Free

Anyway, oh my god, sorry for the mahoosive post but does anyone have any opinions/advice about what I should do?

Or anyone got any ideas about where I could repost this to get some more replies?xx

I really really wouldn't recommend UCLH, unfortunately.

I had my DS there, in the birthing centre which was bad enough but the aftercare in the ward afterwards was just horrendous. To the point that there was no aftercare.

In total it also took 20 HOURS to discharge me as the midwives were so run off their feet.

NMH is an ultra shithole. Don't go anywhere near there.

One of my NCT group had their baby at Barnet not long ago and said it was fine.

I gave birth in the Whittington and all went well apart from the midwife not having a clue where anything was as she hadn't worked there before. I'm planning to have my second in North Mid. It looks Sooo much better since the renovation and I'm so far happy with the maternity team

Did you complain to the Whittington? That might get you better care next time. Where is your friend who does obs and gynea?

Have you thought about having some of your care privately? I appreciate that it is beyond the finances of most people, but just in case it is within your reach UCLH have a private bit if some sort.

Hi Pico2 no I didn't complain but always wished I had.
My friend is a doctor in Southampton so doesn't have any 'inside knowledge' about this area specifically, though her opinion was that it wouldn't make that much difference to my actual care which hospital I choose as they are all much the same essentially.

It's interesting that most people's comments are negative 'I had a terrible experience here' or 'don't go there' rather than the reverse, isn't it? I know it's just completely indicative of what goes on in a busy London hospital but I think that's why I at least want to feel that I am making an informed choice (of a dodgy selection) ..!

Uch. Hands down. Elcs there. So amazing i keep meaning to write in to thank surgical team, midwives, sonographers. Everyone i know did not have such a good experience at whittington. Gave birth this year.

Ps i had also looked into doing it privately. Would have cost me 10k. In the end i needed a c section for medical reasons. But had i paid 10k i would have been happy. Post natal care was amazing...nothing was too much for the midwives..only thing was first night on ward a little noisy with crying babies. Moved to a private room for 2 nights after that costing 500 quid a night. Was (relative) bliss.

Have had 2 CS at the Whit. First emcs 2011 with a long post natal stay which I hated.
Had DD by ELCS late 2013 and was great, and DP could stay over every night which made such a difference.

I had my DS at the Royal Free 6 years ago. It was fine. The midwives were run off their feet but I'm sure you will find that in any London hospital. Other than that it was fine really. The post-natal ward was ok but I only spent one night there.

tapenade70 I know you say you had the elcs due to medical reasons in the end but I'm guessing you had the idea you wanted one from the beginning...did you experience any opposition to the elcs idea during your antenatal care?

Yes! Midwife said dont worry you will get your c section (i was really v anxious about natural birth..sweating palms etc) then right near the end it became clear she had just been saying that to pacify me...they suggested a date when i would be 42 weeks clearly hoping i'd go into nat labour first. Rang up person who doles out c section appointments and complained...had always been anxious, he had always been breech....and got them to agree to do it 2 days later when i was 38 or 39 weeks i forget... That was the only bad bit though...once i was booked in all plain sailing (and even had my c section within 2 hrs of arrival time).

I just wanted to say I had my baby in April at the Whittington and couldn't be happier with the experience. Yes the post natal ward is grim but I think that is the same at every hospital - they have the lowest staff ratio of any ward in a hospital. I can imagine this would be awful after a c section - it was bad enough with just a few stitches after my VBAC.

I sampled just about every service they had except for the birth centre - midwife, MDU, consultant, labour ward, post natal ward. I loved that my husband could stay with me 24/7 after the birth - every bed has a lazy boy arm chair for partners.

I never normally criticise other hospitals because I don't want to scare mother's that are there but since you are choosing I feel compelled to pass on the advise my friend gave me. She is an Ob/Gynae doctor in north london and said UCH first preference, Whittington is fine, the only hospital she wouldn't want to have a baby at is North Mid.

HTH.