Just found out I'm pregnant - question about hospital in East London

[INeedABiggerBoat]

After 18 months of trying I finally got the precious BFP a few nights ago. DH and I on cloud 9 but trying not to get too excited as it's very early days. But... I have so many questions and the internet has so many conflicting answers.

The one that's worrying me is that my local hospitals don't have great reviews for their maternity wards. I called my doctor to arrange an appointment and they said I can just self-refer to the local hospital - but if I self-refer there once, am I tied into giving birth at that hospital?

Does anyone have experience of giving birth in Newham Hospital? Or can you recommend any others nearby that I might be able to get into? My parents are near the Rosie in Cambridge, so might I be able to go there instead??

Any advice would be so appreciated!

Are you going to live with your parents from about 36 weeks to potentially 42 so you can get there when you go into labour though?

I could do, to be honest. Or we're about a 45 minute drive away (which I know isn't helpful if things happen quickly). Ideally, of course, I'd go somewhere nearby, but I am concerned about the ratings of their maternity wards.

How recent were the inspections? What's being done to correct things?

I have to admit, I didn't even consider ratings, even though I have looked since being pregnant, but I don't really have a choice- our area NHS trust has one hospital, 30 min away. The end....

And I don't think you want to count on being able to get to Cambridge, even if they let you register. You'd have to go for every midwife appt, scan etc.

Most recent inspection was April this year - very overstretched even though they're trying to recruit more staff, and concerns over the management of serious incidents. Doesn't inspire confidence!
I hear you on getting to Cambridge in time though. I just don't know what the alternative is as we can't afford private.

Where isn't overstretched and trying to recruit though?

Are you able to look at other hospitals in your trust? Not sure which trust newham general is in...would whips cross or try royal London be an option for you?

Home birth?

Just to warn you, I gave birth just over an hour after arriving in hospital - hospital ten minutes away. If I was travelling to Cambridge I might have given birth on the hard shoulder.

Newham have a midwife led unit separate from the hospital (same site). Did you read the review for that or just for the hospital? I think the midwife led unit is supposed to be good.

I don't know where you'd get in to, but Whipps Cross is good. I think the Royal London is good, not from personal experience (except being born there myself, so not a recent review ) but reputation.

You don't have to give birth in the hospital on your plan - obviously if you were travelling, for example, you'd just go to the nearest place.

I gave birth in the Royal London the year before last. I would recommend it. The postnatal ward was very busy and they were overstretched but think that's the same everywhere and everyone was very kind. No complaints for antenatal and labour ward.

I'm East London, Id say Whipp's Cross is a no no, I picked Homerton which is further away but has a very modern maternity unit, Royal London is a mare to get to (for me) so that was a no and Newham-I cant get past what the main hospital is like so that is a definite no but agree it may have changed. Have you thought about North Middlesex in Edmonton?

How about Homerton? I had DC there and a friend recently had her DS there. It was gorgeous when I was there ( a while ago) and she and her very perfectionist mum were happy with it earlier this year. Not far from Newham.

I had my babies in Royal London and opted for a private room after labour so I could have DH stay overnight with me. Midwives were great.

I was also booked into the barkantine birth centre which is near Canary Wharf/ the Isle of Dogs and they were amazing but as I went overdue I ended up at Royal London.

I gave birth at the North Middlesex seven years ago and it was fucking horrendous. HOWEVER, they were building a new maternity unit at the time, and it may well be completely different now, so I wouldn't rule it out.

im going to barnet. try somewhere realistic to get too for all your appointments xxx

Spoken to some friends who have given birth in the past year, one at whipps and one at north midd.

Both have said they would happily recommend them. Can you go for a visit to get a feel for them?

I had my eldest at the Royal London 10 years ago now, eek! This probably won't help you but my mum's neighbour was midwife at Newham and advised me to go to the Royal London when I was pregnant. This was of course 10 years ago so things could have improved since.

I had my second at Bedford, I had a far better experience at the Royal London ( have the scars to prove it). Leafy suburb isn't always better. Unless you're having a planned section, the nature of pregnancy and birth means you can't guarantee you'd make it to your chosen hospital anyway- especially if it's very far away.

North Middlesex have completely done up the maternity department and it's now classed as one of the best in north London! If I lived closer I would definitely choose to go there!