John Radcliffe hospital Oxford - delivery rooms

[hipstercat]

Did anyone give birth in the JR in Oxford? I just read on their website that 'one of the thirteen delivery rooms is en-suite'. Does that really mean that 12 delivery rooms do not even have their own toilet?! Are you supposed to waddle down the corridor to go to the bathroom whilst in labour?!

@Yes you do. I've given birth there 3 times and only used the toilet on delivery ward once through.

The rooms in the Spires birth centre (which is a couple floors above in the same building) are all en-suite I think though. It wasn’t a problem for me as I had a catheter in when I was transferred to the deliver suite, so didn’t need to move!

Yep. There was a bathroom directly across the corridor from my delivery room though so it wasn’t far off en suite

Thanks girls. That's... shocking.

I guess, I'd never really thought about it and as I say only used it once in three labours - it's not far and DH went with me. I have only had excellent care though so am definitely having DC4 there in August. I've had 2 inductions and 1 spontaneous and they've always been kind.

I think it's the same in a lot of maternity wards to be honest. I'm in Bristol and both the wards I've been to here have separate bathrooms that you have to walk down the corridors to get to.

Yes when I delivered there you just walked out of the delivery room and the toilet was opposite, only crossing a small corridor.

Yup! Waddle across the corridor to pee! Also, I think that one en-suite room is the ‘room with a view’ none of the rooms in delivery suite have windows.

If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy then you should be able to give birth in the spires MW lead unit upstairs! Not an option for me but the rooms look lovely!

@EverythingNow that's a good sign for sure! I realise this is a trivial issue for most people, but I have some issues that make rapid accessibility of the bathroom quite important. ;) I also often have panic attacks and I worry about passing out from panic in a locked bathroom. When your DH went with you did he go into the 'lobby' bit where the sinks are - surely other women would be disturbed by that? Or is it just a single toilet with a door directly into the corridor that he could stand in front of? (I do realise you perhaps don't have a photographic memory for toilets!!).

In all my worries about childbirth I never thought about this, in my home country a private bathroom is the absolute minimum facility you would expect in a delivery room! I guess people here are used to it.

@Puggleface The spires does look lovely but I think I will need the option of an epidural!

If you feel passionate about having one maybe include it on your birth plan with your reasons? If it is available perhaps you will be allocated that room.

I gave birth at the JR and it was brilliant. If you have to stay in for any reason you wouldn't have a private toilet on postnatal either.

I was on a drip for an induction so had myself wrapped up in a sarong to nip across the corridor as I couldn't put my arm in the sleeve of a dressing gown. Had to take DH with me to wheel drip stand. Seem to remember single toilets but 2 doors so outer door shut but inner door we had to keep open to give room for DH and drip. It was a bit of a faff but not a real problem. Midwives were LOVELY.

Thanks so much for all your answers to such a silly question! Really appreciate it.

@Pipnik that's actually reassuring! I was imaging one of those big blocks of 6 cubicles with sinks outside, where I would have to squeeze my screaming and bleeding self past lots of fully dressed women with disapproving faces while DH was miles away in the corridor...

@Raratonga I was hoping to pay for a private postnatal room, but a bit worried they would all be taken. Does anyone happen to have any experience with or heard stories about those?

I remember the toilet like pipnik, single loo with sink area outside and then door to corridor. I only used the loo because they had broken my waters and wanted me to move around to see if things progressed - they did.

My Dsis had one and I think it was fine but I think they do prioritise poorly patients over paying. Don't quote me though!

I.want to go straight home if I can. Not because of the hospital or staff they were fine. But the other mothers on their phones!!!! Arghhh.

Wantage was always lovely place to give birth and I've heard good things about wallingford.

If you have an epidural they’ll fit a catheter I think, so it will only be for the time before then potentially. The toilet is really accessible though.

I didn't give birth at the JR, so can't comment on the loo situation in the delivery suite, but I did stay in one of their private post-natal rooms, and they do have (or at least the one I was in had) an ensuite loo and shower.

They are prioritised for mothers with medical need though. I was transferred to the JR from another local hospital as I was seriously ill following pre-eclampsia and my baby needed life-saving surgery. I suspect I was put in a private room partly out of kindness so I didn't have to be around other mothers who had their babies with them.

The midwives are lovely though, several spent ages with me showing me how to express and use breast pumps.

Good luck!

The toilet opposite my delivery room was a fairly spacious single toilet with its own sink, so your DH could come in with you as it’s all self-contained. I’m almost sure there was a shower in the same room, behind the toilet, but it could have been next door. Funny what you forget!

After delivery I had my own room on the 5th floor (because of complications rather than through paying — I mention this in case the rooms allocated are different) and there wasn’t an en-suite but again the toilet was just across the corridor. On the other hand, it was a mission to remember how to get to the shower every day (but I think I’m geographically challenged!).

Delivery suite definitely felt rough around the edges but the midwives were, without exception, lovely and I’d choose to give birth there again over a hospital with more creature comforts because of them.

When is your baby due, OP? Good luck with it all

I didn’t use the toilet at all during labour. I did a few hours after delivery but it was no problem to go across the hall. Bathrooms are not stalls.

I used the single little toilet just across the way. Used it a lot as in early labour my body went 'contraction poo contraction poo contraction poo' for quite a while.

I guess the Women's centre was built when women still had enemas before established labour, and actually when only about 3/4 of the country had inside toilets. Tbh after the fifth time across the corridor I could definitely see the point of an enema....

Just to add something on the loo front... You may find that you don't actually need the loo during labour, as it can be quite common to have what my midwife called a 'clear out' in pre-labour. I had this - basically a bout of intense diarrhea (sorry for tmi!) just before my contractions began at home. Didn't need the loo again until after baby arrived at the midwife unit!

Thanks all! Yes I hope it would all come out at home, but I don't have much trust in my body to do such a convenient thing...

@Eggshells My baby is due in July, so plenty of time yet to worry... ;)

@Annandale on all your trips did you ever find the toilet occupied, or someone else waiting while you were inside? I just wonder how many there are between the 12 delivery rooms.

Now I think about it, the midwife did do 2 temporary catherters I think? I kept trying to pee but couldn't as baby was in a hell of a strange position so she just popped a catherter in quickly, emptied my bladder and then popped it back out again! Then i had a proper one fitted when I had an epidural much later on!

TBH I never felt as if there was anyone else in the delivery suite at all, never heard or saw anyone else. I transferred from one delivery room to the room with the birthing pool (this was a few years ago, there might be more though I doubt it) when it seemed like it would be a good idea (and it WAS).

I have to say, none of this bothered me in the slightest. I thought it was all pretty well designed, particularly as I had to go to theatre to be stitched up afterwards and that was about 2 yards away from the delivery room.

Well I’m quite shocked too! What about showering?! You’d think all delivery rooms would have a shower/bathroom attached to it?

I have been in 2 hospitals in the NW and both have full en suite delivery rooms - half have pools too. These are not the midwife led ones either.

I was allocated a private room on level 5 postnatally. There was a toilet just across the corridor which was always free when I needed it.

I did want to book a private room but at the eye watering cost per night I'm relieved I didn't have to as we ended up staying for a week as ds was poorly and under HDU care.

The JR women's centre was designed in 1968!