Hospitals in west/north-west London

[PurlyQueen]

Has anyone given birth in the Central Middlesex/Brent Birthing Centre/ St Mary's/ Queen Charlotte's?

These are all pretty close to me in Dollis Hill (NW10) and I just wanted to get an idea of what giving birth there was like.

And if I have pre-natal care at one hospital, can I give birth at another?

Thanks in advance!

I have been to Queen Charlottes for two babies and it was perfectly fine. Staff nice, wards clean, parking okay. I have friends who have gone to St Mary's and it was okay, but I think that QC has nicer wards. I have heard of a couple of bad experiences about Central Middx....but then there is ALWAYS a bad story to be heard about birth at every hospital....!

Hi, I'm in NW10 too. I was booked into the Edgware Birth Centre last time but I went over 42 weeks (they can't take you after this) so I went back to St Mary's (where I had originally planned to go). I didn't really like St Mary's and so am with QCs this time.

Of all the places you have listed, Central Middlesex seems to have the worst reputation. The Royal Free is also a fairly popular option in these parts too.

You tend to stay where you are booked and have your pre-natal care. Once you get to know somewhere, it's unlikely you will feel you want to go somewhere else (?). Unless, of course, you can't get into one place and insist on turning up at another. Apparently, a lot of women just happen to be passing QCs when they go into labour!!!

If you haven't been to the docs already, I would say to go PDQ as the popular places fill up quickly and you will have to go somewhere else.

How many weeks are you?

I've got ages to go - I'm not due until March 29th but forewarned is forearmed, as they say!

beansprout can you say why you didn't like st mary's? i am choosing bt them and uch

I had dd in QC birthing centre.

It was wonderful.

Don't know about the others