What's maternity care like in Edinburgh?

[Pruners]

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Bloody Hell Pruni !!!!

You had me going then

[norty pruni emoticon req]

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Can't comment properly as I was old Simpsons for dd1 (and my experience was SHITE). I can say that I insisted on St. John's (Livingston) for the DTs and it was FANTASTIC.

My favourite moment was when the auxilliary nurse came in, fainted over my DTs, shouted for her friend to come "Mags, Mags, hae a look at this Mags, get a gander at the twinnies". I thanked her for the wonderful food and she said "aw thanks hen, I'll tell ma son, he's the cook". I had truly wonderful care.

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Well, I have had 1 DS at the old Simpsons, 2 DS's at the new RIE and 1 medically managed mc at St Johns so feel I have a bit of experience with each of them. I have been happy with most of my care at both the old and new simpsons although at the last birth I hardly saw anyone afterwards and got 'chucked out' earlier than I wanted to. But, equally when I was at St Johns although most (but not everyone) was nice enough I hardly saw anyone there either and was left on my own for a lot of the time.
RE. scans - one booking scan at about 13 weeks, no nuchal scans or detailed scans unless meet certain risk criteria. Can pay (as I have) for private scans at non NHS facility. Not quite sure about how midwifes arranged - I saw same one at GP practise but I think it depends on which one your at. Had totally different midwife in hospital but think they were doing trials (this was nearly 3 years ago) of having the same care throughout - cant remember the name for it. Hope that helps.

I can't slate the maternity services in Edinburgh too much because I've got no experience of anywhere else and didn't have fixed expectations before I got pregnant. However, probably like maternity services everywhere, it didn't feel joined up - in that I hardly ever saw anyone twice at any stage.

Had ds at the Simpsons. It was ok. Not going to rave about it but it was fine though I have issues about how long I was kept in - too long. Didn't get offered nuchal fold scan. Paid for 20 week scan at place in West End. Liked some of the midwives I saw, some not. Thought the breastfeeding clinic at the Simpson was a bit of a shambles, though.

I've raved before on here about my fab experience of the new simpsons - delivery was very medicalised and I ended up with a CS, but I was a difficult case. I thought I got very personal and genuinely caring care and although they did change shifts and so on, the midwives were brilliant. I was kept informed all the time of what was happening, and pretty much everyone I had seen on the way through (first midwife I saw, 2 x delivery midwives, surgeon, etc) came to visit me on the ward later which I thought was impressive. I was asked for feedback too. The ward midwives and auxiliaries were amazing and although obviously rushed off their feet, did spend time with me to help with bf etc.

I have a friend who recently had a homebirth and she also got great care which she was very happy with.

One scan.

No nuchal fold stuff you would have to pay.

Midwives are in geographical groups and you see them at your gps at least I did in east(dd1) and north(dd2) Edinburgh. They try to make sure you see the same one throughout. I can't remember how often I saw one but it was often enough.

If you are having a homebirth you will be delivered by your Community Midwife( I knew I would remember what they were called). If going in to theRoyal aka Simpsons it is pot luck.

Problems/worries you call the midwife first if necessary you can go into the Leith Clinic or the RI if required.

Simpsons alright I suppose, parking horrifically expensive, staff ok, the free visiting time for Dads is a blessing and a curse depending on your room mates.

I did not receive good care either pre or post natally with dd1. I moved to Livi while pregnant with DD2 and had a fabulous homebirth with the midwife I had seen throughout. Couldn't have asked for better care out here.

NHS classes crap. NCT book as soon as you get two lines. No idea bout active birth. Usual aquarobics yoga at the yoaga place at the meadows etc.

I did great pregnancy yoga (and baby yoga) at the Birth Resource Centre on Viewforth.

Pruners, I'm in Edinburgh but I chose to travel out to St. Johns because I had heard good stuff about it. Its still a relatively small hospital and I just found it sharp. No experience of new Simpsons though.

Pruners, after reading your comments on other thread, just wanted to say that I had my IVF done at Simpsons and can't praise them enough, nurses and doctors so lovely.

I gave birth at St Johns, though, as I live near Livingston. They are less busy than at Simpsons with obvious advantages.

I thought the care was good, but the after care not so good.

At ERI, you cannot book a private room.

Also, no 20 week scan or nuchal fold scan - you'll need to go private for those if you want them.

But otherwise, it was great - no experience of anywhere else, though.

Oh, the only fault is that when I went into labour with DD2 I didn't know how far along I was because I had a full epidural with DD1, so I phoned community midwife on the mobile number provided and got voicemail.

Then I waited an hour for a call back and it's a good thing MIL told DH to take me to hospital because if we'd waited any longer I'd have given birth in the car.

I live in West Lothian but still had the option of ERI or St John's. I have opted for St John's because all my doctors are there. My pregnancy is considered high risk as I have blood clotting issues and so far (I'm 23 weeks) I have had amazing care from the doctors but the community midwifes are not quite as helpful. They seem very relucant to answer questions and as a first time and very nervous Mum, I feel they should be a little more accomodating.

The Midwife was very reluctant to tell me when my AN classes would be until I insisted that my work diary dictated that if I didn't know soon, I wouldn't be able to go. She reluctantly gave me a pre printed sheet yesterday all the classes are on Mondays 2-4pm for 5 weeks. The only Aqua natal classes run by the community in the evening are in South Queensferry 7-8pm. I did have an AN physio class at St Johns at 16 weeks which was helpful and there is another at 30 weeks.

The Early Pregnancy Unit at St John's is a wonderful place for those under 16 weeks who have concerns about their pregnancy. I lost a baby previously and they helped immensly and understood my fears this time round.

Whilst I have had and will continue to have lots of extra scans, my only process led scan was my dating scan at 14+2. We paid for a private Nuchal at Healthcare Now in Stafford Street but my consultant has said that these will be offered on the NHS from Spring 2009.

I'll get a tour of the labour suite when I am 31 weeks and until then I guess I'll be totally clueless about what I can/can't do etc. I wish we knew more earlier.

Hope this helps.

prune
heart missed a beat for a sec there for you
i ahd dds in kirkcaldy and it was fab! mw run not a dr in sight. lovely.

forth park maternity hospital. that was it.
i look back fondly.

Just found out I am pregnant am already 8 weeks possibly 12 as we are not sure of dates. Although being in falkirk i should be going to Stirling I am thinking of going to St Johns instead especially as the soonest i can see my midwife for the first time is in 6 weeks time 16th jan :0( which would make me either 15 weeks or 20 which seems rediculous can anyone recommend St John or would you go for Stirling?

Had DD in new Simpson 18 months ago. Midwives were great.Had a waterbirth in one of the rooms with a corner pool/bath - I had not planned to have DD in the water but it felt so good when I got in I refused to get out and midwife was very supportive of the decision.

On the ward afterwards midwives were also very good at helping with breastfeeding, and although busy did the best they could. The ward is VERY hot and the bathrooms not overly clean.

NHS antenatal classes at Bruntsfield Health Centre were excellent. NCT classes difficult to get into but good.

Only grumble really is the already mentioned lack of scans.

hi i have not given birth yet so can't comment on that but i have been to simpsons twice for small scares and both times found the doctors and nurses there really really nice and helpful. what was NOT helpful both times were the receptionists. totally rude and awful. however once you get past them it is fine. re nct classes i would agree about registering early and also checking that it is being processed as there was an error with mine and i missed getting a place. thankfully my nhs classes were good and i have just done an excellent active birth workshop at mulberry house which i recommned. find it under elemental birth on the internet.

midwife care is through GP - I was in edinburgh north and I never saw the same midwife twice! Moved to Edinburgh south and joing a practice with a fantastic midwife team both before and after the birth.
You only get a 12 week booking scan on the NHS in Edinburgh. we went private for a nuchal scan and 20 week scan at Healthcare Now on Stafford Street who were excellent (tho not cheap!)
Nothing but praise for the midwifes and medical staff during my labour - was never pressuriised into doing anything I didn't want to do and they tried everything they could to let me have a VB. Ended up with a section and the staff in the theatre were hysterical and I actually found the whole experience quite fun (or maybe that was the morphine).
After care was not so hot - ask for help every time you feed your baby if you are going to bf and if midwife is too busy then ask for the bfeeding specialist to come and see you. You also have to remind them to give you your painkillers
NCT fantastic - I have a lovely group of friends that I still see 5 months on! But book early!

I have had plenty of experience with the epu in St Johns and cannot fault the staff there. They are very helpful and approachable had good experiences with the scan staff too.

Not sure if you're looking for info outwith the area (was searching for forth park and found this)...

Fife you get 2 scans (12 wk dating and 20wk anomoly) but no nuchal fold scan. I'm not sure if it's available for high risk mums or at an extra cost. It was never mentioned to me. I was under care antenatally at dunfermline queen margaret hospital and through the community midwife team. None of whom work at the hospital I delivered DS at and this will be the same for all in my area. You would call your own community mw during normal hours, and forth park labour ward out of hours. Antenatal classes are offered at the main hospitals and also in some health centres in local areas such as Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly. Though these classes have been seriously reduced and diluted in recent years. NCT antenatal is now available in Dunfermline I believe, though only recently.

My experience of Forth Park was mixed. Pretty good by a lot of peoples standards but not high enough for mine so had DD at home under the care of the community midwives.

I have numerous friends and colleagues who have given birth at the new Simpsons and St Johns (livi) as well as in Perth. Every 5 out of 6 of the simpsons births I know were emergency c-sections. They have a high section rate I believe. Post natal care was awful for them too. 3 of 4 experiences of st johns were horrendous though the other 1 was really good. Forth park is a mixed bag and the mw led unit seems to get better feedback than the obstetric though the post natal ward facilities and care are still questionable. Perth gets a fairly good write up from the 3 births I know of there.

HTH someone

Hello, with my first Pregnancy, which I miscarried at 16 weeks. I was rushed to EPU in ERI, my time there was horrific, I was given 3 dirty gowns before I found one which was relatively clean. I was left in severe pain with no offer of pain relief/ sanitary towels from nurses, I had to ask and they seemed really ticked off, kind of like how dare I be using up their resources, also left to my own devices for about 2 hours with no clue what was going on on a ward right next door to a birthing room.

Was told to drink water for a scan, sonographer was late so was left with a bladder which felt like it was bursting for 30mins.

Had a few cheeky comments from nurses along the way, which I really didn't appreciate as I was losing my baby.

Once scan was over was kindly informed by charge nurse that I was miscarrying, and that she had a lady in the corridor that was actually 24 weeks pregnant who needed this room more than me, so I needed to leave the unit, no more support given, I was told to chop-chop getting changed by another nurse and I was practically chucked out onto the street with both me and my husband in tears and told by clerical staff that it's not that bad.

Now pregnant again and will not go within a mile of ERI.

I moved to South Edinburgh when I was 30 weeks pregnant and had started thinking about a home birth. This was my second child and my first labour experience had been horrible as I was induced. The midwife team were amazing and talked me through the home birth experience. I decided to go for it and had my second child at home (while my first slept through it all upstairs). I had 2 wonderful midwives with me the whole time along with a doula (whom I had hired privately) and my husband. The whole experience was fantastic and an hour after our daugher was born we were sitting on the sofa drinking a cup of tea with the sun streaming through the window (the midwives had cleaned up everything and the house was spotless)!! It was like night and day compared to my first induced hospital experience.