Can you change hospitals mid pregnancy?

[NinaCoco]

Hey, just wondering if you can change hospitals mid pregnancy? I’m currently 12 weeks and just had my first scan at our hospital which is about 30 minutes away from us. We chose it on a friends recommendation after she had done research on our two local hospitals. It’s very hypnobirthing friendly with plenty of pools and offers a more personal touch but I wasn’t overwhelmed with it when we were there and last night heard a few horror stories from a friend. Our other hospital is about 10 minutes away, very modern but more clinical. Completely confused now and wondered if anyone had actually changed hospitals and if this was even an option? If anyone is familiar the two hospitals are St Richards in Chichester and QA in Portsmouth

You can swap whenever you like within reason.

FWIW I’ve heard very good things about St Richards.

Yes, I changed hospitals in both pregnancies. This time round at about 17 weeks. Hasnt been a problem at all.

Yes definitely. A lot of people around where we live are transferring hospital late in pregnancy (36 weeks+) because of the different rules about birth partners being able to stay postnatally. It means the hospital near me and my first choice all along is now around 40% busier than before the pandemic but nobody has been refused and they have shuffled their resources to make it work.

@user1487755366

Yes definitely. A lot of people around where we live are transferring hospital late in pregnancy (36 weeks+) because of the different rules about birth partners being able to stay postnatally. It means the hospital near me and my first choice all along is now around 40% busier than before the pandemic but nobody has been refused and they have shuffled their resources to make it work.

As pp stated I will be transferring at 36 weeks if my hospital doesn't change it's birth partner rules (currently 30 weeks). I discussed this with my midwife a few weeks ago and she was very supportive in helping me change. It seems very straightforward to do. The only thing she did mention is that I would have to wait until my notes had transferred over before the switch would be in place so I couldn't switch hospitals if I had say applied Monday morning and went into labour Monday afternoon.

Yep. You can change fairly late on too.
I wouldnt change yet and people do love to tell horror stories.

I can’t help with QA, sorry.
But I came out of St Richards maternity ward yesterday after a night with them (no baby yet thankfully as I’m only 26 weeks), but I was quite poorly and they were just amazing and very friendly.

Yes, here I'm between two hospitals in different CCGs. One allows partners for everything, one doesn't allow partners in for early labour or after birth. We'll see how it's going closer to the time but will change if out preferred hospital doesn't remove restrictions in time (currently only 10 weeks so plenty of time for things to change!)

I had to change to QA, they were ok, but not great. I couldn’t get hold of them when in active labour and so gave birth with paramedics at home. I had to stay in after and noticed care was quite varied between midwives, they also left baby naked for ages and forgot to record birthmarks/weight. My change was 2/3 days before birth, so it’s possible to change at any point.

I didn’t actually choose QA, they were just near my parents and I had to leave the hospital I was under in London due to poor care, so went to stay with my mum for the last few days. My friend gave birth at St Richards and was happy with it. It depends whether you have any specific needs as to which was best, as st Richards wouldn’t have been able to do what QA did for me - despite the care itself being pretty poor. Oh yes and a QA doctor used the myth that went out in the 80s about small feet meaning small hips and a difficult birth, he also failed to notice head was engaged despite me being very within healthy weight (so not hard to palpate) and my leg giving way as head was pressing on neural passageway. He told me I had weeks to go before birth, I gave birth the following day. Luckily, I knew he was wrong so ignored him, but still not great to have a doctor perpetuating known myths.

Yes you can, I changed about a week before I gave birth due to moving house!

Providing the closer one isn't absolutely terrible, I'd go for that. My nearest is 25 minutes drive in the middle of the night, more like 35-45 in usual traffic (an hour in rush hour ) and the journey to the hospital in labour, and from the hospital with stitches and a newborn was hellish.

Just bear in mind that everyone's experience can be very different and there may well be just as many "horror" stories about the other hospital as there was the one you went to see.

@NinaCoco my local hospital is QA but I have opted for Blakes in Gosport. Midwife led and they have been amazing so far?
I have to go to QA for my scans but all other checks are at Blakes.