Was anyone due to give birth at Macclesfield?

[MummyLE]

I've just found out I'm not able to give birth at the hospital I chose due to COVID ☹️

My other options are Stepping Hill, Wythenshawe or Leighton. I've heard terrible stories about Stepping Hill but the other two hospitals are a further drive for us to get to.

Anyone else in the same predicament or have any recommendations of which hospital to choose out of these three?

I've tried to find a table for best ratings of maternity units the UK but can't see to find anything 🤷🏼‍♀️

aw no. Don’t understand are they closing or being picky about who they have?

Am surprised you have heard bad things about stepping hill. I had two babies there and although postnatal ward not great (midwives just very very busy) the antenatal care (I was consultant-led) and labour/birth care was fantastic (first birth very complicated and was horrendous for me but could not fault the midwives at all).

Friends have had babies at wythenshawe and SH and not aware of any bad experiences

I should add that the good thing about sh is that they had a midwife led birth centre as well as a consultant led delivery suite. So you can (as I did, twice) aim to deliver in the far more homely birth centre and there is no issue at all getting transferred (down one floor) if you need to.

Agree with @Frazzled2207 SH antenatal care is good, especially if you're high risk. They never left me alone!

I had both my babies at SH, it's fine. Just take your own pain relief because they never get to you when you're due some more

Ooh the other thing about sh is that they offer remifentanil (sp?) as pain relief, one of very few hospitals to do so. That stuff was the best stuff for me. Very strong but very short lasting (you self administer every contraction)

I had my LO in the MLU at SH and spent 3 days on the maternity ward. I can't fault the care I received. They have 8-8 visiting which is good too!

@Frazzled2207 they closed maternity services last year because their icu was split in 2 last year for covid and non covid and they struggled to keep it separate so just stopped maternity services. They're looking at reopening in September

I live closest to macc hospital but have chosen to have previous 2 birthd and now my 3rd at leighton. The maternity unit there won an award for being one of the best in the country (maybe even the best the year it won) it got a huge grant a few years ago so the birthing suits are all really nice and modern/clean. Mood lighting, pools in every room etc. I plan on using the MLU there this time.

Thanks all, you've made me feel loads better about my options! I literally live a 10 minute drive from stepping hill so it would make sense to go there!

I have also heard some not great things about SH but i also know someone who had their baby there in the last 6 months and couldnt fault it