Choosing a hospital

[Sunny1986]

Hi all - I'm newly pregnant (5 weeks) and just called my GP as advised on nhs website. The receptionist there has directed me to a local hospital website to book in with the midwife unit there. If I do that, do I have to go to that hospital for all antenatal treatment/the birth?

Also, how on earth does one choose a hospital?! There are several within a 30 min drives from me so no idea where to start!!

Advice appreciated x

Yes, you choose a hospital for all antenatal care and the birth. You can change hospitals during your pregnancy if you want, though.

Research the hospital facilities and think about what's important to you. Do you want a shot at a homebirth? Do you want to go to the midwife led unit? Are you high risk for any reason and want a good NICU on site? Do you want to be able to pay for a private postnatal room? Do any of the hospitals provide AN care through your GP surgery or children's centre for convenience? Location and traffic is also a big factor, you will not enjoy a 30 min or more drive while in labour.

It would depend on how your local area organises things, for example in my area you see your local midwife for antenatal appointments regardless of if you are choosing an 'out of area' hospital. The midwife fills in the paperwork for the hospital you choose. Scans and consultant appointments (if needed) are at your chosen hospital.

What's important to you for your birth? Is having a large hospital with all the emergency and a baby intensive care available on site?
You could look at the birth statistics of each hospital, eg % of births by c section, forceps, maternal/infant mortality etc
Do you want a birthing centre type place which might be less clinical, yet further away from help if you need it?
The hospitals you are deciding between May have an online tour you could look at on their website.
Congrats Op.

Things worth considering:
ease of getting to hospital during rush hour - some routes might be more traffic prone

parking availability

what type of birth you want - some are stand alone Midwife led units and some hospitals have them attached. If you want this type of birth definitely worth looking for a hospital that has a birth centre attached. If you need transfer to labour ward it's usually a short walk down a corridor. Stand alone units could involve ambulance transfer.

nicu/neonatal level care. (level 3 is highest and for sickest babies). may not be needed but something to bear in mind as if your baby ends up needed level 3 care they will be transferred to a hospital that can offer it.

Currently I would also look up their policy on partners attending scans and visiting restrictions during covid. it massively varies between hospitals. My hospital allows partners to attend scans but i know a lot do not. Obviously this can change as restrictions ease but I would take this into consideration.
you can also search for reviews online but people only tend to leave reviews if they have had a very positive or very negative experience.

You should use the self referral form on the website of the hospital you would like to deliver at.
Not all hospitals have a maternity department, check the details of your local ones and make a short list of ones you can go to. How you want to deliver and what pain relief options you would like available are big factors, also consider if there are complications will your chosen place have the facilities available to deal with that.

Maybe if you say what general area you are in people who are local to that area might have more specific advice? Although appreciate you might not want to for privacy reasons of course

Thanks everyone!! It's my first baby and still sinking in a bit so I really have no idea what type of birth I want!

I'm in between Berkshire/Surrey so could go to either trust 🤷‍♀️

It works differently for different areas. I booked in with my local midwife team and have antenatal appointments at one hospital, but can still choose to give birth at a nearby hospital in a neighbouring trust.

I had two hospitals to choose from (in different trusts) and looked at:

• type of unit
• facilities at each - big things like NICU but also the "extras" like birthing pools and private room availability
• Covid rules - in my case one trust allows birth partners to be there from the start right until you are discharged, whereas the other one only allows them in from 4cm dilated and they have to leave shortly after the birth (obviously this could change but was a big consideration for me as a nervous FTM)
• CQC reports - I read the maternity sections of the most recent reports and found these really helpful in informing my choice
• Birth statistics
• Traffic/parking - this might seem trivial but I don't want to be sitting in rush hour traffic or stressing about finding a parking space when I'm in labour!

In that case perhaps best to do what your GP advised, then discuss it at your booking in appointment with the midwife and ask them how it works in your area. It may be different where you are but here they do a first appointment at around 10 weeks mainly to fill in paperwork and ask initial questions, and to make sure you are signed up to get called for a scan at around 12/13 weeks.

Don't worry you don't have to decide just yet, as others have mentioned it's possible to change your mind during the pregnancy and switch later if you want to.

Another random question but do I need to inform my GP of my pregnancy? I spoke to the receptionist who sent me to the midwife but surely my GP needs to know? Does the midwife inform them?

@Sunny1986

Another random question but do I need to inform my GP of my pregnancy? I spoke to the receptionist who sent me to the midwife but surely my GP needs to know? Does the midwife inform them?

No, you called the receptionist, they told you that the procedure is selfreferral to midwives. You don't need to do anything else.

I think you might be near our area. Frimley is supposed to be among one of the best hospitals in the area medically speaking, and I believe Megan considered it. If that's one of your 30 minute options. No personal experience though!