Poole hospital, Dorset - has it improved in the last 8 years?!

[spackcat]

Wasn't horrendously bad when I was there last, but certainly wasn't great either; stroppy nurses, understaffed, horrid shower, even more horrid open ward with hard noisey floors etc and I was given a nipple shield less than 24 hours after birth to "help with latching on"(! - was only 18 and very naive, thought this was normal, until I found I couldn't bf without the bloody thing - and even then not very sucessfully!) Please does anyone know if it is better now? - starting to dread it already(4 weeks to go!)

Bump - anyone?

Does anyone know? Ho hum

Sorry Spackcat, I don't know either, but bumping again to hope someone knows/responds!

I'm due in March and am planning on going there (too worried in case I need an epidural to go to Bournemouth midwife led unit!) - too many people I know have been blue lighted mid-labour to Poole in the past!

That's exactly what happened to me first time round! DS was back to back, (very painful) got distressed (and pooed!) and I got put on the ambulance to Poole from Bournemouth, resulting in an ecs. Thought I'd better not risk it this time (although Bournemouth was so much nicer - was transfered there after birth) and just go straight to Poole. I am planning on a vbac and wanted the choice of a mobile epidural though, but Poole don't do it! Sorry - had to have a quick vent about that!

Hiya, I had DD there couple of years ago and it wasn't too bad. Showers weren't too great but water hot, midwives I had were lovely until the last day when I presumed they changed shift and they were a right bunch of hard faced beatches. Open ward with 6 beds in didn't get cleaned whole time I was there (5 days). Problem is they won't spend any money on it as they are still in talks about building a new maternity ward. Hmmm, not sounding too great now....4 weeks for me too oh joy!

Whens your DD disodolly? Mine is 28th Jan, might bump into you there! I drop in the Jan antenatal thread sometimes too, have you joined it? Also were the floors carpeted or hard? - It was hard floors last time (perhaps it was a temporary ward, I didn't stay long) and it was so noisey at night as they were wheeling in beds and clunking feet etc - didn't sleep at all.

Hmm - sounds like going to Poole (to avoid blue light dash!), having it there and getting back to Bournemouth pronto seems to be the way to go!

I think I've heard if you're Bournemouth mum, they kick you out of Poole within 24 hrs anyway (if no complications) but you can go to B'mth after for a few days (latest person I know stayed a week after VB)! She said it was great, as B'mth had banned visitors at the time!

Due date is 3rd Feb although DD was nearly 3 weeks early so am like a cat on hot bricks at the mo with every twinge! Haven't checked out the antenatal threads - should do really.

I think the floors were def hard cos I didn't sleep a wink the whole time I was there. Also had a mum opposite who was more interested in going for fag breaks whilst baby was crying day and night than dealing with it, bloomin nightmare. A friend of mine had a private room and had much nicer time!

Earplugs! Thats the solution. Must remember to pack them!

I've not had any there, will point Psychomum in this direction though - she has had 5 over the last 13 years so will be able to see the change.

I had to go there for monitoring during my last pg and realised how nice Bournemouth was!!!

(Had my first at Bournemouth with no issues, my second at home)

hmm.....ovewr here now, and to be honest, am truly glad not to be having more babies as poole has got steadily worse over the years and .

mind you, seeing as you are going for a VBac, you don't sound as tho you have a choice, so will need hints on how to cope.

first.....pack an extremely good bag to take......you will need lots for you and baby as they don't have the best stuff there anymore....mainly as discodolly has said, they are still planning a new unit! (mind you, they were discussing that when I had DD1 (DC1) and she is rising 14 now!!!!!!

bedding for baby is needed (they will supply to start), but if you are gonna be there a couple of days before you transfer (which you have to consider if the VBac doesn't go as planned), then you may find that if baby is sick/wet/poohey then the changes are not quick in coming. I found a few really cheap white pillow cases great for the mattress covers, and then any blankets you have at home to swaddle.

take towels....theirs are available, but very threadbare IIRC.

much cotton wool/breast pads etc....bournemouth I found great at supplying these, poole never.

ear plugs sound fine, until you find that the MW has to wake you to attend your baby, yet your baby has woken the rest of the ward up....(I did this)!

ermmmm.............what else......

oooh.....if at all poss.....visit your doctor befoer hand and see if he/she is sypathetic enough to give you some painkillers to have on hand yourself. MW are so so so rushed that if you ring the bell for some, they will may forget you and not bring any.

and don't let them tell you that you need to go now to bournemouth otherwise you will lose you bed.....they told ME this after DC5 and I was still just 3hrs post birth (and really ill yet they never believed me, but that is another story), and yet when I got to b'mouth, I was the ONLY new mum there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

will think on and be back

Thanks discodolly & psychomum, I think I am going to be making one very long hospital bag list - had a feeling I would!
It's pathetic really isn't it? How the standard of care can vary so much just a couple of miles apart. I really wanted to try a home birth because of the horrid isolating hospital experience last time but was told this wasn't really an option. Just really hope the stay won't be for long, I live in Christchurch so it's that much further from home aswell. Good luck discodolly btw lets hope lo will stay put for a little while yet! (unless you want him/her out now!)They say from 37 weeks it's full term anyway so at least he/she will be properly cooked! Do you know what your having yet? (They told me mine's a girl)

I had ds2 at poole 5 years ago and it was better than the hospital I had ds1 in 2 years previously! That was simply unbelievable!

At Poole I had a lovely midwife attend to me. Can't complain about the birth at all (apaer from the pain of course!) Have to say that luckily I was only in the ward for about 6 hours after the birth as I left to go home. The toilets were fine (better than the blood soaked ones at the hospital I had ds1 in) A midwife was even kind enough to rub Perperation H on my newly popped piles and game me a whole new tube to take home along with some fab painkillers. I was a bit put out by one midwife who, when i asked to use the desk phone (ds2 came suddenly not allowing me to remember coins for the payphone) was quite stroppy and rolled her eyes telling me i should have brought money and i really didnt think she was going to let me use it for a while! I had to call DH to tell him the paed had checked dsa nd I was discharged.

Oh and also, I had wanted a water birth but the birthng pools (baths?!) had drainage problems (for the past 3 months!) and were out of use.

Glad i didnt have to stay too long but then aga8in I am the sort who likes to squeeze them out and go home ASAP! I would have tried to get a private room if i neeed a section or a longer stay tbh.

Hiya i had my little one in Poole almost a year ago, we started in Bournemouth but had to be transferred over. I was lucky as i had a good experience there (thought the showers were a bit gross). I had a lovely midwife who helped with my breastfeeding latch and supported me when i was crying with bleeding nipples (i hadnt asked for help on the 1st night and put DD on wrong!)it was thanks to them that i managed to get through those first 48hr bfing. When i was there it was really busy so i had to go into an overflow ward, on this ward there was only one other mum so we got alot of attention. Other mums that i have met that have given birth their have mixed opinions, but i just wanted u to know that it wasnt all bad. Definately go to Bournemouth as soon as u can though, it is lovely there.

All the best xxx

YOu can pay for a private room, so my MW told me, we had option of Poole or Dorchester, went for Dorchester and had a fantastic experience.

just re-read my post, and if I had never been to Poole maternity unti before I would be scared.

don't be.....it isn't dreadful, it just isn't what bournemouth is like.

bourenmouth is fairly calm and relaxed, altho that may be because of the fact that not that many new mums actually give birth there anymore seeing as the criteria for a stress-free low-risk birth keeps changing.

you also have to remember that Poole is quite stretched financially so there aren't as many MW per lady, and nor is there the space anymore for an extended stay should you just feel to crap to move. plus, there are many babies who need extra care, there-fore many new mums who need that bit extra attention, which has a knock-on effect to those mums that have had a 'normal' delivery plus a 'normal' baby.......and most especially if said baby is your second/third/forth etc as you are deemed 'experianced' and so left to flounder on your own!

BUT.....each of my actual deliveries have been lovely. the MW were fab, and put me at my ease each time. I cannot, in any way, fault things there. I also have to say tho, that I had in each pregnancy spent a lot of time on the ante-natal ward, so got to know the MW well, and the hospital layout, so when I went to deliver I was more relaxed than maybe a mum who was completely new to it.

I have not yet come across a really mean MW.....maybe an unsypathetic one or two when I had crippling after pains (turned out my placenta had split and half had retained that they didn't spot till 2wkspost delivery, and all the MW at the time could say was..."well, what do you expect? It is your fifth".....!. this is highly unlikey to happen to you tho, so altho it colored my last experiance, it doesn't changed the fact that all the other were delivered lovely.

all I will say tho, is take a well packed bag, expect to left alone a fair bit after you have had baby, and don't expect all that much sleep, and you will be fiiiiiiiine.
oh, and if poss, take tea bags/coffee/sugar sachets etc, just in case...plus biscuits

Mine are 7 and 9 now but the midwives i had helping with the labour were lovely both times. Most of the ones on the ward were fine although some were grumpy and unsympathetic. I think its ok when its not your first baby but some of them were really mean about anxious first time mums. Good luck

lol Psycho... that didn't make it any better

Thanks suffering' ,sophie',& psychomum, feeling a bit better about it now! And don't worry psychomum - your first post wasn't that bad, it was only what I was expecting to hear about the place anyway! Sounds like as long as I pack plenty of supplies (and some flip-flops for the showers!) and don't expect too much help, it will be ok. I have already made a list for my bag as long as my arm! Like dustystar said, they are not great with first time mums, hence my bad memories of the place - and any first time mums reading this and expecting to go to poole - don't worry, you are not the one with the problem, they are - don't take anything to heart like I did!
BTW -sophiewd how much does it cost for a private room and how much notice do you need to give to book it?

As far as I can remember it is about £40 -45 a night, don't know how you feel about it. Wouldn't know how to go about it but suggest you contact the maternity unit or your MW. Good luck

Thank sophie, thats cheaper than I thought, will certainly consider it.

Hiya, went to antenatal class down there today and all seemed nice enough, brought back memories (good ones ). The private rooms are now £51 a night but priority is given to those mums whose babies are in special care. I did get the impression though that you get turfed out as soon as poss.

Spackcat - bubs still hanging on in there. I don't know what flavour it is but money is on another girl as carrying the same as last time (if that actually counts for anything). Was actually quite lovely today as saw a newborn up on the ward, felt quite emotional, you forget how tiny they are!

Hi disco! (Sorry - changed my name as I only realised the other day that it's not very pc! And I didn't want to offend anyone!)Thanks for letting me know Re the private room hire, although I have kinda' decided to 'tough it out' on a normal ward as dh has offered to spend the money on a mini-break after lo is born instead!(That option sounds even better!)
Newborns are sooo cute, and you do forget how tiny they are, I think it's because they don't stay that tiny for long!
Hope you are not too uncomfortable atm, I def' feel more active with this pregnancy, sleeping really well too, hope that continues. I'm carring a girl btw! Really excited as I have a son already, so was secretly hoping for a girl to have one of each - although either would be nice of course!
GOOD LUCK with your lo, I hope everything goes well for you and your hospital stay is nice and short! Take care xx