Belfast- Royal or Ulster hospital?

[ThebestIcando]

Hello everyone ! this is my first post in this forum, but I have been reading it for a long time!
I am really torn because I am deeply undecided between these two hospitals , everyone says that the royal is more professional and can offer better treatment in case of something wrong (nothing is wrong atm) but i had my daughter at the royal in 2016 and what i remember was a terrible experience.
It was overcrowded and they moved me 4 times in 5 days after birth.
The time i was in labor i had all the necessary attention / care , but as soon as i gave birth i had to stay in hospital for 5 days and was a nightmare!
Also being admitted was a nightmare because I couldn’t get the wanted dilatation but I did have contractions every 4 minutes, still they sent me home because they were overcrowded (they said) .
I had to cry my soul out to be admitted after having been sent home twice, the contractions were very painful and I was alone, I had no family or anyone who could be supportive, it was just me in my boyfriend (who is now my husband).
Said this to explain that for me it was an experience where I did not feel truly supported.
But I did have a healthy girl and they were awesome during the actual pushing time (I had issues with dilatation).

now I have no experience with the Ulster but it's closer to my home and when my mom broke her leg and had to stay there recovering, I had a positive experience of the environment around and the attention she was given so i imagined if they were so good in the fracture ward why they shouldn't be equally good in the maternity ward?!

just don’t know what to do, of course I want the best team delivering my baby but going to the Royal would actually mean being more likely to have better care?
I would really really appreciated a suggestion please!
(there was another post with the same title which got replies but this post is from 2018 and i would be much more interested in having more recent replies as both hospitals may have changed between before and after covid) thank you so much and sorry for having been lengthy

The ulster has an excellent reputation and a lovely new unit. It also has a hdu and NICU (fingers crossed don't need it but good to know it's there).

I think bed issues is fairly universal unfortunately. RVH also a good option

Had my son in the Royal in 2020 and I couldn't speak more highly of my experience of the midwives that looked after both of us. I had a difficult time and they were fantastic. Going to them again for my current pregnancy. I know they have a new maternity unit getting ready, but not 100% sure when it will be ready.

I had my first DS in the Ulster.

They were generally really good but I was a bit pissed off that at my 40 week check the consultant said I could have the induction pessary then go home for up to 24 hours when things got started (they had posters up about this) and that I could use their gorgeous MLU (which is why I picked them) then when I got there the midwife basically laughed at me and said I couldn’t do either of those things. So be sure to ask questions to check your birth plan matches what they allow. Aside from that they were decent though.

Just bear in mind after you have the baby you’ll go back to the same hospital for any immediate postnatal issues so if you really can’t decide, look at how easy it is to get to the EPU.

Also there’s an Asda near the Ulster which makes it easy for your partner if you forget anything like we did, mine was traipsing over there for babygros as our baby was born too big for first size!

I had mine at the Ulster in 2018 and 2020 and couldn't have been happier with the care (both sections, one after a failed induction and the other an ELCS with some complications).

No experience of the royal but my impression is that it's more outdated and overcrowded, that might not be fair.

There is some very specialised stuff they only do at the Royal, a friend's baby was in the NICU at the Ulster and sent to the Royal for a test on her heart, but it is just the more serious or unusual stuff.

I have registered myself at ulster hospital for the maternity unit. I am 21 weeks now and im not sure if I should switch to royal for my delivery! I have had good experience so far but if there is anyone who can give me an honest review about where I should go ulster or royal for my delivery it will be of great help. I’m a women of color and It’s my first pregnancy I don’t want it be a sour experience in a different country!