Barnet Hospital experiences

[LisaSs]

Hi!

Did anyone give birth in Barnet Hospital recently? Or if not what's the best alternative? What are your experiences?

I'm struggling to pick the hospital to give birth in! I'm based in Barnet but I don't mind going a bit further away x

Thank you x

I had my daughter at the Whittington, but I was under Barnet for postnatal care. Not much you can do about it, but they were bloody awful. So based on that I’d probably look to avoid Barnet hospital if possible!

@ricketybeauty how do you rate Whittington then? x

I had two babies at Barnet and highly rate it. All of my local friends also had their babies there and overall were positive experiences.

@Pops1985 I think it is the first positive experience of Barnet I am reading! thank you x

@LisaSs I felt well cared for prenatally and during delivery. I also saw the same midwife through my pregnancy which I felt was a positive.

When you're in established labour, suspect all you'll care about is it being the closest hospital to your house!

@ricketybeauty thank you for sharing!

@Tradescantia252 I know, but as I mentioned earlier - I've read such horrible stories about Barnet that it did really put me off!

anyone else?

I'm currently registered with Barnet Hospital / Chase Farm for maternity care. No experience about birth yet as I'm only 23 weeks. But the CQC website puts its maternity service as Good so that gives me some comfort.

@katerose2022 I'm already getting annoyed - was booked in for antinatal appoitment on 15th of may yesterday, and today they rescheduled it to the 12 th which I can't do. I am trying to call the midwife office for 2 hrs now - no answer.

It wasn't easy for me either to try to get through to their midwives team, but then i found out that i can book the midwives appointments by calling my local GP. If you are given a midwife's contact, they said it's better to text message them on the number than calling/leaving voice message/emailing. All my other antenatal appointments (scans etc) are at Chase Farm hospital anyways and there should be a contact number if you need to reschedule appointments.

@katerose2022 that will be my 1st appoitment, and I self reffered :(

Had my baby at Barnet in December 21. I will say it's an NHS hospital and it feels like it. My care overall was really good, they were so patient and saw me right away through multiple concerns with low movement (had a very badly placed placenta and barely felt anything through it so had lots of hospital visits). When issues happened i was admitted and treated quickly and things taken seriously. The communication really lacked through - both when i was hospitalised and when my waters broke at 33+6 i did have to keep asking before someone came and explained to me what was going on and the treatment plan was. The overall care was fine though and when my daughter arrived at 34 weeks the care and expertise with her was brilliant and with my delivery they were good. my care was a bit hit and miss but i needed very little to be honest.

Compared to Royal Free who i went to once for an appt and some tests picked up an issue but they didn't bother writing to me til 3 weeks later and i ended up hospitalised the next day and nearly lost my baby because of it - Barnet sorted it right away.

We had intended to have my baby privately but due to her early arrival it didn't happen. we will use barnet again next time.

I will say i think its the same at all NHS hospitals. it's fine but you do have to advocate for yourself a lot.

I had my first baby at Watford.

In comparison to that Barnet was like the Portland.

Thanks all for this post I am also considering Barnet as a first time mum in 40s definately want a team that will be on it!!

I'm due to give birth in Barnet in April 2025. In the last 6 months my 2 x SIL, best friend and cousin have all given birth there - all had positive experiences and recommended I pick there as my first choice. Perhaps it's changed since the majority of these comments in 2023.

Thankyou @dmw0903 that’s very reassuring. Were any of these difficult pregnancies? Am older mid 40s but I do feel very reassured hearing good stories. And would like to go there as it’s the nearest!

I was close to 39 years old FTM when I gave birth there last year. It was complicated pregnancy: subchorionic haematoma, GD, placenta previa... so I was put under consultant care (since GD diagnosis). I felt that I was given very good care, had quite a lot of scans. In the end they offered me c-section (due to GD and baby measuring big vs me being very petite) and I took it. All went very smoothly. Victoria ward was very hot in Aug though so we opted to go back home the next day after c-section. My recovery has been very smooth as well. Good luck!

None were difficult pregnancies per say, but two were very difficult / complicated births - both have said that despite their circumstances they would recommend and go back there and felt they ten staff and hospital did as much as possible to support and alleviate any issues. Hope that helps!!

Really helpful thankyou