Maternity care hospital

[SKVJ]

I'm 5 weeks pregnant and live in Hemel Hempstead. I'm new to this place so would really appreciate any advice...My GP advised to contact Luton or Watford for the next process. I did check the reviews and both isn't too great so I'm not sure what to do. This is my first pregnancy so bit stressed. Anyone had any good/bad experiences for Luton and Watford?

I had my first baby at L&D a couple of years ago and am currently 33 weeks pregnant and will birth there again. I’ve found every single employee to be kind and knowledgable (minus one unfortunate consultant appointment 2 weeks ago) and had a great experience there. They also have a specialist NICU.

Thank you for the feedback. That makes me feel a lot better now.

When you say you checked the reviews what reviews were those? I use the CQC website to find the service and check the latest inspection report.

Unfortunately all the maternity services near me are requires improvement or inadequate but still useful to know. Even if it does say that, most of my friends have still been reasonably happy with their care at a hospital rated inadequate, as was I for my first.

Stoke Mandeville is also an option for you from Hemel Hempstead and I've only heard good experiences there.

It's easier to book with Watford as its west Herts trust your antenatal care will be at the clinic in the hospital in hemel town centre, all the community midwives there are brilliant.

For my first pregnancy I was booked with L&D and had a few appointments there and found it a bit grim tbh. I then transferred to be under Watford so that I could plan a home birth with the West Herts community midwives.

I should also say, don't get bogged down in reviews as people will have had good and bad experiences for various different reasons.

In my opinion the most important thing is to prepare yourself, know your rights and advocate for yourself strongly. The Positive Birth book my Milli Hill is a great start covering all different types of birth. I'd lso recommended a short book called 'why home birth matters' even if you don't think you would but are curious or just want to learn more about birth.

Best of luck with your pregnancy!

Hey
I am trying to research the best home birth teams across west Herts so I can choose the right hospital to transfer to as I’ve recently moved to Berkhamsted and need to change my current hospital (Barnet royal free). Would you be willing to share your decision for choosing Watford over stoke mandaville? Or are they the only ones who have a homebirth team? Thank you!

Hi mama! Huge congratulations on your pregnancy 💛 Being 5 weeks along and in a new place can feel like a lot, so be gentle with yourself. It’s completely normal to feel unsure or overwhelmed right now, you’re doing better than you think.

Whether you go with Luton, Watford, or even wait a little to decide, just know that you don’t have to have it all figured out immediately. The most important thing right now is that you’re taking care of yourself and reaching out for support, that’s already such a strong and loving step for you and your baby.
There’s no one “perfect” choice, it’s more about what makes you feel safe, heard, and supported. You’ll keep learning as you go, and the right support will show up for you when you need it. One day at a time, mama, you’ve got this! 💛

Congrats on your pregnancy :) - I don't know if it's different in Berko, but here homebirths are attended by the community midwives, rather than there being a specific homebirth team. You don't get to choose a specific homebirth team or hospital because they need to cover your area. I think your best bet is to book in with your closest hospital and tell the booking in midwife that you're planning a homebirth straight away and they will be able to advise