Experiences in Edinburgh ERI Please

[Scotia]

Just found out I am almost 15 weeks pregnant and will be booking into Edinburgh Simpsons I expect. I have no experience here as we haven't lived here too long - DS was born in Borders General and DDs in the old Simpsons.

All I have heard about it is that they won't tell you the baby's sex - does this still apply if you have an amnio (as I will probably need one)?

Anybody had there babies there and willing to share experiences/advice?

Hi, I'm booked in Simpson's too for birth in Sept. Policy is that Lothian hospitals won't tell you the baby's sex - there are signs everywhere telling you not to even ask; not sure if this applies with amnio tho:|

You can find out if you have an amnio - or at least you could a few years ago when they still wouldnt tell you at scans. In the amnio results they have a little envelope with the sex in it so that you can choose to open it or not to.
I had my first baby at the old Simpsons and then two at the new one. I was happy with my care there although I wanted to stay in overnight with my 3rd after having him at 4 in the morning and at first they said I could stay till 6pm but then they chucked me out about midday!! The midwives themselves were lovely though and I'm sure their not like that if they are not so busy. Any specific questions just ask and I'll try and remember!

Thanks for the replies, I am going for a scan and bloods tomorrow, but it's at my local H/C so I still won't have actually visited the maternity unit.

Having discussed things with my GP this morning though, I'm pretty sure I will be needing an amnio. Has aybody had one at Simpsons?

I was worried about the fact I've heard about a woman being discharged at 4am and having to wait on a bench with her new baby until she was able to phone her husband to wake their older dc and come and pick her up. And I've heard a few stories similar - but of course people do often exaggerate, so I can't be sure of the truth of it.

One thing I do know for sure, and it upsets me so much. My cousin lost her partner to cancer last year at 6 months pregnant. When she was told at the hospice that he was coming to the end of his life, she phoned the midwife to ask for a sexing scan to tell him before he died. Midwife told her ok, but only if she paid £250! The next day they relented and did the scan for free.

Hi again, my sister had her amnio in the old Simpsons and she was really happy with the care she received. The doctor who did it had a really high success rate and was really reassuring about it all.
You know that you should also have the choice of going to St Johns? I had heard all these really positive stories about there and people saying it was much better than Simpsons but when I was there for the medical management of a miscarriage it was fine, but no better or worse than the care I had at Simpsons.
That does sound terrible though what happened to your cousin and certainly wont reassure you.
Hope tomorrow goes well.

Hi, I've had 3 babies at the ERI in the last 4 years and I've generally had a very excellent care. With my first DS, I had the same midwife throughout my 14 hours of labour and found everyone friendly and responsive to what I was asking for. I left within 24 hours but only at my request, they thought I should stay another night.

Sadly I lost my second DS due to a genetic condition and it was during this time that the ERI was amazing. The care I received was so caring and supportive every step of the way and I really couldn't fault it. As a result of this I receieved about 6 scans with DS3 (and they did tell us the sex but perhaps because I saw the same consultant as with DS2 so she may have bent the rules a bit), and it was also great. My one critisism this time round was that it was under-staffed in that we were kept waiting in the labour ward for about 4 hours before being transferred to the post-natal ward and then the mid-wives seemed a bit rushed and not able to spend much time with the mums. Although this could have been because this was not my first so I'd rather they spent with a new mum anyway.

Sorry for waffling on so much!!! I guess I just feel that the ERI gets bad press sometimes and I really can't find fault at all, and I have been there an awful lot in the last 4 years

I had two daughters in ERI in the past 5 years - in the new Simpson's - and also had excellent care in pregnancy and childbirth.

No, they don't tell you the baby's sex.

Sorry, I have not had an amnio there.

The food is DIRE, though, nad the aftercare could be better.

Not had my baby yet but am considering Simpson's. Does anyone else find it odd that they won't allow hospital tours?

I am considering switching to St John's for that reason. I don't want to go to an entirely unfamiliar place to give birth.

I had my DS in the Royal by emergency section excatly 2 years ago and am about to have my second there imminently - 38+3.

Generally first experience was OK - clean and seemed to be enough equipment but when they would finally let me in they didn't have any beds so I was contracting in the general waiting room for about 2 hours and then in a smaller private waiting room for a further 2 hours with no option of pain relief.

I stayed 5 days with my first after section including stint in high dependancy unit and can say about 90% of the midwives I met had a heart of gold and there were only a few cows although I cannot stress how truly bad the food was. My hubby was down the canteen everyday buying me a supply of cheese sandwiches and it's also intolerably hot.

You can choose to go for St Jonhs which people say is less medicalised and more of a cottage hospital feel so if you expect a straightforward labour then I would honestly consider that. For me I knew I may need a section and I personally felt Simpsons with specialised surgeons and anaethetists who just do sections all day long would be best for me. My friend had a section at St Johns though and said all was fine.

Re the sex scaning you don't get the 20 weeks scan in Edinburgh - figure they're tight and reckon people in Edinburgh will have the money to pay. Both times I've been to Edinburgh Healthcare Now on Shandwick Place and they have been excellent - 45 minute health scan through all the organs and you get to know the sex. £150 each time.

Just a point on scans, it's not to do with being tight, every region in Britain has a different policy (and budget) re: scans. Lothians do 12 weeks as they consider it the more inmportant one, whereas when I was living in Wales for a couple of years having my first, I didn't get a scan at 12 weeks and got a scan at 20. They think the detailed scan is better. BUT, waiting til 20 weeks not knowing if there is anything wrong with your baby and the possibility of having to terminate at that stage was very hard. Personally, I am glad I'm getting the 12wk one now I am back up here (3rd preg). As for the ERI, I had DD2 there last Sept and the labour ward and post natal ward staff were great and very supportive and kind. My only critism was having to labour for 12 hours in a very small and uncomforatble triage room (didn't think I should go home as was second, but I was having another backache labour and taking bloody hours) and that sucked. They also gave me a slightly junior anaethetist as she cocked up my epidural by sending the injection right through my spinal column, resulting in a poor epidural and chronic headache for days which had to be rectified with a blood patch test, BUT, they did give me the head honcho to sort it and kept checking for a couple of months after that I was ok. I generally found the actual care very good. Yes they do get busy and work very hard, but I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm now just into the West Lothian district and will be having the next one at St Johns so I'll be able to forward an opinion on that one next year! Ha ha!