Birth at UCH London - what was your experience?

[Koumak]

I am not even pregnant yet but i was thinking about this hospital for my birth as its half way from my house and work. Last time gave birth at Chelsea & Westminster which is now way too far. Have you given birth at UCH and what was your experience. Would you recommend?

[DianaXXX]

UCH with both kids and very happy, only problem is after care isn't great

[Beakford]

Hi all,
I am having a planned C-section at UCH in mid June due to complications. Currently 30 weeks and can't really fault experience so far. Lovely attention and caring Drs. Much better than the hospital I started off at - North Middlesex. Have been offered a day long antenatal course but not sure how much it will concentrate on csections?

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[Angel786]

so fresh how long ago was the birth? May have had the same anaesthetist, just remember him being tall, youngish and v chatty and relaxed. Made a joke about not wanting me to see him twice In a day and then chatted away the secondctime I saw him while I was being 'repaired' in theatre.

I had a nice surgeon, lady with long brown hair but there was also a younger female dr with a bob who was a little annoying.

[SoFreshNSoClean]

I had my second baby there. Great experience - although long, complicated birth ending in c-section (developed pre-eclampsia).

I felt very well looked after, listened to and in control, despite the complications.

The staff were fantastic - the surgeon (young-ish woman, Consultant, lovely) and anaesthethist (gorgeous NZ guy) were wonderful (cant remember their names as was a bit out of it!) but had two amazing midwives called Rosaleen (Irish) and Laurent (French), an Indonesian ward sister who was very bossy but lovely and made me get up asap and walk around, and a lovely young Indian man (junior doctor) who came and did all the baby screening. I couldn't have asked for more, really (first birth also in RF in Hampstead as someone said above - awful experience), although they kicked me out after 48 hours on the nose - would have lied an extra day in bed!

[Angel786]

Had dd there a year ago and am having next baby there in aug hopefully.

Had an awful birth, no fault of the hospital, just unlucky but the staff were all very attentive, professional and helpful. The anaesthetist was fantastic and my midwife was just amazing, a korean lady called Kate.

The ante natal was ok, not impressed with blood samples as often they couldn't find a vein / lost the samples! Once they forgot to get the container ready and my blood was all over the floor... And one of the ladies that takes blood is v grumpy! The ultrasounds were good. Had two really nice dr's and one not so pleasant lady (said we couldn't video the scan but afterwards I saw posters outside saying we were allowed)...

[shwet18]

Hi Beesok,

Hope everything well the birth of your baby.

Will like to know more about your experience with the midwife as i am also enrolled at UCLH.

Will also appreciate if you can kindly give the details of your midwife if you find the experience good.

Many thanks.

[DianaXXX]

Anyone?

[DianaXXX]

Hi ladies, I have been reading through all of your posts which took a while ))) but its great to hear all diffirent point of views.
I am just over 30 weeks now and I am with UCL, I actually had a antenatal class today and got a breast feeding class tomorrow.
I am so scared of having a virginal birth, its going to be my first child and after hearing about third class degree tiers and seeing the size of the forsips I was not impressed at all!!!
However with the new guidelines now, we no longer need a 'medical reason' per say to have a elective c section!
I have booked a consultant appointment for monday, however I am still uncertain what kind of birth I would like to have!

My fears and worried:
Virginal birth: no control, luck of professional midwifes and under stuffed as usual

Having a terrible rip, and also the pain, not too posh to push at all, but my baby is already over 2.5kg and im just 30 weeks now! My partner was born 5200kg so huge baby and i wasn't a small baby myself, so the tearing is gonna happen pretty much!

C section:

I am unsure of the side affects, i mean i have done my research and i understand that its a serious surgery however apart from the scar and not being too active for few weeks after birth what else do I need to consider????

I have read that possibly I wont have milk after c section and ideally I would like to breast feed!

Apparently the child could also be weaker!

Please let me know what you think and of your experiences.

To answer the questions that have been asked previously, the hospital itself is lovely, however every midwife that I have had so far have been a little rude, certainly under qualified and generally not what I hoped for.

Each appointment time that I have had, would be pretty fast, without even allowing you to ask any questions and the wait time sometimes is even ver an hour.

However this hospital seem to have some great reviews and compared to what my friends have experianced in other hospital this one is great! ;))

[vaci]

Ladies,

Some time has passed and I am opening the topic again in case any of you who had recently given birth at UCH want to share their experience!

Any pointers as to how it went - starting from being admitted to the hospital, to the labor process and the staff assistance, and the postnatal experience.

Thanks in advance and congrats!!!

[vaci]

Vallinapod, I completely agree with you. THe only thing that really concerns me is that I don't think I will be able to cope with the pain! So that's why I was wondering, and I would discuss this with the MW, is the epidural option, although I've heard that they give you the sedative only after you have dilated a lot, which takes time and obviously hurts...

[vallinnapod]

For me it was a very easy decision i am hoping to give birth in the borth centre as I would really rather not have major surgery or intervention! Obviously if it is required then so be it but I think I stand the best chance of a natural, intervention free birth at the BBC. MW very supportive and were so when we tentatively looked at home birth also.

[vaci]

Vallinnapod - this is reassuring indeed:) I feel exactly like you - so overprotective... Thank you for sharing - I feel much better now!

Did you decide whether you'd do a CS or a natural birth - was it difficult to take the decision? How did the MW at UCHL support you?

[vallinnapod]

Vaci my first trimester was possible the longest 14 weeks of my life. It was horrible. I was lucky enough to suffer no morning sickness but the anxiety I had was horrendous. Had a couple of bleeds and very twinge etc felt like the the end of the world for me.

However.....! The second trimester has zoomed by. The second you start feeling the bub move it is so reassuring. It's taken all this time but finally enjoying pregnancy and relaxing. I can genuinely hardly believe that come Saturday I am 28 weeks and into the home stretch of the final trimester.

From pretty much the start I have had this overwhelming, protective love for my little bub. I am worried that once he's born I will cuddle him so hard he'll pop!! Just cannot wait to meet him!

This was meant to be reassuring rather than

[vaci]

thanks Beesok! Much appreciated - really! I wish time flew as quickly for me, but the first trimester seems to be the slowest! :)

vallinapod - thanks for sharing! I was thinking of checking out the Birth COmpany for scans - their prices seem reasonable and it's a good reassurance to have in between UNCL scans... Good luck with your pregnancy!

[Beesok]

vaci thanks, time flies quickly I cannot believe am half-way there! Will send you a message re all the info you asked about :)

[vallinnapod]

N1 so probably not! Majority of my extra scans I had at the place I had my IVF (although that was because I was a patient. They won't scan you otherwise).

Also had 2 at Babybond (don't really rate them but it was enough to convince me bub was alive!) and one (gender scan - at 16 weeks as didn't want to wait until 20! UCH will tell you though) at The Birth Company on Harley St, which was lovely!

[vaci]

Hi Beesok, the private MW option sounds great! I would love to learn more about it - I'd be happy to write you personally if you prefer... It sounds really reassuring that she knows the hospital and her way about it... It will be my first baby so you can imagine how I am going through the same fears! Plus with the added stress of it being an IVF baby...
Not sure if the forum allows for personalized messages but I'd be really grateful to learn more about the private MW option, if you can share more! Thanks and good luck with your pregnancy - you are almost halfway there!

[Beesok]

Hi Vaci I hired a private midwife independently from UCH she has nothing to do with the hospital - I found her through research and pay her directly. Having said that she has good relationships with the team at UCH as a lot of her clients give birth there so knows the hospital and staff. She wrote to inform them that she has taken over my antenatal appointments and I only go to the hospital for scans, blood tests or any other necessary treatment that she cannot provide at home.
This is my first baby and I felt I needed a bit more reassurance and one-to-one personalized care so the private midwife option combined with UCH was the one I was most comfortable with and so far am very happy with this arrangement.

She will be acting as my birth partner at the birth along with my hubby and she will write my birth plan with me and help to make sure it is followed. She cannot deliver the baby "oficially@ as she is not part of the medical team at UCH but she will obviously be there throughout the labour to support me. As per her recommendation and if all goes well I will want to start at the Bloomsbury Birth Centre and if it so happens that I decide I need an epidural ect than I can at my request be moved to the labour ward.

All the best with your pregnancy!

[vaci]

Thanks vallinapod - this helps a lot really! How often did you have the private scans and where did you go? Were you happy with them? May be I could go there too, given I'd have two scans :)
What postcode are you? Mine is W8 - wonder what team would that be...

[vallinnapod]

In answer to your questions:

The midwife teams are assigned on postcode as your midwife appts are at a Children's Centre near where you live (ish!!)

You don't get any extra scans for being IVF unless there is another issue. I too was paranoid. You could go to the EPU if you thought you had a problem but I was 90% sure it was paranoia and didn't want to waste this resource so had private scans. TBH if you have no other complications I don't know why you would want to see a consultant (unless you were going to try for an ELCS)

You get the fully combined nuchal test at 12 weeks. They took my bloods first. Scan was about 45 mins and by the time that ended and we were going through my scan report my bloods were back and I was given my DS % there and then. At both scans they check your cervix and ovaries.

I am going for the birth centre. You can discuss anthing birth related with the MW. At your 25 weeks MW check you get offered antenatal classes (which we start on Monday) - you get 4 2 hour classes.

[vaci]

Hi Beesok, thanks so much for sharing your experience!
How did you decide to hire an independent MW? How does this plan work? Has she access to all facilities in the hospital? Is she from the hospital? Can you share a bit more regarding pros and cons?

Thanks and safe pregnancy!!

[Beesok]

just to add - UCH is a teaching hospital which is great because they have well qualified staff etc BUT they try to "push" students and trainees a lot, personally I totally understand in certain circumstances (scan, MW appt) and I have no problem with that but I would not appreciate this at my birth esp. as it's my first time - so if you're not comfortable with this make sure you include NO STUDENTS on your birth plan :)

[Beesok]

Hi Vaci I have not yet given birth (21 wks at the moment) but plan on doing so at UCH, have had my scans there and must say I was happy with them - although I have a feeling that they have selected me for some research project as I always get almost called out of the line (no waiting which is great) and always had 2 senior doctors conducting the scans each lasting over an hour - they do both abdominal and at the end a transvaginal and they measured my cervix both times - my MW commented that it's not standard practice and also that my scans esp the 12 wk was very thorough with lots of info apparently not routinely included. I am happy with that although I think it's a bit cheeky that they didn't ask hehehe. Had a private scan at FMC because I was too impatient to find out the sex and honestly UCH are at the same high standard in my opinion.

Cannot comment on MWs as I decided to hire an Independent Midwife (for various reasons not necessarily because I wasn't happy with UCH) BUT I had my booking appointment with UCH an tbh was not impressed :( the MW rushed me through it as I was their last appt of the day (not my fault! Hospital arrange the date and time and made me wait 30 mins in waiting room even though I cam early) They did not scan etc at first appt even though my GP had requested it due to a previous MMC and they said "oops, yeah we see the referral but someone messed up and you can't have scan today" so I had to paid for an early scan privately. Maybe a minor thing but the MW forgot to disinfect my arm when she was drawing blood and confused "progesterone" with "relaxin" when explaining certain aspects :) all in all I wasn't particularly reassured and don't think I would have been happy with the lack of continuity in care......

Just to end my loooong post I spoke to 4 people who gave birth there in the past 5 months and they were all extremely happy (all different cases - both first timers and second babies, c-sections and natural births) so all in all am looking forward to a positive experience and wish you the same!

[vaci]

Thank you valinnapod, VioletV and Firawla for all the insight! Really reassuring!
I also had an IVF and this partially explains my concerns (going from a private clinic which our insurance covered) to a public one, of which I know nothing of and have read so many contradictory experiences. But it is really great to hear that you ladies have had a positive experience so far.

My understanding is that they assign you to a team of MW? such as the maple or the oak teams?

Would you think that having an IVF may help in requesting more scans? I get quite paranoid at times and I think 2 scans are too few over the whole pregnancy? And get really the option of a consultant?

In the 11-14 w check up, do they do both the nuchal translucency test (I think that was what it was called) in combination with the blood test or just one?

How do the rest of the check ups go? How frequent are they? Do they measure the neck of the uterus and all the required things?

Lastly, have you ladies decided whether you'd go for a natural birth, or a CS or not yet decided? Have you discussed with them the option of an epidural? And generally, would you discuss these things with the MW?

APologies for all the questions but I hope you'd understand... THanks so much in advance!

Good luck with your pregnancies!! :)