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?

my edd is getting nearer. Would anybody else comment on the care at UCHL?

I had my 3 CS at the old hospital at UCH (and will have my 4th in the new hospital). the care was overall excellent. the big negative was post natal care with dd (2004) but that was substantially better by ds1(2005) and alot better by ds2 (2007), eg baby was taken away in night so i could get some sleep, excellent, immediate practical advice on bfing and how to pee for first time post section. the midwives are a bit hit and miss, but the doctors are excellent. best of luck.

thank you thatwasmyfavouritedress
When is your baby due?
I am thinking that I have made the right choice with this hospital but will tell you after the birth Oct/Nov!

Its been so good to read all these comments. The information about UCLH has been great to read, as I am booked in there for number 2.
However, anyone going there for an elective C-Section should know that you are not able to book a private room - the reason I was given was "you could bleed to death". Found the reason very interesting... and am now wondering about their level of care...

Hello Koumak! If you read this post, could you let us know your experience in UCH? I'm planning to have my first baby there in June and I'd really appreciate recent birth experiences there. Thanks!

Hello Koumak! If you read this post, could you let us know your experience in UCH? I'm planning to have my first baby there in June and I'd really appreciate recent birth experiences there. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I'm having my first antenatal app next week at UCL and I was wondering whether I'll have some sort of scan....
Did you listen to the baby's heart on this appointment? or was it just a check up??

Thank you alll!!

xx

Hey there,
I am also considering UCHL as one of my options - has anyone had any recent experiences, regarding scans, appointments and giving birth?
thanks in advance!

HI Vaci I'm at UCH. My appointments have all been great. I've not had to wait long for anything apart from when you first go to reception. There is a queue that sometimes takes forever to say you've arrived!

I must say, I've been impressed with everyone I have seen and I've been seen more than most as I am high risk for preclamsia so I visit the FMU and the antinatal clinic rather than the Bloomsbury surgery.

My friend had her first baby back in Feb at uch and she wasn't impressed with the aftercare. It does seem reading the replies on here the hospital want you in and out as fast as they can....

If you're lucky enough to see Flora or Roz they're lovely!

Hi All,

I am at UCH and cannot fault it so far. Uncomplicated pregnancy but have still be offered the chance to see a consultant due to the fact it was an IVF (single) pregnancy. Turned this down. Haven't waited longer than 20 mins of my scan appts (12 and 20 weeks) Midwives have been great (Oak Team), albeit a different one every time so far but I expected as much. When I was (and still am really) worried about my excessive hairloss they sent me to the homeopathic hospital which was a great experience on a number of levels - OK so hair still falling out, but they offer a number of lunchtime talks on various aspects of pre and post natal care and labour and the use of homeopathic remedies. Interesting if nothing else.

Have called the midwives at the hospital twice with neurotic queries and they were quick at answering them, suggesting I come in to the FMU if I was really worried about anything.

Mentioned home birth in passing to them. It was never a really serious consideration for us (moving back to parents!) but they were incredibly supportive of the idea.

If things continue as they do I hope to give birth in the BBC. So will feedback then - if I remember

Due on 4th Sept

Hi VioletV,

THanks so much for getting back to me so promptly! I am a bit confused indeed by some of the comments as it really depends on the personal experience. I am not someone who needs to have their hand held, as long as the team is professional and know their job and the birth is handled well!
So your impression is that you get the attention you need, despite the fact that it is a big hospital!
I am still quite early on so I will be having my 12 w scan once I sign up with a hospital, so this was one of my concerns - whether the sonographers are good and whether you get the right attention as well.
When are you due?

Vaci I thought sonographers were great - in that they seemed to get everything they needed and kept me informed throughout the scan. Thanks to some worries and the IVF I had had a ridiculous number of (private) scans by they time I got this far so considered myself an 'expert' At 20 weeks the sonographer was great, pointed out the anatomy and sex no problem. At both they went through the printed report and asked if I had any questions.

HTH

hi, i had my previous 2 in uch (2008 and end of 2009) and was overall happy with it. as for the sonographers i found them very good, the scans were longer and more detailed than the hosp i am in now, so couldn't fault them for that at all. i did find the waiting times for apts sometimes quite long but not a major issue. care during birth was good for both my births, one v medicalised and one v straightforward. i found the postnatal care okay, with my 1st was in for a week and in transitional care, some of the midwives were excellent, some not so good but overall fine. with my 2nd i was in and out very quickly, but that was okay. did not really get a lot of asistance or care postnatally with that one but then i didnt really need as was my 2nd, i think they probably would put more attention onto the first time mothers or those whos babies need attention. the postnatal wards there are not that big, which i think could be a good thing. i didnt find them too loud @ night or overcrowded or anything, and facilities fairly clean, plenty of bathrooms for everyone etc
if its nearby to you then i would recommend it, i think you would be fine there the care is pretty good. the only reason im not with them this time is because its further away, otherwise i wouldnt have hesitated to go back there

Vaci I'm due 15th July. They are very good and will help as muchas they can. I've had about 7 scans now and only one the sonographer was a tad odd. She was a blonde girl sounded like she was from Russia or somewhere. She wasn't the most friendly. Ricardo is lovely though! I'm part of the maple team and like vallinnapod have seen so many different MW but all of them are lovely. I just go by the fact these ladies are over worked and very underpaid so I'm always nice and friendly to them and it seems to work as they're always more than happy to help with anything I need.

Good luck :-)

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!! :)

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!

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 :)

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!!

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.

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...

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!

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!

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

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!