Whipps Cross or UCH?

[refausse]

I had DS1 at UCH in 2008 by elective c-section and had a very positive experience. I have since moved out the area, am pregnant again and been assigned to Whipps Cross. I am now 33 weeks and getting really nervous about Whipps. I find the whole place pretty depressing and chaotic, plus I am worried about recent infection outbreaks. My father died there a couple of years ago so don't have great memories of the place anyway, plus they are being very negative about me having another c-section, which would be my preference.

I have contacted UCH about going back there but they have refused saying they have too many women due at the same time as me and as I am no longer in the catchment area they are not obliged.

Am I just being silly about Whipps? I have heard good things about the maternity dept. However had to go in to the day unit at the weekend recently as I had a small bleed and the doctor and nurse who attended were so uncommunicative, it finally made me think I should follow my instinct and go elsewhere (I told the doctor he was hurting me twice as he examined me and he didn't even respond or acknowledge me, neither did the nurse assisting).

Any advice from anyone that's been to either recently? I haven't been back to UCH since first birth so things may have changed, I know maternity has moved buildings. I have the option of actually moving back into the catchment area prior to the birth if necessary and could always appeal the decision

I don't know anything about Whipp's Cross, I'm afraid, but I don't see how UCH can turn you down. I didn't think catchment area applied to maternity services?

I had my last child (second child, an elective section following a previous emergency section) at UCH in late 2008 - after the new maternity unit had opened - and it was a great experience. Very clean, excellent standard of care for an NHS hospital. My only complaint was that they turfed me out after less than 48 hours (very very busy!).

UCH has a great reputation among the medical profession for high risk pregnancies, c-sections, all of the 'medically managed' stuff. Two GPs at my practice said they would opt to give birth there over any other London NHS hospital. Not so great for natural birth, but that doesn't apply to you anyway...

Thanks for your response, that's good to know re UCH.

I am under uch for my 4th pregnany ( 1 mc)

my first 2 were in the old building and had great care and loved them

my mc and this one are under the new building and they have been really good so far.
have yet to give birth there but the building is fab, all the staff I have met have been fab and I have a complicated pregnancy and am out of area but am under a consultant specialist( same one each pregnancy) which I think is why I was let in.

as for whipps cross never heard anything either way about them but what I do know is that there is good and bad stories about all hhospitals including uch

I had my 2nd DC at Whipps Cross. I had my 1st DC overseas so can't compare to another UK hospital.
It wasn't a lovely experience. They are very busy and it showed. It took an hour for someone to answer my call when I started contracting (I was induced) as they assumed I was making a fuss. They saw I wasn't when they at last arrived. I was then rushed (well actually it took 30 minutes) to a delivery suite and DC was born 30 minutes after that. It wasn't a positive experience for me, I just felt that no one cared about me or my baby as people.
However they are busy and I think this showed. I have friends who were there on quiet days and had quite different experiences.
Sorry, wish I could reassure you.

I lived in Wanstead when pregannt with DD and so it was Whipps or King George for me. I paid to go private as my dad dies in Kings and no way was I going anywhere near Whipps. Every time I have had to go its been awful and as you say its over run with infection of late which has resulted in closing wards to visitors.

i had the choice of newham general or whipps cross. i took newham and it was dreadful, but nothing i have heard or know about whipps makes me think it would have been any better.

as MrsSnoops says they are all just too busy and the birthrate round here doesn't make for that changing soon.

have you thought about hiring a doula or independent mw? i know someone who did that at whipps and it made a huge difference.

Whipps is not a nice hospital and lots of it is closed at the mo - as squiby says, they're having a lot of trouble with Norovirus. If UCH is a more positive place I'd try to go there if possible. Good luck

you could always make your way to uch when u go into labour and innocently tell them you were visiting a friend nearby....they cant turn you down xxx

I am booked into Whipps Cross and am getting worried now! I'm hoping to stay low risk and go for a water birth in the midwife-led unit. I don't know much about it yet so can't really advise. I know UCH is meant to be good.

Well looks like I am stuck with Whipps or trying somewhere completely new. Spoken to UCH again and they won't take me as I'm already receiving antenatal care, plus they can't take any more patients on their books for my due date for health and safety reasons. I should have made a move earlier.

On the plus side Whipps have now agreed to a c-section and I saw a lovely (male) midwife this week who actually took the time to talk to me properly. He was so nice it made me feel like crying. Wish staff at these places realised the affect they have on hormonal, worried, pregnant ladies. Feel like it's the first time I've been treated like a person instead of just another pregnancy in 34 weeks!

I am still worried as haven't even seen the wards (shut to tours due to swine flu fears and norovirus)and they are always so busy as people have said, even the antenatal clinic is chaotic. Also a fiend of mine who's had three babies there always takes her own cleaning stuff as says the bathrooms are so dirty!

I may have a chat to my GP just to check other options but at this stage I may have to just hope for the best (or camp out outside UCH hoping I go into labour as you say xxkt1xx!)

hehe happy camping...i dont know any of the two hospitals but whipps sounds a bit scary. although its a good thing they are taking steps not to spread any virus (the no tours thing)
OP good luck with whatever one you go with and hope whichever one u decide lets hope u dont end up with the staff from hell like i did with dd1 xx

Hello,
I know what you mean about whipps. I have had mixed experiences there. Last sept they took ages to diagnose an ectopic pg which resulted in it rupturing and i nearly kicked the bucket. I also lost my left tube.

On the plus side i had my dd there two years ago and the 2 midwives i had were wonderful. It was an amazing experience with no intervention.

I am pg again and will have to go to whipps for my scans etc but i am going to opt for a homebirth (if, fingers crossed, this little bean sticks)

I went to UCH for my DD and cannot speak highly enough of the staff. I was in the new building, which was lovely, and am seriously thinking of using them for no 2 (when I do get pregnant, that is).

If I were you, I would use Whipps for ante-natal care, but when in labour turn up at UCH.

Well after much thought I have committed to a c-section at Whipps on 31 March. I shall update on how I get on!

hello, i'm scheduled for c section at UCH in July. Can anyone please tell me if the recovery ward has it's own bathroom? and is it shared by everyone? Has anyone used hte private room? I hear it's first come, first served? Is it worth getting the private room?

Any info would be great. Thank you

I'm at Whipps, yes it's run down but the staff are good, which is the most important thing for me.