Princess Royal Hospital Farnborough

[CheeseChomper]

Hi all,

Has anyone here had their baby fairly recently at the Princess Royal Hospital in Farnborough?

If so,what did you think? Any good?

Do they have a birth pool?
Private labour rooms?
Birthing stools?

Honest opinions please, pros and cons!

Cheers

Bumperty...

I'd like some opinions too, I'm down to give birth here. I did pop into the delivery unit about a month ago because I had a fast pulse and difficulty breathing, and they put me and hubby in one of the labour rooms for about an hour. It was private as in it was a room just for one person to give birth in, with an en suite bathroom, if thats what you mean (not sure if you meant like Bupa private).

The room was quite pleasant, it was large and clean with a tv, a Bang and Olufson stereo system (which was on Magic FM and oddly really calmed me down), an ensuite bathroom with shower too. The bathroom was pretty clean.

The staff were all very nice and kind.

Just going to bump this in case there are other opinions out there, I might be going here too!

Thanks.

I had DD2 there last Monday morning and due to meconium in my waters had to stay for 24 hours. Also had DD1 and DS there in 2004 and 2008.

My first experience of the place was pretty horrid. As a first timer, I was expecting a little bit of sympathy from the midwives and a bit of a fuss to be made. The first midwife I had told me to stop crying and pull myself together as I struggled with early contractions . DD1's birth, for a first, was fairly straightforward and I was well looked after during and after.

With DS, I had a long labour, resulting in forceps delivery, spinal, failed epidural etc etc. They were very reluctant to give me the epidural, I told them it wasn't working and I also told them DS was stuck. They ignored me until I was hallucinating and screaming in agony. They moved pretty fast after that. I had three midwives over the course of the labour and the one who was meant to be delivering DS fell asleep draped across the end of my bed.

Needless to say, I was dreading going back in there for DD2! I was due to be induced on the maternity ward last Friday. Went in, they did the gel, waited. The midwives were lovely, really chatty, relaxing. Only one of them was a bit miserable when she took me to the delivery suite to have my waters broken (which failed) and then had to come and take me back to the ward for more gel.

I discharged myself last Saturday following the failed induction, was booked in again for yesterday. Went into labour by myself on Sunday night and after 1 hour 40 mins, had DD2. The midwife I had this time was fab, (her name is Naomi) reassured me I wasn't going to die and although I was begging for any kind of pain relief, she encouraged me to carry on with gas and air (I had told her about the failed epidural etc in between earlier contractions).

Every midwife we had contact with after that was absoultely lovely; really supportive although very, very busy. I wouldn't have recommended the place after DS, but things seem to have changed there and it is much better now.

DH thinks they have had complaints about some of the midwives there and that is why they are loads nicer than they used to be.

Good luck, it is ok (although the after birth cup of tea is a bit rubbish )

Just to add (sorry) they have a lovely big pool room and birthing balls in most of the rooms. Not sure on stools as I was strapped to the bed for constant monitoring.

The only other thing that niggled me slightly, was just as you are settling down, either to feed the baby or get some rest, there is always someone lurking to clean something, which although is good, isn't when all you want is a bit of rest and privacy. The TV cleaning woman was the worst of the lot.

You also get the bounty rep coming round trying to flog you photos, as well as carrying out market research about pampers .

They don't seem to strict on visiting hours as long as you don't make it obvious your visitors are there outside of the times (everybody in there does it).

One last thing, be a bit wary of the bathrooms on the maternity ward. The toilets were a bit grubby, one had blood on it and although they welcome the use of detergent wipes, there were none to be had. Apart from that, they weren't too bad.

I shall shut up now lol