changing hospitals late in pregnancy

[RobynLou]

I'm currently booked in to our local hospital because I want a Homebirth, and to have a HB you have to be under the local midwife team at the local hospital.

I had DD at that hospital and it was a truly horrendous experience, the thought of having to go back there is terrifying.

With DD I was induced due to raised bp.

My worst case scenario is that happening again and ending up at the awful hospital.

When I get further along will there be any chance of me changing hospitals if a HB starts to look unlikely?

My local hospital was full the night I went into labour so I had to go to the next nearest one. Didn't matter one bit as I had all my notes with me.

I would talk to your midwife - mine was okay with me being "on the books" at 2 hospitals so I didn't have to make the final decision yet.

I'm also going for a homebirth, but have decided in the end to stick with the PCT hospital as back-up as I've had bad experiences at both hospitals and the PCT one is more up-to-date at least.

I would've needed to fill in an extra set of notes for the second hospital as they are slightly different.

thanks, that's reassuring. My local hospital is really awful. I don't think I could go through another birth there.

The midwifes seem reasonably understanding though, so I will talk with one of them.

I changed hosptials late in the day from Bath to Salisbury no problems. All i did was tell my midwife, she got a bit pissy but not my problem and they are pissy here anyway if you opt for a big hospital rather than a midwife led one. Worth checking that others will accept your notes as Salisbury don't accept Bath's notes and insisted on everything being rewritten on their 'special' paper!

If you know which hospital you'd like to switch to, have a look on the maternity unit page on their website. May well tell you when the latest is that you can self refer. In my case, I transferred at 21 weeks, but it seems that I could have transferred very late in the day, although to use the MW led birthing suite (as opposed to labour ward) they need you to transfer before 34 weeks.
Self referral is a good option (again check on website) - saves all the faffing with MW/GP and them being slow and/or getting huffy.

self referral i think will be the way I'll have to do it - The midwives I'll see through are attached to the crap hospital, so I think changing hospital will mean seeing different midwifes etc....

Is self referral simple? will the hospital website tell me how to go about it?

There are two other possibilities, I know people who've had babies in both and compared to mine and other's stories about the crap hospital their experiences sound amazing.

Hi All
sorry to hijack this but wondered if i could ask similar advice? I'm currently at chelsea/westminster but i moved house last week to Richmond which is about 6 miles down the road. But it means technically my closest hospital is Kingston. I love Chelsea hospital, its nearer to work so handy for appointments and its clean and helpful. If I tell them I've moved will I be forced to move to Kngston hospital? I'm only 10 weeks but have so far had dating scan and midwife meeting...

Thanks

I had my DS at my local hospital the day I was due to book in there! I was under the hospital where I used to live and changed my mind late on. No problems, even when DH forgot the notes !

the latest I can change to the other hospitals is 34 weeks, and if I transfer there will be then no chance of me have a HB.

I think I might have to give up on a HB. I just can't risk either not being able to have one at the last min and having to go to the awful hospital, or something going wrong during the birth and getting sent there.

my sister is going through this at the moment. she is 36 weeks and has just this week moved from south london to north london.
she is currently booked in at guys which she has been v impressed with so far, but has called her local unit today and they have told her that the decision is toitally up to her as to whether she would like to change or not but obviously given how far on she is they would prefer her to decide sooner rather than later so they can at least meet her before the birth.