Share your maternity care experiences with CQC - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[EllieMumsnet]

We are working with CQC (Care Quality Commission), who through a current campaign #yourbirthplan would like to make the public more aware of their inspection reports and ratings which can help women make informed decisions about where they give birth. With this aim in mind, they would like to hear your experiences of maternity care.

Here’s what CQC have to say: ‘’While women may have the choice to have their baby at home, in a midwife led unit or in hospital – we know that many are not aware. We believe that all women should be fully informed about the options they have regarding their choices over where they give birth – it is important that expectant parents are fully informed about the options they have available to them throughout their pregnancy and understand the benefits and potential risks of any choice they make – be this at home, hospital or birth centre.

There are multiple sources of information to help make a decision and our aim is to raise awareness including our inspection reports and ratings – as one of these sources, to help ensure they are fully informed of all the options available to them and have the best possible birth experience.”

Perhaps you want to share your experience of maternity care in hospital? Maybe you gave birth at home or in a midwife led unit? Or perhaps you want to tell us about your experience of how you chose where you gave birth?

Whatever your experiences are, share them on the thread below and everyone who comments will be entered into a prize draw, where one lucky winner will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

The CQC is responsible for inspecting all hospitals, including private hospitals, GP practice, dentists, care homes and home care in England. Its maternity service inspections include all services for women that relate to pregnancy, including ante and post-natal services, labour wards, birth centres or units and theatres providing obstetric related surgery.

Each inspection answers five key questions: Is the service safe? Is it effective? Are the staff caring and responsive to people’s needs and is the service well led?

I had a very routine and nice maternity hospital experience, thank god.

I desperately wanted a home birth (I had researched it thoroughly and made an informed decision).
I felt bullied into not having one. I actually was in tears after a few midwife appts. She said things such as they would have an ambulance waiting outside my house for the whole time I was in labour and it would be my fault if someone else needed that ambulance and couldn’t have it.
When we talked she just smiled and nodded and didn’t listen.
When I went into labour she told me I must go into hospital ASAP, I guess she took advantage of me feeling vulnerable. I don’t know why, when I got there I gave birth uneventfully about 1 minute after going to the delivery ward, so I just knew I would have stayed at home.
I guess what I am saying is women need to listened to and empowered when they do make a choice.
(I realise there will be exceptions to this of course)
I know my experience wasn’t great but I was truly blessed, sorry to that expression - can’t think of a better one, I took home a healthy baby. I also love the NHS and am very glad we have it.
I had to stay until the morning and I must say that the midwives are amazing, they didnt sit down or have a drink or a minutes peace the whole time I was there. They had to deal with a few of the mums and babies there weren’t well so hats off to the midwives on that ward

Antenatal care was brilliant, had gestational diabetes so lots of extra appointments and scans. Barely saw the community midwife as I saw the consultant either 4 weekly or 2 weekly towards the end.

The birth was an unexpected induction following a routine scan. No issues there, I believe they were doing the best thing for the baby even if things were presented as I they'd already made the decision and I had to go along with it.

Postnatal care was the big let down. Not enough staff to look after all the women. Care was sloppy as a result. Same for the community midwife. Very eager to discharge asap.

My experience did not start well as the maternity hospital did not know anything about me! However when Labour began I had excellent quality of care. My Labour was long and frightening but the staff were excellent and when I had a caesarian it was carried out quickly with a good explanation and I felt well cared for and confident.

I was induced both times due to high blood pressure. Quick labours both times. I was well cared for in hospital both times.. had strep b in second pregnancy but this was picked up and I was given antibiotics in labour. This ensured my baby boy didn't end up with strep b infection which can be deadly. I'm so grateful for all the care I had and that both of my babies were delivered safely too. A positive experience both times.

I was induced with all my 3 children. I was 10 days overdue with them all, and 14 days over giving birth. I stayed in with them all for 2 days. I can't believe how simulat all 3 birth were both my boys weighed 7lbs 11 while my daughter weighed 9lb9. The midwives were fantastic and always on hand to help. I really enjoyed relaxing in bed with my baby sleeping next to the bed. I watched a lot of telly and read a lot of magazines. I even enjoyed the food!!

My hospital has the midwife lead unit located in the hospital where maternity is, for me made me feel secure if anything was to go wrong, doctors on hand if necessary.

My first I managed to get in the midwife lead unit and it was very good.

My second my waters went so i wasn't allowed in there again. The actual birth was fine, but I had added stress being told the maternity as full and I would have to go elsewhere, then another call to say everywhere else was full as well! I as then told I would have to go to my hospital and they would 'fit' me in somehow!

Aftercare was good but left to your own devices second time around.

i had great care when having my 3, couldnt fault anything

I had no problems regarding the birth itself, barring the fact that it turned out to be an emergency C-Section as my son was being a bit awkward, the only downside for me was the aftercare but it was a busy maternity ward in a busy London hospital. I had my son at 4.45pm on a Thursday and nobody thought to bring me any food or anything until the next day when I asked one of the nursing assistants about it and she said there was a food cart outside with hot food on it to choose, given I had limited mobility I was a bit annoyed that if I hadn't of asked I probably would not have eaten. I felt that the nurses were so busy that there wasn't much individual time with them, but that's hardly their fault, and to be honest, I was bored stiff being on the wards for 3 days and couldn't wait to go home with my little man, going to bed (or lights out) at 9 was no fun when babies (including mine) would keep me up all night anyway crying.

I was well cared for through each of my 5 pregnancies and deliveries in a local NHS maternity unit.
Each experience was unique and totally centred around the needs of each labour and even a sudden emergency section was kept calm and relaxed thanks to the professionalism of all the midwifes.

i ended up with a police escort to the hospital!

I had a set idea of what I wanted but it didn't turn out that way! I have to say I couldn't fault the hospital at all though, everyone was great, the midwives really made me feel secure and there were no issues (other than the fact it hurt!)

#yourbirthplan I wanted a natural birth, possibly in a birthing pool, but it just wasn't too be, as my daughter was back to back and my contractions weren't strong enough or long enough. It was over 32 hours so in the end I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery. It just wasn't meant to be and I'm not too upset about it as she was healthy. My second wasn't really how I planned it either, I was going to get to the hospital and hope for the best, she wanted out so was born in the back of the ambulance at the top of my driveway 2.5 hrs after my contractions started! The hospital was good, I did feel a bit annoyed that they left me waiting for a long time to discharge me after my first, but apart from that no issues for me.

I found myself really unsupported . I was alone and after 2 nights of contractions and no sleep I had my son. At 3am they wouldn't let my dad in to see me though I have no partner. Visiting hours wasn't until 3pm the next day. I was so exhausted and a first time mum and after my stitches they just walked out and turned the lights off so I could 'catch some sleep'. But I was frightened with a screaming new born baby with no idea what to do and I had no strength to hold him.
At 9am I asked to be discharged - it wasn't until 4pm when visiting hours were nearly over did someone come to speak to me though I'd been asking over and over again.
Not only that I forgot to mention I was on a pre natal ward.
And then they didn't want to discharge me in case of blood clots, I forgot what they called it but they wanted to put me on beta blockers . I self discharged myself as I felt there care was less then I'd receive at home as all day they had not checked on me and then they tell me this!

I had an emergency c section 5 weeks early. It was scary and awful but the surgical team were amazing (especially for resuscitating my baby at birth and keeping him alive long enough to go on a ventilator)
Being put in recovery next to someone with their baby then onto a ward surrounded by babies whilst mine was fighting for life in NICU. and I hadn't even seen him was bloody awful but thankfully after 4 hours I was moved to a side room and my husband stayed with me till I could be discharged.
OVERALL THEY WERE BLOOMING FANTASTIC

I gave birth at my local hospital maternity ward. It was a scary process but smooth, I packed an overnight bag and went and the staff at the hospital were amazing. They deserve so much more credit than they are given.

my birth experience was awful. the midwife was terrible, she constantly was mentionng my age, she even write to my health visitor asking her to visit more often as i as "still a kid" myyelf, needless to say after such a traumatic experience and terrible after care i tok it further and the midwife lost her job

My local maternity hospital has one wing that is specifically a Midwife-Led Unit, and the other is a Delivery Suite. The MLU is obviously for straightforward labours and births with no complications, the Delivery suite has doctors, anaesthetists etc available. My first two labours/births were induced so I was never given a choice and had to be on Delivery suite. I was overjoyed to finally go into labour naturally with my third child and be taken on to MLU. It was such a different experience, all very relaxed and stress-free, and I would highly recommend to anyone with no expected or predicted complications.

Fantastic care at RBH, and similarly with aftercare from visiting midwives - even told me of another person, very near to us, who ha'd baby at similar time, and now kids good friends.

I had my first DD at home, the care was brilliant and my midwife is still a close friend 20 years later.

I planned another home birth for baby number two, but developed pre-eclampsia at 29 weeks, the care I received again was brilliant, I was in and out of hospital until at 35 weeks I suffered a placental abruption at home. DS was born within 30 minutes of arriving at hospital via an emergency c-section. He was in SCBU for a while and the care we both received was exemplary.

i had an excellent experience in a maternity unit. the care was amazing and i was given excellent care throughout.

We had a wonderful experience with the highly knowledgeable midwifery care unit. It felt we were in safe good hands.

I was fully aware of my options to give birth; at home, at the midwife led maternity hospital (with no doctors) or at the hospital. With my first birth, I chose the hospital in case there were any complications. It was brilliant, I wanted a water birth but I was in labour for 38 hours and tried the water but it seemed like nothing was working so in the end I got out of the bath to give birth. The midwives were fantastic and it was a lovely big, birthing room. With my 2nd birth, I chose the hospital because I lost a lot of blood with my first and I felt like it was just as nice as the maternity hospital. I was only in labour for 10 hours with this one and gave birth in the water: again the room with the bath in was lovely and the midwives were fantastic. However, because I bled even more with this birth, I had to stay in and be moved to the ward which I hated because it was so noisy and uncomfortable! With my 3rd, I couldn't have a water birth because my baby was in distress. I wanted an epidural but the doctors wouldn't let me because I was too far along. Because of the raised heartbeat, there were around 4 doctors in my room at once which scared me but everything turned out fine, I gave birth on the bed in the end. I had to stay in for 3 nights in the ward because of the bleeding again. It was actually relaxing this time because I knew I could rest whereas at home with my 2 young children, I wouldn't have been able to rest.

I think that the care whilst giving birth is brilliant but the care after giving birth isn't very good. I feel like they just push women out of the door as soon as they have given birth, leaving them with a newborn which they don't know how to look after. I believe that after the hard and lengthy time of giving birth, midwives should let the mum rest, sleep and recover.

I had my first child at the hospital because I had to be induced. I don't rate the care too highly as my bladder stretched so much when I had the epidural because I couldn't feel the sensation to urinate so I had to have a catheter in for over a week after the birth... I didn't sleep well as the other lady I shared a room with had loud visitors and I had a catheter in.

My second child was born at home in my bedroom as planned. It was so much better! Okay, the pain was horrible but labour didn't last as long and I got to stay in my own home with my family so I was much more comfortable both before and after the birth. I also had two midwives dedicated just to me and my baby and the support I had afterwards was amazing. A breastfeeding support nurse came to my home and I had great care from the midwives after the birth as well. The two experiences could not be more different!

I had the option of a local birth centre or going to the big hospital which was about 40 mins drive away. I was able to visit the centre before D-Day and the staff were really helpful, showing myself and my partner round and answering any questions we had. They also ran a workshop for natural birth which was really helpful (in getting my partner a bit more hands-on!)

The birth centre I had my son at was wonderful- but it was really outstanding at about 2-3 days after the birth when I was a struggling new mum with limited support and was having an absolute breakdown regarding breastfeedig... I called for some advice as I didn't know where else to turn and they were FANTASTIC.
Luckily it was only a 10 min or so drive from my house, and OH was able to drive me and starving baby there for some practical support. Within 10 minutes the midwives had got me calmed down and settled and that's where breastfeeding finally 'clicked'.
I was so, so close to giving up but the understanding and support of the staff made all the difference to me that night...

I still get a bit emotional thinking about it, nearly 3 years on. I'll always be so incredibly grateful.

Now I've recently started TTC baby No 2, but I live across the country now and I'm not sure what my options would be.... I hope there's another fab midwife-led birth centre locally! {slopes off to start googling...just out of interest, obviously....}