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 really good experience giving birth. Even though my labour went on for over 14 hours and at the end, had to go into theatre, the staff were all so kind and friendly. The theatre was so easy and worryfree. At the end I got a beautiful baby girl, all in all, an amazing experience.

I gave birth in a midwife unit as the hospital was over an hours journey away. I can't fault the midwives at all, their service was like being in a hotel and they were wonderful. However, my baby was back to back and an extremely long and painful labour was hell to go through with nothing more than gas and air so If I have anymore children I shall be opting for a full hospital.

My two labours and deliveries were totally different,
First was long painful and involved an epidural but all good in the end,
Second was very very quick and all over before any pain relief could be given.
I couldn’t have planned anything and I just had to rip up the birth plan and go with the flow!
Good care given with both in local hospital

From reading other women's stories, I realise i am very fortunate to have received such excellent care but I was very lucky to have had 2 straight forward birthing experiences. My first child was born in a standalone MLU and it was wonderful - 2 midwives with me throughout, lots of help to establish breastfeeding and a lovely, calm atmosphere where I had a room to myself. For my 2nd child, I had a homebirth and was encouraged and reassured to do so throughput the entire pregnancy. Again, everything was straightforward and I had wonderfully efficient care.

My first birth was straight forward, midwife led at local hospital, no complaints, lovely midwife who tried very hard to do everything in my birth plan. Can't say I enjoyed it though with baby being back to back the pain was bad and I was 9cm when I arrived so no chance of epidural.
2nd birth was twins so consultant led , VB but 17 people in the room which was op theatre just in case, forceps used to turn first twin. Conventional wisdom would be i would prefer the first experience, but actually twins was wonderful because, bei g high risk, i got an anaesthnist who gave me fab drugs that meant i pushed my babies out with no pain but still felt it...priceless, despite the fact he was a patronising sod who criticised my chouce of names! So for me the actual no pain bit was the cricial bit and not who was in the room or how they treated me.

I had no problems at all, went smoothly as we prepared beforehand

I have 2 children but have been pregnant 10 times. I (mostly) had excellent care during all my pregnancies and losses but especially so when I had my second child, my last pregnancy. Due to my history, my consultant and midwives took great care of me both offering me lots of extra appointments and I had weekly scans from week 5 to week 17. They did a fantastic job reassuring me every time.
When I had my first child my labour was quite quick so I was wary of a fast second one and I had planned to go to a big hospital over half hour away as I was nervous due to my history. However when I was 5 days overdue and having a sweep a lovely midwife persuaded me to go to a birthing centre only 10 minutes away from my house. A few hours later I went into labour and we went straight away to the nearby birthing centre. I walked in there feeling absolutely fine and thinking I was going to be sent home but my beautiful baby was born less than 10 minutes later and even surprised the brilliant midwife. It was all so quick the midwife had to write her notes on a paper towel which are now still on our fridge 3 years later.
If it wasn't for the lovely midwives then I probably would've had my baby at the side of the road as there's no chance we would've made it to the hospital in time!!

My DD was born 2008. There were insufficient beds in the delivery ward, so I was kept on the ante natal until such time it was too late for me to have the pain relief I wanted. As far as I know, that hospital is still over-stretched, both in terms of beds as well as staff.

I had an amazing experience at our local hospital (nevill hall). I had a very tricky first birth (induced, failed after 2 days of contractions, then lots of intervention, episiotomy and ventouse). The episiotomy didn’t heal, so I had revision surgery, so second time round I had no choice but to have c section. And it was beautiful. I went to the hospital the day before due date. I was in a queue, but I knew I would be that day or the next. My husband and I waited and watched films, then walked down to theatre. We joked and chatted as they put the epidural in and I lay down. It was chilly (!) but calm. They played some of my music, and my husband sat beside my head. And my baby was born in minutes. Straight away she cried. And they did the initial checks and she went straight onto my chest. We had skin to skin on me the whole time while they were sorting me out. I was wheeled into recovery where the midwives helped me breastfeed. And I was checked on every 15 minutes for the next two days. I was in a huge amount of pain, but I felt beautiful throughout. And I came home at a time that was right, and it was very sore, but no more sore than my failed episiotomy! And throughout, the care was just wonderful. Caring, helpful. Little things- I couldn’t sit up at all (obviously) so the nurses let me husband stay pretty much the whole day.. and I buzzed endlessly for things (help getting things, the toilet, etc etc.) and I was treated with dignity.

Oh, and even the first time, at the same hospital, the care was excellent. My struggle was just one of those things. And the revision surgery was also at the same hosp. Anaesthetists, consultants were all great- clear and kind.
And midwives visited me at home for about two weeks afterwards..! Both times.

I could not possibly have received better maternity care during my pregnancy, birth and afterwards.

My first baby, a girl, was born at the Rosie Birth Centre, Addenbrookes hospital, Cambridge, back in September. The community midwife I have been seeing was amazing, as were all the delivery midwives on the birth centre during my very quick delivery.

After a few days I suffered severe breast engorgement and couldn't feed my baby. I was quickly readmitted to a mother and baby ward, staffed mostly with nursery nurses. They were all wonderful: they helped me through a terribly painful, difficult and stressful time, and gave me all the help, expertise and reassurance I needed to establish breastfeeding.

Really, the care I have had has been the best medical care I have ever received, and I can't thank the staff at the Rosie enough.

I was very limited in the choices I had due to high risk pregnancies.
The first labour didn't go very well, I was made to stay on my back, ended up with epidural, forceps and an injured baby. The second labour was amazing, thanks to a great, supportive midwife who helped me stay active and avoid the cascade of interventions. Good medical and midwife care makes all the difference, even when things have to be highly medicalised.

I 'chose' to go for a home birth, but did feel I was strongly persuaded to during pre-natal classes with mid-wife. I liked the idea of being in the comfort of my own home and having two mid-wives to myself. The real situation was that the first midwife did not arrive until 6pm, as she wanted to finish her daily appointments (my waters broke had at 3am, 15 hours earlier). Also I hadn't realised how messy the process was. Still remember scrubbing blood and other fluids out of bedding and mattress the day after, to the soundtrack of a crying baby, whom I didn't know how to feed whilst in tears myself

I had to have two emergency c-sections and therefore stayed in hospital for a few days. With my first child I wanted to breast feed but I found every midwife that tried to assist me had a different method so it was very confusing and I turned to bottles in the end.

Also they had different opinions about other things. Whilst sleeping in the hospital the night my son was born I got him out of the cot and put him next to me in my bed, making sure the side was up and he was completely safe. A midwife came along and said "aw, look at you two bonding". An hour later another midwife came along and put him back in the cot stating it was too dangerous.

I think I would have found a more consistent approach more helpful.

I might as well given birth at home as my husband was not allowed to stay as I was in labour through the night and the midwives were more concerned that I would disturb the sleeping patients, I spent several hours just walking the dark corridors of the hospital on my own. I refused to start pushing until they phoned my husband to tell him to come back.

I was in hospital due to bleeding (not thought to be a sign of labour) and was kept in overnight. My waters went early hours and my husband wasn't allowed to join me. I wasn't examined until I complained of pain and was 6 cm dilated. Only then could my husband come in, I had my baby within an hour meaning my husband was only there for last part and my mum missed it completely. It annoys me he wasn't allowed to come in, just because I was on a ward that visiting had finished! Also my after care was a little poor causing delays which meant I had to stay an extra night which was extremely frustrating

My 6 Pregnancies Have all been at a hospital maternity ward as I have had complications with all of them I have not been able to have home births unfortunately ,as for the midwives I really couldn’t fault the care I have received for each of my pregnancies even though the staff are seriously understaffed and underpaid they do a great job

I have given birth in two different hospitals, neither of when was where I originally booked. There were issues with both, but both were, on the most part, dealt with well by the hospitals. My first birth I went into labour early whilst I was away from home visiting family, but had already researched where I would go if I needed to, via the which birth choices website, which is brilliant, and the CQC pages for the different options.
For my second birth, I moved at 35 weeks pregnant and again researched my option using the same two sources. The hospital I chose has a requires improvement rating from the CQC, but the maternity and neonatal services had been scored as good. I red the full report for those services to see what standards were good/otherwise. I found it very helpful to be able to make a more informed decision and to have a rationale for it.

I gave birth at Basingstoke hospital and the care I received was amazing I couldn't fault it. I have a fairly traumatic birth lasting 36 hours with lots of scares and the way they handled me, my baby and my husband was faultless! I was so touched by the way they were with us the way they went the extra mile and just how outstanding they were! Without a doubt I recommend them to anyone I know in the area who are trying to decide on where to go (in our area there is a choice of 3 hospitals), if and when I have another child I will definitely go back. They don't receive enough credit they truly are AMAZING!!

First birth. Not great. A cascade of interventions I believe it is called.

Couldn't keep anything down in labour so was hooked to a drip, then couldn't wee in later labour. I kept telling the mw I needed to wee but she didn't believe me. Ended with forceps after pushing against a full bladder far too long. There was no pain relief.

Forceps being inserted, one half at a time, has been the single most horrifically painful thing I have ever experienced. I screamed. The doctor then asked if it had hurt. I have nothing good to say of his bedside manner and lack of empathy.

I had third degree tear and a pph. I finally was pain free when I had to have a spinal block and go to theatre to be stitched back together.

I hadn't eaten for 48 hours by now, and was finally given the world's tiniest jacket potato, plain, as my evening meal. DD1 was born at 9am. No tea and toast either. It wasn't a surprise that I'd be staying in so food planning could have been better organised!

I didn't complain about the birth. I'm not even sure it is complaint worthy. I was discouraged from attending a debrief by the postnatal physiotherapist. I should have gone. The birth still bothers me today.

Second birth, same hospital. Absolutely fantastic. A calm, orderly, booked C-section. Staff were amazing. A HCA helped me with DD2. I was listened to and well fed!

Consistent good care would be ideal.

My main memory is being so hungry afterwards, walking down to the kitchen with my baby and there being no food left. Again and again. The same happened after my second child, I had a c-section and would walk down to get some food, having left the baby as there was no way I could manage both and being offered a small salad as all the food was gone. I'd often be behind a queue of men grabbing as much food as they could for their partner. There was nothing they would do about this and if there was no food left, bad luck.

My waters broke, I went into hospital. I had been diagonosed with B-Strep prior to birth, so needed antibiotics. But I'm allergic to penicillin. A fact that was all over my medical notes. Consultant didn't listen to me, or take my notes into account, but rather listened to my abusive ex's demand, so I was given penicillin, and went into anaphalactic shock. I was crash-carted, and revived. Hospital acknowledged huge error immediately and put me in private room with 24 hour constant care. I had the 'A' team looking after me, and after 36 odd hours, they induced me and my gorgeous baby was born.
Consultants, hospital staff should only take women's wishes, rights, medical history into account for the birth she is going through. If partner is supportive, then fine, but all decisions and consutations should be with woman because if abusive man is present (and there is so much information out now of how men are abusive and the levels of that abuse) the woman and child's life are in the balance.

I wasn't given any option over where I gave birth, it was a Dr led unit or nothing basically. I was never given an adequate explanation for why I had no choice either other than BMI. My overall good health was apparently irrelevant to the midwives. On top of this the literature I was given to explain my alleged options made a point of listing all the positive aspects of giving birth at home or in a midwife led unit & yet there was no such list for hospital birth, just a list of drawbacks. I was quite upset about this tbh. The hospital I originally opted to go to then decided to try & close it's Dr led unit, & only a court battle prevented that from happening. So for several months whilst pregnant it was unknown where I would be going to give birth which was quite stressful. In the midst of this my community midwife suddenly disappeared without explanation & I had to go through every appointment with a new midwife who made me explain for the umpteenth time why I wasn't under consultant care, despite it being in my notes that I was perfectly healthy & reiterated over & over that I had to give birth in hospital. So choice is really a bit of a joke.
In my experience birth plans are a complete waste of time & mine was returned to me without being looked at. The midwife that carried out my induction was brilliant & very supportive, but from there on I feel as though I had no say over anything that happened. Things were just done to me without little or no explanation. Post emergency section with some complications the care I received was minimal, especially overnight, some of which I believe was due to me formula feeding (breastfeeding mothers seemed to get priority). The staff on the ward were all friendly enough but they were stretched so thinly that assistance was very hard to get.

First I felt pressured to have a home birth that I was not comfortable. Then I was repeatedly turned away from hospital against guidelines (my waters had broken). When I was finally admitted (well past the four hour mark) the midwives refused to induce me. The sixteen hour mark came and went sitting in a pre-birthing room (with other people in it!) with almost no attention from midwives. At around 20 hours (way too late) they finally decided to give me a membrane sweep. An hour later I gave birth to an otherwise healthy baby with a terrible infection. I had to stay in hospital for a week with the baby in NICU recovering from the infection that resulted from the botched birth. Needless to say I will just pay to get the next one induced in London at my convenience (if I ever have children again). Those kinds of medical interventions pose risks but they're still safer than my local NHS hospital.

Oh, but the nurses in the neonatal wards were fantastic.