# southern general hospital Glasgow experience



## sadiahaslam

Hi.

I'm due to have my baby delivered at the southern general hospital in Glasgow but im having serious doubts about it now. 

My sister had her baby girl there in 2011 and i was her birthing partner. It was a horrendous experience for her. 

After being sent home the first time we took her in, we took her in the second time at approx 4.30pm. Maternity assessment checked her and said she wasn't dilated enough and she needs to go to the ward. She was taken to the ward alone and left there without anybody beside her for 5 hours until she dilated enough. Myself and her husband (who were named as her birthing partners) sat outside the ward as we refused to leave. Wen we asked why one of us cudnt be with her, we were told the ward is full of ladies who want to be alone. We noticed there was a few ladies who had more than one birthing partner with them in the wqrd. When we questioned this they said some women have special circumstances. We actually spoke to some people outside the ward, they had been in with their relative and told us there was no special circumstances with them at all and they were allowed in with no questions asked! 

Nobody bothered keeping us updated and if anything we were threatened with security if we didn't leave. Everyone was rude and nobody wanted to speak to us. 

Eventually she was dilated enough (and even this she had to beg them to check her as she was desperate to push. They kept telling her she wasn't dilated yet and they hadn't even checked her) and taken to the labour suite where we finally were able to be with her. 

I have 5 weeks before baby is due and nobody is able to put me at ease. My midwives who are based at my gp surgery are actually midwives based at another hospital. (atupid catchment rules) so they can't answer my questions about the southern. We had our anti natal classes today but due to issues with plumbing, the classes were cancelled so now we need to wait until next week. I'm just scared its going to be too late to change my hospital choice. I'm now debating over choosing the royal alexandra hospital in Paisley instead. 

Has anyone had a baby at southern recently? Did they have their partners with them all the time?


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## septemberbaby

I was induced to have my baby at the southern and they were great! Feel free to pm me any questions you have (I'll probably forget to check back here because I don't usually look at this section of the forum). 

As for the irth partner, I was induced at 2pm on the monday...they sent him home around 9 or ten, which was fine as nothing was happening yet and I wanted to get some rest anyway (and so did he). I started having contractions through the night but didn't even ask to have him come back in at that point...so not sure what they would have said. I was checked over by a doctor in the morning and was allowed to call my partner back in at 7am (didn't ask before) originally they had said he'd need to stick to visiting times as long as I wasn't on the labour ward, but I guess they do make exceptions if you ask for it. The midwife did complain a bit and said he'd not be able to do anything anyway (not true...couldn't have done it without him!) but she was the only one like that. Everyone else was really great, and I'm so glad...it wasn't the easiest birth and it ended in a forceps delivery, but everyone was so good I wasn't even that scared and they really helped me see even that as a very positive experience.

Again, feel free to pm me any time :)


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## lolita1990

I had a choice of either the Princess Royal or the Southern but after reading up on both I chose the Princess Royal.

I read that the staff at the Southern were rude, unhelpful and the hospital itself was not clean.

Good luck but to put your mind at ease you're probably better switching hospitals if you can, your previous bad experience may not help! xx


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## broodyc

I have given birth in the Princess Royal and am booked in again for this LO. 

To be honest with you, all hospitals have a policy that if you are not in labour ward your partner has to leave at a certain time.

I was induced in antenatal ward and my hubby left to go home but if I'm honest, I think that is the best as speaking from experience, there is nothing worse than being in a ward with 5 other ladies and their men try and stay past time limit. 

One lady in particular kept trying to 'sneak' her hubby after time limit and it made me feel very uncomfortable and unsafe. 

That said, if labour was progressing, they would move you immediately to labour ward and hubby would be called.

Xx


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## missy1

I think this is common practise to send the birthing partner away when you are in early stage labour and I experienced it myself at the princess Royal. My husband and I went in in the middle of the night as my contractions were 3 mins apart. They put me in a dark ward full of sleeping women and told him to go home as I was only 3 cm. I was writhing around on that bed in agony on my own in the dark trying to be quiet because of the other women. I found the midwives at this ward to be quite cold and a bit offhand as though I was a drama queen. When it became clear (after only an hour at most) that my contractions were coming thick and fast and me feeling like I wanted to push, they examined me again and it was all a big panic because they discovered I was now 10cm and they had to get my hubby back in a hurry and get me to labour ward. All of a sudden they started to be really nice and caring towards me! After only 10 mins before being quite dismissive when I was begging them for pain relief! 
Luckily my husband had a feeling I was much nearer to giving birth than they were saying and had just sat down in his car. 
I have never felt so afraid and alone as I did in that ward in the dark in agony without the support of someone so I have said to myself that I will not allow that to happen again and I will make it clear at my appointments. I would rather have sat in the waiting room with my husband than be in there alone. 
Anyway I have to be honest and say that the rest of the care I received at the Princess Royal was fantastic. The midwives in the labour suite were amazing. I have heard very good things about the Royal Alexandria in Paisley. Loads of my friends have gave birth there and were very happy.


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## MiniViva

I had my baby in the southern. My experience was fine. Both my mother and sister were allowed in the room with me. After having the baby i was taken to a recovery room, which my sister was allowed to sit with me. (My mum went home cause it was so early in the morning.) The midwife even brought both of us tea sandwiches and biscuits. The only thing I didnt like was the meals. (But thats the same with any hospital lol.)


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## missy1

MiniViva said:


> I had my baby in the southern. My experience was fine. Both my mother and sister were allowed in the room with me. After having the baby i was taken to a recovery room, which my sister was allowed to sit with me. (My mum went home cause it was so early in the morning.) The midwife even brought both of us tea sandwiches and biscuits. The only thing I didnt like was the meals. (But thats the same with any hospital lol.)

Yeah I agree as the meals in the Princess Royal were awful as well! Hubby had to bring me stuff as I couldn't eat any of it lol


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## siobhankerry

_my friend just had her baby in the southern & HATED it, took her in at 16 days over due, was suppose to be dwn in labour ward the morning after arriving, she wasnt taken down till 3days later & ended up with emergncy section, now her wee one in special care for infection, & my friend got the infection aswell (dunno what it is tho)... 

Me persnally as i stay in paisley im booked in to consultant unit at the paisley Maternity & for the amount of midwifes & doctors iv met up there since bein pregnant, have been fab, rooms are spotless & its actually all welcoming .. So even tho we can chose where to deliver, i would deffntly be chosing my local, compared to the southern ..

Sorry if this was a negative post, but i had also been thinkin of goin to the southern, but After my friends experience im deffntly staying at the RAH..

Big hugs xx _


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