Watford hospital - Anyone had there baby there or have any advice

[angie79]

Hi

Just hoping someone can give me some advice on watford hosptial maternity - i have to have the baby in the hospital and not the birthing unit and i have been reading some bad reviews?

thanks

xxx

 

[nugget80]

Don't want to worry you but I had also heard bad things about Watford as well. Whereabouts are you? You can choose where to have baby and are able to change hospital up to 34 weeks! Watford and Luton are my local hospitals but oh is from Barnet and wanted baby born there so that is where we booked in...

 

[Pippin]

Hi, I didn't have my son at Watford but I do live 10 minutes away and had my son at Northwick Park. As for rumours of if it's good or not don't listen, make your own mind up. Everyone always said Northwick park was 'Deathwick' Park and how terrible it was. So not the case I have had nothing but the best care there for the birth of my son and my D&C, when I gave birth to my son there I could not fault it, it was like a hotel as it's all fairly new. They were wonderful. All I can say is go and see Watford Hospital, ask lots of questions, book into the antenatal classes they offer (you can get them on via midwife or Netmums) and have a tour of the labour suite. If you don't like it then have a look somewhere else. When I had to pick a hospital they said all of them round are area are very similar so to me that means it'll be fine. Hope that helps

 

[natalie85]

i've heard all sorts about watford hosp as i am planning on moving to watford!!
one girl said she could not have asked for a better place to give birth, she had a few complications and had a team of like 10 docs round her in mins!!!
thats put my mind at rest a bit!!!
but will not fully decide till i have seen for myself!!!!!
where abouts are u?

 

[angie79]

Don't want to worry you but I had also heard bad things about Watford as well. Whereabouts are you? You can choose where to have baby and are able to change hospital up to 34 weeks! Watford and Luton are my local hospitals but oh is from Barnet and wanted baby born there so that is where we booked in...

i'm in st albans and i was offered just watford as qe2 maternity unit is closing apprently

xxx

 

[angie79]

i've heard all sorts about watford hosp as i am planning on moving to watford!!
one girl said she could not have asked for a better place to give birth, she had a few complications and had a team of like 10 docs round her in mins!!!
thats put my mind at rest a bit!!!
but will not fully decide till i have seen for myself!!!!!
where abouts are u?

i'm in st albans and planning on visiting the hospital soonish

 

[natalie85]

ah is there any others? im planning on asking my midwife at the next appointment!! can u not use the midwife centre bit? xx

 

[angie79]

ah is there any others? im planning on asking my midwife at the next appointment!! can u not use the midwife centre bit? xx

only welwyn qe2 - i would love to go there if its still open
the birthing unit is meant to be fab but there are strict criteria and i dont meet it

xxx

 

[wornout]

Hi

Just hoping someone can give me some advice on watford hosptial maternity - i have to have the baby in the hospital and not the birthing unit and i have been reading some bad reviews?

thanks

xxx

IMHO a lot depends on whether you are classed as low-risk or high-risk and how well your expectations match up with what they 'want' to do to you.

The Alexandra Midwife led birthing unit has a great reputation if you're into active labour & birth positions, want access to a birthing pool, to use a ball etc. etc. But as someone else mentions you have to meet quite strict low-risk criteria in order to be allowed to go down that route. It's only one floor down but they keep it quite separate in organisation terms.

In my opinion the drawback of this is that everyone else is steered into a fairly medical kind of birth. So if you're into having an epidural, drip continuous monitoring etc. that's great. If you're classed as high risk but fancy trying the 'hippy' route you MIGHT run into some resistance. I have heard of someone who was allowed to pace up and down the corridor but the delivery rooms don't have room for you to walk around in. When I went on a tour I asked about this and was basically told that I'd have to be on the bed. I was horrified by this and I think my shock showed - I asked her to confirm that I'd have to lie on the bed - and the tour guide (I believe that she was a midwife) backpedalled somewhat, it wasn't like it was against the rules for me to get off the bed it's just that I'd 'probably' be on continuous monitoring, or a drip or something but I didn't have to worry about it because I'd only be here (she said) if stuff was going wrong - (I found this attitude very telling as I already knew I had no option of going anywhere else).

Ended up transferring to Luton at the last minute because I just couldn't face giving birth at Watford.

 

[angie79]

Hi

Just hoping someone can give me some advice on watford hosptial maternity - i have to have the baby in the hospital and not the birthing unit and i have been reading some bad reviews?

thanks

xxx

IMHO a lot depends on whether you are classed as low-risk or high-risk and how well your expectations match up with what they 'want' to do to you.

The Alexandra Midwife led birthing unit has a great reputation if you're into active labour & birth positions, want access to a birthing pool, to use a ball etc. etc. But as someone else mentions you have to meet quite strict low-risk criteria in order to be allowed to go down that route. It's only one floor down but they keep it quite separate in organisation terms.

In my opinion the drawback of this is that everyone else is steered into a fairly medical kind of birth. So if you're into having an epidural, drip continuous monitoring etc. that's great. If you're classed as high risk but fancy trying the 'hippy' route you MIGHT run into some resistance. I have heard of someone who was allowed to pace up and down the corridor but the delivery rooms don't have room for you to walk around in. When I went on a tour I asked about this and was basically told that I'd have to be on the bed. I was horrified by this and I think my shock showed - I asked her to confirm that I'd have to lie on the bed - and the tour guide (I believe that she was a midwife) backpedalled somewhat, it wasn't like it was against the rules for me to get off the bed it's just that I'd 'probably' be on continuous monitoring, or a drip or something but I didn't have to worry about it because I'd only be here (she said) if stuff was going wrong - (I found this attitude very telling as I already knew I had no option of going anywhere else).

Ended up transferring to Luton at the last minute because I just couldn't face giving birth at Watford.

thank you very much for the information - i think i will speak to my midwife - however they are all pro watford so i might just be talking to a brick wall

 

[June2012]

ah is there any others? im planning on asking my midwife at the next appointment!! can u not use the midwife centre bit? xx

What about lister in stevenage? it might be a newly built maternity unit

 

[natalie85]

hmmm thats interesting.... so many people saying good and bad things EAK!!!
i think Lister will be a bit far for us!

 

[nugget80]

You can chose where to go not just where they offer. I'm in Hemel so was offered Watford or Luton. Had my 2 dd at Luton. Was transferred there with first as had twins at 31 weeks and when I had dd2 a year later chose Luton again as they had a fab nicu and really liked it there. This time round oh is from Barnet and would like baby to be born there. If you are in st Albans and decide against Watford I would say Barnet, Luton and QE 2 are all alternatives. Lister in Stevenage is prob a bit too far out!

 

[angie79]

yeah lister is about 30 to 40 mins and luton 25 to 30 mins
i read up on the internet that qe2 is not closed but is now midwife led - not sure how true this is
where are you natalie?

 

[natalie85]

im moving to watford soooooon in amersham at the moment

 

[angie79]

oh watford is your nearest without a doubt then

 

[BexyD]

I've had my 3 children at watford. 1 in the birthing unit and two in the main labour ward.

I have to say I cannot fault the care in either. The only downside is the assistants (not nurses or midwives) on the mother and baby ward. Not the most helpful. One even asked me if I had somewhere better to be after i told her id be going home once my 6hrs were up. Errrr YES!!! My comfy bed, not a hot stuffy maternity ward!!! But thats same as all hosps and my personal preference to get home qucik as poss!

With my 3rd child I arrived 5 minutes before he was born. As they were so busy and not expecting me to deliver so quick we were kinda left alone for an hr or so afterwards, with someone occassionaly popping their head round the door - BUT - we found this was great. We needed that bit of quiet time to get over the quick birth and chill out. Plus he was my 3rd so not as if i needed (or wanted) someone hanging over me.

Ive heard bad things about Northwick Park - but then you only ever will. No one is going to be all gushy about the fantastic care they got - you'll only hear about the bad things.

The last thing you want while in labour is to travel for miles just to get to another hosp.
I'll be having this one at home, but not because of the hospital - just because im worried i wont make it!!

 

[BexyD]

In my opinion the drawback of this is that everyone else is steered into a fairly medical kind of birth. So if you're into having an epidural, drip continuous monitoring etc. that's great. If you're classed as high risk but fancy trying the 'hippy' route you MIGHT run into some resistance. I have heard of someone who was allowed to pace up and down the corridor but the delivery rooms don't have room for you to walk around in. When I went on a tour I asked about this and was basically told that I'd have to be on the bed. I was horrified by this and I think my shock showed - I asked her to confirm that I'd have to lie on the bed - and the tour guide (I believe that she was a midwife) backpedalled somewhat, it wasn't like it was against the rules for me to get off the bed it's just that I'd 'probably' be on continuous monitoring, or a drip or something but I didn't have to worry about it because I'd only be here (she said) if stuff was going wrong - (I found this attitude very telling as I already knew I had no option of going anywhere else).

Ended up transferring to Luton at the last minute because I just couldn't face giving birth at Watford.

Have to say that this is the exact opposite of my 2 births. Not once did i feel pressured to do anythign i didnt want - esp pain relief. I only had gas&air and meptid with my 1st and TENs with my 3rd. They certainl dont make you stay on the bed - in fact encourage other positions. I gave birth to my 3rd standing over the bed. The only medical intervention ive had the the jab to speed up the placenta due to anemia and blood loss, but i have requested this 2/3 times. Defo not forced on me. Not once was i monitored so that i couldnt move and have never had a drip.

I also dont think the criteria for the birthing centre is strict at all.

 

[natalie85]

at the min it is but if we dont move in time it will be stoke/wycombe/watford!

 

[CharlieKeys]

I had my son in Watford and will be having this baby here too - I had him on the ABC ward....a nd I'm not the most skinniest person so was surprised (just hoping I'll be able to give birth there again!) but they were so friendly, they came in every 30 mins to see how I was doing, they sat down and chatted to us both, offered advice on how to breathe, to walk around etc - I really really couldn't fault them! I went up to the ward a couple of days later to take Stephen for his newborn checkup and the main maternity unit was really friendly and also chatted to us for a bit - so I was really glad to have had him there. I too had heard bad reviews but they totally changed my mind