North London but which hospital ??!

[Rosa333]

Hello, I am 18 weeks pregnant now and living in north London. I have the choice between giving birth at the Royal Free in Hampstead and the Whittington. I am in the community midwife catchment area for the Whittington but am not sure about it. Does anyone have advice and/or experiences to share about either hospital ? Thanks !!

[Goodasgold]

I had dd1 at The Royal Free they were great. My bf had her ds1 at the Whittington they were great there too.
This is 8 years ago so maybe not relevant. Keep an open mind, look round both. On the day if one is too busy you may have to go to the other, or UCLH, avoid Barnet General. At RF and UCLH they deal with a lot of high risk births, if you are going to have to stay in for more than 1 night you may hear some horror stories. They are also very well equipped and experienced if you do have probs. Where did you have your scans?
I had a drug free birth at RF, no tears, left 6 hours after birth. Sorry for the ramble, made me nostalgic we don't live in London anymore

[Rosa333]

Hello and thanks for replying ! It is really interesting to hear what you did as I dont know anyone that has given birth in this neck of the woods. I had one scan done at the Royal Free and have yet to have the 20 week one. I have decided to get the ante natal care done with my GP with the community midwives from the Whittington bc it is handier to where I live but still not sure about actual giving birth. Thanks again for your advice !

[ComeOVeneer]

To confuse things I would reverse the 2. I had dd at the royal free and it was awful. They didn't explain anything to me and I mmissed breakfast because no-one told m I had to go and fetch it. I had an inexperience midwife and when dd's heart rate drop during contractions because the cord was around her neck she panicked and ran out of the room, hardly inspiring confidence for me. I had ds at Barnet and that was a much better experience and I would go there again (if I had another and lived in that area)

[Marscentio]

I've had 4 children at the Whit. The midwives are lovely.

I've also had clients who've had babies there and the care was brilliant (last one just this past weekend)

[Runninglate]

UCH - Bloomsbury Birth centre.

[sazzybee]

I'm having mine at St Marys. My friend had a dreadful experience at the Royal Free so I decided to avoid it. UCH is supposed to be okay and Whittington better than it used to be

[sunnywong]

Blimey Mars, things MUST have changed, I certainly don't recognise The Whittington from that description

[Marscentio]

They certainly have suzyfloozy! Of course having my presence makes any birth a wondrous thing! lol

[sunnywong]

really?
I have a highly contentious theory I may have to talk to you off boards about.

[Marscentio]

suzyfloozy... read and responded!

Still think that the Whit is great and that lots has changed there.