Before I blog about my induction, I thought I’d write a bit about the hospital itself. Many women reading this might be pregnant with their first baby and, like me, have no idea what to expect. All hospitals are different, obviously, but hopefully it will give you a bit of a heads up.
At my booking in appointment I was asked which hospital I wanted to give birth at. The choices mentioned were Whiston, Warrington and Liverpool Women’s. I chose Whiston as it was the closest and, if you know Warrington, you’ll know you don’t want to be travelling there at rush hour. Later in my pregnancy, it was announced that Liverpool Women’s was appearing on One Born Every Minute and I got letters asking me to switch hospital and appear on the programme. Ha. Getting all my bits out on national TV is not my idea of a positive birth experience. P.S. the rumours are untrue; you don’t get paid.
I stuck with Whiston and had to visit quite a lot as I had consultant appointments, extra scans and ante-natal classes there. I first went there for a 12 week scan:-
Scans
I had four scans at the hospital. Prepare yourself for a long wait. They are often running behind anyway as scan appointments take a while but also emergencies will take priority over standard appointments. As mentioned previously, you tend to need a full bladder at a scan. If your bladder isn’t full enough you’ll have to wait until it is. Because of the long wait, I’d probably say start drinking the water as you arrive at the hospital (not 2 hours before like they say – you’re pregnant, that will end in disaster). Whiston had a water machine in the waiting area.
The waiting area wasn’t very big and there wasn’t anything to do. Take something to read (you might not get a phone signal) and something to occupy any children accompanying you.
For the scan, you lie on a bed and gel is rubbed on your stomach with a doppler. The image is displayed on the screen. Don’t do what I did and try to sit up to look at the screen. The sonographer will get a bit narky if you do this – they’ll turn the screen towards you once they’ve checked what they need to. Take some wipes as they use a lot of gel and a scrap of blue paper towel isn’t going to go very far.
At Whiston the photos were £3 each. The sonographer gave me the photos in the scan room, I then bought tokens from a machine in the waiting room and handed these to the receptionist for a frame which the photo didn’t fit in (so take some sellotape). It’s a right arse about way of doing it (why not just pay the receptionist?) and if you shoplifted your photos no one would know. I am not condoning shoplifting from anyone, least of all the NHS, but I bet I could get about 24 photos from SupaSnaps for £3 (and a free disposable camera).
Consultant
For consultant and other antenatal appointments (glucose tolerance tests etc) I had to wait in the busiest waiting room on Earth. This place was always rammed and was laid out in such a way that you had to climb over people when they called your name. It was like Tough Mudder for pregnant women. The receptionists here looked perennially miserable (I have a resting bitchface and am sympathetic to others who suffer this plight, but these women were just hating life) so make their job easier by always taking your maternity notes.
Every man who accompanies their pregnant partner to this clinic will be made to look a fool on their first visit. The nurse calls the woman’s name so her and her partner make a move. Schoolboy error. This first ‘call forward’ is just for a urine sample. The nurse won’t tell you as you stand up, though. Nope, she’ll wait until you get to the front of the waiting room, with that massive audience, then tell the man to sit back down.
Again, expect a long wait in this clinic and there is nothing to do here either so bring your own entertainment. If you’re having a Glucose Tolerance Test you will have blood taken then be given the worst ‘cola’ you’ve ever tasted. A bit like a treacle explosion in a Panda Pops factory. You wait for two hours, trying not to be sick as you can’t even have a mint to take away the taste, then have more bloods taken. So you do need a magazine or something in this instance. Or you could play ‘Spot The First Time Males’ as they sheepishly return to their seats after the urine sample call.
Antenatal Classes
My first one was about labour. There is no easing you into it, they just chuck you right in. I went home and cried afterwards, thinking I couldn’t do it. I’ll be honest, it was fairly helpful as it gave me an idea of what would happen, but nothing was sugar coated.
Antenatal classes aren’t compulsory and are pretty much a waste of time unless you’re a first time Mum. In fact, your community midwife could tell you everything you need to know anyway, so don’t fret if you miss one or can’t attend any. I spent nearly an hour wailing like a hormonal banshee as I’d got stuck in traffic on my way to the feeding class and was too late. My son is not malnourished, so it clearly didn’t matter and wasn’t worth the crying headache I gave myself.
In-Patient
When you actually go in to have your baby you may go straight to delivery (thus shattering the hopes and dreams of the woman on the ante-natal ward who’s ‘next on the list’) or you might go to the ante-natal ward to be induced/checked over if in slow labour etc. If you’re on the ante-natal ward, buy a weekly car park pass. We got seven days for the price of two by doing this as my partner was allowed to visit all day until 9pm.
I got fed 3 times a day, partners did not get fed. Some hospitals have a policy where you won’t be disturbed during mealtimes. Whiston didn’t. My tea would go cold every day while I was on the heart rate monitor and you couldn’t reheat it.
The bedside TV was expensive but you got 3 hours free a day. Take some headphones with you for the TV. The other girls on your ward don’t want to listen to How It’s Made at 1am (you’d be surprised). Phone calls to UK landlines were free from the bedside phone. Towels were provided, as were maternity pads if you had a show. Don’t forget your camera phone to Whatsapp your show as a response to those “Any signs? X” messages. Whiston had toilets, shower rooms and baths. The bathrooms had chairs in for partners to help you. Take a razor. You may think you’ll be in hospital for a day. Eight days later you’ll have to either shave your legs or swap nighties for pyjamas.
Once the baby is born, formula is provided at Whiston (standard SMA, Aptimil or Cow & Gate), breast pumps are available, but nappies and wipes are not. You will get shouted at if your baby is not dressed at all times – even if a healthcare assistant has just told you to strip them and swaddle them to help them to sleep. Medication eg painkillers will be provided about four hours after you asked for it. If you need assistance from a midwife or healthcare assistant, buzz for them about half an hour before you need them. The psychics really do have an easier time in hospital. If you don’t think you’ll need help, buzz anyway – you’ll need help by the time it arrives.
Don’t take too many bags with you as you don’t have a lot of space around the bed. Pack as you would for a fortnight in the Caribbean rather than a weekend in Blackpool – better to take one huge suitcase than a couple of handbags, a vanity case and a carrier bag with your straighteners in. Remember you will have to pack everything yourself when it’s time to go home.
They will tell you they’re discharging you about six hours before they do so reign the excitement in. Don’t forget to get your baby’s tag cut off before you leave or you will exit the hospital to a scene from The Sweeney. Most importantly, do not leave hospital if you think something is wrong. I can tell you from experience that a late night return trip with a very young baby in tow is a testing experience.
Like I said, all hospitals are different. Speak to other people about their experiences of the hospital you’re attending or read reviews on pregnancy forums (though remember that unhappy customers are more likely to leave reviews).