The Royal Maternity or Dundonald for birth

[FoxyRoxy11]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has had experience of giving birth in the Royal Maternity hospital in Belfast?

I attended the Royal last week for an appointment and it was like a cattle market..it is also far away travel wise for me where as Dundonald hospital is closer.Ive heard pros and cons with both.

Any views would be very much appreciated!

[Kate91]

Any hospital clinic appointments tend to be like that unless you go private or have a local birthing centre. they have to see soo many patients, I always felt the same during my clinic appointments and i was there every 2 to 3 weeks in last trimester for growth scans but giving birth is completely different the chance of it being anywhere near that busy are so slim.

[Hidden]

No experience of either hospital, but have you considered a home birth? I did a hypnobirthing course and decided I wanted a home birth with my first, but didn't like the nearest hospital if I needed to go in, so went to a midwife led unit. Second time we'd moved to a new area and I loved labouring at home, without worrying about when to go in, having two midwives at my house, just looking after me. One of the midwives on call when I went into labour was the midwife I'd seen throughout my pregnancy, it was so nice having that continuity of care.

Ask for a tour of the labour wards at both hospitals, if they don't do tours, ask to speak to a Supervisor of Midwives at each hospital and express your concerns and they should invite you in for a chat, to reassure you and may then give you a quick private tour - that's what I did first time round.