Really interesting to hear biscuitbrown's experience, as it sounds almost identical to what my friend from my NCT group went through with the private midwife led care at Chelsea and Westminster. She also had a very traumatizing experience there, as they didn't realize until she was pushing that the baby was breach and had to rush her in for an emergency C section. Didn't help the fact that the midwife she was assigned that night was absolutely horrible and made her experience that much worse. She certainly didn't feel like it was worth the extra expense.
I also gave birth and Chelsea and Westminster though I went the regular route and equally had a pretty bad experience. My midwife could not have been more horrible. She would snap at me when I would moan in pain and would get annoyed when I would ask questions. Absolutely no bedside manner.
Then to make matters worse, they left me unattended in my room all day after the birth (my mom and husband went home to sleep), not once checking in on me. I just slept there with the baby sleeping on top of me, as they didnt even bring me a cot to put her in. The sheets and floor were still bloody and no one even came into offer me anything to eat. I remember waddling down the halls with my newborn in my arms looking for a vending machine so that I could eat something because I didn't even know they served food. No one even stopped and asked me if I wanted help. Just horrible. I felt incredibly uncared for at a time when I felt the most vulnerable and fragile. Not a nice feeling!
I have heard that some people have had amazing experiences there, but at the end of the day its all the luck of the draw as far as how busy they are and which midwife you get assigned.
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