Should I be scared of the NHS??

[Kju&2]

Hi everyone. I am 1 1/2 months pregnant but as early as now - worried about giving birth here in the UK. Giving birth in the Philippines will not pose a problem for my child's citizenship as my boyfriend and I are both british citizens so I am not worried about that. I know it isn't fair to compare a public hospital (NHS) to a private hospital (in the Philippines) but I am really worried about giving birth here in the UK specially after reading about a filipina nurse (Cabrera) who died here in England after giving birth as she was wrongly administered an epidural drug via her drip. The midwife who was responsible for her death although guilty was never convicted. I have heard of many other NHS horror stories and hear brits complaining about the NHS all the time so I hope you can understand why I am not confident with the NHS. Also, my filipina sister in law gave birth here in the UK at an NHS Hospital 4 years ago. She was sent home twice even after her water had already broke just because the midwives aren't satisfied by how much she's dilated at the time. That's unheard of in the Philippines. I don't believe I know of any pregnant woman who have been turned away from the hospital in the Philippines after their water had already broke no matter how busy the hospital was, regardless of the hospital being private or not. They also insisted for my sister in law to have a normal delivery and only agreed to deliver my niece via CS after my sister in law had already been in labour for over 24 hours. I don't know if this is because she wasn't yet a british citizen at the time hence the NHS is trying to save money. I've only been to the A&E here in England once and had to wait for 5 hours to be seen so I can't say I've never had a problem with them either.

The good thing about giving birth here is that I don't have to pay anything. Giving birth in the Philippines would mean a plane ticket for me and my boyfriend and enough cash to last us for a few months and obviously money for the private hospital - which we don't really have. So I guess I really haven't got a choice but to give birth here but I just need some advice from people in order to maybe reassure me that giving birth at a NHS hospital is not going to be so bad. Thank you!!

[nigel]

The NHS is GRRRRRREAT!!! Forget all those scary stories! Your going to have a perfect birth! The NHS staff take their work seriously, absolutely they do! You've absolutley nothing to worry about! Us Brits can be real pessimistic moaners! Take no notice, that stuff is just a load of drivvel! I'm PROUD of Britains free healthcare system! It is true that waiting for treatment that you may need with the NHS can take a long time, but they are a great bunch of people I think!

[aromulus]

The NHS is GRRRRRREAT!!! Forget all those scary stories! Your going to have a perfect birth! The NHS staff take their work seriously, absolutely they do! You've absolutley nothing to worry about! Us Brits can be real pessimistic moaners! Take no notice, that stuff is just a load of drivvel! I'm PROUD of Britains free healthcare system! It is true that waiting for treatment that you may need with the NHS can take a long time, but they are a great bunch of people I think!

When did you give birth, then...?

[adam&chryss]

Do you trust the way our media portrays The Philippines?
All poor and dirty and arranged marriages and such?
Its not all like that is it.
Well the NHS is the same.
I`ve never had a bad experience and neither has anyone in my family.
They all work hard just so they can be portrayed as useless which is terrible.
When was was in Phil with Chryss we went to 2 hospitals for scans and I cant say I found them clean at all, in fact I was releived that she was here to give birth.
The only trouble we had was arranging the scans here as she was 29 wks pregnant when she arrived and didnt have much information from Phil.
The people that work for the NHS at the frontline deserve lots of credit and not the critiscm that come their way.
Saving money by not giving a CS to someone not a british citizen? Who made that up?
Just relax, take it easy and all will be well

[nigel]

When did you give birth, then...?

Errrm.....Last week!

[joebloggs]

it's has nothing to do with citizenship what happened to your sister in law

what happened to the filipina nurse was 1 in a million, just like the other stories that are shown on tv or in the press. millions are treated every year successfully by the NHS and as sad as it is, mistakes will be made.

my misses has given birth to 2 kids in the phils and 1 in the UK. and she says the treatment she got in the UK was better than her treatment in the phils. and my misses has worked in the phils as a doc and works for the NHS. but in the phils you get what you pay for..

why did they send your sister in law away twice ? they must have given her reasons ? my misses says they would only perform a CS if the baby was in distress

i wouldn't or my misses says she wouldn't worry about giving birth in a NHS hospital. not that she wants any more kids

[Ann07]

I never had any bad experience with NHS Maternity Unit. In fact i really admire the staffs dedication and effort. They made me feel so comfortable when i had my first child and even more with my second child. In fact they are soo nice to me and looking after me and the baby when my husband was not with me at nights.

Just relax trust your midwife and you will be fine Goodluck

[Kju&2]

Saving money by not giving a CS to someone not a british citizen? Who made that up?
Just relax, take it easy and all will be well

Hi Adam,

Thanks for the advice. I guess as I've never been hospitalized here before (but I have when I was in the Philippines) - I was more scared of the unknown and unfamiliar rather than being scared because of things I've heard. As for your above comment - again it was just my passing comment / thought. I obviously haven't got any proof to prove that they've done that to my sis in law to save money. I just know for a fact that in private hospitals all around the world - you tend to pay more for a cs compared to normal delivery because of the tools, doctor and operating room, etc - hence I assumed that that's why they insisted on my sister in law delivering by normal even if the baby won't come out and the fact that my sis in law had been asking them for ages for her to undergo a c-section which in the end they did anyway. I think I am more dismayed at the thought of being sent home after my water broke like what happened to my sister in law, specially giving birth for the first time when I don't know what to expect. The last thing I'd wanna do when that happens is to go home and come back to the hospital. I just hope that doesn't happen to me

[nigel]

Hey Ekks! You got a name for your baby yet? Are you going to bring it up in Britain?

[bornatbirth]

you do know we have private hospital's here too, you are aware there isn't any real difference but the price?

[Kju&2]

why did they send your sister in law away twice ? they must have given her reasons ? my misses says they would only perform a CS if the baby was in distress

i wouldn't or my misses says she wouldn't worry about giving birth in a NHS hospital. not that she wants any more kids

I guess in my mind I'd have better treatment in the Philippines because my bestfriend is a doctor and she can recommend me to one of her ob/gyn friends. My mum had a surgery in the Philippines and my bestfriend and the doctor who treated her looked after her like a princess without my mum having to pay like a princess

My sister in law was sent home twice because apparently her cervix isn't dilated enough although her water had already broke at home. So my brother had to take her home twice. My sis in law even worked for the same hospital at the time as a nurse. After 24 hours of labour she still isn't dilated enough and my niece was getting stressed inside and the possibility of niece getting infections as she's no longer inside the fluid was getting greater as the time goes on so they decided to give her a CS in the end. Now over 24 hours of labour? Not a good thing!! It makes me wanna wish that my boyfriend is a seahorse so he can give birth to our child himself!

[Kju&2]

you do know we have private hospital's here too, you are aware there isn't any real difference but the price?

Is there really no difference? I've always thought that they tend to look after you better when you go private.. hmm.. guess I was sooo wrong

[Kju&2]

When did you give birth, then...?

Thank you for the heads up

[Kju&2]

The NHS is GRRRRRREAT!!! Forget all those scary stories! Your going to have a perfect birth! The NHS staff take their work seriously, absolutely they do! You've absolutley nothing to worry about! Us Brits can be real pessimistic moaners! Take no notice, that stuff is just a load of drivvel! I'm PROUD of Britains free healthcare system! It is true that waiting for treatment that you may need with the NHS can take a long time, but they are a great bunch of people I think!

Sorry I meant thank YOU for the heads up. I can't delete posts yet I think so please ignore my above post to aromulus. Although I must say Aromulus, you made me laugh at your comment. LOL

[Kju&2]

I never had any bad experience with NHS Maternity Unit. In fact i really admire the staffs dedication and effort. They made me feel so comfortable when i had my first child and even more with my second child. In fact they are soo nice to me and looking after me and the baby when my husband was not with me at nights.

Just relax trust your midwife and you will be fine Goodluck

Thanks Ann! That meant a lot to me coming from a woman who has given birth here. Thanks!

[bornatbirth]

do you really think the basic care will be any different?

the chance's of something going wrong....well i guess there more chance of winning the lottery, btw have you won yet?

[maria_and_matt]

i would not have chosen to give birth back home, the treatment i got here is excellent. everybody in the maternity ward was so supportive, i have seen how they deal with women giving birth back in the philippines when my sister in law gave birth to her baby, they tend to give you lots of unnecessary things like the dextrose and oxygen with the NHS it is staightforward you push the baby comes out, you then go have a shower, a sleep and you are off home when things are ok, i would not have it any other way.

[Kju&2]

Hey Ekks! You got a name for your baby yet? Are you going to bring it up in Britain?

Hi Nigel. My boyfriend and I have already got some ideas but we won't know the sex of the baby until a few more months so it's still open to debate. My boyfriend and I have agreed a few years ago that if the baby was a girl - I would name her but if it was a boy - then he'd name him but I think I've changed my mind about that set-up now. LOL We'll have to have an equal contribution now methinks.

For the meantime we will raise our child here. But as soon as my boyfriend finishes his degree at Uni we will be looking into moving to either New Zealand or Australia so we're closer to the Philippines and the weather a bit more tolerable.

[Kju&2]

the chance's of something going wrong....well i guess there more chance of winning the lottery, btw have you won yet?

LOL.. if i have then I wouldn't be having this conversation with you guys and would probably be in the Philippines right now having a pamper session while waiting for the baby to come out at the most prestigous private hospital I can afford in the Philippines. But one can dream eh? Anyway, there's still a few months to win that ever elusive lottery!

[Kju&2]

i would not have chosen to give birth back home, the treatment i got here is excellent. everybody in the maternity ward was so supportive, i have seen how they deal with women giving birth back in the philippines when my sister in law gave birth to her baby, they tend to give you lots of unnecessary things like the dextrose and oxygen with the NHS it is staightforward you push the baby comes out, you then go have a shower, a sleep and you are off home when things are ok, i would not have it any other way.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I really appreciate it

[Arthur Little]

Please DON'T be afraid of giving birth in an NHS maternity unit, Ekks. I can assure you that the introduction of the British National Health Service over 60 years ago is, without a shadow of doubt, the BEST singular achievement by any of our Governments here ... either before, or since ... and it is [rightly so] envied worldwide!

It's worth noting too, that ... among the members who greeted you on your introductory thread, is a retired medical specialist. And another's wife is a doctor as well; also, I shouldn't be surprised if there are possibly one-time nurses and - (maybe) even - midwives that make up our number. So you're in "safe hands", so to speak!!

[Arthur Little]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I really appreciate it

It's our pleasure ... ... that's a very nice photo you've just uploaded of you and your husband, if I may say so.

[Kju&2]

It's our pleasure ... ... that's a very nice photo you've just uploaded of you and your husband, if I may say so.

That's awfully nice of you. Thank you for the advice, the heads up and the compliment My boyfriend is gorgeous indeed and here's hoping our child takes after him

[triple5]

As you can see Ekks, most here are very pro NHS, and although I am too proud of our health service, from experience I'm not sure if the UK is the best place to have a baby compared to other countries. I was present here at the birth of both my kids here in the UK, and was alarmed on the first occasion that there was only one midwife running back and forth between 2 ladies, and both times I found their attitudes quite uncaring. They seemed a bit stressed I've also known of 2 foreign nationals who gave birth here (1 spanish, 1 thai) and they were both appalled by a number of things, and said that what they had experienced would never have happened in their home countries.

Having said all that though, our media here do love to bash the NHS. I'm sure you'll be fine wherever you decide. A friend of mine recently delivered his wife's baby on the bathroom floor, and they're all doing fine

[Doc Alan]

I have already welcomed you to the Forum and from my advice on "SAD" (seasonal affective disorder) you might have guessed I knew something about health !
I've only just caught up with this thread and you've had a number of comments. All I can add is - you're young, maganda , and look healthy, so your chances of a successful pregnancy are excellent , obviously with common sense and a loving boyfriend to look after you!
It's been good to read the favourable comments about the NHS ! I'm careful on here to give "evidence based facts", rather than my own opinions, when it comes to health matters ... so for your pregnancy, do use the NHS, it's safe in the vast majority of cases Don't waste money on private care, which is not necessarily any better

[Kju&2]

As you can see Ekks, most here are very pro NHS, and although I am too proud of our health service, from experience I'm not sure if the UK is the best place to have a baby compared to other countries. I was present here at the birth of both my kids here in the UK, and was alarmed on the first occasion that there was only one midwife running back and forth between 2 ladies, and both times I found their attitudes quite uncaring. They seemed a bit stressed I've also known of 2 foreign nationals who gave birth here (1 spanish, 1 thai) and they were both appalled by a number of things, and said that what they had experienced would never have happened in their home countries.

Having said all that though, our media here do love to bash the NHS. I'm sure you'll be fine wherever you decide. A friend of mine recently delivered his wife's baby on the bathroom floor, and they're all doing fine

Thank you. That was what I saw too when my sister in law gave birth to my niece here (that the midwife seem uncaring) but I didn't mention it on the thread anymore just in case I'm just reading too much into things and she just wasn't that friendly or expressive. Especially as some of the women who have commented here and shared their own views seem to have good birthing experiences. I guess I will just have to see on my first antenatal appointment if I will like the midwife or not. It also is a bit strange to me (the notion of midwives) as I'm sure in the Philippines it's always the ob/gyn's who look after the pregnant woman and deliver the babies. Ah well, I will just have to get used to the differences. Maybe I'm just being silly and being such a worry wart 'cos I'm pregnant.

[Kju&2]

I have already welcomed you to the Forum and from my advice on "SAD" (seasonal affective disorder) you might have guessed I knew something about health !
I've only just caught up with this thread and you've had a number of comments. All I can add is - you're young, maganda , and look healthy, so your chances of a successful pregnancy are excellent , obviously with common sense and a loving boyfriend to look after you!
It's been good to read the favourable comments about the NHS ! I'm careful on here to give "evidence based facts", rather than my own opinions, when it comes to health matters ... so for your pregnancy, do use the NHS, it's safe in the vast majority of cases Don't waste money on private care, which is not necessarily any better

Hi jackson.alan - thank you for the above comment. Any idea where I can get a cheap but effective light box for sad? LOL (only joking)

I'm really thankful to everyone who's shared their views about the NHS. I seriously thought I wasn't going to get a lot of good feedback so it's nice to put my worries to bed. Now if only people can give effective advice on how not to feel sick and nauseous during your first trimester - I am complete

[Doc Alan]

Any idea where I can get a cheap but effective light box for sad? LOL (only joking)

Now if only people can give effective advice on how not to feel sick and nauseous during your first trimester - I am complete

Good news on Valentine's Day: only 2 weeks to Spring when S.A.D. should go !
As for sickness + nausea, I'm sure you know it's normal, doesn't put baby at any risk, and may even result in a healthier pregnancy than those who don't have it! Just rest as much as you can and take care with your diet

[IainBusby]

LOL.. if i have then I wouldn't be having this conversation with you guys and would probably be in the Philippines right now having a pamper session while waiting for the baby to come out at the most prestigous private hospital I can afford in the Philippines. But one can dream eh? Anyway, there's still a few months to win that ever elusive lottery!

I don't think that even the most prestigous private hospital in the Philippines would be as good as an NHS hospital. With regard to your sister-in-laws experience, long labour and only giving performing a cesarean section as a last resort, I believe it is standard practice these days to always allow nature to take it's course unless the woman has had to have a cesarean with a previous birth. As to why they sent her home twice I dont know, but I'm sure they must have had good reasons.
Iain.

[aromulus]

I don't think that even the most prestigous private hospital in the Philippines would be as good as an NHS hospital.
Iain.

I wouldn't bet on that...