"Brilliant ante/post natal care at LGI..."

Everybody has a tale to tell about their birth experiences but when it comes to reviews, the bad ones always stick. Even I was guilty of checking out reviews for the LGI and to be honest, it didn't look good and at one stage, I considered changing to Pontefract. But I need not have worried.

I was under community led care up until I developed the initial symptoms of pre-eclampsia. By 35 weeks I was totally at the mercy of the Ante Natal Day Care Unit, with thrice weekly checks for blood pressure fetal heart monitoring., 24 hour urine tests and blood tests. By 37 weeks, it was obvious that pre-eclampsia was setting in with a vengeance so they decided to keep me in on that day and induce. When I look back now, I can't thank them enough for this decision.

I was initially taken to ward 57 where the friendly midwives welcomed me and gave me a quick tour of the facilities. Even the student midwives were knowledgeable and helpful. After I was induced, the staff monitored me closely, and again after the birth the delivery suite staff were aware of PE and blood pressure checks and blood tests were undertaken whilst they were caring for my son who was only 5lb (due to the pre-eclampsia). The whole time, I was informed of what they were doing, why and was told what would happen from then on. The care was excellent.

I've read some negative reviews of Ward 56. I don't agree. Having stayed on the post natal ward for 5 days, I have to say that they were fantastic and I look back on my time there fondly. My stay was necessitated through my son being so small, feeding not being established enough and my own pre eclampsia symptoms.

The feeding problem was taken seriously by all the midwives and I couldn't have received better support. Each midwife helped me with their words of encouragement, tips and practical support. I especially have to give thanks to Shirley, Agnes, Claire, Hugh and Georgina. Their perseverance gave me the strength to carry on feeding through some very teary times!!

I saw many women come and go on the ward, some within hours of giving birth. But my lengthy stay on the ward gave me the chance to tap into specialist knowledge and support that I wouldn't have recieved had I gone home within 24 hours (which was my initial plan). And as a result, by the time I got home, I was very relaxed about having a baby at home and knew what I was doing, which is a considerably different story to some of my friends who got home and didn't know what the hell to do!!

Ladies, the LGI is a very supportive place to give birth. Enter the experience positively, utilise the midwives experience wisely and if you talk to the midwives and ask them questions, I guarantee that they will help you to the ends of the earth. It's what they love to do!

Enjoy the experience.