"Great maternity care, needs better signage"

We had our second baby at stepping hill and we're again really pleased with the facilities and care shown to us.

One issue which I want to highlight is the confusing signs and instructions we received on how to get in when we arrived.

Firstly, my wife had a quick first labour and so I knew we would need to get her there quicker for our second. When we arrived, there was a sign directing us to the birthing suite to triage. When we got there there was nobody there. We rang both bells repeatedly and called the numbers listed by the door but it took a long time before someone answered and told us we needed to go back down 3 floors and go to the other side.

When we got there we were then told again we were in the wrong place and we needed to go to the delivery suite on the first floor.

The whole time my wife was contracting, in agony and vomiting in a tub and there was no help. We finally got in and the midwife we met was snappy with us and told us that we had been given the right instructions on the phone when we went to the birth centre (which was closed) . Whether true or not, it wasn't clear to me where you were supposed to go. Particularly because there was a sign in reception telling you to go in the opposite direction.

My wide gave birth only 30mins later which shows how urgently we should have been in there. I would like you to review the signs and when the birth centre is closed, replace the sign in reception to explain where triage is open. It may also be sensible to tell people where to go on the phone when you call triage and tell them you are on your way.

Having said that, the care was good and the hospital clean and I would happily recommended to others.