Bolton hospital experience

They sent me a letter saying I had rhesus negative and I needed some sort of injection. My midwife appointments were at Ingleside (we are based in Salford), but then I developed Gestational diabetes and had to get extra scans done at Bolton and birth ended up at Bolton as considered high risk. We asked our Ingleside midwife who checked the record and confirmed I didnt have rhesus negative. When we asked a doctor at Bolton, she said this happened all the time and it could have been labels getting mixed up (so probably some poor woman with rhesus negative received a letter that said she didn't have it...) The same doctor told us our induction date was 28th Dec. We waited around until midday on the same date and no phone calls. Called them to find it was 29th Dec. The book has 2 different dates on them 😑😑😑😑. Induction on 29th Dec but baby was stubborn and water didn't break naturally so wasn't considered priority. On 30th Dec, the whole ward was considered covid ward (someone from 3 rooms away had covid).

So husband wasn't allowed in. The actual birth didnt happen until evening of 3rd Jan (after all the priorities were done and it was my turn). After 10hours, I developed an infection and had to be rushed in for a c section. Ended up staying 5 more days for antibiotic treatments. Husband was only allowed in for the actual birth. Other than that I was by myself. It was hard especially after with a newborn and having a c section. Some midwives were nice. Some were super judgemental when I asked for formula topup for baby (milk came very late due to trauma). They were extremely understaffed.

I gave birth at Bolton 9 months ago and just had a bad experience from start to finish.. I wasn’t allowed certain things when in labour like forceps as I had a little minor complication in pregnancy and the first thing they went to do was get forceps, they didn’t have my letter specifying on the system what I was allowed and not allowed and all midwives / doctors were running around in the end trying to find this letter while I was pushing for over 3 hours and my baby got stuck ended up in emergency c section.. but even before that when i was on the induction ward I was in agony pressed the buzzer no one came.. a lady in the booth next to me had to go and get a midwife who sent my partner home and said i was having gel pains not contractions then examined me and said I was 7cm and had to rush me down to delivery 🙈 I’m pregnant again now with baby number 2 and 100% won’t be going back there think I might go for north Manchester this time! Hope everything goes well for you💗✨

I am also under bolton royal hospital and after reading all these comments I am bit worried, any opinions which hospital is best to deliver in Manchester or near to bolton?

I was induced at Bolton last June and up until being taken to delivery suite my experience wasn’t great, however the midwifes/consultant who delivered her and on the post natal ward I cannot fault!

Just wanted to voice my positive experience at Bolton hospital. Obviously do what feels right for you and sounds like you had already made your mind up, but if you do go to Bolton both myself and a friend of mine gave birth at Bolton in July and August and both have positive experiences. First child for both of us. I know it’s down to staffing on the day but I experienced lots of amazing staff there on my two visits in triage prior to birth and then also for the birth. I loved my midwife at the birth, an Irish lady called Emma, she was awesome! I just felt a little “left to it” on the ward but I’d had no intervention and baby was fine too so obviously there were others needing more attention than me. My friend on the other hand had had an epidural and she said the staff on the ward were amazing offering her help holding the baby etc. she also said they were great in the birth too! Anyways good luck xxx

I heard lots of mixed reviews about Bolton and was going to change myself but didn’t end up doing. My son was born in September and I had a positive experience and birth. The staff were really nice! Good luck xx

@Molly glad to hear the experience was great! I’m hearing mixed reviews too and not 100% sure whether or not to change as my experience has been really good so far! Xx

I found they weren’t great for antenatal care, scans, etc before babies arrived but I gave birth to both my boys there and the delivery team were absolutely brilliant both times. My first baby in 2020 the post natel ward wasn’t brillo but this time dec 22, it was much better Xx

Antenatal care for us was great, birth not so. I went in to be induced and went into natural labour when I arrived. Was checked at 4cm at 9pm but was told there was no space on delivery but that I was next on tbe list. One poor midwife was on a ward alone dealing with multiple women in labour. Literally running between bays. I was strep positive and was meant to have antibiotics during labour, I asked multiple times but delivery told her they would administer them and to wait. 2am came and I explained baby will be here any minute. She called delivery again with no luck. 15 minutes later my pressed my call bell as I gave birth in a bay with two other patients and the one midwife came running - no checks from 9pm, no antibiotics, no pain relief and was told to be quiet as it was middle of the night. Understaffed is an understatement

I gave birth at Bolton at the beginning of Jan this year. Definitely feel your stress with how busy it always is and with the car parking... that was a nightmare and my main stress for when I went into labour. Overall though I can't fault the care I received when I was in labour. I had my first at Bolton in 2018 also and it was a lot more smooth sailing then! xx

I'm under Bolton. I've had most of my appointments so far at Ingleside Birthing Centre, which is part of Bolton Hospital even though its in Salford (gutted it's closed for births). Can't fault the midwives I've met at all - they're all lovely. My sister gave birth at Bolton in May 2021 and had a positive experience with induction and forceps delivery. I'm going to Bolton for ease of getting there, really. The parking is shocking, definitely, though.

Honestly i hated it. Went for my induction on the 15th of December had my girl 25th so spent two weeks in hospital waiting for my waters to be broken ( was given the gel). They ate just understaffed which makes it so frustrating cos you literally can’t do anything

I recently had my little girl there (14 December) and had the most incredible birth and experience. Now I do think I was lucky as they seemed to be massively busy and I heard that they weee even turning people away due to not having enough staff. I was doing hypnobirthing and requested a birthing pool and oh my goodness it was beautiful! The room was huge and full of fairy lights and the midwives juts listened to my every need. The aftercare was good; it took a while for them to discharge us after, but that was again to due to not enough staff. Good luck mama

I feel the same about royal bolton, im 28 weeks not even seen a midwife, appointments are not given properly an just get a text to say date & time but not what the appointment is for. Considering moving to north manchester maternity as ive heard really good things about it, better than bolton. but don’t know how i go about changing hospitals 🤷🏻‍♀️

@Shabs email pregnant@mft.nhs.uk as soon as possible. I tried to transfer my care too, only when I found out they wanted to induce. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes but borderline and i was monitoring what i ate very carefully and was hoping to have a normal birth at ingleside. It didn't go as planned and as baby was measured big, they wanter to induce me at 39 weeks. But when i contacted st. Mary's it was too late.

Agree with bad parking although I always somehow managed to get a space, Two babies there and good actual birthing experience, one natural, one c section; and excellent midwives. Yes they were probably understaffed and some things taking longer etc but I’m imagining at most hospitals at the moment it will be similar. A hard decision to make but I suppose you will never know which will be the right decision you could end up with a bad day at Oldham, a good one at Bolton or vice versa.. hope it all works out well for you xx

Would you consider a homebirth? Myself and a couple of my friends have birthed at home under the care of the midwives at Bolton Hospital and had amazing experiences. Also consider having your antenatal appointments at Ingleside if possible to avoid having to go to Bolton Hospital. I agree it’s an absolute nightmare to try and get there with the parking etc. x

@Laura I can’t unfortunately as they treating me as a strep b carrier as I had it with my first who ended up born with sepsis so has to be hospital lead Birth. I think I’ve made my mind up for own stress and just giving birth under Oldham hospital again 1. Because they have a level 4 nicu unit and 2. I was extremely well cared for the first time when I had complications xx

I had my two boys at Bolton. My first was great, couldn't fault the birth, however the after care wasn't great due to under staffing. Second birth was awful! I was induced, and after the first pessary baby was born 9 hours later on the induction ward in front of other expectant mothers and their partners without any painkillers. This was because the midwives wouldn't listen to me when I told them my contractions were getting closer together. I was 2 pushes away from my husband delivering baby on his own!