Thinking of having baby in 'Mount Carmel', Dublin. Any experiences?

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I have watched this thread with great interest

The OP asked for peoples feedback on their experiences on MC as I have recently given birth in MC I am glad to give my input

I cannot recommend MC enough, I have not given birth in a public maternity hospital so cannot compare the care

Of course MC can handle complications, do you think any mother would choose 'nice food' over the welfare of their baby?? At my first appointment I asked how many babies are transferred to Holles St, and was informed it was in the order of 5 or 6 per year. As I had a low risk pregnancy, this was not an issue for me.

As for snobbery, I dreaded being asked where I was giving birth, as I was frequently greeted with inverted snobbery. Obviously I did not choose MC to wear it like a badge.

As a first time mum, of course I was nervous. I received the recommendation of a consultant. I can only say my consultant was amazing and alleviated all of my worries throughout the pregnancy and was amazing during the labour/delivery and throughout my stay in hospital.

For me, trust in my consultant was essential, while I might have achieved this by attending a consultant in Holles St, I received a recommendation and am so glad I went with it.

When it's your first time being pregnant, you wonder what each pain is, and if it's normal. I had a midwife available to contact 24x7 to ask even the silliest of questions and they were always so helpful. If I wasn't able to contact a midwife immediately, I always received a call back within an hour. I found this contact brilliant, it is important to reduce stress during pregnancy and this helped a lot.

During the stay in hospital I was glad to see I had the same 'night' midwife and same 'day' midwife each day. Their staff are so helpful and are glad to spend time discussing any concerns. I never had to wait longer than 30 seconds for their assistance when they were called. By the end of my 3 nights, I had built nice relationships with each of the midwives that treated me.


For the first 6 weeks after delivery I can contact MC about my baby or me at any stage of the day or night with questions or concerns. This was especially good on the first week at home, when I could call and ask any questions about my daughter. This might seem trivial to some but as a first time mum it was great to be able to call at 3am when my baby wasn't sleeping and I was trying to figure out what was wrong
 
MonkeyFeet said:
I asked how many babies are transferred to Holles St, and was informed it was in the order of 5 or 6 per year.
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Try asking them how many mums get transferred to Holles St prior to giving birth.
MonkeyFeet said:
When it's your first time being pregnant, you wonder what each pain is, and if it's normal. I had a midwife available to contact 24x7 to ask even the silliest of questions and they were always so helpful. If I wasn't able to contact a midwife immediately, I always received a call back within an hour. I found this contact brilliant, it is important to reduce stress during pregnancy and this helped a lot.

During the stay in hospital I was glad to see I had the same 'night' midwife and same 'day' midwife each day. Their staff are so helpful and are glad to spend time discussing any concerns. I never had to wait longer than 30 seconds for their assistance when they were called. By the end of my 3 nights, I had built nice relationships with each of the midwives that treated me.


For the first 6 weeks after delivery I can contact MC about my baby or me at any stage of the day or night with questions or concerns. This was especially good on the first week at home, when I could call and ask any questions about my daughter. This might seem trivial to some but as a first time mum it was great to be able to call at 3am when my baby wasn't sleeping and I was trying to figure out what was wrong
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That sounds quite similar to our experiences with Holles St staff.
 
Kitten said:
I'm going to ignore the "flip remarks" because it doesn't deserve a comment.
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You think so? "MC isn't equipped to deal with sick babies". Sounds like a silly remark to me, but you go ahead making them...

Kitten said:
One of my best friends also had her baby transferred out of Mount Carmel in a similiar situation so that scuppers the 99% of the population remark. It is a wider occurance that you may realise.
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So you and one of your friends constitute 1% of Mount Carmel's maternity patients now? At the end of the day, I think I'd rather take the advice of my doctor. In the absence of any official stats, if the doctor tells me it's a rare occurrence, then I'll believe them before some random post on an internet message board.

Everyone I know who's had babies in MC have had overwhelmingly positive experiences, and that's what I based (and will continue to base) my family's healthcare options on. I'd urge anyone reading this thread to solicit opinion from trusted friends and relatives on this matter and don't base all of your research on message boards. The amount of misinformation out there is staggering.
 
Complainer said:
That sounds quite similar to our experiences with Holles St staff.
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Another knee-jerk post from the "Complainer". (Never a truer word spoken...)

MonkeyFeet has given her personal experiences of MC, as the OP requested. The OP never asked about Holles Street, btw...
 
Kramer2006 you said earlier:-

"You hit the nail on the head when you talk about "more comfort and more personal attention and better food". My wife
and I happen to think this is money well spent"


Yes, in a hotel or a restaurant, not when it comes to the safe delivery of a baby. I really hope you don't go through what we went through when you are blessed with number 2.

I'm out of this, the OP has my experience, every word of it factual and it doesn't matter whether it is 1% or 50% of occurances, it happened, don't be naive enough to think it can't happen to you. I was and it did.
 
I'm out of this too...

Some people who have posted on this thread have thought nothing of openly criticising the way we chose to bring our baby into the world, some even implying we were irresponsible for choosing MC. I know from my own experience just how ridiculous this assertion is, and I've stated so until I was blue in the face.

I originally posted to this thread to refute the implication that MC perform C-sections because of some idiotic notions of some people being "too posh to push" (a disgusting expression, by the way). I also wanted to give our own personal experiences of MC, as the OP requested, so that it might be useful to someone else. But all some people want to do is disparage my choices and bring the whole discussion back to "private vs. public". Same old chestnut, and I'm no longer interested in refuting some the tittle-tattle that has been offered here as fact.

There are also those unfortunate people who have had a bad experience at MC and posted their experiences here. I personally, would not base my choices on the handful of the bad experiences reported here (some of which are mere hearsay). That's why we'll be returning to MC. Take a look on Rollercoaster or WeddingsOnline to see the other side of the coin - mistakes and disasters happen in public hospitals too...

I know (I hope) that most people know to take EVERYTHING they read on message boards with a pinch of salt.

All the best.
 
I had baby no. one in Rotunda, baby no. 2 and MC and no. 3 in Holles Street. In the very unlikely event of no. 4 appearing it would def be MC. The atmosphere in MC is much less stern I found at least and that helped me relax and breastfeed more easily, etc. Also the food was way better so at least I had a good feed and rest before going home.
 
I feel I can give all sides to this thread.

(1) I was born in Mount Carmel.

(2) I had my first child in Mount Carmel - great experience, little nervous about first child.

(3) Decided I didn't want to pay the balance of fees between VHI and Mt Carmel rates for my 2nd baby and went to the Coombe - about 2.5k at the time but still paid for private consultant - great experience.

(4) For my 3rd child, economics kicked in meant that not only did I go to the Coombe, I cut back on consultant and went semi private - no problems

(5) Moved house; so for my 4th child, Holles St, further cutbacks meant I went public and used gp/consultant care. Huge savings in consultants fees BUT and here was the best bit, I discharged myself after one day and stayed in the Merrion Hotel for the next 2 nights with my new baby with hubby and 3 children coming to visit. Midwife visited also. Total cost 2 nights in beautiful suite beautiful breakfast and the most pleasant, serene surroundings and rest I had in years - about €340 cost in total.
 
lucym said:
(5) Moved house; so for my 4th child, Holles St, further cutbacks meant I went public and used gp/consultant care. Huge savings in consultants fees BUT and here was the best bit, I discharged myself after one day and stayed in the Merrion Hotel for the next 2 nights with my new baby with hubby and 3 children coming to visit. Midwife visited also. Total cost 2 nights in beautiful suite beautiful breakfast and the most pleasant, serene surroundings and rest I had in years - about €340 cost in total.
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Good on you, what a lovely story:)

Now what are you planning to do for your 5th;)
 
Pat Bateman said:
"Mother and baby doing well in Mount Carmel"

The above is an extract from a recent Facebook update of an aquaintance of mine.

Wearing it like a badge...affected, name dropping, shallow and pathetic.
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Isn't old-fashioned begrudgery alive and well. You sound like a very envious, insecure person who is obsessed with how you compare to others.
 
(5) Moved house; so for my 4th child, Holles St, further cutbacks meant I went public and used gp/consultant care. Huge savings in consultants fees BUT and here was the best bit, I discharged myself after one day and stayed in the Merrion Hotel for the next 2 nights with my new baby with hubby and 3 children coming to visit. Midwife visited also. Total cost 2 nights in beautiful suite beautiful breakfast and the most pleasant, serene surroundings and rest I had in years - about €340 cost in total.

Thats a really great idea!! Something I will consider if I ever have a 4th - well done!
 
Pat Bateman said:
"Mother and baby doing well in Mount Carmel"

The above is an extract from a recent Facebook update of an aquaintance of mine.

Wearing it like a badge...affected, name dropping, shallow and pathetic.
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I dont understand how you are reading 'affected, name dropping, shallow and pathetic' into that comment?

All I am reading into it is that the mother and baby are doing well and the hospital is mentioned - presumably so visitors know what hospital to go to!

I would think the 'affected, name dropping.....' etc feelings say more about you than about anyone else.
 
Pat Bateman said:
"Mother and baby doing well in Mount Carmel"

The above is an extract from a recent Facebook update of an aquaintance of mine.

Wearing it like a badge...affected, name dropping, shallow and pathetic.

Some people need to cop themselves on, especially those who are deluding themselves and others into thinking that they chose Mount Carmel for reasons other than avoiding gurriers or the quality of the food and accommodation. End the charade folks. I understand that there isn't a consultant on call in Mount Carmel. Surely that should influence the decision process more than the shallow Celtic Tiger stuff?
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What an utterly moronic contribution...

You have got some serious issues there Pat. I've ignored your last couple of posts, but that just takes the biscuit. Get some treatment for that chip on your shoulder. I can recommend a good hospital if you want...
 
kramer2006 said:
What an utterly moronic contribution...

You have got some serious issues there Pat. I've ignored your last couple of posts, but that just takes the biscuit. Get some treatment for that chip on your shoulder. I can recommend a good hospital if you want...
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I thought you were "out" Kramer??
 
The tone of this thread is very hostile from both sides of the argument. Do people really feel that strongly about what other people do with their money?

Once they were not asking me to pay, I could not give a monkeys.

Nobody has to justify themselves to anyone else either. If I dont want to go to the Coombe for any reason, thats my business. Likewise, someone is not better than me just because they go to Mount Carmel.

Pat, I think you might be reading too much into the mother and baby doing well in Mount Carmel thing. Could it not just be....eh, it is currently where they are?
 
fizzelina said:
I thought you were "out" Kramer??
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Well what can I reply to that witty and biting comment? If you've nothing better to offer than that, don't bother...

Pat Bateman said:
Hilarious insults.

In my view, based on what you've contributed to this thread, you're a disgrace and a bad parent. Your decision making process was obviously influenced by nouveau riche "keeping up with the Jones" factors.
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:D

Pat, you're some piece of work... Don't you realise, with every witless comment you make, you're only making yourself sound even more irrational and begrudging? As for your "bad parent" comment, I think you must be rather pitiful and bitter individual. Let me know about that shoulder surgery. ;)
 
People should be ashamed carrying on with this petty one-up-manship when there are people with genuine problems looking for help on this forum.:mad:
 
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