"So very hit and miss"

It's hard to give an overall star rating as the triage unit and birthing centre are worlds apart. Having been in labour at home for 6 hours, the pain began to get strong so we went in to triage. I should say at this point, this is my second baby and I am an educated 31 year old woman - i.e. I knew I was in established labour, was not hysterical and was well prepared. Well, we were unfortunate enough to get a triage nurse who was utterly inept, arrogant and disrespectful. Using an exceptionally patronising tone, she informed be I was 0cm dilated, having Braxton Hicks and should go home. When I challenged this (I was 3 days overdue and in a huge amount of pain), she got very huffy. We went home where I began to get very worried I would end up giving birth at home, returned to hospital within an hour. I could barely walk by this point. My waters broke in triage and I was told I was 9cm and there was no time for pain relief. Thanks to this triage nurse, I was sprinted down the corridor in a wheelchair screaming - even the nurses were panicking the baby would be born in the lift. My husband was furious. They then proceeded to stand right by my face for the entire birth trying to justify her horrendous mistake. I had to ask her to leave. The birthing centre, however, was wonderful. The midwives there were - without exception - angels. So kind and supportive. This may have been due to them knowing how totally mismanaged my labour was (I had awful tearing as a result of the speed of the birth). But they were wonderful. My advice would be to go for the birthing centre but try to bypass triage if at all possible.