Hi there,

I think it's true...you can have a bad experience anywhere...doesn't matter if you are Spanish/British...in the UK or in Spain.
My experience was brilliant....absolutely NO complaints...ok, not all of the procedures were easy....but, since I have nothing to compare it with...I can't complain. Battered, but happy...I was walking around 2 hours after the birth. A Spanish friend of mine had a very bad experience at La Linea.
I was desperate for an epidural after 34 hours of contractions and with a twist in my spine, they still did it - brilliantly!!

An English friend of mine had a bad experience in an English hospital with the birth of her second, but a brilliant one with her first....She had an epidural with her second and they only managed to make one leg 'dead', otherwise, she felt nearly everything....and was in agony.

So....I think...(if you can!?)....more than checking what the hospital looks like...and language barrier permitting....closer to the time try and find out who will be on shift....and if they speak English...part of why my experience was so good...was I got a mid-wife (by total fluke), my age, who had spent a year working in London and her English was perfect...she was also REALLY nice, funny and great at her job! One pushed my tummy at the end...but only once I really had given up...I was knackered - 39 hours...I sort of went into shock, uncontrollable shaking...baby had crowned...bad time to freeze...but freeze is what I did!

My partner stayed with me all the time...slept in the room with me etc...baby was taken away - I could have kept her with me - I chose not to. I had no problems with bf-ing due to this....

Overall - great experience! Bueno!!

I hope all you expectant Mums' have the same!!

Take Care,
M x