Mumsnet Talk

I am 18 weeks pregnant and have put down to have my baby in Mayday Hospital in Croydon, South London. You always get ususal people saying oh don't go there! Etc......
Just wanted to know if anyone has had their baby at Mayday recently and what its like. The birth is scaring me as it is!!!

My sister had her babies there. She said the labours were fine, but the aftercare for her first DS (born Jan 2000) was awful. They ignored her pleas for help with breast-feeding while helping others who had had previous children. They were so rude that when my mum turned up to visit her, she found her in tears. My mum being a nurse, tore strips of them and they were ok after that.

Her 2nd DS was born Feb 2004 and it was a much better experience post-natally.

Therefore, I would assume things have improved.

Good luck with the baby.

Samcattie

I had both of mine at St Helier in Carshalton. I thought the midwives were brilliant. It is quite near to you so am sure you could request it. Haven't heard much about Mayday I am afriad.

Blossomhill, I had my DS at St Helier (Aug 2001) - excellent care.

Am having homebirth in May with a fab midwife from there as well.

Poshpaws - really! You must live near me then

Wallington. Work in Sutton (unfortunately back today).

Born and bred Croydon girl, though

Oh Poshpaws how strange as I am off to face Asda in Sutton in a minute!

Good luck. Very brave of you.

Thanks
I don't have a choice as we have no food at all!

Blossomhill - I did ask if I could request what hospital I can go to as I had my first scan at Kings College - which I was really impressed with. But my midwife was quite rude and abrupt with me and said I have to choose Mayday, otherwise I would've thought about St Helier

Hi SamCattie, Poshpaws little sis here. Yes she is correct in what she has described. After ds1 now nearly 5yrs, I really had an awful time with the after care (not during the birth midwives there were excellent). My face didn't fit day after day I asked for help with breast feeding and was told not to stress because baby can feel my tension, but was offered no other help. He screamed constantly because he wasn't having enough milk, but I didn't know being a first time mum. They wouldn't help me when he screamed or offer any useful advice. Everyday dh and mum would turn up and everyday I was in floods of tears, I just wanted to go home. They never changed my sheets I had to go and ask while they happily changed othjer womens sheets whose faces they obviously liked. There was only one night nurse on my last night who took him and bottle fed him when he woke and kept him with her so I could get some sleep and I couldn't thank her enough. 3 days of awfulness I couldn't pack my bags quick enough to get out of there. I couldn't shower properly as they showers were broke. With ds2 only 10 months ago things had improved, the whole maternity section had a face lift showers e.t.c worked, newly painted walls and cleaner toilet areas. Midwives during labour were excellent again, after care was better but I think second time round I knew what I was doing so didn't need any help but they were polite and helpful this time if I needed it. So I would say have you baby there after my second experience, if I only had the first to go on I would shout from the rooftops DON'T GO THERE!!!!!

Samcattie - Kick up a stink. You have the right to choose where you have your baby. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!!! xxx

Thanks Moosh, glad to hear things have got better there now. I know from a few years back that the hygiene wasn't up to scratch. In fact my friend was giving birth and saw a cockroach rin across the floor! (Unless that was the drugs making her see that!!!_ I think I wlll ask my midwife when I see her next if I can have a tour of the maternity unit!

I would've kicked up a stink but being new to all this, I thought you have to have the baby in the borough you live in? I was so impressed with Kings College, but when the midwife told me matter of factly I can't choose that hospital I went with what she said. And to be honest she was quite scary so I daren't argue with her!!!

SamCattie: I had ds1 at Mayday (May 2001) and aftercare was pretty bad - not just at the hospital but with the visiting midwives afterwards. We moved before I had ds2 so I can't comment on whether it has improved, but I can say that the difference in care I received with ds2 at a different hospital was phenominal.

Sorry this isn't a more positive post

I had DS1 and 2 there (nearly 6 and 4 years ago). TBH, I found it OK both times. It was refurbihed between DS1 and 2 and was infinitely better 2nd time round. From what I remember, it's pretty good for the birth, it's just post natally that it falls down and this is true of many other hospitals too. My postnatal midwives were all great so that must be luck of the draw. Never saw any cockroaches though!

In thoery you do have the choice of where you want to give birth but I think, historically, too many were opting out of Mayday. You can go to East Surrey instead but this depends partly which side of the borough you're on.

I had both of mine at Mayday - ds1 was emergency c/section, ds2 was elective. Whilst not 5 star luxury it certainly didn't live up to the horror stories that I had heard! It does have a very good SCBU and Neonatal care unit. The breastfeeding adviser is excellent, as is the weekly b/feeding clinic that they hold there. I would definitely recommend taking a tour - if you go on the "open" one on Thursday lunchtimes (rather than the one as part of the parentcraft classes) you will find mainly 2nd and 3rd time mums, and the Q&As are very illuminating.

Postnatal care seems to vary considerably according to where you live in the borough - it improved considerably once I moved further south.

It does seem to be VERY difficult to avoid Mayday if you are in Croydon borough, and I know several women who have had to go as far as writing to their MPs to get an alternative option - IMO that is just blowing up the issue out of proportion, but each to their own.

It's a large hospital and the birth rate is very volatile - Ds1 was the only baby born in one 12 hour shift, whilst ds2 was the 9th c/section on his birthday (and I don't know how many natural births there were that day!).
Booking a sideroom will give you peace and quiet but will also leave you further away from midwives.

Yes I read in the pamphlet that was given to me that you can pay (£40 i think) for a private room as long as it's not used for emergency. I think I would like to opt for this of poss. Still baby isn't due to make an appearance until May, so I have a little while to decide!

SamCattie - I haven't got any experience of Mayday maternity but a friend of mine is a bf counsellor there and volunteers in the clinics. If you want to CAT me I could put you in touch with her - I'm sure she'd be more than happy to chat with you!

SamCattie before I had ds2 10 months ago, I went on another tour of the dept and at that time they were not using the rooms that you have to pay for. That is what we were going to opt for but there wasn't enough midwives/nurses to look after mothers in that wing so it wasn't being used. It may have changed in 10 months, alot does, so when you have a tour check that they have reopened the paying rooms again.

I had my baby at Mayday in 1988! He's 16 now. I found everything to be fine and didn't have any problems at all but that was a long time ago. My father was admitted to Mayday more recently and received appalling treatment, but that wasn't anything to do with the maternity unit. I know that's not much help, but good luck!

Message withdrawn

i had both mine at mayday... lol nearly 18 years ago and 15 years ago... i found the experience not at all bad and the midwives were very nice.

however, i am sure things may have changed.

trouble is, it depends where you live and how reasonably you can get to the maternity unit when labour starts. its no good choosing a hospital that you cant get to very quickly... these things can happen fast!

on another note, it hacks me off greatly that the midwives in croydon and sutton/ epsom are not very "pro active" in offering other help and advice to women.

i am a reflexologist, based in coulsdon, specialising in maternity treatments. i have written, had meetings, phone calls etc in the hopes that the midwives will mention me to pregnant women, in order for them to know i exist and can offer help with pregnancy related problems... but NADA!

i just think if i have something to offer their ladies, that can help, you'd think they would mention it during routine appointments?

so ladies, just for good measure (in for a penny!) do have a read... and dont think i have ulterior motives i just want to help.

I had both mine at mayday 4 years ago (dd) and 8 months ago (ds). On both occassions I found the midwives on the labour ward very good. With ds I had a fantastic mw. However the aftercare was terrible. With dd I was on a ward, and tbh I had more help with dd and breastfeeding from the other mums on the ward than the midwives. With ds I asked for a private room and it was wonderful in terms of getting more peace and quiet than on the ward. The room was clean, and the toilet and bathroom were fine. Once again help with bf was pants but I found the bf clinic they ran on fridays there v good.

I would advise you to go to the Parenting Classes at Mayday as a start to get a feel for the place. I am doing them there at the moment. The midwife did say that what they get complaints about most is the aftercare.

The other thing to consider is having the baby at home instead. I have just decided to do this. This is not because I am too scared to go to Mayday particularly , just distrust the hospital system generally. Statistically it is just as safe to have your baby at home as it is in hospital, so it is worth a thought. I discussed it with the midwife who runs the parenting class I go to at Mayday and she was very positive and said it could easily be arranged. You get two midwifes, no cockroaches,a shower that works and your own clean bed to sleep in afterwards. You don't have to decide until 36 weeks, so you could always make a switch to a home birth later on, if you can't still don't like the thought of Mayday by then.
Good luck!