DId you give birth in Kingston hospital in th elast few years?

[MandaHugNKiss]

So, somethings been bothering me.

I had ds at kingston hospital - 12 years ago. I was also hospitalised six times when pregnant with him (placenta previa) and have to say all my experience there were very positive. When admitted when still pregnant, from 23 weeks I always had my own room (as if they were sensitive to the fact I could lose the baby) and from the moment I arrived to give birth, I was in my own room too.

I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant with another ds, and once again I have placenta previa! Two weeks ago I was admitted with bleeding. Initially in a room in labour and delivery before seeing the registrar and being moved to a six bed ward in antenatal. Three of the women there were in labour (the one opposite me literally wailing in agony, begging for an epidural - I heard two midwives talking about her/the fact they were waiting to move her to delivery and heard she was 6cms and would have to wail it out some more as the anesthesiologist wasn't available). After about an hour of dismay, thinking 'well, this is great - I predict not one iota of sleep' another midwife came to me and said they were moving me again (probably realising it wasn't ideal). I was taken next door to a two bed room (seperated by a curtain). As I lay there, I realised that this two bed room was actually one of the rooms I used to stay in with DS1. Was also interesting (disappointing ) to note on a leaflet in the Labour and Delivery reception that you can book an 'amenity room' for after delivery at £100 per night (to have your own space rather than share).

To get to the point I think what I'm wondering is, is Kingston now so overwhelminly busy that space issues/care compromise happens on a regular basis. I was looking forward to returning to deliver there a second time but I barely recognised the unit and am now concerned about how things will go this time. Perhaps what happened two weeks ago is an isolated 'extremely busy' night - but the fact that they've turned single rooms into two bed rooms says it's more of a long term issue/arrangement than that.

Also, I'm wondering if the fact I was recently shown to be group B strep positive means I may get a more private experience as my labour will be more managed with IV antibiotics (presuming my placenta moves up and away) and a period of observation of the baby post birth.

Just wondered if anyone has any more recent experience of Kingston than my 12 year old one!

[Trampoline]

I had my first baby at Kingston Hosp in January this year, in the midwife-led Malden Suite. The birth experience was fantastic, with fabulous young/motivated/proactive midwives, and I could not fault any of the care I received whilst in their hands.
Sadly the post natal care was another story...short staffed, and I assumed lots of casual agency staff. Morale was clearly low and many - not all - of the nurses didn't seem to care. I had a lovely en suite room to myself, which whilst lovely, was a bit isolating. The door had to be permanently shut, and there was not a window in the door - so I couldn't even catch someone's eye to ask a quick question. Anyway, i spent 2 nights in there (not the 6 hours which the literature states) as baby had some complications, and I was very keen to get home - frankly I wish I'd gone home straight after the birth as I got far superior care from the community midwives.

If you use Google, you will find that there have been some issues with the maternity care in Kingston since I was there in January - on the back of some midwives going to the local newspaper with a load of grievances. You will see Kingston Hospital's response to this on their website. It is no secret that Kingston hospital has a huge birth rate (something like 6,000 per year), and this is putting pressure on the system - when I was in labour and phoned to let them know, they kept telling me to stay at home for an hour..then another hour...then another hour. It was clear that there wasn't room for me. They - and I - were shocked to find that I was almost 9cm dilated when I got there!

Would I have a second baby at Kingston? First choice would probably be a home birth for next time if the birth is like my first one, but if there were complications, then yes I'm sure I would. The birth experience is what you remember afterwards, not the after care, which as I say was poor.

Good luck with your birth - I hope the placenta previa rights itself, and if not, I hope all goes well.