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Birth clubs

St Thomas' or May Day?

12 replies

NKffffffffabb5cedaX11482eaf96b · 20/08/2007 12:01

Hello,

I'm booked to have my baby in November at St Thomas' but as I have recently moved to South Croydon I am being told by my GP that I should transfer to May Day, however, St Thomas' are happy to keep me as I have already registered and had both my scans there.

I have been reading the posts but there seems to be mixed reviews with regards to May Day. I don't want to go there as my friend had a really bad time and has vowed never to step foot in the hospital again but the problem I have is when I go into labour as my partner doesn't drive and I've been told that an ambulance won't take me to St Thomas' (I do have my friend and Mother in law on call). Am I being selfish and potentially putting my baby at risk by travelling from South Croydon to Westminister as I am fully aware that things can go wrong, all because I've heard bad things about May Day?

Sorry for the ramble but as the time is getting nearer I'm starting to panic! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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serenity · 20/08/2007 12:08

Hmmm difficult one. Now, I live in Streatham so nearer MayDay than St Thomas', but far nearer St T than you, and I chose St T's because I'd heard a lot of bad things about MayDay, and my DH doesn't drive either so my Mum had to come from Tatsfield (about 10 miles outside Croydon) to take me to hospital. However, I know quite a few people who have been fine in MayDay, both for routine ops and maternity - it's not as bad as it's sometimes painted. If you really want to avoid MayDay I'd consider East Surrey Hospital in Redhill instead. I've heard very good things about it and it will be easier for you to get to than St T's. HTH

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NKffffffffabb5cedaX11482eaf96b · 20/08/2007 13:29

Thanks for your reply Serenity. My doctor seems intent on making me go to May Day but I'm happy at St Thomas'. If anything goes wrong and I need to go to May Day as an emergency I will. Just hope I don't go into labour in rush hour, so I'm not sat in the car, in pain, for hours!!

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Bessie123 · 20/08/2007 13:50

It's you who is having the baby, not your doc. You should do whatever you are happiest with.

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Rachel1963 · 20/08/2007 15:15

I had my baby at St Thomas', having been booked in there while we lived in Clapham. We then moved to (north) Croydon when I was about 6 months but I stayed at St T's and it was fine, although a bit of a pain having to go to Clapham for my antenatal appts then trek back out to Norwood. All that happened once I'd had DS was that I was transferred to the Croydon system for community midwives and HVs, and the system seemed to work smoothly, I certainly didn't fall into a black hole! Have heard very mixed things about Mayday, but I think a lot of that depends on the luck of draw, which midwife you get on the day, etc and that's probably the case everywhere (labour ward at Tommys was great, postnatal was a nightmare). It's your choice though, not your GP's.

Good luck whichever you choose to do!

PS - there's St Helier and Epsom as options as well, on the south side, but I suspect it will be harder to transfer from St T's to somewhere which isn't Mayday than just to stay put.

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mrsbabookaloo · 20/08/2007 15:31

I had my baby at St T's and thought it was very, very good. Worth travelling for, I think. And if you feel better and more confident staying there, then do that. Also, of course i can't predict how your labour will go and anything might happen, but in most cases labour takes forever and ever so you'll have time to drive to Westminster and back many times before you get into "established" labour.

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pinkdelight · 06/09/2007 08:25

Rachel1963 (or anyone else who can help) - I'm going to be in the same situation as you were. Moving to Norbury just before the due date, but planning to stick with St Thomas's rather than switching to MayDay for the birth. My question is about the handover to Croydon for the midwife visits after the birth. How did you manage to sort this so smoothly? Do St Thomas's staff sort it out or did you have to speak to someone at Croydon? I may be moving too late to register with a Croydon doctor, so if it is all managed by the hospital, that would be great! Hope you can reassure me...

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lauramichaels · 06/09/2007 13:12

Hi,

Came across this site, looks very helpful, shame there are not many users reviews here, but good and comprehensive overview of the services available at the birth unit.

[http://www.babyfy.com/index.php/hospital-review/2694/London/Mayday-Hospital--Croydon/]
[h ttp://www.babyfy.com/index.php/hospital-review/2808/London/Guys---St-Thomas-Hospital/]

Hope that helps,

Laura

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Carmenere · 06/09/2007 13:16

I was the same as you, I was in StT's and then moved to Purley and had dd in May-Day. I wish I had stayed in StT's tbh.

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Furzella · 06/09/2007 13:40

I had dd2 in St Thomas's after a ghastly experience at Guys with dd1. St Thomas's was great - excellent doctors, clean, kind and skilled midwives. No idea on Mayday i'm afraid but there's a lot to be said for St T's - and incidentally i'd moved to nearer St George's then and my doc suggested changing but i stuck with St T's and was glad. As with aprevious poster I just transferred to the local HVs etc aftet the birth.

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pinkdelight · 06/09/2007 15:14

But how did you tranfer to the local service after the birth? Did someone sort it out for you or did you have to contact someone to make it happen? I'd be grateful for the lowdown.

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Furzella · 06/09/2007 15:46

I registered with a local GP before the birth and they sorted it out. The local HV contacted me in the week after the birth. It was all very straightforward.