St Mary's Hospital in London

[Nausica]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering if anyone has any recent experience of St Mary's maternity unit in London.

My GP told me that I need to choose between it and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Since I'm not from here, I don't really know how to make this choice. On this forum, I've read my interesting comments on C&W, but haven't found much on St Mary's. I'd really appreciate to hear your experiences and opinions on that.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Margo

[minervaitalica]

Hello!

I was at St. Mary's on consultant care in 2008 and I have no complaints at all - in fact given that my daughter was very prem and I ended up back on the post-natal ward due to antibiotics-resistant mastitis, I thought the care we got was second to none.

Ante-natally, I got my appointments on time and was seen quite often (and in general they made me feel that I could go back more often if I needed to see someone). I had to be seen by a consultant due to a previous condition of mine which is not very well known/researched, so there was some debate amongst consultants - but there was never any doubt in my mind that I was in good hands in that respect too.

In terms of the birth, I arrived as an emergency case at 7:35pm at 29 weeks. A consultant and a paediatrician team was assembled in no time and I gave birth at 7:45pm. DD was very ill but every effort was made to help me have a "normal birth". They made sure I could touch her as soon as she was born, and I even got to hold her for a few secs before she had to be taken into intensive care. The care she got there was fantastic. I was given a single room that night so that I did not have to share the room with other babies (as I could not have mine close to me!). DD is now healthy and well!

As I was fine after the birth, I asked to be discharged the morning after - no probs. Unfortunately I had to be re-admitted in the postnatal ward a few weeks later with really bad mastitis (I was really ill and had to stay for a week), and frankly I cannot fault the care then either.

Having said all that, I have heard that since they had to close their midwife-led brand new unit because of 2 stillbirths - however I do not know enough about it to comment.

My friend did go to C&W - she had a very complex pregnancy and had to spend most of it in bed... She had no issues with that either.

[minervaitalica]

Sorry I meant to say she had no problems at the C&W either!!!

[ursigurke]

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and booked in St Mary's. I've heard lots of good things about it and that they have the second best care (after Queen Charlotte which is a maternity hospital I think) and so far I haven't heard that they had to close the brand new birthing centre. A couple of weeks ago I had met a women who has done a tour of it and was really looking forward of giving birth there (I couldn't see it as all tours are cancelled because of swine flu danger)
I'll have my next appointment with the midwife on friday, so hopefully I'll get some information. So far I'm satisfied with the antenatal care I've got. The midwives are nice, and all appointments are very well scheduled, I never have to wait for more than 10 min.

[CharleyChica]

I'm 30 weeks and booked in St Mary's too. My GP does NO antenatal care so all my appointments have been there. My experience has been that they're pretty busy so unless I have a 9am appointment (always try and go for the earlier ones if you can so the queue doesn't get a chance to build up) I tend to have to wait about 45 minutes past the appt time. They do the nuchal scan (some of my friends have had to pay privately for this because their local NHS antenatal care doesn't provide this) and the Glucose Test (for gestational diabetes) at 27 weeks - but then I'm sure most central London hospitals do (C&W would as well surely?).

I'm on Team Orange for the Midwives and they have all been lovely. I've not had the same midwife twice but the first midwife for my booking appt said Congratulations (which is nice) and the sonographer was v keen to sneak us extra pictures. The woman who does the blood tests is awesome - it's always the same person and I have terrible veins (in the past have ended up having to have it taken from my feet because they just collapse) and she has got it done first time every time with absolutely no pain.

I'm hoping to be in the Birth Centre:
"All five bedrooms are en-suite, with a double bed, mats, birth stools and hammock as well as a TV for the whole family to relax together and welcome their new arrival. Three of the bedrooms are fitted with corner baths and the others with a birth pool and wet room." Birth Centre www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/news/birthcentre_360/ but as I understand it you can only have gas and air as pain relief so if you are looking for anything above that you will be on the labour ward which is not so good from what I've read (only because being on a ward trying to sleep with x no of other new mums and crying babies is never going to be fun/relaxing).

As ursigurke said (Hi Ursigurke! Have you attended any of the hospital parenting classes? I start mine this Thursday) no tours at the moment due to swine flu but was advised that as part of the parenting classes the hospital offers we would get to see the birth centre so I signed up (in addition to doing NCT).

Hmmm...what else? They have a number of well-known paediatricians (Dr Teoh etc) who do private work as well for the Lindo Wing who all have v good reputations should (heaven forbid) anything go wrong during labour or be amiss with baby. And they are a teaching hospital so you might be asked if you will permit students to come in during labour (you can always say no if you don't want to).

If I think of anything else/find out more on Thursday will post again. Obviously can't compare with C&W - I chose St Marys because it is literally 5 minutes from home and I have had (non-pregnancy) treatment there before and felt it was good. I certainly feel they treat you as an individual and are friendly.

[CharleyChica]

Just found a picture of a room in the birth suite:

www.buildeasy.tv/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/birthsuite.JPG.w300h248.jpg

Hopefully the rooms still look as fresh 18 months on!

[AncaMB]

Hi Mamas,

I’m 5 weeks pregnant and i’m looking for a maternity hospital, could you please let me know if any of you knows or had any experience with
St Mary Hospital, Queen Charlotte or University College Hospital.

So many thanks

[Cheeriosnotcocopops]

I had my first baby at St Mary’s in 2020 (c section) and due to have my second there too in a couple of months. I’m consultant led but also see midwives regularly. I have nothing but good things to say about St Mary’s. The midwives and doctors are fantastic, very knowledgeable and caring. In my case I have a complex medical condition that is being managed throughout my pregnancy between obstetrics and another specialism and St Mary’s has been very good at doing the ‘joined up’ care side of things. The sense I get is that senior doctors are involved where appropriate and things seem managed well. My pain relief following the section was well managed, although the postnatal ward is busy, being a big London hospital.

I can’t comment so much on a natural midwife led birth as both of my pregnancies have been quite medicalised.

They maintained their ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating in their recent inspection too.

[minsi]

Hi, looking for more feedback from
more recent experiences of giving birth at st Mary’s and Queen’s Charlotte’s. Due to pre existing conditions and past surgical history I’ve been advised I will have a caesarean. Not sure if our insurance will cover- particularly interested in postnatal/ post op care. Thanks

[NWnature]

Hi @minsi I had a c section at Mary’s recently (1,5 weeks ago) I also had one there during Covid.

The medical expertise is very highly regarded there I think, which I found reassuring given I was really nervous about surgery.

Post op care was fine in the recovery ward but post natal ward was pretty hideous- I think that’s a relatively universal experience though. Marys as a building is very old fashioned so the wards are tired and they don’t have many private rooms available (not sure if charlottes is better in this respect?)

Overall I had a fine experience, was out within 24 hours of surgery.

good luck!