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Birth clubs

Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

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Original poster

Anyone in Croydon NOT going to Mayday hospital?

86 replies

juliegillard · 04/02/2005 13:17

I'm only just over 7 weeks pregnant and had my first GP appointment today. She confirmed what I'd already heard - that if you live in the Croydon area you are practically forced to go to Mayday to have your baby.

Well I've already stated that under NO circumstances am I going to Mayday (I'm very keen on a home birth actually but dear husband is against it at present - I'm working on him!).

So assuming that I go to a hospital at all, it will NOT be Mayday. But to achieve this apparently I should start now with writing letters to all and sundry to try to get 'permission' to have my funding transferred elsewhere - i.e. Sutton so I can use St Helier, or Redhill.

Is anyone else in the situation? Has anyone successfully done this and got permission to go elsewhere?

Thanks
Julie

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Hanifah · 16/02/2007 16:45

Hi ladymuck, wats vbacs? was the postnatal care any good?

Ladymuck · 16/02/2007 16:56

vbac = vaginal birth after c/section. If you are "high-risk" you can't go to the mw led unit and a previous c/section counts as high risk.

They have a mw who specialises in feeding and she is fantastic - beats the local NCT counsellors hands-down. But you do have to ask to see her- it is not automatic.

I think that the postnatal care can be good, but it helps if you know what you want. Every mum is different - some don't want to be hearing loads of advice from mws, others do. So if you want the mws to help then ask. As a first time mum I wanted to be shown stuff but then to do it myself (and get out as quickly as possible!). Second time round I was very grateful when the mws offered to take ds2 during the night to let me sleep! The mums who seemed unhappy were those who either didn't know what they wanted or wanted the mws to read their minds!

There are a significant number of patients who either don't speak English or have English as a 2nd language. It does change the feel of the place.

staceym11 · 16/02/2007 17:00

i was at the birthing centre when i had my ds 14 weeks ago, it was brill, i'd prefer that to going to st helier, its horrible!

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:23

thanks for the quick response. Im considered "high risk" bcos of other medical probs ive had in past but thank God the pregnancy has been perfect.So Ive been told Ill be in the labor ward,not birthing centre. Im planning on breastfeeding too so Ill be glad of all the midwives' help!

staceym11 · 16/02/2007 17:25

well i was on labor ward with dd and wasnt impressed with mayday, hope someone can help in your decision!

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:30

What was bad abt it Stacey?were d midwives around during the birth?was it bad after?ive heard the postnatal words are overcrowded and horrible!?!How soon did they send u home?

staceym11 · 16/02/2007 17:36

the midwives kept dissappearing, they didnt seem to know what to do (had the same problem with ds's birth that i had with dds i couldnt feel urge to push, they told me to go on hands and knees with ds, he was born within 10 minutes, with dd they left me to it barely pushing she took 3 hrs!!)

didnt get any help with feeding on the post natal ward, dd ended up on bottles, i hated being in a room with others, and having to leave dd to go to the loo really wound me up. i didnt get a chance to have a bath after she was born till i got home the next day. they said they would discharge me at 7am (she was born at 5pm) they finally let me go at 2 pm!

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:40

wow!doesnt sound like a nice experience,at least i know what im in for now.Did they let ur birthing partner stay d whole time? Was there any chance of gettin a private room? I heard dat cud b possible if they have one available. Thanks

staceym11 · 16/02/2007 17:45

no one offered a private room and at 17 i wasnt brave enough to ask (was 2 years ago)

dh wasnt allowed to stay overnight but was allowed throughout the whole birth

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:52

oh u poor thing, i hope mine isnt so bad...maybe ill b lucky. I was hopin ud say it was yrs back bcos iv heard people say its improved overtime. Oh well..i guess not. Thanks 4 d advice

Ladymuck · 16/02/2007 17:53

You can prebook a private room though it depends on demand on the day (if they are quiet they will sometimes close one of the wards). It can be a matter of how busy the unit is. When ds1 was born he was the only birth that night, so I had almost too much attention! When ds2 was born he was one of 9 c/sections that day and I don't know how many natural births they also had.

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:59

wow so it really is luck of the draw!!!scary!

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 17:59

when u say prebook u mean when u first go there in labor isnt it?

Ladymuck · 16/02/2007 18:09

No, I filled in a form during pregnancy (just after the 20week scan I think), though I did also remind them when I was in labour and also once I had given birth!

Hanifah · 16/02/2007 18:09

oh ok thanks

Taichimum · 17/02/2007 12:31

Good luck at mayday. I have heard more good reports about the birth centre since my last post. However, since I can't go there (have had a c section) I have transferred to Kings.

peachygirl · 19/02/2007 13:02

Hi Croydon ladies
I got home yesterday so my experience of mayday is now very fresh in my memory. Although My C section was booked for Thurs baby Maya decided to arrive on Tues.

The actually labour ward bit was good I had a bit of hassle getting Dh home but when we got the hosp they were ready for us and a midwife stayed with us the whole time , before, in theatre and then in recovery. DH was with me the whole time.
The postnatal ward was ... OK. As Stacey has said already, it was busy. There were at least two ladies who had had twins in there. I felt the care was good but things did seem to take time ie you might ask for something and they said we'll be back soon and it might be two hours later. I got excellent support from the breastfeeding lady whose name is Felicia Wright We had difficulties with Maya and I got really upset and she rang me the next day from home and I will ring her again. She does a clinic in Mary ward Mon ? Thurs 10 ? 12 which you can drop into. We will probably go in later this week.
The food was OK and so was the cleanliness in fact they cleaned the room when I was in it. There were several student midwives around who were good for little jobs one changed the baby for me when I couldn?t move about so well.
I have felt since I came home that if you are quiet then you could be forgotten I do think they could have checked up on me more after we had our problems.
It did take ages for your discharge papers to be done too so you need to chivvy the along with these.
Hanifah I am currently on the Thornton Heath/ Croydon borders but we are moving to Purley in two/three weeks time (just what we need at this point in our lives!!) if you would like to meet for a coffee maybe with some other Croydon mumsnetters when your baby has arrived. We could do a meet up thread. There was a lady the other from waddon who was posting the other week but I didn?t want to reply as Maya wasn?t here yet.

Hanifah · 19/02/2007 15:40

Hey peachy, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! So how does little Maya look and wat did she weigh? I bet ur glad to be home with ur lil one. Im in east croydon(originally frm Dublin)but i knw thornton heath well(inlaws live there)and purleys not too far either. Hopefully wen my lil brat decides to make an appearance,lol, itd be great to start a meetup. Im sure ur exhausted at the mo, is this ur first baby? Im having a boy and we're planning on calling him Isa,just cnt wait now...Im not expecting much from mayday but at least they help u with breastfeeding,thats a bit of a relief. Well take care and good luck with your lil princess!

Debbsyandson · 19/02/2007 15:53

hi peachy so glad ive caught you i have been looking for the birth announcement but couldnt find it
how did you go?
What does Maya weigh?
How are you feeling?
hows dh coping?
lol so many questions but if i dont do it now i will forget.... love the name by the way gorgeous name
so happy and pleased for you both hun

sneeple · 21/02/2007 13:50

Hi all,

I'm Jo, I am a new to mumsnet Croydon based first time mum to be... so a lot to learn on all fronts! Didn't know where to start so thought I would introduce myself to people in the same area as me I live in Selhurst.

My due date is 31st May (I think it'll be more like 5th June tho) and I am hoping I will be allowed into the birthing centre at Mayday. Not that I have seen it, just heard about it.

Seriously, my midwife (such as she is) has not really spoken to me at all about choices, just taken my BP twice and that's about it! I had a heart defect when I was born (fixed at St George's when I was 6 and I am completely asymptomatic) so am worried they won't see me as low risk despite the fact I have had the all clear for a normal labour from a cardiologist at Mayday and due to get another all clear (I assume) from St G's next Weds.... sigh

Congrats Peachygirl :D At least if it does go the labour ward way I will know what to expect!

Hanifah · 21/02/2007 18:32

Hi there Jo, just to tell u i think u are right that u will be seen as "high risk" I am simply bcos of a B12 deficiency(I get injection every month or so)although are u seeing a consultant as well as midwife/gp? If you're not and u are seeing a regular midwife then perhaps u'll be able to go to the birthing centre. I see consultant/midwife at gp and no-one has looked at my birthplan at all...when I asked who'd be taken care of me the gp midwife said whoevers on call on the labor ward and that im "high risk" I thought that was funny cos Ive had no probs at all with pregnancy BUT I dont mind cos like to have epidural etc at hand just incase. Hope all is well with the pregnancy,Im just counting the days....

sneeple · 22/02/2007 09:43

Hi Hannifah,

Oh crap Yeah, I will have seen 2 cardiologists at Mayday and St George's and the consultant obstetrician at Mayday (next appt with her is 32 weeks).

Will try and get my m/w to spill when I next see her (Weds after next). And then try and force her to let me in the birthing centre!!

Wish me luck.

When are you due?

peachygirl · 22/02/2007 12:48

Hi Hanifah and sneeple Lovely to hear from another croydon mum. At the moment we are quite near selhurst but as said before of to purley when everyone in our chain gets thier act together!
All Maya's details are on my birth announcement but .. she was 5lb 9 born at 3.11 and she is our first baby. At the moment we are coping OK the breast feeding seem to be picking up and we haven't had to have formula for a couple of days now. I find lying down in bed the best.. but obviously I have to get the hang of sitting up as I can be lying down when I am out shopping {grin]
We are getting about 5 hours solid sleep in the nightime which is good.

Hanifah · 22/02/2007 13:09

Well done peachy,sounds like everythings going well, found ur birth announcement cnt blv the way it happened lol. Jo, Im due March14th but feel like I cnt go on anymore, really thought he'd be born in Feb but its not looking that way, even though hes been engaged for almost 4 weeks. Hopefully theyl let u in the birthing centre, Im hoping next time to get an independant midwife and have a home birth...but we'll see...might need all the drugs the hosp offers!

sneeple · 23/02/2007 15:02

Hannifah, best of luck with it all, I am already feeling like it is dragging and I am not due til June ;)

Did you go to antenatal classes in Croydon? I am booked on some Saturday ones at Mayday ANC (Active Birth and Preparation for Birth) plus a breastfeeding workshop but I feel like there should be more offered. Or is that it round here? ;) I should probably join the NCT!! The midwife mentioned "parentcraft" classes, but literally just said "are you aware of parentcraft classes" I said "no" and she was like "there are parentcraft classes" and ticked a box to say she had told me about them...

Awww Peachy sounds like you have a good baby, 5 hours sleep, nice

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