Midwife led care in London-St Thomas? (private)

[monkeysmama]

I had dd in the Lansdell at St Thomas with the mid wife led care team and had a brilliant experience. I know the mid wife led care team there doesn't operate there anymore so am looking for alternatives in London.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Would you not consider consultant led with option of private MW support for post
Natal? Did that with dd1 and dd2 next week and found that consistency of Care has been great ESP after birth. So you don't know which MW you have at birth but consultant knows your birth plan
So I think it still works quite well.

The other suggestion made to me was that hiring a MW to attend with you as doula/coach (I think they can't be part of
Birth actively). You do get the care and someone who you know with you. I like consultant led as have difficult history but the other option worked brilliantly for friend in sw London who wanted the MW led approach .

Thanks for your replies. I am looking at the consultant led option but the most important thing for me with dd was having the same midwife visit me at home and with me during labour. I am sure it was a major factor in my "simple", "quick" labour. How does the consultant led work? Do you have to go there for each appointment? I have a difficult history too but this is a low risk pregnancy. Thanks again - I really appreciate it.

St Thomas's was the only MW led care that offered home appointments (I was signing on the dotted line in 2010 when they shut the facility down!). All the other London hospitals have the private facilities (where applicable) but the care is at the hospital and there is very little/no postnatal care.

I ended up having a private midwife who came with me to St Thomas's but did all my ante and post natal care at home (for 6 weeks after DC2's birth). She says she gets lots of referrals from women who are unimpressed by the lack of follow up and support from private consultants. Not great when a private natural birth is about £12k, and an IM is £3k!!

Very helpful - thank you. So did you go to the NHS part of St Thomas or pay for Lansdell and private MW? Would you recommend her? Thanks again.

I strongly disagree on follow up with consultant -consultant referred me for
Mc tests and also did genetic etc tests when lost a baby due to abnormalities. It's not quite same as mw follow up but cannot say I have lacked for
Care before or after any of my pregnancies jncl the mc.

monkey - I transferred back to the NHS side and then had the independent midwife with me throughout labour and she left at about midnight when DC2 had successfully latched. She had done an earlier labour with the same St. Thomas's midwife who welcomed her with open arms - whilst she wasn't able to get medically involved, my IM monitored the monitors as such and took cord blood on our behalf. I left the next morning and she came to visit me at home and did so every day for the next 2 weeks to check on me and the baby. After the two weeks, she came once a week (but would have come more if I needed) until my 6 week check.

Gigondas As I understand it, post birth, a consultant sees you on the ward round and once you are discharged from hospital, then you go back for the 6 week sign off? For most women, this is not enough support. The difference in price is OTT in my opinion when in an uncomplicated pregnancy, the consistency of care is probably the most important.

Chocolate biscuit- that is basic but can see them more if needed. Also i suppose I am posting from different perceptive in that I needed more antenatal care so that side of it is more important to me.

Your mw support sounds similar to my friends (also I get same level of post natal support from postnatal mw but she isn't at birth but as I have consultant there that suits me). I think some hospitals are fine with mw being there as you described but it's something to check as not all hospital/mw may be ok on other people being at Birth.

Oh and a private natural birth more
But not that much more at lansdell.

Thanks for your replies. ChocolateBiscuit - is it cheeky to ask for your IM's name?

I will let you know how I get on. Good luck Gigondas.

Can strongly recommend South London Independent Midwives.

They delivered 2 of my babies and have looked after several other mumsnetters who post on this board, who have raved about them too!

here

If you want to pm me I can answer any questions about my experience with this practice.

That looks really interesting, thank you. I am in South London and am going to get in touch. My main question is how they work if I don't want a home birth? I want to have my baby in hospital and am being put under some pressure to decide which one! Chocolate's post has reassured me somewhat, but I wonder if they have a relationship with specific hospitals. Thanks again - I really appreciate it.

Would you consider NHS if you were under the care of a MW team that works on a caseload basis? e.g. the Valley team who cover SW16 and work into St Thomas's. I've had two babies with them and excellent care. Same midwife all the way through, home appointments etc...

Definitely - I just want to have the same midwife for my pregnancy and labour!

And the only other consideration is that it needs to be in / near to SE London as my edd is during the Olympics and as a Host Borough the road closures will be challenging!

The ones shagmund recommends are the ones my friend raves about - hth!

Ah ok! I'd ring the antenatal depts at St Thomas's and Kings and ask whether either has a caseload team operating in your area then ask to transfer your care to them.

Best of luck.

Really helpful. Thanks.

The South London I Midwives are on holiday for my edd

I have details of another who used to work at st Thomas - she acts as doula/post natal MW but is flexible in her approach . Pm if you want details

South London Independent Midwives are now working as Neighbourhood Midwives and have full insurance!! www.neighbourhoodmidwives.org.uk/index.php