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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Hospitals in Surrey

22 replies

tweety89 · 18/09/2012 23:59

Hi,
I just found out I'm pregnant on my second child and I moved to Surrey last year (I've had my DD at Kingston hospital a couple of years ago; bad experience, emergency c-section and complications after birth). I've got 3 options: the Royal Surrey in Guildford, St Peter's in Chertsey and Frimley Park Hospital. Any recent experiences in any of these three?
Thanks!

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KatMumsnet · 19/09/2012 10:01

Hi OP, congrats on your pregnancy! We've moved your thread into Childbirth, hopefully you'll get some responses there.

imustbepatient · 19/09/2012 13:57

I used St Peters 2 years ago and will be using them again in about a month. They were great with first DC and am hoping for the same again. I can't speak highly enough about the midwives who delivered DC1. They do get very busy though (people were turned away on the night our DC was born - my heart went out to those poor women when I heard that later) because they deal with emergency / problem births for the area. A couple of friends had issues (although not super serious ones) with the hospital basically because the midwives were too busy to give them proper attention, but equally I know of other people (including SIL) who found them to be great also.

I think as with most hopsitals a little bit of luck comes into what you experience. You aren't due in the manic months of September / October though so I imagine you will be fine.

A friend is having her DC at Frimley and I believe they have a very good reputation but can't speak from personal experience. Another friend used Royal Surrey two years ago and was happy with the care.

Does the travel time help you to narrow it down?

Sophiathesnowfairy · 19/09/2012 20:59

I will watch this thread with interest as I am due to go to Frimley for dc4 but 1st time there. They seem super busy when I have been for antenatal appointments but I have heard that they are second to none!

PowerDresser · 19/09/2012 21:00

The Countess of Wessex was taken as an emergency for her first to Frimley Park so they must be some good.

Original poster

tweety89 · 24/09/2012 10:40

I've heard really good things about Frimley, not so good things about St Peter's and a couple of 'ok's about the Royal Surrey. I don't mind travelling, but I would like to give birth to a less busy hospital. Obviously in 8 months from now... :)

Do I have the option to pay for a room at St Peter's if I see that it gets too busy? At Kingston hospital, you can pay £100 I think and have your own room for a night. I wouldn't mind this either.

OP posts:

imustbepatient · 25/09/2012 16:34

St peters have private rooms but you can't pre book them (I believe this is the case for all nhs hospitals) hence if they are full when you arrive then you won't be able to have one.

Tigresswoods · 25/09/2012 16:39

I gave birth at Frimley park. We were happy & impressed. DH even wrote a letter to express his gratitude for delivery DS safe & sound & looking after me.

Good luck.

mummytime · 25/09/2012 16:47

Royal Surrey used to let you kindof reserve a room, but as you don't know when the baby will come unless its an ELCS, its very hit and miss if you actually get a room. I've known people happy with all 3, and it really depends on how busy it is when you go into labour. Although very busy can be good, as I had one child delivered by a supposedly off duty midwife, and another by the chief midwife.

howimetyourbrother · 25/09/2012 20:50

Had my PFB at Frimley Park last year. Fantastic midwife during labour who was brilliant at letting me just get on with things. Had side room on the post natal ward, which was great for peace and quiet but less great when needed help with breast feeding. Staff were lovely but were just a bit over stretched as the ward was so busy. Overall good experience.

Original poster

tweety89 · 25/09/2012 21:09

Thank you girls for your comments. Really helpful.
mummytime I'm actually going to ask to have ELCS because I had EMCS on my first, very bad 48 labour (had the EMCS 48 hours after my waters broke), got bad post-partum haemorrage, a very bad infection that lasted about 1.5 months, PND until almost 2 years later and I'm going to be 41 (if everything goes well) when I'm going to have the second baby, so it was a fairly easy choice to make. :)
imustbepatient, yes, it is the same for Kingston, although we didn't ask for it as we were by ourselves on the neo-natal ward because of all the post-partum complications I had and mainly because the midwives were scared that if my baby had an infection it would spread amongst the rest of the newborns...

OP posts:

BulletProofMum · 25/09/2012 21:11

I avoided St. Peter's despite living two miles away. Ds 1 was royal Surrey and the next two were at frimley. Frimley was fine.

MrsPaynie · 25/09/2012 21:34

I had DC1 at Frimley park, and all my antenatal care there with DC2 until I moved away. I have nothing but positive things to say about them. Caring staff, from drs, midwives even down to ward cleaners were lovely. The hospital always appeared extremely clean too. The one thing that really stuck out to me after having DC1 was that they were in no rush for you to leave and encouraged staying in one or two nights at least, but I also know people who left after a few hours and they were equally happy with that.

I had an awful experience with Guildford when I suffered my second mmc, the staff were rude and very inconsiderate to the fact I had just lost my baby and that put me off having any other children there.

HaggisNeepsTatties · 26/09/2012 17:26

I'm due to have my first at st peter's in a few weeks. So no experience so far of labour there, but have seen labour ward etc which seems fine and midwives have all been pleasant so far. They do also have the only level 3 NICU unit in Surrey.

Original poster

tweety89 · 27/09/2012 22:37

Saw the GP today, told her that I prefer Frimley and she was quite surprised. She's going to write to them because of the distance (even though I'm allowed to go there) but she told me that my book in app with the mw might be difficult because the surgery's midwives work with St Peters only (not even the Royal Surrey).

OP posts:

theressomethingaboutmarie · 28/09/2012 06:56

I highly recommend the Royal Surrey. I have had both of my children there (5 years apart) and the care I received was exemplary each time,

Original poster

tweety89 · 28/09/2012 19:23

If they don't have space for me at Frimley, I'll definitely be going to the Royal Surrey.

OP posts:

Sophiathesnowfairy · 29/09/2012 06:47

I was told yest they have to support your choice, this was by my midwife as I have swapped surgeries and i was concerned they would make me swap hosp. But they haven't and I am still Frimley.

shushpenfold · 29/09/2012 06:49

I had 2 of my 3 at the Royal Surrey - no problems, no issues - would have no hesitation in having more there (if I were so inclined!!!)

Biggem · 29/09/2012 13:38

I had a crap experience with dd1 BUT I am having dd2 there in a matter of weeks.
In hindsight I would have gone to the royal berks but DH is rubbish with directions so frimley is the safest bet!

Zacmummy · 04/11/2012 23:25

Tweety89. I had a planned c section at St. Peter's. I had a very good experience. I think St. Peter's are very good on that side of things. My friend had a planned section there too and had the same experience. I had heard bad things about it and almost changed to Frimley. (Before i knew i needed a planned section) The surgeon, midwives and anaesthetists were really fantastic. My scar is super neat. Doctors and midwives comment on how neat it is!(Op done by a woman that's why ha!) midwife was fab. (Took lots of photos on my camera) the anaesthetists chatted away to me taking my mind off everything that was happening! The aftercare wasn't brilliant (feeding help etc) but if its not your 1st not a major worry.

I feel awful saying it but in the last 6 months I have had 2 friends that had really bad experiences at Frimley. It did have a great reputation but that has definitely changed.

WandaDoff · 04/11/2012 23:32

I had 2 out of my 3 at Frimley park & they were fantastic.

I was born there as well actually.

Zhx3 · 04/11/2012 23:42

Hi OP, congratulations!

I had DD1 at St. Peter's in 2006. I was induced, and although the induction gel was supposed to be applied every 6 hours, it was more like 7-8 hours - midwife too busy, and "not keen on intervention".

I remember asking MW to help me with TENS machine and she said no, as I should "save it for when I really need it". Same response for gas and air. Paced around until 11pm when my waters broke. I kept mobile, but eventually begged MW to examine me at 4am when the pain was unbearable. She relented, found me to be 7cm dilated and got me up to labour ward (a room had only just been made available).

I asked for an epidural but didn't have one, as the anaesthetist was unavailable. I had written in my birthplan that I didn't mind being attended by students, and was therefore lucky in that I was attended by students for most of my labour. Didn't see a qualified midwife (apart from her popping her head in once or twice) until about midday, when dd was stuck (and had been for some time), meconium, and in distress. Had an epesiotomy very soon after that, and dd arrived. She was sent to SCBU immediately, and stayed there for 2 days, then 3 on the post-natal ward with me in transitional care.

SCBU was fantastic. My Mum wonders whether dd would have needed to be there at all, if there had been more "experienced" attention paid to me during my labour. I'm pretty sure if I had refused students I would have been on my own with dh for most of the labour.

I was put in a private room for the 6 days we were in, at a cost of £75 per night. I had BF sorted by the time I left, as dd was in transitional care once she left SCBU and therefore had a dedicated nurse, whom I buzzed everytime I needed to feed her.

If we hadn't moved, I'm not sure I would have chosen St. Peter's again. However, I don't know anything about the other hospitals in the area.

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