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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

London Hospital for childbirth... Kings College / UCL?

16 replies

HereComesDaddyCool · 07/12/2013 20:46

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on the quality of care at King's College in Camberwell, and/or UCL in Euston?

My partner was asked by the doctor to decide on the hospital at her first appointment. This seems a really important decision to make so early on. I understand we can change our minds at any point, but ideally, we'd like to have consistent contacts and carers.

From what I've read it sounds like these are both really good hospitals. But of course, this being the internet, there are also plenty of scare stories out there...

Would be great to hear your experiences!

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TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 07/12/2013 20:48

I think they are both as good as each other so would base it on how easy and convenient it is to get to antenatal appointments and to the labour ward when the time comes.

FrumiousBandersnatch · 07/12/2013 21:36

Where do you live? They are quite far apart so I would agree with tondelayo and prioritise ease of access., both for your partner in late pregnancy for her midwife appointments and for the journey when she's in labour. Check how long it takes to get there in rush hour!

I had an excellent experience at kings. The prenatal screening dept under Prof Nicolaides (sp?) is world-class and three scans are routine, at 12, 22 and 32 weeks. I don't know if this is the case at UCH.

Kings have also just built ( or are building, don't know if they're finished) a mini midwife-led unit with pools etc, so it's worth asking about this if it interests you.

Finally, I assume that you come under Kings's catchment if your doctor has told you that it is an option but do check; it is a very oversubscribed hospital and they have tightened up their catchment in recent years.

Original poster

HereComesDaddyCool · 07/12/2013 22:10

Thanks so much TondelayoSchwarzkopf and FrumiousBandersnatch. Well, we actually live separately at the moment, in Camberwell and Caledonian Road - but we'll be moving in together (possibly in Camberwell) in the next few months ;)

Good to hear you've had such good experiences at King's. Thanks again!

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TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 07/12/2013 22:44

No worries - didn't give birth in either but friends have had positive experiences in both. However I need to pick you up on this point:

ideally, we'd like to have consistent contacts and carers

This would be unlikely in a busy London hospital - your community midwife should be consistent but otherwise prepare to see plenty of people.

Original poster

HereComesDaddyCool · 07/12/2013 23:08

Thanks! Yes, I think I meant the midwife. I only found out I'm going to be a father last Saturday... I'm still getting used to the vocabulary ;)

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grove10 · 07/12/2013 23:51

I'm still very early on in my pregnancy (only had 1 appt so far) but chose UCLH as it's one of the few London hospitals to offer a growth scan at 33wks and also has one of the best neonatal units in the country although you hope you'd never need it. However it's an incredibly busy hospital and doesn't seem you get v long appts with the MWs.
From Camberwell Kings is a lot nearer although I think people come to UCLH from all over London & it certainly isn't my most local. Yes, it's difficult to make the decision so early on but as you say you always have the option of changing hosp if you're not happy later on.

Tubemole1 · 08/12/2013 03:27

Basing experience of seven years ago, avoid KCH.

Things might have changed now back then it was a disorganised mess.

Original poster

HereComesDaddyCool · 08/12/2013 10:32

Thanks for your thoughts grove10 and Tubemole1! I think I will try to visit both hospitals to get a better feel for them :)

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islingtongirl · 08/12/2013 15:21

I gave birth at UCLH in August and had a good experience. The midwife who was with me for most of the birth was lovely and we felt we were in very safe hands. Was always a bit reticent about the Post natal wards as London hospitals are so busy but it was fine and we were out in less than 24 hours. Community midwives from UCLH also v nice. They are both excellent hospitals though, my friend had her baby at King's and also full of praise (planned c-section). I don't know about King's but at UCLH I had an extra growth scan at 33 weeks which was routine but I don't think many other hospitals do it. It actually picked up that DD was a bit small so they did some extra monitoring which was reassuring.

islingtongirl · 08/12/2013 15:22

Ps I see grove has also mentioned the growth scan!

DirtyDancing · 08/12/2013 19:59

I am due any day and am under Kings. My husband & his brother and my niece and nephew (hubby's) side were all born there.

No experience of the actual labour ward yet(!) but the anti-natal car has been outstanding. You receive scans at 12, 20 and 32 weeks, and they were very through. We had to have an extra heart scan and growth scan and we got appointments very quickly (with in 1 day and 2 days respectively) I also went to the foetal monitoring unit one afternoon as I had not felt the baby move for a while and they saw me immediately.

They are opening a midwife- led birthing unit any day now too.

DirtyDancing · 08/12/2013 20:04

Ps I think you'll struggle to visit Kings, they don't tend to allow visits as standard. There is a video on You Tube you can view instead. The best (sneaky) way to see it is to go to the water birth talk which is on every other week and afterwards you get to see a birthing room!

CrispyFB · 08/12/2013 21:21

The medical care at Kings College is second to none if you're a high risk case. It's pretty average if you're not (although you do get far more detailed scans and they base those on more recent research)

The postnatal ward was the worst hospital experience of my life, and I've had quite a few. Mainly thanks to a minority of midwives being lazy, insensitive and making basic errors. Some of the midwives there were lovely, but they could not undo the damage the bad ones did.

UCLH is also a very good hospital by all accounts in terms of medical care and decent scans, but I have not tried it out.

Original poster

HereComesDaddyCool · 09/12/2013 09:14

Thanks islingtongirl, DirtyDancing + CrispyFB! This is all good to hear. Thanks for the tip on visiting DirtyDancing! I watched the video on youtube and will try to catch the water birth talk, too :)

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toomanywheeliebins · 11/12/2013 22:33

Kings are leaders in the world on scanning babies. Their professor developed the nuchal scan and people pay alot of money to see him privately. You get a scan at 32 weeks as part of a trial. I was very low risk so it was a bit OTT but I did it because it was important to be supportive of research. Kings has a high rate of home births- everyone I know had one- including me. The care is simply out of this world. Utterly amazing before, after and during birth.

FrumiousBandersnatch · 12/12/2013 14:22

I believe that the 32-week scan is now routine at King's. It enables them to detect any potential issues and is therefore cost-effective.

You are offered an internal scan at 12 and 22 weeks so that they can measure your cervical length. They have found a correlation between a shorter length and a higher risk of pre-term delivery. It's also often the clearest method of scanning at 12 weeks, depending on the baby's position.

OP, I'd really recommend that you and your partner find a place to live where you are happy and start making friends. It is so important that your partner has a local support network when the baby comes. This will then dictate the hospital for you - as I said, Kings won't book you in unless you're in catchment.

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