Malden Suite, Kingston

[CricketSoph]

Anyone used the Malden suite at Kingston? or wanted to but couldn't get in cus it was full at the crucial moment?

I want a home birth but midwife is plugging Malden as a better alternative. I'm trying to decide how much fuss to kick up or whether I'd be happy enough with Malden...

Thanks Pamina. I am already registered at Kingston - it never ocurred to me that I might not get in to Kingston, I was just concerned that Malden would be full and I'd end up on "normal" labour ward... whole new set of worries now!

Apparently they have 3 rooms on Malden now but only 2 have a pool.

Sorry to bombard you with questions Pamina but how long did they make you stay afterwards? Obviously I know that I'll need to stay if there's medical issues with me/babe but I've heard of first timers being forced to stay overnight for no good reason other than the paediatricion's (sp?) not available to check the baby... obviously if I was at home, there'd be no issue with being "allowed" to go home...and the doctor check would be done the next morning anyway.

yes I did - the labour was completely natural, just used gas and air. post natal was ok (DS was jaundiced) but not great.

Cricketsoph,
I just responded to your other post about Malden Suite and now spotted this one. After son 2 (born at hoome, but then went into Malden Suite for receovery), he "failed" a blood sugar test and we were told we needed to stay in for 24 hours for him to be monitored. All was fine, but then we were waiting for nearly another 24 hours for busy paed. to discharge us (exactly as you describe: and the less of an issue they think there is with you, the longer you wait to see them, ironically!). In the end, we discharged oursselves and they simply made us an appointment to go back to the hospital for an outpatients check with the paed a few days later. I would advise someone else to discharge themselves sooner if the midwives are not telling you there is any specific problem and it is just a formality, as it really wasn't an issue to have the appointment at outpatients 2 days later. (and we could have waited that long in the hospital, I reckon...)

Thanks minicommandant - thats was I assumed/suspected. Although my midwife told me that "they'd NEVER ask you to stay in just to be checked by a doctor" (with the tone of voice that implied i was a complete nutter) a friend of mine had her baby 3 weeks ago at kingston and ended up in a massive row to get out after 24 hours. There was nothing wrong or even suspected with mum/babe they were just waiting for the paed.

I wish my m/w wwould tell the truth about stuff like this rather than just saying what she thinks i want to hear...