King George Hospital, Ilford

[Kaybee7777]

Hi
i am booked into King George Hospital to have my baby. Does anyone know if you can have a water birth there, or labour in the water??? Has anyone had a baby there and can tell me how they found the staff etc....
Why can't hospitals have more useful websites!!!!

I'm no help I'm afraid, but I'm having my first baby at King Georges, due on the 4th Feb. I'd be interested to hear any opinions on this as well.

bump

I do know that you can go along on a Tuesday at 3.00 (I'd check this if you decide to go, it was a while ago that the midwife told me this) and they will give you a tour and answer any questions that you have. I am thinking of doing this in a few weeks when I have the day off work.

Oh thanks, I guess that would be a good idea to do. I am due in 6 weeks so need to get myself sorted out! I am doing NCT antenatal classes and not the hospital ones, so don't really have much to do with the place.
I gather you live around Ilford area?

Oh you don't have long to go then, how exciting. I am due to do NCT classes next month, did you find them useful? I'm in South Woodford. How about you?

Wow, I am in South Woodford too!!!
Actually, I am due to do the ante natal classes at the end of this month, 29th Oct and 5th Nov. Leaving it a bit late I know but they were the only ones available!

I have been lurking on mumsnet for a while, but this is the first time I have been brave enough to post! I've been keeping an eye out for people in the area, and there don't seem to have been any mentions, so it's nice to hear from someone so close.

No there don't seem to be many around here. I have been in contact with a couple, but then they just disappear - I guess that's the nature of Mumsnet!!
I lurked around quite a bit at first, but have found a couple of chat threads now that i post on, it's not too scary
There is a central london chat thread, we are meeting up next Friday morning, don't know if you are interested in meetups or not.....

I think the reason I tried to be restrained is that I had a feeling that when I started I wouldn't be able to stop, which I feel might have happened.

Yes, I would definitely be interested in meetups. I'm 30, so no spring chicken, but the first of my friends to be having a baby, so it would by lovely to meet up with other mums and mums to be in the area.

I'm still working full time at the moment though, so could only take part in any that were evenings or weekends.

I am 31. I am from NZ and I don't have any friends here with children, and no family (except inlaws but it's not quite the same) so I guess that's why I am quite keen on meeting people who have children/are pregnant.

Just checked through my hospital notes and there's a note from my midwife saying something about hospital tours Tues at 3.30pm, so might give them a call to confirm and go along on asap!

It's true, once you start posting on mumsnet it's very hard to stop!!!!!!!

I've only been to King Georges for my first scan and to get the results of the blood tests, but from what I have seen they are pretty organised. I was really given the choice between Whipps Cross and King Georges, but I had heard a couple of bad reports about Whipps Cross. However the doctor did say that neither is better than the other really, it just depends on the day, how busy it is and how nice the mid-wife is.

I am from Derbyshire originally, so no family locally either, although with you being from NZ, you probably class family 2.5 hours up the M1 as local.

If you go along to the tour, I'd be interested to know what it was like, and whether you thought it was worthwhile.

Yeah I had to chose between those two as well, and there seemed no difference (although having been there a few times now and battling traffic on the A12, DH is keen for me to switch to Whipps cross!)
If I do go on Tues I will let you know what it's like

Yes the A12 can be a nightmare. My dh has a plan already to avoid it if it is at rush hour.

Yes do let you know, that would be great. If you think it's worthwhile, I might go along myself.

How long have you lived in South Woodford?

We moved here in April, so not that long really. How about you?
I think that's what we need to do, figure out an alternate route to King George that doesn't involve the A12

You can go along the high road to Buckhurst Hill, turn right at the double roundabout and go through Chigwell- there are a few ways, it is quite a bit further in terms of distance, but should be quicker at rush hour. It would be awful to be in labour and stuck in traffic, at least that way you can keep moving!

We've been there about 18 months, but lived in the area for about 4.5 years now.

We might start trying out a couple of new routes to test them out.
Do you know if there are many mother and baby type groups in South Woodford. I often see heaps of pushchairs outside the health centre, so am guessing there must be something on in there. Not sure how you find out about that kind of thing!

I don't know yet I'm afraid, haven't started looking into things like that yet. I'm sure your midwife will be able to tell you about them.

Just got back from the tour of the labour ward. It doesn't last long, only half an hour, but I think it is worth going to.
They show you the labour rooms (if they aren't all in use like they were today!) and the room with the birthing pool. There weren't any women screaming which was a good sign!
They explain a bit about things and also show you the suite you go to after you have given birth...

bump, have you disappeared Chrysalsmum ?

please...if anyone is due to give birth here..don't its terrible!