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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Kingston experience- midwife-led unit

9 replies

oremstango · 28/10/2006 08:30

I'm having my first child at Kingston in January and curious if anyone has used their midwife-led unit? As we can't visit the facilities I'm having a hard time in deciding whether this or the main ward will be the best fit for me, and any thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thanks-

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CricketSoph · 28/10/2006 10:37

If you ask your midwife, you may find that you are able to visit the Malden Suite (the midwife led unit).

I'm due next week (EEEK!) and booked into Malden. I was thinking about a home birth and as soon as I mentioned that to my midwife, a visit was arranged specially for me to the malden suite. It may be that my midwife is particularly anti-homebirth and was trying to do anything to dissuade me but it is possible to get a tour :-)

I'll try and post a mesaage with my experience of Malden/main delivery when babe arrives.

minicommandant · 28/10/2006 14:02

I booked in twice to the Malden Suite, but ended up having son 1 in the main ward (went into hospital cos was bleeding, so got no option to go to Malden) and son 2 born too quickly, so we hadn't even got to hospital, so he was born at home, but had "recovery" time in Malden Suite. I think you have nothing to lose booking in to the Malden Suite, as when you actually go into labour, you can still turn up at hospital and go onto the main ward. Ie, if after labouring at home, you're not sure you want an epidural-free environment, you don't have to go to the Malden Suite, just because you booked in there. I had a great experience on the main ward with son 1 with very supportive midwives and did not have an epidural (despite being on syntocinon) and stayed on my birthball the whole time (despite being on a monitor) and gave birth kneeling up (despite being on a bed!), so please don't feel that you can't have a "natural" labour just because you aren't on the Malden Suite. I think the real thing you miss out on is the possibility of water-birth, but you might not get that anyway, even if you are on Malden, if other people are using it. Cosmetically, I was surprised how little difference there was between the two wards and they are right next door to each other on the same floor of the same building. Sorry, this is a bit of a ramble, but I think I'm basically saying please don't feel that you are committing yourself totally to either a natural or an interventionist approach by deciding whether to book the Malden now. You will still have options and good support later, whatever happens. Hope that helps!

lulu25 · 28/10/2006 14:04

I'm also booked into Kingston in January and hoping for the Malden because that's where the pools are. I keep mentioning this but haven't managed to get anything in writing yet. CricketSoph did they let you book the Malden specifically before you told them about your homebirth plans?

Original poster

oremstango · 28/10/2006 18:51

You guys rock! Thanks so much for your advice here. Truly appreciated all around...

OP posts:

CricketSoph · 30/10/2006 11:07

Hi LuLu, I started mentioning Malden from my very first booking appointment and the fact that i was thinking in that direction was written in the inside of my notes then.

I didn't say I'd definitely decided on Malden until about 36 weeks (after the homebirth debate thats too long and boring to go into here!) At that point my m/w wrote "MALDEN" in the booking section on the outside top of my notes.... and that was it in terms of "booking" - she didn't make any other kind of note.

From my visit and from my friends' recent experiences at Kingston, minicommandant is absolutely right - there isn't THAT much difference between Malden and main delivery. Most of the Kingston midwives alternate between the 2 on a monthly basis. The big difference is the availability of the pools - IF you get into Malden (even if you're "booked" they can still be full on the day) you stand a high chance of getting a pool - 2 out of 3 delivery rooms on Malden have a pool.

only 4 days to go for me - though i'm beginning to worry that i'll still be waddling round in 2 weeks time and all ideas of even malden, never mind home will have been pointless!

Tutter · 30/10/2006 11:13

i had ds (17mo) in the malden suite and found it fabulous. relaxed atmosphere, very responsive. i know that refurbs were planned as the rooms were a little tired, but other than that i couldn't fault it. had planned a water delivery but ds came too quickly.

as others have said, the regular delivery suite is only at the end of the corridor, so if anything went awry it's very easy for them to transfer you. in the end i had to have a doctor present at the birth so one was called and arrived very quickly.

i'm moving out of the area but if i were staying i'd have no hesitation in going back.

oh yes, and i don't understand about not having a tour - i visited to have a look around and so did many of my nct friends.

lulu25 · 30/10/2006 11:55

Cool thanks both of you.

Original poster

oremstango · 30/10/2006 12:28

Very best wishes CricketSoph!!

OP posts:

CricketSoph · 01/11/2006 13:12

Just wanted to correct my previous post - I just got back from a appt with m/w and it seems that although she didn't make any kind of note of my being booked into Malden, she should have done!

I wasn't booked in "properly" she was supposed to have phoned Malden to do it! She phoned today and all is fine, I'm now officially booked - good job mini-cricket hadn't decided to make an appearance yet! Thought I'd better mention it so that you guys can make sure your m/w remembers :-)

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