St Peters in Chertsey - Anyone given birth there recently

[weirdbird]

I had really wanted a Home Birth because of issues with being so medically over-assisted in my last birth, there was no need at all!!

BUT

They are worried there is something possibly wrong with the baby due to my excess Amniotic Fluid and my personal experience of St.Peters 5 years ago was that they where not pro Active/Midwife led births.

Anyone know if they are any better now?

Also they where horifically understaffed 5 years ago, has anyone had any recent experience of the labour wards / post-natal ward?

Hi WB!

My BF had both her dds there, the youngest was just over a year ago. I think she had a much better experience the second time, though how much was to do with St Peters and how much to do with her knowing what she did/didn't want and demanding it I don't know...

Anyway: she had MW-led births both times, in spite of special precautions (she had an infection at the time). I think the post-natal care was less good that during labour, but that seems to be the case pretty much everywhere

Hope someone cn give you more recent info! xx

Hello weirdbird!

I gave birth twice at St Peter's - em CS first time(6 years ago), and planned CS second time(August this year), so I can't comment on attitude to natural births. My dd had the absolute opposite of your baby, too little fluid, hence the second section. I had been supported in my decision to VBAC prior to this diagnosis.

I can't comment on the labour ward, as it didn't apply either time I only stayed one night on the post-natal ward, but as my son was in SCBU first time, I couldn't bear to be alone on the ward surrounded by mothers with babies, so I paid for a private room (in fact I paid for one second time as well, as I liked the peace and quite).

I found the staffing to be good, in fact I did notice an improvement in attitude from the first time round, and the night staff in particular were lovely. All the staff introduced themselves to me prior to their shift, and despite being quite far away a private room, I was attended to very speedily whenever I pressed the buzzer (which wasn't often) I felt I was being looked after well.

When I went on a tour of the hospital prior to the second birth, my impression was that active labours were very much encouraged, in fact some of the home from home rooms didn't even have a bed, just beanbags - birthing balls were also very much in evidence.

I would certainly recommend taking a tour of the hospital - you can certainly ascertain attitudes to active labour etc by speaking with the midwife who takes you round. They do tours on saturday mornings (no kids).

Hi weirdbird,

my experiences are very similar to hoppybird's. I had an emergency cs there 3.5 yrs ago, and a planned cs in February. I had also been supported in my original desire for a VBAC; I saw a consultant midwife called Mary Bell who was very supportive and discussed all my options with me.

The care I received was good. No experience of labour ward either time or post-natal ward this time as I also went for a private room.

I know this doesn't really answer your questions, sorry! I hope everything goes well for you.

I had my dd there in May 2005. At least I was meant to - she arrived in the doorway of the ladies loo downstairs! The midwives were fab (and were all way the through the pregnancy) even when we did all go up to the labour ward the care was really good and not the slightest bit intrusive.

Post natal was also good (but very busy). We were discharged after less than 24 hours but all aspects of care were really good (I just wish I could say the same about ds's delivery at UCH 3 years before )

Tigs.

Hi

I can relate to your experiences at St. Peters I have 4 dd's all there couldn't have home births (never went into labour even after 16 days over!!) they were born in
Jan 97, June 2002, Aug, 2003, Aug 2005.
Bad news - the Joan booker pre & post ward is still quite crap & understaffed (I did a midnight runner after the 2nd dd even though she wasn't feeding - said I would leave her behind if need be but I needed some quiet & darkness to SLEEP!)
Good news - The Labour ward is really good and has improved loads in recent years. They have a 4 bedded unit up there if you are going to have section, be induced (with not a number 1) are in early labour and NEED some pain relief etc. They have 2 home from home rooms if you don't need any medical intervention - think induction meant I didn't qualify for those though.

My Advice: Ask for the birth reflections service lovely midwife called Zara does it now they go through your old notes and you can talk through the experience and you can discuss what can be done differently next time etc.

Even more important! Write on your notes my dp/dh is a crap birthing partner but I have no-one else to ask I really want the midwives to support me. I wrote this because it is the truth and my last birth was really fantastic the midwives were much more involved, advised me without being bossy and accepted that dp was just there to carry the bags and becuase I wanted him there. I think sometimes they feel like they don't want to intrude otherwise.

More Advice. Try and relax and accept that you need to be there - I think it was that acceptance that I would go overdue, wouldn't be able to have a home birth etc that made the last one better too.

Take arnica as soon as you going into to labour - it's fantastic stuff!

Assuming your baby is ok and you don't want to stay you can be dischared after 6 hours and tell them this so they can arrange for the paedeatric checks etc, I refused to go on the joan booker ward and they kept me on the labout ward as long as possible etc.

You can refuse a midwife if you don't like them/their style/manner. I had it written on my notes that I refused to have x - bad experience with 2nd birth. I also wrote loads of other stuff down - no blood sugar testing on baby (I have big babies so they do it automatically), no automatic catheter if I have an epidural etc etc etc.

I could go on forever let me know if you want some for opinions etc!

So in short they are better now absolutely definately although I would still escape asap rather than stay on the Joan booker ward!

I am hoping to get myself out before going onto the ward, BUT they are worried about TOF's and it really depends on what happens etc...

hoppybird - How much where they charging for a room when you where there?

My Midwife & Health Visitor are already trying to arrange for me to see the birth reflections service person as I am so fearful of going back to the place, am fine on the labour ward and in the building but break out in a cold sweat if I go near the Joan Booker Ward...

Am going to write all this down and have a discussion with Consultant at the next appt about what will happen

weirdbird - they were £75 per night in Feb.

On a completely seperate note, but wow arnt they expensive, was thinking what I would expect from a hotel that was charging me £75 for a single room for one night....

Queen Charlotte charge something like £150 per night. So I'd say £75 is quite cheap.

Incidentally, I live in the St Peres catchment but I flat out refeused to go there 18 months ago. I had to change GPs to away from it. But, I do know a couple of people who have been there and say it wasn't bad. So, perhaps I overreacted? I don't know.

weirdbird maybe worth asking here about why you should not have a home birth still, sound a little suspicious. Maybe worth getting some advice, there are a lot of experienced midwifes on the site that could help you.

Hello weirdbird

Yes, they were still charging £75 in August.

I thought it was pretty resonable, especially as you got 2 hot meals (with pudding)! every day as well as your breakfast. You wouldn't get that in a hotel, although you would get to stay the night with your husband!

Actually, I really, really enjoyed the food. It wasn't haute cuisine or anything, just really tasty mashed potatoes, yummy stew and apple crumble for afters, that sort of thing. I mentioned it to one of the midwives (ie why do people complain about hospital food when it's so nice here?) and she said that they'd changed their caterers 3 months ago - was better than the first time I stayed there, but even then it wasn't that bad. Maybe it just tasted better because I didn't have to cook it.

I had my Dd there in january this year & also my ds in 2002.

I was not very happy with them in 2002 when i had ds, i thought it was dirty & they were short of staff & beds.

It was much better 2nd time round this year, apart from after i had dd & was put onto the ward downstairs i found the care not good & everyone very short with me & no time to spare, that is why i begged to leave & come home as it was upsetting me.

My whole labour was very quick but it was clean in the rooms & my midwife was nice. Again though when i turned up they said they had no beds & were just trying to make one up so i had to sit in the reception being sick & screaming in pain

I would say however it was better 2nd time round & i would go back.