Which hospital for a Kent Birth - Pembury, Maidstone or Farnborough Hospital?

[Bridy]

I live in Sevenoaks and am due to give birth on 10 January 2005. I am 37 years old and it will be our first baby (very much wanted!!). I would really appreciate any comments/advice about which hospital to give birth at. Some of my options are Pembury, Maidstone or Farnborough (Pembury being the nearest one). If anyone has any fairly recent experience of the birthing units at any of these hospitals, It would be great to hear your comments.

Had all 3 of mine in Maidstone. No experience of Pembury, but friend has and does not rate it very highly (at one time it had a very high c-section rate - not sure what it is now though).

I had no problems with Maidstone. They were very supportive of my birthing plans and I have no real complaints at all.

Maidstone has a higher section rate than Pembury does. I am on the Maternity Service Liaison Committee for both P and M. Also as a birth doula I've been to both hospitals but have yet to go to Farnborough. I have not heard much good stuff from the antenatal teachers who have mums that went there - same is true of Darrent Valley though I have been there. Both hospitals suffer from massive staff shortages and in (as I've witnessed it) DV that shows !

Pembury is going through a major re-vamp... will have new birth pool room for example and 1 room will be completely re-fitted to be much bigger... They have some excellent midwives too.
I know S'Oaks well so I know the distances for you.... so I'd go for Pembury but what about Crowborough birthing centre? You are entitled to go there!!!

Farnborough I believe has been renamed, and the hospital has been revamped, but still highish c/section (esp for older mums), and could do with more midwives. Their post-natal care ont he wards used to be better than average, but anecdotally seems to have slipped (best friend discharged herself 2 days post-c/s in order to escape).

And without specifically plugging Pupuce's services, may I heartily recommend a doula if this is your first. Brilliant support from them, and if you hit the hospital at a busy time you may pretty much be left to it if you're relying on midwives.

Oh god not Farnborough! Both my ds's were born there and to be honest it isn't great. Antenatal care is good, but the midwives don't get much of a say on the labour wards - and a junior dr well and truly cocked up ds1's birth. Also it was chaos in the postnatal wards both times (too busy) and the hopsital was filthy- and I mean filthy. At one stage a m/w dropped by bloodstained urine on the floor and didn;t clean it up (or get anyone) dh had to mop it up with paper towels. NO wonder ds2 got an infection.

This was the old Farnborough, but a friend visited the PRU recently and said that was dirty as well. I think every bed has a tv or something though. Although when I was there the midwives were complaining as the new farnbourough was going to have less postnatal beds tha the old one (and they were already bursting at the seams).

This time I'm giving birth in Devon- my mum has said I'll probably find it better than Farnborough.

Farnborough (Princess Royal University Hospital) was ... ok. Food could have been better and generally midwifes pretty busy. But the rooms are relatively comfortable, and smaller (in terms of occupancy) than they used to be. During my 8 hour labour dh and I were rarely left to get on with it (although others said that they were). Their birthing pool should be usable by now - in JUly 2003 it wasn't yet.
It was absolutely boiling, but you wouldn't have that problem in JUne.
Any antipathy I have is because I hate hospitals in general and I was only there for 20 hours because I wanted to be with dh at home so much. Also I had rotten luck with stitching, but then that could have happened anywhere.
In terms of cleanliness, I was in an "amenity" room - i.e. a single room which costs £100 and it seemed clean enough. And because I was discharged so early the following day before signing the contract to pay the £100 no one ever chased payment. Ha Ha.

January, I mean.

Hello,
I've just picked up on this topic and I have exactly the same question as Bridy - sounds like I'll choose between Pembury and Crowborough, has anyone got any comments on Crowborough? Only thing is it's quite a bit further away form sevenoaks...
Also, what's a Doula please?

Pembury's labour ward is being re-vamped by the way! Needed though!
Is it your first pregnancy?

A doula is a birth partner.... have a look at Doula UK website or my website

Sorry to resurrect this thread after so long! I have been searching to find some info on hospitals near Sevenoaks (I'm due in November) and would be really interested in any current opinions. Has the Pembury revamp that was mentioned actually happened?

many thanks
Rach

Ahhh, DS is a Pembury baby (we were evicted from Crowborough!)

All an emergency so I only ever saw the theatre and the view from my bed! It did seem pretty tatty nearly 4 years ago but that seems to be the norm.

Sorry no help whatsoever!

I had my DS at Pembury in February & my sister had her DD at Farnborough (or whatever it's now called) also in Februry. We both had difficult births & both stayed for 2 nights & my opinion on both is...Pembury is still shabby, very old fashioned but clean & the care was absolutely fantastic both during labour & aftercare up on the wards. Farnborough was newer, more high tech, smaller wards, bloody hot, excellent care on labour wards but shockingly bad aftercare.
HTH
LCN

I had DD1 in Pembury last September. I live near Sevenoaks and opted for Crowborough because I hate hospitals and wanted to avoid them at all costs. But my waters broke at 36 weeks and 3 days and Crowborough wouldn't take me (all those 50 minute trecks to ante-natal appointments in vain!) so I had to go to Pembury. I was miserable the minute I arrived there. Although the staff were nice, I felt no one explained things to me properly. They wanted to induce me on the evening of the second day I was there. I asked them to wait until morning because they were sending my mum (who I explained was to be my birth partner) home. They wouldn't listen and wouldn't explain why they had to induce then and there and couldn't wait until morning. An hour or so passed and my contractions which until then had been manageable became hideous. But they wouldn't call my mum until I had dilated fully enough to go into the labour room. So, I spent two hours in agony and without anyone there to support me. The midwives weren't very sympathetic and kept saying I "wasn't coping well". Only once I reached the labour ward did they call my mum.

I should say though that the midwives that attended the birth were very good and the aftercare was excellent also. There was a bit of the mild bullying you get about breast feeding (it's all or nothing - if you say you want to breast feed then you have to fight tooth and nail to have some formula if your nipples are sore or you want some sleep) but for every crap midwife (and there were only 2 or 3) there were 4 excellent ones. The wards were very full when I was there and there was zero privacy, but I guess that's pretty much standard unless you have your own room. The food was terrible but someone always came round to see if you wanted something to eat. I had no complaints about cleanliness.

I would recommend Pembury for the staff and Crowborough for the atmosphere: it's small, unintimidating and provided you don't have any complications, it would be a lovely place to have a baby. I'm expecting no. 2 in March and crossed fingers Crowborough will take me this time!

I am expecting Baby no 2 in jan 07 and had planned section at maidstone with DD1 in sept 04 . all was fine staff lovely no bullying when I said I didnt want to bf, wards were reasonably clean, food was ok but the main thing was that the nights DD played up they took her away for a few hours to let me get some sleep which was fantastic. Got my anomoly scan on 13th sept and they are giving me date for next section I really want it in maidstone but midwife has said that it may be in pembury as all maternity services moving there next year just hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that I can scrape in at maidstone with being due at the beginning of the new year as DH wont be able to visi much with the 45 minutre drive to pembury an having DD who'll be 2.4!!

I am in exactly the same situation. I live in Sevenoaks and this is my first baby, due in August 2008, I've literally had it confirmed today. Where is the best place to have my baby - Maidstone, Pembury or Farnborough? I have also been given the option of Darenth Valley. If anyone could give me any advice I would greatly appreciate it. I really have no idea which is the best, all I know is Maidstone has had bad press recently and a friend of mine did not have a good experience there last year.

Many thanks in advance!!

if you're due August, it';s unlikely you'll be in maidstone as all maternity services are moving to pembury.

There's always the hb way?

I've had my last 2 at Maidstone and they were lovely, maternity care for high risk, second to none.

Thanks Liahgen, that's good to know as Maidstone is still a likely option intersting that all services are moving to pembury.

Anyone had a Pembury birth receently?

Farnborough is now the Princess Royal University Hospital.

I had my DS's there. DS2 was born after the hospital was rebuilt. Will echo another post - the labour ward was fabulous, but the postnatal ward was abysmal. Zero care.

I have a friend who had her baby at Pembury and she had a horrific experience.

Another friend at Darenth Valley and also a terrible, terrible experience. A CS which went wrong - she felt them cut. She had to have an emergency General Anaesthetic and was traumatised for months afterwards.

If I was to have another in the UK, I think I'd have a homebirth.

I think I would be too worried to have a homebirth, maybe that's because I don't know enough about them though.

Farnborough/Princess Royal University Hospital is my first choice at the moment, will just have to see if they take me.

Thanks for the response Dejags.

Ds was Pembury - one of the CS stats. I still remain traumatised by my induction process stuck on the antenatal ward overnight labourig with no pain relief and no DH. I had opted for Crowborough and loved my antenatals etc there but I went too far overdue. I was aso made to labour for 18 hours pethidine only, and then 40 hours total before CS. In hindsight that never should have happened.

The midwives at Pembury however, all bar one were fantastic and lovely. But they were seriously overworked. There is a Tesco round the corner and DH got all my food from there (there is a patient kitchen) as the food is diabolical.

Given the choice again I would opt for Crowborough.

Kodey - I had my daughter at Pembury in November 2004. Everything went really well and I would happily do the same thing again.

hi
I had my son 3 weeks ago in Pembury, the ward was clean and the midwives were great (ask for a student one - they're keen and desperate to help you). I was supposed to be a home birther but had a bleed so had to go in to be checked. I ended up giving birth there as I was already 6 cm dilated when I got there. So it all happened pretty fast, but I would happily go there again. Not that I will as this is my 3rd baby (wink)

good luck xx

Hi,

I also live in Sevenoaks and am due in Aug 08! I am going to pick Pembury. Mainly because of the reputation of the midwives but I think it also means that I can have all my pre appointments at Sevenoaks hospital (which is very close) and the thought of negotiating the M25 (to get to Farnborough)at rush hour while in labour fills me with dread!

Good luck - maybe I will see you there!

Hi Kennaugh and Kodey - I too live in Sevenoaks and my first baby is due in June. I have chosen Pembury as I have heard good reports, it's closest and also means that I have midwife appointments at Sevenoaks.

I had both my DCs in Princess Royal University Hospital (Farnborough). One in 2003, one in 2005. Both were C-sec and both experiences were positive. First one I had a room on my own, second one I was on a ward of 4. Was more noisy obviously, but made friends with 2 other c-sec Mothers and we had a ball. Can remember sitting eating bakewel tarts together at 3am when none of us could sleep. I found it clean and friendly but for me the main plus is the fantastic breast feeding support they have. The councellors there are brilliant, first time round they came and sat with me to help and I was in touch with them many times after I went home and also went back in to see them to get more help in the following weeks. Same with my second, he had terrible colic also, so went back to see them so they could check latch, position etc. Not so impressed with the paediatric Dr's, especially for my 2nd. He had low blood sugar levels and slight breathing problems and I was pushed, pushed, pushed into giving him formula. In the end I said he could have some but only from a cap, not bottle. He had one lot, first thing in the morning I found the BF councellor who checked all his records and levels and went completely mad. She hunted down the the chief Paediatric guy and tore him off a strip for telling his junior doctors incorrect information! As I had suspected, DS would have been much better just on the breast, the colostrum would have been fine and they had no need to push formula. After that I had the confidence to ignore them and I just continuted to breast feed and his levels although slow to come right were not dangerous and there was no need for formula. I found their support invaluable and would always recommend Farnbourough for this alone.