St George's Maternity unit experience?

[Lilly7981]

Hello. We are thinking about going to the St. George's for the maternity care and birth. Are there any experiences (good or bad) that you like to share, please?

Many thanks! :)

In Tooting? Used them twice - antenatal and delivery care excellent though often queues and delays for antenatal and you're unlikely to see the same midwife twice. The second time was 2012 and postnatal was very good though sleeping in a room with 5 other new mothers and 6 babies didn't really work well.

It's certainly no worse than any other London hospital though sometimes will be overcrowded on postnatal wards and staff busy with emergencies. If going in during the day, though, get a cab in labour - DP had to park on a flowerbed, though when it was clear I really was in labour, the security guy said not to worry.

I had an EMCS there on Tuesday last week.

PP is correct that you'll likely never see the same mw twice...however DH and I were really pleased by the standards of service and patient care we received before, during and after the (quite complicated) birth of our daughter.

Antenatal - we used St. Georges for our scans - all very good, ran to time, sonographers were great.

Day assessment unit - twice we visited the DAU (when I experienced reduced Fetal movement). Both times they were professional, reassuring and knowledgeable. Though the wait time was a little long.

Carmen Suite - we started our birth in the Carmen Suite which was clean, comfortable and the midwives reassuring, experienced etc.

Delivery suite - we were transferred to the delivery suite when the birth failed to progress - there was great continuity of care across multiple departments, shifts, and roles.

Surgery - as above, the professionalism and continuity between delivery suite and surgery was immaculate.

Post partum care - we spent a day on the Gwillam ward post partum - again the continuity of care was excellent (we booked a private room for £100 per night, which is absolutely recommend ).

All in all, despite a tricky birth, St Georges was cool, calm, professional and reassuring - and got us the result we wanted, the safe delivery of our daughter.

I had DD there in May.

The sonographers were excellent.

The waiting times for antenatal appointments were ridiculous, the record was three and a half hours and that was with some people walking out because they just couldn't wait any longer. That was then followed by forty five minutes waiting for a blood test and another half hour waiting in the pharmacy. I never saw the same midwife or consultant twice.

I started on the Carmen suite. My labour progressed very quickly but when my midwife handed over to the next shift she advised them I had already pushed long enough and should be taken to the delivery suite to see a doctor (DH heard this conversation, I was too out of it) the second midwife was agency staff and for some reason decided I should try another hour and a half of active pushing. After four hours of pushing they finally realised DD was stuck and I ended up being transferred to the delivery suite. I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery, the doctor was brilliant and did an excellent job stitching me up.

As I had an instrumental birth I had to spend a night on the postnatal ward. The midwife who took me there 'forgot' to put me on the patient list so when my visitors arrived they were told I wasn't there and they were refused entry. It also meant that no one checked on me or baby until the next morning because they didn't realise I was there. DH was allowed to stay (I know some people don't like this but I'm very much in favour) so he got me food and helped me with breastfeeding etc They forgot to do DDs hearing test before we left so I had to arrange that myself and they also told me DDs tongue tie wasn't a problem, I ended up paying privately to have it sorted.

I think the staff's hearts are in the right place but they were very very understaffed and it was all very chaotic. Of course I didn't realise any of this at the time because I was on cloud 9 that DD had arrived