Lewisham vs Kings Hospital? thanks

[tigeryuan]

I?m expecting my second baby and I actually picked Lewisham as my GP told me 95% will got there from his clinic.
I had my first with St. Thomas and they were very good.

Does anyone have any experiences with Lewisham or Kings?

I had DD at Kings they've got a new maternity wing

don't rate NHS aftercare much anyway (had section) but the facilities are fine

If I had a choice I'd go to Kings. Postnatal care in London is usually dire wherever you are tbh.

hear absolute horror stories about lewisham so i'd avoid it like the plague!

I had my dd in Lewisham last year. The maternity unit looks a bit skanky but was generally OK. No complaints at all about the birth bit (even though I had an emergency CS) but, as usual, the aftercare wasn't great. Visiting hours were quite strict which meant I was on my own for large chunks of every day, and I had trouble with breastfeeding and could have done with a bit more help, but everyone was too busy. Probably the same everywhere though.

Go to King's.
For the expertise if there are problems.
Not for the gourmet food, soothing ambience, sweet caring mws etc - because they don't exist!
But it is swish now it has been re-developed and they are getting much better at everything.
GPs in S London choose King's when they give birth! (according to my female GP)

I had DS in Lewisham 7 and a half years ago.

After care abysmal.

Kings Cross used to have that wonderful breast-feeding expert running the ward, I don't know if she's still there.

I have heard a lot of reasonably positive things about Kings. Though there is always the odd horror story of vile mouthy midwives, etc.

They do have a breastfeeding clinic there (still there I think?) which is very useful in aftercare terms- I had had a home birth but still went there & found it helpful.

King's has been magnificently revamped, apparently.

I have to say my one peek at Lewisham's maternity facilities was not inspiring (apart from the free tokes on the gas 'n' air); I went home and promptly gave birth there.

Clare Keskevedes? (sp?)
I think she retired v recently, but might have been lured back.
She ran an all day bf workshop when i had DS - it was brilliant.
But they do offer specialist bf support through her dept - but the 'on the run' mws on the ward were bloody awful - too busy.

Kedves - that was it.

Wonderful woman. Thanks to her I BF'ed DS. Wished I had access to her for DD.

yep Blu Claire Kedves (I think!)

She was a tremendously hardworking woman. Presume they haven't replaced her? She did have people working with her I seem to remember (I was in sleep deprived haze though). I do remember being impressed that Kings had anything like that at all but from my many friends who gave birth on the wards, the reports were OK for the delivery and facilities but (generally) usual crap for the aftercare.

really appreciated your help. thanks again!

i need to speak to my GP about it now!

Dont go near Lewisham Hospital. Had my third DS there and would never go back.

Tiggiwinkle - may I ask why?

My friend had bad experience with them too.
She told me the midwife wanted to go home (end of shift) & refused to give her epidural & told her that she wasn?t 3cm dilated yet and the next midwife would check her again in 4 hrs time. She was in great pain, eventually, the next midwife came to check her up, but by then she was too late for epidural as she was fully dilated.

It would be a nightmare for someone like me who need epidural.

My Dr automatically put me with Lewisham. I kicked up a stink and now i'm going to St Thomas'. I absolutely refused to go to Lewisham after the experiences i'd heard of there.

Mrsshuvel - my GP told me that I cant go back to St. thomas even I gave birth to my first son there as st. thomas has the budget.

Could you please advice me how you do it?
I'm 16 weeks now!

I absolutely refused to go to Lewisham. The Dr said that they did not cover St Thomas' and there was no guarantee that Thomas' would accept me. Don't know why they are so reluctant to send people there. I looked up Thomas' website and it said it would accept people in Lewisham. You can ring them directly i think and speak to someone. Thats what i was gonna do if the Dr didn't sort it out for me. I have no care with my Drs now i deal with the hospital directly for everything, which suits me fine!

Thats Lewisham Borough not just Lewisham town. I'm 17 weeks BTW.

I had DS2 at Lewisham and it was pretty awful. I have an independent midwife this time and her opinion was that Lewisham was a bit of an abatoir

i'm getting worry now!

But, i've to say that their kids unit is pretty good tho.!

Mrsshuvel - just checked with the St. thomas website and they do take ppl from lewisham.

thanks for letting me know.
I used to live in NW london when i had no. 1. so, i thought st. thomas wouldnt take me beceause i'm in lewisham!
will let you know how i go. thanks again ladies!

Had my boys at King's. Spent 18 days there in revamped maternity wing 4 years ago. I had severe pre-eclampsia and my boys were in SCBU for 4 weeks. Some of the midwives were a bit crap but the consultants were fantastic, and the head midwife was amazing. And the breastfeeding counsellor (can't remember her name) helped me to express for and then feed my twin boys. She was wonderful.

Mr. Marsh was my consultant and he was fantastic, I highly recommend King's.

Good Luck Tiger, don't give in and let me know how you get on. It's a bit suspect that Drs in Lewisham seem to want to push Lewisham hospital even though they know full well how awful it is, i wonder if they get back handers to fill quotas at all. Wouldn't put it passed them!

Agree with Blu, their expertise and consultants are fantastic. Had my DS there 5 years ago, before the revamp.
Don't think post-labour care is great wherever you go.