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?

Have to say, contrary to previous message, Lewisham Hospital's SCBU is fantastic and DS1 had a small operation there last year and I couldn't fault them. I would NEVER have a baby there again though.

EErrrr this isn't going to be popular on this thread....but I gave birth to all 3 of my boys at Lewisham and would happily go there again. DS2 was in special care and the support from both maternity and SCBU was fantastic.
I had 3 complicated pregnancies and felt far more confident with the medical care I had from Lewisham compared to my awful experiences of Kings.

we all have diff. experiences.
one girl i met in the yoga class told me that she was just changed from kings to lewisham as she doents like the midwives in kings.
but, she never visits lewisham.

i found the lewisham building isnt impressed when i compared to st. thomas.

i never visit kings , so, cant make any commets. but i know their screening servie is really good.

OOOOOOOOOO how interesting. Now I know the Mnetters who live near me! The staff at Kings saved my first-born's life, so obviously I have a lot of respect for them. By the time I had my second it had all been revamped, swish new wing (probably looking a bit tired by now) and they allowed me to have an elective caesarian without batting an eyelid. For those reasons I will be forever grateful. The aftercare was not good, tbh, but you just need to remember that probably all hospitals are understaffed in that respect. I also had the breastfeeding lady look after me and am sorry to hear she has retired. But I would imagine her legacy lives on and that they will give you help with bfeeding on the ward if they possibly can.

No experience of Lewisham, sorry.

Its very difficult isn't it. Where I live lots of women travel miles to go to Farnborough Hospital rather than Lewisham - why? - because its all newly built. I have friends who in labour will drive an extra 20 minutes past Kings to get to Tommys - why? becasue its the best isn't it?

Its 10 years since I had DS1 at Lewisham and 10 months since I had DS3 there. What I realised third time 'round is that health care has been pared back to the absolute basics - forget about shiny new units and breast feeding consultants seem to be a luxury everywhere. What matters is that you get good medical care if/when you and your baby need it. In the last 10 months I've had friends give birth at Tommys, Kings, Farnborough and myself at Lewisham - No one was singing the praises of the NHS. I think you have to choose a place close to home and just get through it. BTW I live in the Borough of Bromley (only just)and the aftercare was fantastic compared to Southwark where I previously lived.

mm Southwark aftercare seems to suck in a very major way. Including the health visitors.

I had my dd at Kings - nearly 7 years ago now so probably not relevant but I thought it was the most god-awful hellhole on earth to have a baby in. The post- natal ward in particular was a disgrace and some of the staff left much to be desired.

I have had 3 other babies in 2 other hospitals and neither were anything like the experience I had in Kings. But it may have completely changed now

Oh, but re aftercare, ie when out of hospital, I have to say the HVs (in Lambeth I think or Southwark?) were the nicest I have ever known and I have had experience of HVs in 5 different health authorities.

The Lewisham community midwives are really good, they provided me with aftercare after I gave birth at the PRUH

i've just visited the st. thomas websit again. it says:

The maternity unit primarily accepts bookings from the local catchment area (Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham) as well as out of area women who have underlying medical conditions and have a specific need to deliver at GSTT.

I didnt have any medical conditions with my first and fingers crossed that I dont have any probs at the moment. so, its unlikely that st. thomas will accept me then!

am i read it correctly?
its just that my experience with st. thomas was soo good!
will speak to my GP with my concern anyway!
thanks ladies!

i meant st. thomas is likely to take me!

Uptomyeyes - no, I thnk it's important that peple give the full range of experiences, and good that people note that actually many people have perfectly good experiences in every hospital.

It is worth noting that car parking in Kings costs £2-50 per hour and you often have to queue for ages and ages to get in (in the mornings, especially) and there is very little street parking nearby either - and wjhat there is is even more expensive!

tigeruan-you asked me why I would never go back to Lewisham after DS3. I had a really horrendous experience there and DS3 nearly died as a result. My waters ruptured at 32 weeks and the consultant decided to induce without doing any scans or further tests; I had no steroid injections to mature the babys lungs. They left me for over 24 hours before proceeding with the induction because they were busy.
The doctor who eventually put the induction drip in my hand could not get it in properly-it was agony, and about 4 hours later the consultant came round and asked who on earth had set it up? He then did it properly and labour started. Then during the night a sister came round while my (horrible) midwife was on her break. She decided I was not progressing quickly enough and turned the drip up . My contractions became continuous. The anaesthetist refused to come to put in an epidural and eventually, I was given pethidine against my wishes. Half an hour later my baby was born, but during that time the midwives had changed shifts and the new ones did not realise I had been given pethidine so no antidote was given to conteract it-DS3 stopped breathing. The paediatrician who should have been in the room for his birth could not be found for 20 minutes. DS3 was in intensive care with respiratory distress syndrome for a week and scbu for a month.
I should have taken action against the hopsital for this catalogue of disasters but I was traumatised by it for years. My doctor had no problem with referring me to Guys for my next birth. (The Guys mat. unit is now at St Thomas's I believe.)
This all happened some years ago, but subsequent visits to Lewisham Hospital for vaious illnesses in the family have done nothing to improve the hospitals service in my eyes! I am sure you have a right to ask for referral to another hospital?

Tiggiwinkle - thats horrible! sorry that you & DD3 had to go thro. this!
thanks for sharing!

Oh, in contrast by the way- my waters ruptured at exactly the same point with DS4.(32 weeks) The consultant at Guys admitted me and immediately gave me steroid injections; I was closely monitored and regularly scanned, and the baby was induced 2 weeks later at 34 weeks. I had a normal deliery (with just gas and air!) and the baby was well enough to come home the next day!
Hope you manage to get your referral sorted out to the hospital of your choice!

I received the same good service with st. Thomas when I was around 38/39 weeks pregnant few yrs ago.
I was in hospital for 3 days as my son wasn?t engaged. He did eventually and they let me go home!

I spoke to my GP over the phone today and he said one of his patients has rejected by St Thomas last week as they?re fully booked now.
He told me exactly the same thing when I visited him 9 weeks ago!
It does make me wonder!
Anyway, I insist that I want to go back to St. Thomas. He asked me to make an appointment to see him again!

Don't take no for an answer Tiger. Let him apply to Thomas' and they should write to you to tell you if they have accepted you or not.

Do you mind me asking where your drs is Tiger, just so i know not to recommend them, they sound awful!

tiger,
Sorry i only just stumbled on to your message, but wanted to say that i had my daughter in january at kings (first baby) and i couldn't praise them enough.
I found the overall experience really good, and midwives were especially good.

I'm with the Brockly surgery.

But, I've to say that apart from the referral letter to st. thomas. My GP has been good.

He gave my son some sweetie every time he visited. Twice that he checkup my son without an appointment.

This clinic seems to treat kids really good!

Kings is def. my next choice as I only heard good things about their screening service! i never been the kings tho. even I dont live far from them!

I would agree with you with Kings being the next choice judging from the comments i have read on here.

I live in Brockley too.

Mrsshuvel - i live in honor oak park.
i'll be 17 weeks tomorrow and we could both have our babies on the same day & same hospital if st. thomas take me! hehee!

you're 17 weeks right?

Yep 17 weeks. That would be funny. Have you been given a due date by the dr?

yup. 15 Aug. You?
I got to leave work now as I need to pick up son from nursery. Will chat to you later.