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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Choosing a maternity - Kingston, Epsom or Croydon?

42 replies

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 03:31

Hi everyone...

If I've understood correctly, we can choose where to self-refer right? We have done it for one of the hospitals listed but now having second thoughts.

Does anyone have any obvious preference over Epsom Croydon and Kingston? Does it really matter or should we just pick the one closest to home?

Thanks so much...

OP posts:

blueskiesbrighteyes · 18/07/2019 03:46

Yes you can choose. Kingston is brilliant. Main perk is you are pretty much guaranteed a single postnatal room so no need to be stuck on a ward (MN is full of horror stories of how awful they are)

Jxtina86 · 18/07/2019 03:46

I personally didn't have my baby at any of those but know someone who had all their appts and ultimately their baby at Epsom and can't praise them enough. St Helier (in the same trust) is where I had my baby and the staff are fab - I only add this as I believe Epsom is quite tiny so if you go with them, you might end up at St Helier if Epsom is full when it's time to give birth.

No experience of Croydon. My colleague's wife gave birth at Kingston but no idea how she rates the experience!

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 08:56

thanks... this is starting to really worry me

OP posts:

blueskiesbrighteyes · 18/07/2019 09:34

Don't worry. You'll be totally fine. Hypnobirthing is really great to make you feel prepared and empowered- try the Positive Birth Company online pack x

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 09:42

Thanks @blueskiesbrighteyes I'll check that out!!!

If anyone has any strong views on croydon (I hear of historic horrors when it was still called MayDay, and also recent things...) vs Epsom or Kingston, really welcome these...

OP posts:

BendingSpoons · 18/07/2019 09:42

I'd just pick the closest. It's a pain near the end trekking further away when you might need more appointments. I had lots at the end and it was a straight forward pregnancy.

I know Kingston and Epsom and both are fine. You hear good and bad stories of them all.

BendingSpoons · 18/07/2019 09:43

Cross post. I don't know Croydon to compare to.

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 14:17

Makes sense to pick the closest one.... in which case where we live will therefore have a massive impact on what's available... thanks!

OP posts:

CoodleMoodle · 18/07/2019 14:32

I had DD in Croydon (CUH/Mayday), albeit 5 years ago.

The antenatal care was great, really lovely midwives etc. I was under a consultant for PCOS and had regular appointments for various things, including scans. Everything was fine with that. The only problem was the waiting at the hospital! Every time we went, our appointment would be running at least 45mins late. That's true of a lot of hospitals, but CUH antenatal unit was unbearably hot and stuffy, and so tiny. Maybe it's changed now.

During my labour the staff were okay. The midwives didn't really talk to me that much, but it was a long labour with not much happening for ages. I ended up with an episiotomy and the doctor didn't have a great bedside manner, but it was a bit of an emergency and she might've just been being professional and acting quickly. She told me I couldn't use my epidural button when I wanted it for the episiotomy, though. Another doctor told me she was wrong to say that, and I was so upset about it.

And then the maternity ward... It was just as unpleasant as most seem to be! I was desperate to go home but they kept "forgetting" about us, according to one midwife. We ended up in a semi private room with one other couple, which was the best thing about it.

4 years later I had DS at East Surrey and the experience was a bit better, but the maternity ward was ten times worse, not helped by it being July rather than March, and there only being one fan between six beds...

Sorry for the essay. Hope it goes well for you OP.

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 15:00

Hey @CoodleMoodle I'm glad both were successful though - congratulations!!!

I had read some terrible news about CUH previously so it's good to hear something positive from you (although the stuffiness and heat doesn't sound great either, nor the waiting times!!!)

OP posts:

Chartreuser · 18/07/2019 15:10

I had all three of mine at Croydon (they are 14,12 and 10 now but we are at the hospital a lot).

The midwife led unit is great, had youngest in a pool there. Loved the fact that consultants next door plus 2 obs only theatres within labour ward.

Post natal care was a bit lacking but I think all post natal midwives are stretched too thin.

Is there a distance factor to consider? Traffic?

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 15:52

We can either be close to Epsom or Croydon, so undecided whether it'd be a mistake to skip Epsom to get care in Croydon. I'm probably over-thinking this to be honest and just freaking out over comments on overcrowding, previous deaths etc... just a worrier sorry!!!

OP posts:

Jxtina86 · 18/07/2019 16:34

@commuters30 have you looked on which birth choices? You can look up the hospitals and their ratings and stats.

Chartreuser · 18/07/2019 16:47

CUH hat the benefit of being a satellite of and nearer to Kings and St George's should you need specialised care. Plus the West Indian and Indian menu choices are amazing, you get a thali type tray with loads of different things on.

Croydon handles nearly twice as many births as Epsom too (not sure if that means less choose it, they only handle lower risk birthd there or they fill up quickly and so people end up at Croydon/Kingston/St Helier.

Depending where you end up in Croydon Princess Royal in Farnborogh (caters for Bromley and S Croydon borough) is meant to be good too

HerculesMulligan · 18/07/2019 16:51

Have they had a big refurbishment/restructure of the postnatal department at Kingston then? I had easily the worst night of my life in the postnatal ward there, but that was five years ago.

Constance1234 · 18/07/2019 16:57

Kingston is great, but this is wrong Kingston is brilliant. Main perk is you are pretty much guaranteed a single postnatal room so no need to be stuck on a ward I was on a postnatal ward with about 4 others for two nights and only moved to a private room when one became available, so not guaranteed at all. This was in 2017 btw. But the antenatal, labour and postnatal care was exceptional.

TequilaMockingbird0 · 18/07/2019 17:04

From friends who've had theirs at Epsom it didn't sound great. I also don't think it has a birthing centre? Might not matter to you but that's crucial to me.
East Surrey does though if that's another option for you, not too far from Epsom.

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 17:09

@Chartreuser are you saying that CUH isn't as bad as people say? So wouldn't necessarily avoid that to go to Epsom/Kingston?

OP posts:

Strawberrypancakes · 18/07/2019 17:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Chartreuser · 18/07/2019 17:51

@commuters30 my friends 32 week twins were born there with crash section and 8 weeks in NICU and I had a v scary time with first resulting in 5 Drs in room when giving birth (12 staff altogether) and genuinely without them both twins, DC and I would be dead.

It's not glamorous but the labour/delivery care is good (if you are not high risk you labour and room in birth suite and get discharged home after a few hours without having to go to a ward.

I get cross when people criticise the hospital, the NHS is not well funded and this hospital has a v diverse catchment. The care has served me very well, and should things not go well is well set up to manage (the two dedicated obstetric theatres is really amazing as if you need a crash section it is literally on the same corridor as the delivery rooms so you are seconds away).

I would suggest you do the tours of several and see what you think but I would definitely not discount it.

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 18:09

thanks... I definitely appreciate the NHS and all the staff... it's just that I currently have a choice as to whether or not to live nearer to which hospital and don't want it regret it

I'll look into private in Epsom / Croydon tho it sounds like it's just a bed but not much point

OP posts:

Mummoomoocow · 18/07/2019 18:12

Avoid cuh. Avoid. Avoid avoid avoid.

PaddingtonMare · 18/07/2019 18:18

I had mine at CUH 8&5. It was near and as PP said, they have a maternity lead unit - but if you need urgent care it’s just down the corridor. Midwives and nurses were lovely and patient led.

Shared wards were horrible, but because of other people and their visitors. A lovely matron discharged me at 11pm as I couldn’t bear another night.

GookledyGobb · 18/07/2019 18:37

I’ve had antenatal at Kingston, antenatal and a birth at Epsom (birth centre 5 years ago just as it opened) and birth (EMCS followed by NICU) at St Helier subsequently followed by SCBU at Epsom

I rate Epsom antenatal and postnatal care as brilliant including their specialist midwives and feral medicine consultant, and the birth centre was too. However at the time as it was new the birth centre was staffed by private midwives - I’m not sure if this is still the case. I’d go to Epsom again. I wasn’t impressed with Kingston antenatal and I have heard not great recent reports about it being understaffed for labour and postnatal but I expect that’s the same as everywhere - St Helier were too but their hugely overworked and understaffed team were still brilliant

GookledyGobb · 18/07/2019 18:39

In terms of making a decision - you’ll hear good and bad stories about all three. I’d personally go for the closest as car travel while in labour are not fun

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