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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:

Lemoncurd · 18/07/2019 18:43

I had the most horrific experience at Kingston- they were just too busy at every stage. Was left in second stage for 4 hours (midwife pleading for doctors to come) and had a massive haemorrhage when they finally assisted the birth. Had a private room afterwards, but was basically ignored for 4 days then suddenly discharged at 1am! I was hallucinating as I left as felt so ill. Took months to recover as well, now suspect my iron was low, but it was never checked.

Original poster

commuters30 · 18/07/2019 19:26

Thank you so much for your help. I don't know where else to ask these kind of questions so you are all amazing...

Now to decide whether to cancel our move (which would put us into Croydon)... goodbye any sleep tonight!!!

OP posts:

Strawberrypancakes · 18/07/2019 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PaddingtonMare · 19/07/2019 08:06

What part of Croydon? Perhaps the real question is where would be best for raising a small child? Is there a difference in property size and childcare? You can PM me if you want to know how I found it x

Original poster

commuters30 · 19/07/2019 08:30

in case anyone's interested, I just checked the care quality commission score for maternity and it says:

Croydon : good
Kingston : good
Epsom : need improvement

So surprising. Just sharing in case anyone else wanted to know

OP posts:

BendingSpoons · 19/07/2019 19:26

Coming back to this discussion, I know it's a big decision, but I don't think there is enough between the hospitals to cancel your move. As a PP said, you will hear positives and negatives about all of them. How busy they are at the time can make a huge difference. If the CQC report is reasonably recent then that suggests Croydon is doing OK.

JoJoSM2 · 19/07/2019 19:40

If you’re between Epsom and Croydon, why would you consider as far as Kingston and omit St Helier?

We were deciding between going private or just sticking to the NHS locally (we’re in Sutton). In the end, we went with St Helier. I don’t know the rating Epsom had at the time but it doesn’t have the facilities if things go wrong.

I’d also say that there’s a lot to be said for using the closest place. I ended up in hospital for much longer than expected and it was really helpful that DH could fetch things quickly and pop in and out easily.

FallenSkies · 19/07/2019 19:46

I had dc1 in Kingston. Started at birthing centre, moved to medical ward, ended with c section. Was on high dependency unit a couple of days and then the ward. I was happy with my care at the time but felt the staff were very busy and didn't really have time to help me.
I then had dc2 at Epsom. After care was much better. They had physio to help post birth recovery, which continued until dc could crawl. I was in a room with just one other person. Nursing staff seemed to have more time for me and I felt more comfortable there. If I were to have a dc3 I would pick Epsom.
I have never been to Croydon.

FallenSkies · 19/07/2019 19:48

Also, I went to those two because they were the closest. You don't want to be travelling too far in labour. Contractions in a car where you are strapped in a seat are no fun!

Original poster

commuters30 · 19/07/2019 22:19

thank you... it's so good to hear from you that have already gone through this.

for a moment I thought maybe further hospitals are ok if we stay in a hotel near by or something beforehand but maybe im being naive...

sounds like closest ones wins

OP posts:

Clettercletterthatsbetter · 20/07/2019 06:36

Don’t go to Croydon. I had my son there in 2017 (not intentionally - he came quickly and we couldn’t get to our booked hospital so had to go to the nearest).

I was talked down to, made to feel stupid, had my requests blatantly ignored (I requested delayed cord cutting and the midwife just chopped it immediately in front of me straight after I asked her not to - no medical reason). I was then left alone on the postnatal ward - no one came to check on me or my son for 12 hours despite him having low blood sugar and me having blood loss.

They were chronically understaffed, and I received no help whatsoever with things like breastfeeding. Luckily it was DC2 so I knew what I was doing, but I’d have felt very alone and vulnerable had he been my first.

I’ve heard the MLU there isn’t as bad (DS was born on labour ward) but I wouldn’t have another baby there if you paid me!

JoJoSM2 · 20/07/2019 06:53

Closest one is a good idea. In terms of being understaffed or not, it can happen to any NHS hospital. As I was admitted for a while, I did see days when there was barely anyone on the ward and the midwives has loads of time for everyone. I also saw days when it was manic, they were running around like headless chickens and I did hear them say at some point that they had 5-6 women queued up with newborns and no beds on the postnatal...
So you might get lucky or unlucky wherever you go. And getting to a hospital 1h+ away with serious contractions won’t be nice. If you end up with a C-section, travelling back is a nightmare and every bump agonising so again, you really don’t want to be too far.

BendingSpoons · 20/07/2019 08:17

I have a friend with a bad story at Kingston. She was told she needed to be induced for medical reasons and they started the process but then wouldn't continue as they were full, so spent 4 days in early labour. I have another friend who had a great experience at Kingston.

A friend of a friend had a bad experience. She is tiny and her mum needed c-sections. They said she would be fine but she needed an emergency c-sections 4 days later. I believe this happened at Epsom, but not sure. I know lots of others who have had babies at Epsom and been fine.

Similar story with other hospitals (St George's, St Thomas').

I think if you are anxious about it (understandably!) then look up the official ratings (as you have done), maybe see if you can visit e.g. tour, antenatal session. It is good to be informed but you don't want to scare yourself too much. You can swap hospitals mid-way through pregnancy or even when you go into labour if you aren't happy (although obviously not ideal). There are no guarantees in labour, your chosen hospital could be full, you might need a c-section so no labour to worry about etc. It puts a lot of pressure on your house move if your decision is based on the hospital. Good luck deciding though.

Camomila · 21/07/2019 14:06

I had a brilliant experience in Croydon, as did my NCT friends (2 of which have had 2nd babies there now)

The advantage of Croydon is that it has a MLU in the same building as the main hospital.

I had a lovely calm water birth in the MLU, then got wheeled across the main corridor to have my tear repaired in surgery, then got wheeled back to the MLU where I had my own room for 2 nights and DH could sleep on an armchair. The care was lovely, when I finally recovered from the stitching up it was quite late in the evening but the midwife found me a sandwich and a hot chocolate. They were also very supportive of breastfeeding.

Original poster

commuters30 · 21/07/2019 18:50

It's always reassuring to hear some positive news on Croydon hospital @Camomila thanks!!!

I think you are right @BendingSpoons I'm only driving myself more anxious by over thinking this especially together with a house move.

and @JoJoSM2 I hadn't even thought of the ride back home after c section... if it's still painful a couple of days later maybe I shouldn't go for a hospital far away then even if planned...

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CottonSock · 21/07/2019 18:55

People will have had good and bad experiences at every hospital in the country. You are best not reading about them when pregnant and anxious!

MidnightMystery · 21/07/2019 18:57

I had mine at Croydon and they are a brilliant team, I was looked after amazingly and honestly cannot fault them x

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