St Peter's Chertsey - Good Bad or just plain Ugly!

[Dophus]

I am due to give birth to my first in Jan. I have yet to hear a good thing about St Peter's and I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the thought of giving birth there.

Can anyone le me know their expereinces with the hospital?

[Ameriscot2004]

There is not a lack of midwives in the labour unit, because they will always use bank midwives to make up to the required ratios. If there were insufficient midwives on labour ward, they'd close it down - something that happens about once every 2 or 3 years. Possibly post-natal is understaffed by midwives, with more reliance on nurses and orderlies for basic work and specialists such as the infant feeding advisor. Women that need extra care or observation post-natally are usually put into the high-dependency unit, which is properly staffed by midwives and the paediatrician.

I know people who have had medical deliveries, which all seemed to go well. I don't know anyone with a negative outcome.

[charleypops]

They closed the maternity ward last September (their busiet month actually) when my friend was in labour and waiting for a cs. She had a terrible time.

[Dophus]

I hae heard that it is the staffing levels that is main problem facing St Peter's.

Along with...
Poor hygiene (blood on the floor in an amenity room that was still there three days later) and dirty toilets.
Unpleasant midwifes - see below (of course there are exceptions).
Extremely high intervention rates.


Ameriscot2004 - how long ago did you deliver at the hospital. Also for the home birth are you attended to by a community midwife or by one of the labourward midwifes?
On the plus side the home from home rooms look wonderful!

[charleypops]

They closed the maternity ward last September (their busiet month actually) when my friend was in labour and waiting for a cs. She had a terrible time.

[Dophus]

Here are the stats on St Peter's that scare me (if the link works, I've not tried doing this before!)

stats

[charleypops]

I have just found out this afternoon I've been accepted at Royal Surrey Hooray!! . They mentioned they're not turning anyone away at the moment......

[Dophus]

Me too -

when are you due?

[charleypops]

Well done Dophus for getting moved! I'm not due until mid-June. It's my first, and I've not got anything resembling a bump yet. It wasn't until I joined MN that I first heard about SPHs reputation, otherwise I'd still be blissfully unaware. Also I'd be unaware that I'd even have a choice! Thank goodness I discovered this site!

I've just done a Google on "Royal Surrey Maternity" and come up with some very reassuring pages. I've got my 12 week scan there on the 6th December followed immediately by my booking appt. I'm really looking forward to it. The only thing we have to worry about now is the state of the A3 when we're in labour!

I've been reading through your thread on Homebirths. It was very positive. I'd be a bit scared though for my first. If all goes well and I'm lucky enough to have a second, I'll definitely consider doing that. Have to move house first though, we can hear our neighbour passing wind through our bedroom wall and I think I'd like just a little bit more privacy!

[Uwila]

Congratulations both of you!

If it make you feel any better about the A3, I have to get to Queen Charlotte in London. But, as I am hoping for an elective Caesarean hopefully we can schedule it before I go into labour.

That makes three of us that escaped St. Peters. We'll have to look out for any other potetial cutomers of their and arn them!

[Dophus]

Although I liked the idea of a homebirth I probably had images of little house on the prairie, hot water and towels (what is the hot water for anyway ;-). Until I have a better idea of what childbirth I would feel a little more comfortable in the hospital. DP is much happier now (although now concerned about traffic, he works in Guildford and it took him 90 min to get to work this morning!).

Hmmm now I have decided on place of birth now all I have to worry about is pain relief!

[Dophus]

Four escapees - I think ArtyJoe managed too!

[moomina]

This thread is v. interesting. I had a midwifery course interview at Surrey Uni last week and was told that I would be placed at either East Surrey or St Peter's if I was accepted onto the course. I knew nothing about St Peter's until today when another applicant told me it has one of the worst reputations for maternity and to avoid it if possible ... if prospective midwives are being told that, I really feel for the mothers who end up there.

[Dophus]

Well that's interesting and (perversly) reassuring to know. I had wondered whether I was making a paranoid fuss about nothing. Whenever I spoke to anyone clinical about St Peter's they said they were not aware of any problems. As you say if midwifes are warned off...

[artyjoe]

Hi Dophus

I haven't escaped yet, won't know until 22nd December when I have another growth scan, this should decide if C Section or not... if a C section is needed then my Bupa cover will kick in and I can go to a private hospital.

Didn't really want a C section but then also don't want to end up in St Peters trying to get a 13 pound baby out, have an emergency C and then have to stay in the place for 7 days!

[janeybops]

Some of my friends have delivered there and they didn't seem too impressed. One had her ds by c-section and was worried about his lack of feeding/latching on. They fobbed her off for 3 days before they suddenly whisked ds off to scubu as he was dehydrated???!!! Not impressed

[janeybops]

artyjoe, are you due a big one then or was it just a turn of phrase???

[handbagaddiction]

I had dd at the Royal Surrey in September 03. I know it's over a year ago - but happy to answer any questions about the place if anyone has any (those of you who have been reassigned!).

[Dophus]

So what's the royal surrey like - were you happy?

[artyjoe]

Janeybops, had a growth scan yesterday and at 32 weeks my baby is already 6.5 pounds! They are going to check again on 22nd December but they are anticipating a 5KG baby by then and I'll still only be 36 weeks...I wish I was only joking!

[handbagaddiction]

Dolphus,

Overall I was very happy with the care and attention I got from them. There are things that could be improved but I think that would be the same wherever you choose to have your baby. It's very difficult to get things 100% perfect for everyone.

Points I would make about the place:

(1) 90% of the midwives were lovely, very kind - rushed off their feet but willing to spend time with you if you need it.
(2) Be insistent about what you want - there's a danger (and by the way - this would happen in any hospital) that if you're a first timer that they won't take you seriously.
(3) I didn't have a birth plan at all prefering the stay open minded to the end - but was asked by the midwives about my thoughts
(4) Was encouraged to try and complete second stage without intervention for a long time - 3 hours !! Midwife was keen for me to try and keep going until it got to the point where I insisted that I needed extra help because I was knackered!! This I think was brilliant - she really wanted me to do it for myself!
(5) When I collapsed off the delivery table - severely anaemic - the support was excellent. lots of good and down to earth advice about pros and cons of a blood tranfusion
(6) Surprisingly, they did get a bit funny about dh being there late into the night....mentioning to him several times that he needed to go home. Given that we had paid the extra for an amenity room and I was having a blood transfusion at the time, I thought this was a little harsh!!

Overall though - nothing hideous to report. Amenity rooms are well worth it if can stump up the £100 a night and if there's one free as they have their own loos! That said, the 6 bed wards are OK too. Didn;t see much of the delivery rooms as I ended up in the operating theatre annex as that was the only room free at time....(they weren't really expecting me to be needing once so quick!!). Midwives encourage active, natural births but will be supportive to whatever choice you want. Food is pretty bad - take in your own supplies and get dh/dp to bring in extras. Take cleaning wipes for the bathrooms - bnot that they were really bad or anything BUT you can never be too careful!!

Let me know if there's anything else!

[charleypops]

Hi Handbag!

Thank you so much for that run down! I was a bit scared to ask in case it was bad news . The food tip I'm sure will be very useful

[charleypops]

Did you have intervention in the end?

[handbagaddiction]

Yes - ventouse! But have to say the midwife was really reluctant to bring in the consultant to do the ventouse. DD was showing no signs of distress so she was trying really hard to get me to do it all on my own (having had no pain relief either). Kept saying - try for another 20 minutes, etc, etc.

Still after no sleep for days - the first night having had really bad insomnia and the second being in labour....I was completely done for..so eventually I insisted and she complied! Full credit to her for trying though!!

[charleypops]

No pain relief and a ventuose - you are brave!! I'm terrified of having ventuose or forceps after reading some of the posts on MN - some poor ladies are still traumatised 2 years later!

Your midwife sounds great - it must make all the difference

[Wifeof]

Just wanted to add that I had my 5 yr old in Royal Surrey and was living in Byfleet at the time. My best friend was a midwive at St Peters and it was she who told me horror stories and persuaded me to go to Guildford. Luckily GP was supportive and got me in.

I appreciate this was some time ago but thought you'd like toknow that Royal Surrey was lovely, with terrific labour/delivery rooms (mural o wall of seaside - very relaxing and something to focus on!!)

Goodluck!