Anyone looking at St Thomas, London for a Summer birth? Or given birth there?

[cityangel]

I am due to go and see St. Thomas NHS and Private Lansdell Suite with a view to giving birth there in July.

I'd be very interested to hear from anyone else in the same boat or those with experiences there good or bad. Many thanks

Nice rooms with fab views, though. Just a shame about the shockingly dangerous staffing rates.

I had dd at the Lansdell. lovely. Recovery room was fantastic and the staff were all very nice during the birth.

Post natal midwives were a bit wishy washy and couldn't help me get to grips with bf which was annoying but it does seem to be quite common.

I had DD there last March in the hosp birth bit
It was all fine. Postnatal ward was a bit chaotic and DH was chucked out as it was outside visiting hours (he wanted to sleep so that was fine anyway.

Took hours to escape as they forgot to sort my paperwork but I would happily have another there

Thanks for all your messages this is very helpful. We've decided to go ahead with St Thomas in July. Fingers crossed it all works out!

Thanks for all your messages this is very helpful. We've decided to go ahead with St Thomas in July. Fingers crossed it all works out!

Monkeysmama - I have also had a mare with the midwives as one of the key features for me was the same midwife throughout. They then said there were two (Sue and Michelle). Sue seems to have disappeared (probably the 'can't tell you anything' comment). Got Michelle for my next appointment and I have never met her before. Had a random for 20 weeks appointment who was covering for Sue. Cost me £5000 deposit plus all scans and tests so thus far have not recieved any different treatment than on the NHS. The only difference is that you are guaranteed a room (you can pay for one on NHS treatment but if they're full you have to go on the ward).

Amberc

I am sorry to hear you've been mucked about a bit too. Has it got any better yet? I am really not sure what has happened but started to think of everything - including that something bad had happened there and they had got in some kind of trouble. Seems to be a bit better now but I am still not entirely happy and haven't been given any explaination.

It is a real pity because I was really looking forward to having the same midwife throughout and to a positive experience. The place looks great but I have been left feeling a bit frightened and vulnerable a few times which was precisley what I didn't want and went there in the first place!

monkeysmama/amberc - really sorry to hear about your experiences but interested to know more. Did you opt for the midwife led bath package? Just I'm seeing one of consultants nad haven't seen any midwife yet (am now 23 weeks ) so if they are having staffing issues it might explain why.

Having said that I had the misfortune to be in the SANDS unit last year at St Thomas -had a variety of midwives who were all fantastic so I'm not unduly worried.

Poppy34

Yes, we opted for the midwife led package.

I am not sure that the problems are staffing issues in the traditional sense - i.e. not having enough staff. When we first went in there were 2 named midwives and everything seemed fine. Then just after Christmas everything seemd to go wrong and the two original midwives simply disappeared.

After several appointments with different midwives we, I think quite fairly, demanded to know what was happening and were told 4 different things - the orignial 2 were on holiday, they were doing paperwork and in the building but only available in an emergency, they were "somewhere else" and finally that there were "some issues" and they were both not well.

We finally saw one of the originial 2 midwives a week or so back but have just been told that our next appointment has changed again.

I'd ask what's happening & see if you can get any answers (and please share them if you do!) about seeing a midwife.

Good luck!

MM

Amberc

Has your experience improved?

MM

Are these midwifes in the private section of St Thomas or general midwife clinic? I am off for my first midwife appointment there tomorrow. Quite frankly anything is better than my local experience so I am hopeful.

They are in the private Lansdell Suite bit. MM

Been blessed to have been a doula at a few births there it is a lovely place and the garden room is such a special touch. They have a 'home from home' which is fantastic. The staff are fabulous and I can only sing there praises.

I have also seen it through others eyes my grandson was born there so would highly recommend

Just to add I am a young granny just incase you thought I was an OAP LOL

Yes I liked the garden room, hopefully useful in the summer!
I had my first mainstream (not private) midwife appointment today and it went well. Infinitely better than my local health authority.
I am hoping to stay in the Lansdell after if I need to stay in longer pr have lots of intervention..

Thanks for all your advice

I gave birth there last week sept 18th to my second child. They are terrible considering my desire to have an epidural. They completely dragged their feet and my husband had to argue with the midwife to give me any pain relief. They did not give me an epidural because they said it I was too far along. Had they examined me when I first said that I wanted the epidural there woudl have been time. the same foot dragging tactics were used when i wanted an immediate pain relief of paracetamol and codine. they kept telling me to suck on the nitros oxide. what is the impact on the unborn fetus of sucking down all that gas?