St Mary's Paddington - experiences of birth, parking and post natal care

[Duv]

As I get nearer my due date I'm trying to understand the logistics of birth at St Mary's London.

My understanding is there is not really any parking available, which so far hasn't been a problem for attending appointments as it's been easy to get to on public transport/by Uber, but what do we do when it's actually time to go into Labour, and to take baby home from the hospital?

My partner drives, but I've heard finding a parking space is a matter of luck (and I assume costs a fortune if you end up being there for a few days). I don't like the idea of either panicking because we can't find a parking space, or ending up stressed because there's maximum stay for our spot and it looks like we will be in the hospital longer. Is getting a taxi to the hospital practical? What about getting home? Can we fix a car seat into a taxi using the seatbelts?

Also wondered what the situation was like in terms of postnatal care if you have to stay a night or a few nights? As I understand it partners are allowed to stay with you, but is there anywhere for them to sleep (was thinking of bringing a camping inflatable mat - would their be enough space for that?). Are you on a shared ward or in private rooms?

I had my baby at St Georges, which has notoriously terrible parking queues, and we dont have a car. I just booked an uber on the way there (waters had already broken so put a bed mat thing on the seat and sat on a waterproof coat 😳). Noone mentioned anything! We also had numbers for our local minicab company in our phone in case we couldnt get an uber.

Coming home, you will need to check your car seat. Most infant carriers can be put in a taxi with the seatbelt. This is what we did. Alternatively your DH could go home, collect your car and pick you up from the pick up point at the hospital. I just sat in the waiting chairs at the entrance to the hospital whilst I waited for the taxi - you could do something similar.

Have you done any antenatal classes? We did NCT and our group spent quite a while of one session discussing the best parking plan with our course leader. 😅

I have NCT classes booked but not through my hospital, and they're not for quite a few more weeks yet.

This may sound incredibly stupid, but is there actually a reason I can get the tube to the hospital if it's the day time? Obviously wouldn't want that to be my only plan of action, but if I'm feeling ok to?

I had my DS at St Mary's 4 years ago but I don't think it's changed hugely. I did have an ELCS though so my experience might be slightly different. We walked the on the day of the ELCS as we don't have a car. In terms of leaving, my parents came and picked us up (and found parking in the residential roads opposite as it was a weekend) but we had been planning to get a taxi. Nobody at the hospital checked that DS was safely in his car seat and in a car or anything!

I stayed in for one night and DH stayed with me on a chair. In hindsight, it would have been better for him to go home as we lived so close but we didn't know what the first night would be like. I should also add the caveat that my experience might have been a bit different as I was allocated a private room. I think most people are in the small post natal wards. I walked through them to get to the shower the day after I gave birth and they seemed fine.

The care I had throughout was excellent. Some of the facilities were a bit tired (although the birthing unit seemed quite nice) but I didn't mind that so much as everyone was so kind.

I wouldn’t get on the tube! You might be having labour pains every minute or so and might need a medical evacuation. Imagine how pissed off everyone on the tube will be! I’d taxi there and then get your dh to go home, get car and come back in car with car seat to collect you. You can park on road very near at Mary’s for short period.

NCT classes are usually linked to your postcode / area, so you will probably find that all the course leaders know about the hospital that you are planning to give birth in and some of the other couples will probably be at St Marys as well. Our course had people giving birth in St Georges, Chelsea & Westminster and Kingston.

Getting the tube might depend on what sort of labour you are having. My waters had broken but i wasn't having contractions - i could have got the bus (in my case) except there was no way i would have wanted to have waters running down my leg on public transport. I'm not sure if i'd have wanted to get the tube in case something happened and there was a delay on the train or it got stuck in tunnel etc. At least overground, there's more chance of an ambulance getting to you if you get stuck in traffic or something?

Once my contractions were reaching the point that i would have been called into hospital (if i wasn't already there), there is no way i would have been able to take the tube. You will cover this with NCT but stress slows down labour. I can't imagine anything worse than trying to navigate barriers, escalators, tunnels etc whilst in labour - having to stop every couple of minutes to breathe through a painful contraction. You'll probably find that you want to get to hospital as quickly and calmly and quietly as possible so you can keep focusing on your breathing and your contractions.

If you are being induced or a planned section then you can take the tube as normal as it's just like any other appointment.

I gave birth at St Mary’s in 2022.

Lived 15 mins walk away so can’t advise on the parking, sorry. But induction/ planned c section you will be fine on the tube/ bus but in labour taxi or car would be better. Taxis are used to it I’ve heard, just make sure you sit on towels/ puppy pads if your waters have broken! Also fine to bring the baby home in a taxi in a car seat.

The postnatal care was awful when I was there. Very understaffed, partners were not allowed to stay overnight, though that might have been a COVID rule that has now changed?

I was on a ward with 6 other women and babies, I ended up hallucinating due to lack of sleep as the moment one baby woke up crying, they all did! And all the buzzers were going off all night as no one had partners to help so needed frequent assistance, especially those who had had c sections. There weren’t any private rooms available when I was in but would definitely say they are worth the money if you can afford it/ there is space.

One thing to bear in mind when planning is that I know of at least two women who were supposed to have their babies at St Mary's but ended up having to go to Chelsea & Westminster. One was because St Mary's was at full capacity and one was because, I think, the lift had broken down so they weren't accepting any women in labour. I don't know how common it is but it definitely happens!