Has anyone recently had a baby at East Surrey hospital?

[HeadFairy]

Reading through some old threads on here it hasn't had the best write up but I wondered if things have changed.

I had el cs with ds, so it's either vbac or another el cs, I'm wondering what East Surrey would be like in these circumstances?

hi- ihad both boys there. ds1 in nov 07 & ds2 feb 09.

great team both times.

they have split the post-natal ward now-high risk & low risk.

with a vbac or el cs you would be in high risk where they have a much bigger team to help you out.

good facilities, nice food, friendly midwives.

would defo. recommend a side room if you can afford.

hth.

Thanks for that IHNS... are the side rooms very expensive? If I'm having a vbac I'm guessing I won't stay overnight, or at the most one night, but if I end up with a cs then a side room would be heavenly.

Had DS there 16 weeks ago today. I really didn't want to go to hospital (was booked into Crowborough birthing centre) but ended up at East Surrey as he was over 13 days late. I was dreading it, but it was lovely. I had a fantastic midwife during the birth, which was actually almost enjoyable. Well, as enjoyable as delivering a 9lb 1oz baby in under 7 hours can be...
The midwives on the ward afterwards were fantastic, really friendly and helpful.I even saw a student midwife that I'd seen during a couple of my anti-natal appointments.
The ward was clean, as were the bathrooms. Didn't think much of the food though, take snacky type foods with you to keep you going!
I had a very straightforward birth, so I have no idea about CS/VBAC, but from what I saw the women who had had CS's were extremely well looked after.
Good luck!

Side room with just a bed and cupboard, table, armchair etc are £80 per nite.
With an en-suite are £120.

Very nice tho. We saved up so i could have a side room this time as I didn't sleep a wink last time. Def. worth it.

Had DD there in January '09 by el CS - stayed in 3 nights & was also admitted at 30 weeks for 3 nights due to placenta praevia and have to say both stays were 100 times better than my awful experience of Mayday 3 years ago. I couldn't fault ANY of the staff - midwives (and there were many in 6 nights), consultants, theatre staff & very importantly orderlies, cleaners etc. ALL were fantastic - polite, helpful, chatty, professional.

I did have a side room (no.4, wd recommend!) & thoroughly worth the money. Personally not sure how I'd cope on a ward - I did need earplugs at 30 weeks! Do go for the side room, you don't need the ensuite bathroom as it's right opposite.

I'd say East Surrey was brilliant compared to my rather traumatic time at Mayday (where even the registrar who delivered my baby didn't talk to me and I've still no idea which midwife was even supposed to be attending to me during labour - it was horrendous). I'd happily go back to east Surrey....

they've def improved over the last few years.
they took on something like 11 new midwives last year and opened the new birth centre-y bit which i hear is lovely.

my experience there 4.5 yrs ago with ds1 was ok for the actual labour, but the after-care left a lot to be desired.
awful food, not enough of it, not enough staff and dire breastfeeding support.

but forewarned is forearmed isn't it? and like i say i do think it has improved a lot since then,.

good luck

I had my dd there 16weeks ago, wasnt the best, but cant actualy compair to anything as she is my first.

midwifes were good but had to have 4 different ones as long labour, but cant be helped. had em cs, and the theatre staff were horrible! thats my main problem with how I was treated. My anethetist made a massive mistake and ended up making me miss my own birth!!!

Ended up with baby in SCBU for 5 days after the birth and they are very anti breastfeeding, had to fight tooth and nail to stop them giving my baby a bottle or a dummy when I wasnt with her. (which was hardly ever) I think they need more breastfeeding suport services.

sorry if I sound like a moaning minnie, but I have to say the food was bloody awful aswell so I would say if you have to be there any length of time get people to bring you bits in. In the grand scheme of things thats nothing tho is it.

Was very clean and the ward staff were very nice but very stetched.

good luck with your birth

Just though id add my experiences..

I had DD there last July.
The Labour ward and midwives we great.. even though they were having a seriously busy night!

Like Yesterday felt the aftercare lacking in the Post natal wards. Midwifes very stressed at being short staffed, and some of the older midwives were very stuck in thier ways. Breast feeding support was poor. I kept being told to express... great in therory but 1 pump between 2 whole wards meant it was never around to use! Kept being told I wasnt allowed home till Breastfeeding was established, Had been in 3 days at that point. Had all the pumps ect at home that i could express with and after an arguement with the moody midwife over this, I basically demanded to be discharged. Was told that I would be back within a week as DD would loss too much weight.... we werent at, She never lost any weight at all!

Hope it has improved as we are now ttc number 2!

I had my 14 week old twins there at beginning of May and DD1 this time 3 years ago. Have to say that both labours the staff were great and couldn't have been better. Post natal care absolutely rubbish, especially with the twins ( I think over 4 days only one midwife who came in realised I'd actually had twins and no one knew without asking whether I'd had a section or not). Went for the side room option with en suite which was better - hated wheeling dd1 into the bathroom. Food ok you just don't get enough of it. To be honest I don't think ESH differs from many hospitals due to staff shortages - most people seem to report decentish labour experiences and fairly haphazard post natal care depending on which midwifes are on duty/how busy it is etc. Re. your section and a private room - their current policy is that you can't be in a side room for the first night after a section as they like to keep an eye on you (!). Good luck with it all.

Further note on East Surrey - they are known to have a higher than national average rate of c-sections so bear that in mind when discussing your options.

I also had twins at East Surrey in May and echo magnummum's views. I had an elcs and it could not have been better. Theatre staff were wonderful, I got skin to skin with both babies straight away, breast fed both of them in the recovery room, DH was able to wander between me and the babies at will, take whatever photos he wanted and they took photos of us all together. It was just great.

Post natal care in the daytime was fine - although DH was with me every moment he could be and I wouldn't have had it any other way - but at night it was awful. Can't really comment on the side room as it was so qquiet I didn't bother asking for one and I was v close to the bathroom.

Take lots of food and have people bring it, especially if you are bf. See also my thread on Multiple Births about this - there are some views from some other ESH deliveries, and a lot of detail about the wards, the facilities etc. from me.

I had DS there in May. DC1 so nothing to compare with.
I had to have CS with 2 days notice due to oblique breech. Theatre staff were great especially lead MW.
Recovery room experience good. I had skin to skin immediately and DS latched on for an hour! MW had called paediatrician as DS was grunting a little but then shooed the paediatrician out of the room when DS latched on so well an stopped grunting.

On the ward afterwards MW care on the whole v good. I found them supportive of BF but not a lot of help or advice except for BF advisor who came round every other day. Food good but not enough and not at the right times.