King's vs Mayday - any recommendations?

[sanfair]

I've got the choice (according to my GP) of either Kings or Mayday for my antenatal and birth.

I've signed up to Mayday as I liked the sound of their birthing clinic although I understand you take the risk of it being full.

I'm only 8 weeks along so still have some time to change my mind. Anyone have any recommendations?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1576519/NHS-trusts-maternity-care-ratings-in-full.html

I chose between Kings & Lewisham based on how well performing they were, I can't find the original website I used which had a series of statistics on such as % caesearian deliveries etc. My midwife told me both places were "as bad as each other" so I originally went with Lewisham - but switched at about four months.

I had my PFB at Kings three months ago, compared to Lewisham there was a definite difference in cleanliness, standard of equipment being used (my first scan at Lewisham appeared to be being done on a 1970's ZX Spectrum .

At Kings I had the comfort of knowing the best medical care and equipment was in the building, the actual birth was brilliant but the three nights on the maternity ward were hell on earth - some of the midwives were incredibly unsupportive (with the exception of two).

Good luck!

I've got Mayday experience!

The antenatal classes were fine (though it seems a complete lottery depending on which midwife you get, but I think that's the case everywhere). The birth centre is lovely, but be warned that you may not get in if you have anything even slightly out of the ordinary, or if it's full, or if they don't have enough staff on to take you.

The antenatal ward (amusingly named "Hope Ward" - I don't think so) is awful. That's where you'll go if you have to be induced and it's hideous. Understaffed the night I was there, and horribly unsupportive midwives during the day.

The delivery suite isn't too bad, all the rooms are en suite and there are a couple of pools (again, a lottery depending on whether you get one).

The postnatal ward is horrible. Staff who don't care, and everything is incredibly slow (like discharging you, or getting test results back).

It's worth going on the "tour" of Mayday to see what you think, especially if you can compare it to others. And I had complications and nasty tearing and the perineal team at Mayday are the best in the UK (officially) so should that happen (which I hope it doesn't to you), you are in very safe hands on that front.

Good luck x

I had all 3 of my kids at Mayday and i can still see my horrified friends faces when i told them

It had a bad rep and one of my mates who lives nearer to there than me, chose to have her baby at Farnborough rather than go there.

Dunno if it was the luck of the draw but i had a great experience all 3 times with the midwives really taking an interest in me, and being really supportive.

My 2nd was born with the cord round her neck and had to be in special care overnight and i was put in a double room with another mum who's baby was also in special care. The midwives gave us polaroids of our babies and kept popping in to check if we were ok

My sister in law recently gave birth in Lewisham and had a really good experience but my cousin went to Farnborough and was nearly gonna throttle her midwife cos she was so rude!

Thanks for all the comments. Now I just need to visit both and make a final decision!

I really wouldn't go for Mayday.

It was awful, and I do have experience of another hospital to compare it to.

I had twins, but was left to care for them with no help. The auxillery pressurised me into giving them a bottle because I was 'starving them,' when all I wanted was a bit of help because both were hungry and one needed a bit of help latching on. I ended up co-sleeping with one dt, and the other in a cot right by the bed as i was finding it really hard managing with them both after the section.

I had to really push for the caesarian I was booked in for because on the day I got a different consultant who thought I should have a vaginal birth, and maintained that the presenting twin was head down. (Both were born breach).

There was some lovely nurses there, but they were jsut so overstretched, and the axilleries were awful. I couldn't wait to get home and get some help with the dts and me.

my babies cried quite a bit actually, and slowly all the other mums got moved off our bay and I was jsut stuck in the corner by myself and ignored!

You should actually have a wider choice than that according to NICE guidelines. It's just that some GPs aren't up to date with the changes. There's a website called Birth choice which gives comparison stats and is quite useful. I was given a choice of Mayday, Kings, St Helier or East Surrey.....and chose St. Georges!!! My G.P said that under the new guidelines I was entitled to have my baby there but that the hospital might block it as I lived out of borough. Anyway, out of the two you mention I would go for Kings. I haven't had a birth at Mayday but I went there for an ERPC and found the care (both scan and surgery) completely lacking in warmth and compassion.

Lots of my mum chums who went to Mayday the first time have chosen St Helier the second time round, but that might not be convenient for you Sanfair. They have all been very impressed with it.

Other friends have been to East Surrey and said that it is pretty good.

I'm pg the second time round and have (maybe bizarrely, given my comments) gone for Mayday again. The main reason for this is that I need to be under gynae as well as obs because of the complications I had last time, and the gynae people are really very very good. But if it wasn't for that, I'd have chosen St Helier.

I'm well ahead of you Sanfair, so I can always let you know how it goes this time if you're still undecided in a few months!

The thing is you're at the mercy of the staff on duty the day you give birth (unless you are are on an antenatal ward/post natal ward for a while - in which case you get a more balanced view of the place). One of the reasons I chose St. Georges was because it has an excellent neonatal unit. I had no reason to suspect I'd need it but it was a precious pregnancy after losing 4 pgs and I wanted that reassurance iyswim. As it happened, dd did need the neonatal unit as she was born 10 weeks early. Mayday has a neonatal unit but it's not as advanced as Georges and they often transfer babies to SGH.

Hi,
Anyone else due to give birth at Mayday?
I'm nervous about having my baby in Mayday - due Sept 2010 - as all the reviews I have read sound truly awful. However, recently three friends have all had babies at Mayday and all have glowing reports about the care they received. The birthing centre in particular has been raved about! So i'm trying to be positive!

My sister had her first baby at Chelsea and Westminster and to be honest, i think it's just pot-luck on which midwife you get...she was lucky to get a fantastic one for the actual birth but the previous one and aftercare was rubbish!!

The care i've received so far, for scans etc has been great - all on time, clean, lovely midwives and really helpful people. My Dr cousin is currently spending a year at Mayday and she rates it - she says the reputation is poor but it's comparable to any other hospital - so can't be all that bad!

My plan is to be nice as pie - hopefully everyone will be nice back!!

My only concern is that there seem to be soooo many pregnant ladies around at the mo! So i'm also going to check out Bromley's hospital - if there's no room at the inn, then i want to know i've got a decent back up plan!! xx

I had dc1 at mayday 5 years ago. The labour ward was understaffed and we had a pretty awful birth experience BUT dc1 needed to go to the SCBU and the staff there were superb, experienced and reassuring. The postnatal ward was ok and I felt looked after.

I had DS2 at Mayday in August 2008, and am due to have DC3 there this October. (Had DS1 at Bromley hospital).

I agree that it depends somewhat on the staff you get on the day. I wanted to have DS2 at the birth centre but didn't happen for various reasons (my midwife told me you had to practically be a virgin to get in!)

After a natural birth with DS1 I was shocked to end up with an emergency CS under general anaesthetic. BUT I cannot fault the staff at Mayday. It was an emergency and they acted very quickly and completely professionally.

I was in three nights afterwards on the post-natal ward, and (with the exception of one or two staff members) everyone was very lovely, caring and attentive. Even the food wasn't too bad! Overall it was better than the one night of hell I spent at Bromley with DS1 and very abrupt carers who terrified me as a young inexperienced new mother.

I have no qualms about going to Mayday again this time.

Kings has great technology and it's spanking clean

...the staff are really really busy though (at least they were 6 years ago and doubt things have changed)

...and some of them are cows a bit testy

Hello all, following my older post above I had DS1 there on Wed.
I had a difficult labour and ended up having a c-section but cannot fault Mayday from beginning to end.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use the birth centre (due to risk rather than lack of rooms) and I got to have quite a few midwives as labour then recovery ended up covering a number of shifts.
All staff were fantastic -both on labour ward and postnatal- very friendly and helpful. They were also very busy on the wards when I was there but it didn't stop them being v. easily accessible- via constant monitoring during the worst of it or afterwards, via regular visits or turning up quick as a genie when I did ring for them a few times.
If there's ever a next little one one the way, I'll use Mayday again.

I had my DS at King's 4 weeks ago & they were fantastic.unfortunately he had to go to special care for a few days (we were in for a week).the staff were great and they had proper breastfeeding supporters there.
Had my DD 2 years ago at Lewisham & it was awful!

No experience of mayday I'm afraid.

I had my DS2 at King's 3 weeks ago. I found all the care there really good and the scans are the best you can get NHS wise. The rooms were really good and also clean. I had DS1 at Queen Elizabeth's in Woolwich and that was horrendous, hence the change to King's second time around. I was only at King's for 1 night though so can't really comment too much on aftercare. I suspect this is a bit hit and miss everywhere if you find yourself in for a few days afterwards.

Louplet
x

Have had hit and miss experiences of Mayday maternity ward itself but I had my daughter at the birthing centre which was amazing, couldn't fault it - clean, lovely midwives, relaxing atmosphere, felt really looked after (this was nearly 3 years ago).
I'm due to have another in a couple of weeks so I'm really hoping that I get into it again.

For those worrying that they might not get into the birthing centre (other than it being full on the day) my midwife said that they want as many mothers to use it as possible/to have it as a preference at the moment as they don't know if funding for it will be cut/ it could be closed if it isn't seen as a necessity.

I'm about to go for my first appointment at mayday and i'm a bit worried on whether we have chosen the right hospital. I had 3 options, st helier, mayday and east surrey. I'm new 2 the area and am not sure which one 2 go for? Also is it to late 2 change hospitals after the first appointment? Any advice would be really appreciated. Many thanks in advance