Experiences of Kingston (surrey) hospital

[MandaHugNKiss]

x-posted in pregnancy.

So, somethings been bothering me.

I had ds at kingston hospital - 12 years ago. I was also hospitalised six times when pregnant with him (placenta previa) and have to say all my experience there were very positive. When admitted when still pregnant, from 23 weeks I always had my own room (as if they were sensitive to the fact I could lose the baby) and from the moment I arrived to give birth, I was in my own room too.

I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant with another ds, and once again I have placenta previa! Two weeks ago I was admitted with bleeding. Initially in a room in labour and delivery before seeing the registrar and being moved to a six bed ward in antenatal. Three of the women there were in labour (the one opposite me literally wailing in agony, begging for an epidural - I heard two midwives talking about her/the fact they were waiting to move her to delivery and heard she was 6cms and would have to wail it out some more as the anesthesiologist wasn't available). After about an hour of dismay, thinking 'well, this is great - I predict not one iota of sleep' another midwife came to me and said they were moving me again (probably realising it wasn't ideal). I was taken next door to a two bed room (seperated by a curtain). As I lay there, I realised that this two bed room was actually one of the rooms I used to stay in with DS1. Was also interesting (disappointing sad) to note on a leaflet in the Labour and Delivery reception that you can book an 'amenity room' for after delivery at £100 per night (to have your own space rather than share).

To get to the point I think what I'm wondering is, is Kingston now so overwhelminly busy that space issues/care compromise happens on a regular basis. I was looking forward to returning to deliver there a second time but I barely recognised the unit and am now concerned about how things will go this time. Perhaps what happened two weeks ago is an isolated 'extremely busy' night - but the fact that they've turned single rooms into two bed rooms says it's more of a long term issue/arrangement than that.

Also, I'm wondering if the fact I was recently shown to be group B strep positive means I may get a more private experience as my labour will be more managed with IV antibiotics (presuming my placenta moves up and away) and a period of observation of the baby post birth.

Just wondered if anyone has any more recent experience of Kingston than my 12 year old one!

Hi there,
I had DC3 at Kingston last Monday and have to say despite various complications (emergency CS, rescusitation, baby in intensive care, strep B) my experience of the hospital and every single member of staff was 100% positive.
Labour started off calmly in Malden Suite, moved to regular labour ward after a meconium incident + ended 12 hours later in theatre; postnatally I was on a recovery ward for about 6 hours shared with 3 others out of theatre - I hadn't even seen my baby as he'd been whisked off to the NNU and was getting a bit emotional at seeing/hearing other gorgeous babies... within about 5 mins the staff nurse had come over and said 'you can't stay on this ward, you poor love, you'll never get any rest' and moved me to a private room on Thameside postnatal. There for 2 nights till baby ready to room-in, then we were both transferred to a private room in Transitional Care for 4 more nights while he finished his course of antibiotics. I saw the ads for 'amenity rooms' too but no one mentioned the cost to us. The atmosphere was calm - even during the 'emergency' moments - and I felt that the care we received from consultants, registrars, surgeons, anaesthetists, paediatricians (sp?), midwives, nurses et al was outstanding. With strep B guess you'll be on Transitional for a time too - from what I could gather they have 4 private rooms and 3 beds on a shared ward. Good luck - hope all goes well for you!

I did not have a positive experience there. I was begging for an epidural for 29 hours. I finally got one in the end.
When I asked the midwife how to breastfeed she said "he'll know what to do" (ds... well, he didn't. I figured it out in the end, though through no help of anyone at kingston hospital).
At first I wasn't admitted in there because there weren't any beds. I did deliver in my own room, though because I had to have antibiotic since my waters had been broken more than 24 hours...etc. but soon soon soon after that I was in a room with 5 other women separated by curtains across from neonatal room where they kept bringing ds to prick his heel to check blood glucose levels.
they took him "so I could sleep" and didn't return him for a long time even though nothing was wrong I could hear him crying down the corridor.
They once took him while I was asleep and didn't wake me to tell me so imagine my panic when I woke and my baby was gone!
I could go on...
It was not a positive birth or stay afterward. They wouldn't let me go home for ages.

And they kept giving him formula for top ups even though I didn't want him to have it.

And when I first went in, they had me in the malden suite just to check how dilated I was. I had a really hard time with internal examinations and was really in pain and writhing around. The midwife said "ohhh, calm down now. you're acting like a little girl."

DH did NOT need to hear that. He needed to hear that me being in pain and not enjoying that stuff was somewhat normal!

Also, one midwife (I went through several shifts) was yelling like an army commander "pushpushpushpushpushpushpush PUSH!" I kept screaming at her to STOP SAYING THAT. but she wouldn't. The next shift midwife who took over after nearly 2 hours of pushing was much more calm I did like her... but then she's the one who wouldn't help me bf afterward and said my baby would "know" what to do.

Don't get me wrong, when I saw my beautiful DS I fell in love immediately and love him more than anything in the world now.