giving birth at lindo or Chelsea&westminster?

[panayiota]

hello dear all.I am new in this site and this country and would really appreciate some advise on choosing hospital.I am currently going privately at Lindo Wing(Dr.Rai anyone?) but we are really considering selecting Chelsea and Westminster Hospital because its literaly outside our doorstep and because of the great facilities at the Kensincton wing.I am now at 18 weeks and have been looking into this subject for over a month.They told me its quite late to be still looking at this stage but with so many pregnancy problems( 4 m/c before) we didnt really felt we could handle this.The point is I would really appreciate anyone's experiences either good or bad at any of this two hospitals(however only for their private section because I was told there are many differences when going NHS).Also if anyone can reccoment a consultant at C&W would really help as I have noone I know there.
Please help an anxious mother to be in a new country

I had my DD at the Lindo wing with Mr Miskry. I wont be having any more but if I did after my husband he would be the next person I got in contact with after getting a +ve test result. Its just fab. The staff are lovely, the continuity of care is fantastic, and the labour and post delivery wards (all private rooms but only 8 labour and 11 post natal rooms) are small and intimate and you are so well looked after. It is worth every penny!

I gave birth at C&W. The hospital is excellent but the after care is appalling. I am still taken aback when I think about the attitude of staff there.

I had my son at the Lindo with Mr Teoh and it was amazing. My son was breech so I had a c section which was the most chilled out 20 minutes ever - with Mr Teoh and my husband discussing the traffic/football etc with the anesthatist who were all lovely. My well meaning NCT teacher had told me there would be literally twenty staff in the room for a c-section which was rubbish, just me, my husband, Mr Teoh, the anesthatist and his assistant plus one nurse - all very chilled and calm. The nurses and midwifes upstairs were amazing and I felt incredibly well looked after. I also live in Chelsea/Fulham so the C and Westminster would have been miles easier for us too but we chose Lindo after lots of recommendations from friends and it didn't let us down, in fact we are expecting number two in May and I love my visits to the Lindo and look forward to next spring with much excitment - can't rate it highly enough! Yes, it's incredibly expensive but TOTALLY worth it!

I am due to have my 4th at C and W Ken wing in Feb. I am under Nick Wales, who has delivered my last 2 (had midwife led for 1st, eventually Guy Thorpe Beeston who was good in a crisis) and have also spent time with Keith Duncan who covers for Nick if not around. I cannot recommend Nick highly enough. Others rate Mark Johnson, I have no experience of him.
My sis in law has had her 4 at Lindo under Mr Teoh, also very happy, but I have always found it hot, stuffy and old fashioned when I have visited her there! However you may have no choice about consultant at this stage.

Thank you all for your kind responses.It really maters to get advise as I feel completely lost in this new system.I guess I never had expected that I would be pregnant and give birth without my loved ones.I am fortunate enough to have all expenses covered due to my husband's insurance so its not a factor as to choosing bettween those two.I just thought they are the best I could have after an extensive research I had.Portland was not an option as I have previous problems and M/C's.

SQUIBY2004 I am not allowed for a tour can you please tell me if rooms are as bad as they say in lindo?do they have ensuite bathrooms?

LOULOUBELLE I am due at the end of April and have just contacted Nick Wales he is available so I thought I should meet him in order to have an option in case we choose C&W.Iam definately having a consultand-led labor is there anything else i should bear in mind while choosing one?

Iam currently at Dr.Rai anyone has a birthexperience with him?

I can't speak for Squiby2004 however from my experience the rooms at the lindo are totally fine and lovely and yes absolutely they have en suite! They are immaculately clean and enough room for you and your bed, your baby in his portable cot (hot tip, send him to the nursery at night so you can get some sleep, you'll need it once you're home!) and a couple of comfy chairs for visitors - it's not state of the art, and can be a bit noisy as St Mary's is a huge hospital and obviously runs 24/7 - but they have air conditioning and a tv and phone, everyghing you need, to be honest me and my husband spent nearly all our time whilst in my room staring adoringly at our first born like many new parents do I think!

hi thank you rubyshoos.I know I may sound silly but its difficult enough trying to express myself in a foreign language and worrying about new customs and habits.In my country everything is different and it scares me that here I have to explore even the most simple things to make sure everything will go ok.
I had been to lindo maternity wing for some blood tests before and was shocked not only to see an old room (3* I would say) but with no bathroom as well.When I asked the nurse if this is a private maternity room she said yes.Thats why I am exploring so much the option of the C&W Hospital that suits me so much in many aspects but still I know no doctor there and I try to reasure my self that the point is that I am happy with my current doctor.
all mums comments in this site have been so helpfull,I cant thank you enough.I am so glad I found it

Hi. Not really sure if there is anything else you should know...I have had experience of several of the midwife's there, and they are all lovely. C and W recently extended the Private Mat Unit from 6 beds to about 15 or so and it feels a lot more spacious. As with any consultant check his holiday arrangements particularly if you are due over Easter, as they sometimes swap some dates. Nick has a young family so may be away for some of it. Definitely worth meeting up with him first before you commit. Good luck, let me know!

hi louloubelle.I had the tour at the C&W so I felt really happy with the Kensikton suite.I also live right next to it so I wont even need a lift there which is a major plus for my husband.I am due in the end of April so I dont expect Easter to be an issue,provided of course everything goes well.Will let you know as soon as I meet Nick,thank you very much for the information

I found Lindo to be absolutely fine! Its not really about the room tbh but the care you get whilst you are in it! Agree, DD went to the nursery every night (C section so 5 in total) and I had a sleeping pill All rested for when we came home which I am sure contributed to me being back on my feet and driving again less than 2 weeks after my section.

I agree with squiby2004 - my experiences of the Lindo have been v positive. I was booked with Mr Khullar who I would definitely recommend to anyone thinking of a Lindo delivery. He really was amazing. Hubby and I have very fond memories. Room was fine. Midwives fantastic. Cant comment on C&W though.

Sorry but I think what the room looks like should be the least of your concerns!
The care you will get is much more important, before and after the birth. Having said that, Lindo Wing/C&W have both got good reputations!

One thing that you may want to consider - St.Mary's has got a world-famous recurrent miscarriage clinic; a lot of women who get supported by the unit then give birth in the hospital. Perhaps they are more used to women in your circumstances, and may be able to offer targeted support?

thank you all for your usefull comments.
of course I dont think the room to be the main reason for my selection but a clean and nice enviroment definately promotes a sense of calmness,especialy in the postnatal care(because if all goes well I intend to stay in for at least 3 days).I know Lindo is exceptionaly good in UK standards and this is the reason I went there in the first place.minervaitalica I am already using this misscariage clinic since I got to UK and thats how I got my doctor,who is the reason for wanting to give birth at Lindo eventhough C&W suits all my other needs.
In any case can someone enlight me on when I should pay my deposit and if this includes prenatal appointments or classes?

Panayiota, the Lindo will invoice you for your deposit once you are further along in your pregnancy and your consultant will invoice you separately and to my knowledge that does not include any ante natal classes. Here in the UK most people go to the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) to register (and pay) for ante natal classes. I live in Fulham and the NCT hooked me up with a wonderful group of girls who two years down the line I still see pretty much every week. Some of my other friends used another ante natal service called Christine Hill, this is the same as the NCT but perhaps a bit more exclusive (and more expensive!) but regardless both NCT and C.Hill will get you together with other women who are due at the same time as you which I personally found immensely reassuring. As for choosing between the LIndo and C and W, it's a personal choice, but I like the continuity of care you get at the Lindo - most of the midwives have been there for years and years (surely a sign that it's a nice place to work?) and I had a lovely midwife who pretty much looked after me every day I was there (C.Section so I was there nearly a week). UK hospitals are definitaly not the prettiest of places, we are not bang up to date and all singing and all dancing like the US and Middle East etc, but I think what we lack in snazziness we make up for in excellent care. Try not to be put off by the boarding school/dormitory style of the Lindo (that what it reminded me of and I have very happy memories of my boarding school!) and try and remember care of you and your baby is the most important thing for the staff at the Lindo and not whether the rooms are shiny and new. As my mother says, if it was good enough for Princess Diana to have William and Harry there, it's good enough for me!

I have had two at the Kensington Wing. Nick wales covered for my doctor (Keith Duncan) they are both excellent and have had a friend with two excellent deliveries with Nick. He is lovely and they are both very woman-focused despite being excellent doctors. The MWs are excellent too. And why should how nice the room is not matter? That is what you are told in the NHS, but you can have both nice surroundings and great care. In your place I'd never go elsewhere with one of the top private maternity suites on your doorstep. I since moved further out of London but will definitely go back to the K wing if we have another. Great place, great care. Good luck.

I should have said "as well as", not "despite"! hurry hurry, sorry...

hi thank you all.I will try the NCT to find something in my area for classes .
dont get me wrong but in deed I expected more state of the art technology and facilities from top UK hospitals.Because of other health problems I have stayed(lucky me ) in some of London's top hospitals and was disappointed.Yes some had a shef and expencive wines but seriously that's not what a patient needs.I come from a very small european country and not US or middle east to be honest,but there are things in a prenatal care in my country go as standard and free for everyone whereas here you cant get them even on top hospitals,let allone the NHS.
in any case I think I am probably staying at the Lindo simply because I feel I will not have the time to evaluate another consultant at the time-pregnancy has made me completely useless on making desitions.

I'm probably a bit late with this, but thought I'd post anyway in case of others reading this thread.

I had DS in the Kensington Wing at C&W last year. I had a very complicated pregnancy and birth, but the care throughout was fantastic, I can highly recommend it. I know the room shouldn't be top of your reasons for choosing there, but having had quite a traumatic birth, and having to spend a few days there afterwards, having a room to myself was amazing. The midwives were lovely, and helped a lot when I had a terrible time establishing breastfeeding.

I'm sure all the consultants are lovely, but I had Mark Johnson, and he is just the most lovely man. Throughout a long and difficult birth, I never had anything but total confidence in his decisions, and I'm so glad he was there.

hi pennybenjamin thank you.I ve heard so many good words about M.Johnson and I tried to get an appointment but he was not available for birth.Ive booked for Lindo after long and hard consideration.Some new problems came up(cervix length,possible preterm labor) and the risk of miscariage is high so I thought I better stay with the miscariage clinic doctor I have now.He is good but sometimes I feel utterly fruistrated and that he believes (and says so)that I am thinking and researching too much
sorry for the long post I really dont know why I began to say all these things I guess I m feeling so sad today.
ps.did you stay at the Kensikton suite?