Forth Park Hospital for birth?

[InMyPrime]

Hi all, I'm due in early October and live in Fife and my midwife told me that Forth Park is the local maternity hospital. Does anyone have any feedback on the facilities there? I'm a little concerned since it's far away from the bigger hospitals like Ninewells / ERI, if anything went wrong, and it's also closing at the end of 2011, which is not very encouraging...

We live halfway between Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy so in terms of distance there would be no difference for us to go to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh. I know that hospital well and some of the staff, as we used to live in Edinburgh. I received very good care at the Simpson early pregnancy unit for my miscarriage so I have faith in the staff and it's just more familiar to me whereas I don't know Kirkcaldy at all and have never been to the Forth Park hospital. I do know, however, from friends who've given birth at the Royal that it's a very busy unit and is overloaded already so the level of post-natal attention and delivery room availability might not be great.

Any thoughts out there? Has anyone had a particularly awful / great experience in either hospital? Am kind of worried since it's my first birth.

Hi there

I am also due my first and live similar distances between FP and ERI as you. I have heard nothing but good reports about Forth Park so am not worried. As far as if anything went wrong they do have a obstetric unit right next door to the MW led unit.

I am due in 9 weeks so if I remember I will try and post back my experience of my birth.

Hello, I had my two at Forth Park and had a great time with both, no complaints! I don't think the hospital us closing as such, just relocating over into the main Kirkcaldy hospital.

I've heard the ERI is always v busy. There's also St Johns at Livingston, which is nearer and I've heard good delete about it.

The only piece of advice I would give you is make sure you do a few dummy runs so you know exactly where it us, I'm in W Fife too (I'm guessing that's where you are?) and I always used to get a wee bit lost after going past the retail park off the A92!

"heard good things" not "heard good delete". Must start previewing my posts!!

I gave birth to DS in Forth Park in November last year. Nothing but praise for the midwives and the facilities. The birthing suite I was in was very homely and couldn't have hoped for a nicer midwife. I second what Piffpaffpoff said about dummy runs, it's a little hard to find.

Thanks for all your feedback, everyone. I am in West Fife (could almost walk to the bridge from our house!) so I suppose that's why it seems strange to me to go to Kirkcaldy as I don't really feel like I'm properly in Fife since I work in Edinburgh etc. It's a pity QMH in Dunfermline doesn't offer labour & delivery services.

Anyway from what you've all said, Forth Park sounds fine and I do like the idea of going to a quieter hospital than the ERI, especially as I'm due in October which is apparently a busy time of year for the labour wards.... it's reassuring to hear that it's only being closed to merge with the main hospital not because it's had an MRSA epidemic or is falling down or something...!

Might give them a call as well and see if they offer any 'tours' or look around visits for expectant parents.

I'm due to give birth in Forth Park in three weeks! I'm a little worried that I was told at antenatal class that they try to get you discharged in 4-6 hours - even for a first baby - as it is a pretty small hospital and they are busy. But all the midwives I've come across have been lovely and I was up there with a bleed at 28weeks and they were fantastic and it wasn't busy and I got loads of attention and reassurance. I'm in Dunfermline so, like you, would prefer if there was the option to have the baby here, but it only takes 25minutes to get to Forth Park so not too bad.

Hi
I gave birth to my first baby in February in Forth Park. I had an emergency C' Section after failing to progress after 24 hours in labour. My waters had broken a couple of days earlier and I then developed an infection which led to me feeling very weak and having flu like symptoms. I was sponge bathed, monitored thoroughly, and baby scanned, heart-rate monitored, the lot. A team of 12 were there in operating theatre including consultant so really felt in safe hands when giving birth. I was really worried about something going wrong as I'd heard some terrible stories about giving birth 'out of 9-5 hours' but I was in theatre Sunday morning 5am so all fine! I was really well looked after afterwards and they do not throw you out until you are absolutely ready to go home - I stayed 4 days! 5 if you count my 24 in labour! Toast is the best I have ever tasted!!!

Hope this helps!

Well, I gave birth in Forth Park on May 28. The midwives and nurses were fantastic. It was a very easy birth and not at all the traumatic experience I had envisaged. My wee boy's temperature was a bit low so they kept us in the ward overnight (discharged 28 hours after he was born) and I found that quite useful actually to make sure the breastfeeding was going well. I have no complaints about the place.

I'm due end of October and like you work in Edinburgh and live near the bridge but fortunately (well, unfortunately but turned out ok in the end) i've been to Forth Park twice because of issues and the midwifes i met there were better than brilliant.

Hi, I gave birth to my first baby on 24th June at Forth Park and they were absolutely fantastic. Midwives were great and really helped me as I was pretty terrified. Prior to having my baby I spoke to lots of different people about forth park and they all had good words to say and I can back that up. Even after 25hrs in labour and in the end I needed to go to theatre, they were really reassuring. Good luck - I hope you have a good experience.

i gave birth in FP hospital and the midwifes were brilliant, very reassuring, helpful and they have alot off time for there patients! i was in labour for 36 hours and had 3 midwifes as they all changed shifts they were all wonferfull. will defo go back to forth park to have my 2nd!