St. George’s or st Thomas’s for birth?

[LaurG]

Hello ladies.

I am about 14 weeks pregnant and have registered to give birth at st Thomas’s. I can’t fault the place so far tbh and my gp recommended it as my best local hospital. However, i slightly concerned about the location and getting there in labour. Parking is terrible and it’s really quite far away (I’m in Clapham). St George’s is much closer and I’m wondering about changing. Do any of you have experience if these hospitals?

I’m planning to start off in midwife led bit but if I can’t cope I would like epidural/pain relief to be available. First baby so no idea what to expect!

Any help most appreciated

Lxx

Hi LaurG

I am at St Thomas's and so far I am happy. I am going the midwife route, and they are very professional. I actally like going there (but this my my 1st, so nothing to compare it to).

I can see parking being an issue, but we plan to Uber or black cab it to the hospital when the time comes. I also want to labour as long as I can before reaching. So I think overall the journey will be OK.

I didn't get St George's as an option.

Wishing you the best.

P

St Thomas' is amazing! I had two of my children there (had my first at Kings) and couldn't recommend it more highly! The level of care is amazing, the facilities are second-to-none and how can you beat that view?!

I was in the medicalised labour ward due to the fact my second baby was premature and my third was induced, so I never got the chance to go to the home-from-home birth centre, but my friend did and had the most amazing experience there. All three times she had a room with a view of parliament. The garden room is an amazing calm experience there and after they broke my waters with my third, I laboured almost entirely in there. It was so peaceful (and surreal - sat labouring on a birth ball in an inside-oasis opposite Big Ben) and I think it really helped keep me sane.

The post-natal wards are big too (much bigger than Kings - but can't speak for St George's) and the care I received there was brilliant.

I had my first at St George's in 2014 (choice between St George's and St Helier but St George's was on my way to work) and I was very happy we'd moved away before DD2 came along.

The ultrasound department was great, antenatal clinics were very poor. I wasn't on labour ward for long so can't really comment on that much but postnatal was bad - among other things they left my medication out on the bedside when I was in the shower (so without checking it was mine) after they'd already confused me with another patient earlier.

One thing to bear in mind is the traffic around St George's/Tooting is horrendous especially for a large portion of the morning and a large portion of the afternoon, so factor that into the difference in travel time.

I used St Georges in 2012 - absolutely no complaints.
They gave me an early scan just because I was fretting I'd miscarried (I hadn't).
Midwives were attentive and empathetic throughout antenatal appts. Appt times often overran but that's probably common in many NHS hospitals.
SG gave me an ELCS without medical reason, never belittled my worries and both MWs and consultants were sympathetic throughout.

They offered me a private room for the two days I stayed after the ELCS (I paid) which was peaceful. A lovely MW came in to specifically to help with breastfeeding.

May well have changed since then though, others might have a view.

I had my first (and only) at St Thomas's. They were great, midwife amazing. Plus we had a great view opposite Big Ben on 7th floor. And they even offered us to keep the room to ourselves overnight ;-)

Birth was straightforward so we didn't test them particularly but I have been there for another unrelated other op and also all fine.

Unless you have to, I would choose taxi over car anyway - you don't want the stress and you don't want to have to worry about 2 days worth of parking charges if it all goes badly. Thomas's isn't far from Clapham

St Thomas the whole way. I had my first at kings as a poster above and st Thomas blew me away in comparison. Postnatal wards are 4 beds instead of cramped 6 bed wards, midwives were so so helpful. We travelled there from Crystal Palace but was so worth it.