Natural birth at St Helier Hospital

[VTora]

What is St Helier Hospital like? Do they encourage you to have an active birth or do they plonk you on the bed with your legs in stirrups? Do they have birthing balls and mats and what are the midwives like? Any stories good or bad would love to hear as I can't get any info out of the hospital - no leaftlets, website useless, midwives and receptionists don't know/ dont care. Please help

Hi VTora, I'm sorry to hear you haven't had much luck with St Helier so far. I had my daughter there in January this year and I was very impressed. I have to admit I was orginally concerned as I had heard some bad reports and the local papers can be quite scathing, but actually is was so much better than I'd imagined. I found the antenatal side of the clinic not overly helpful as they never really seemed to have much time, but once you're there in labour you get one on one support. I had a couple of midwives throughout my labour and they were so very supportive. They do have a ball and a pool, and do encourage you to move around. Unfortunately I had complications which meant having a ventouse in the end, but they tried everything else before resorting to that. Once on the maternity ward you are kind of left to your own devices unless you actually put your hand up and ask for help...DON'T be shy, they are very busy, but if you keep asking you will eventually get some help! They do offer a tour of the labour and maternity floors, I think it's every Saturday and Sunday at 3pm if I remember correctly, but just ask, or look on their notice board by the reception desk. Good luck!

Thank you so much FeelingMoreHuman. You have given me hope. I will check the noticeboard. Hope things are going well for you and your daughter now. VTora

i had my son at st helier in jan and i had fantastic care from the moment i arrived in labour until i was taken to the maternity ward when my son was a few hours old. i hardly stopped moving and the midwife never tried to stop me. at 1 point, she did ask me to 'assume the position' so that she could examine me. i said it was too painful to move she managed to find a way to examine me in the position i was in. 10 mins later my son was born! i agree with feelingmorehuman that the postnatal care leaves a lot to be desired as the midwives are extremely busy, but if you have any serious problems i am confident that you would be well looked after. good luck

i don't know about birthing, as I had my son at Epsom. However the trust that includes both these hopsitals runs a fantastic breastfeeding advice clinic after you have been discharged. My son stopped feeding at 4 days old in part due to jaundice after cup feeding for a few days I eventually went to the breastfeeding clinic at st. Helier's and they spent an hour and a half with me getting him sorted. I can't recommend them highly enough!

oops, just realised how old this thread is - sorry!

i had three children at st helier. and dh was also born there.
i thinnk they have a fab maternity unit. and with only one exception, all the staff are absolutely fabulous. with ds1 i was in hospital for a month. so i think i must have met most of them. absoultye excellent.