Experiences of Lewisham hospital?

[redrobinson]

Hi - I'm due on 13th April (this is my first baby) and wondered what experiences people have had of Lewisham hospital? I'm due to give birth there but will also be looking at the Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich. Any advice would be appreciated!

I've had both my boys there and although it wasn't perfect - it wasn't a horror story either! First time round in 2004 my son was in SCBU for a week after I had an emergency c-section and the staff there were amazing. I wouldn't have breastfed him if it weren't for one nurse - Sarah Edwards (who is still on there but I hope you won't end up there too) who helped and reassured me. I had a private room which was great.

Second delivery was in 2007 and was a scheduled c-section - I was out in 2 days and very happy with everything.

I think you have to have the attitude that it won't be perfect - they are short staffed. I didn't expect to have the same midwife throughout - didn't expect to be waited on hand and foot. I brought my own toilet roll and towels, read a lot of stuff about what to expect from the birth etc. and afterwards.

Only thing I really hated was the visiting hours - DH had to leave.

Incidentally I was there with my youngest who had bronchiolitis in November - stayed with him for 4 nights - and the ward was phenomenal as was the care he received.

I know Lewisham gets a bad rep sometimes but I can't join in - I was happy.

Thanks - that's good to know! I'm going for the tour tomorrow and then will do the same with QE and decide from there.

hi,
i had my daughter in lewisham Hospital in Sep 2004 and my birth experience was really bad.
I am preagnant with 2nd one now and refused to go back to Lewisham Hospital and i am booked at ST.Thomas.

Where should i start:
When i went into Hospital with contractions, they wanted to send me back home after a bit of monitoring saying thats it's not real labour, i refused to get of bed, been told they haven't got a room for me, i said i stay in this one then after arguing back and forth she agreed on me staying and thank god because 20 min later my waters broke (now imagine me on public transport in the middle of the night, if i would have just gone as told) that night they where of course under-staffed and i was left alone most of the time( thank good DH was with me) as that MW was busy assisting another labouring women. MW was really rude, unsupportive etc.
e.g. when i felt sick MW made a comment "urrgh what did she had for dinner",
when i was screaming because i couldn't bear the pain she came into my room and shouting at me "what are you screaming for? c'mon save that for later?
i came to a point where i just kept sayin to DH i want to go, i don't want this anymore, don't want this baby !! MW just laughted saying: I know girls like you, you say that now and in a years time i got you back on here have the next one!!!!
oh another thing was
my daughter was born 8.03 am, 20mins prior birth MW kept sayin c'mon push properly normally it takes 5mins to push head out you are taking forever!!! and "you better hurry up my shift finishes at 8am

well as soon as i delivered she was out of the door without saying a word and has been replaced by 2 other MW which were OKish but those were gossiping abut the 1st one while delivering my placenta

thats my story didn't realise how bad it was at that stage at it was my first one but it has affected me.

i can also say labour and post natal wards is dirty, i haven't been offered any help with cleaning myself afterwards and only had a bath once i arrived at home 2 days after delivery. toilets are a mess with blood on the floor etc.
the MW's in post natal care were really supportive and friendly i had breastfedding support etc.

well that was all in 2004 my friend had given birth in Lewisham hospital in 2007 and i was her birthing partner and i have to say that her MW's (she had 4 MW due to long labour) were all really supportive and friendly.
but i am personally not that keen on Lewisham Hospital and prefer a 30 minutes car journey to St. Thomas (in Congestion Charge) rather than the 10 minutes drive to Lewisham.

hi
i found this a few weeks ago when i was choosing what hospital to go to. lewisham doesn't do too well, but most london hospitals don't.

www.birthchoiceuk.com/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?LocatorFrame.htm?Hospitals/120.htm

Azudhi, I'm sorry to hear you had such a terrible experience.

Had DD in Lewisham hospital November 2006 and it was very good. The delivery was ace (MWs fantastic despite a difficult birth, one stayed five hours after her shift ended to see my daughter born, we used the fab birthing pool suite etc), but the aftercare wasn't so great (uninterested MWs, lack of care etc).

Overall though, I was really happy.

Azaduhi - sorry to hear you had such a bad experience - I had ds at St thomas in Sept 04, and although my birth experience was different to yours (had planned section as he was breech), the postnatal ward was just as bad i'm afraid....

ward was dirty and dark, furniture was knackered, bathrooms were dirty and only about half the showers worked. Midwives varied from quite helpful to aggressive and nasty...

don't mean to put a downer on you, just a reality check. second time in st thomas we saved up and went to the private post natal rooms....

Azaduhi, I think we had the same MW. Mine broke my waters while rummaging around inside me then shouteds at me for being a 'dirty girl'. Charming woman. However, that aside, there was very good aftercare, especially given dd was in SCBU.

It's worth knowing that you can pay for a private room. They allocate them on a first come first serve baqsis, and in 2001 it was about £23 per night. It was the best money we spent.

this year, i had a really horrible experience in lewisham H too and i am actually going down the route of formally complaining. the MW was not supportive, unfriendly and uncaring. she made me feel useless and unwanted. My DH asked for another midwife as she was upsetting us. What could have been a very easy birth (i was 7 cm when i went into hospital) turned into a nightmare.
the post natal ward is not too bad. i had a private room which was very clean. MWs very nice but they all have different opinions (breastfeeding vs cup feeding, for instance). the advice is inconsistent and if you are a first time mother it can be very confusing and upsetting.

on the otherhand some of my friends had a good experience in the natal ward and a really bad one on the post natal ward.

I gave birth in Lewisham on 25th May, and had a really good experience.

Everyone was helpful, I had a short, uncomplicated delivery and got a private room. It wasn't very busy, which I think is the main thing that makes a difference - sadly, there's no way of knowing how busy it'll be when you give birth, but I don't by any means think Lewisham (or any other hospital) is all bad - it depends on the shift I think.