St Peters vs Frimley Park (Surrey)

[Oklahoma]

Just got our first BFP and totally freaking out about labour already.

Anyone have any recent experience of St Peters or Frimley Park? Everything on older threads is several years old.

What is it that you are freaking out about, anything specific?

Have you checked Mn local for your area?

The total lack of control I think. I'm terrified of hospitals and am worried about just being told to suck it up and my stress hurting my baby.

What is Mn local?

My friend had her baby at Frimley Park coming up for two years ago, and felt she had very good care. I've heard lots of other good things about them. I haven't experienced the maternity services there myself, but what I know of the rest of the hospital is that they are brilliant, and a very good trust (possibly rated best in the country?)

St Peter's, on the other hand, I have only ever heard bad experiences about. Not maternity specifically (although I have a friend who had complications in 2nd trimester which were not adequately picked up on), but certainly other areas which imply the standard of care there is not so good.

Just an opinion of course!

MN local is the board which is specific to area. You can have a different name there which some posters prefer so their regular posts aren't linked to their location.

Talk to your midwife about a home birth and indeed about all your fears. Hospitals do not strap you into stirrups these days, most encourage moving around, different positions etc. Investigate if the hospitals you want have birthing pools, if that is important. What about NICU provision? How many private rooms are there if this is something you might want after birth?

St. Peter's really gets a hard time. I had all 3 of mine there and had a positive experience with them all. I had a bad tear with dc3 (due to size and speed of labour) and the aftercare has been brilliant. All of my friends have had their babies there and most are positive (with the exception of one, who was induced and had a very long labour). IMO I was very happy with the labour ward. The post natal ward is busy but when I needed them they were there. I had a private room.

Also heard good things about frimley. Where do u live/ which is closer?

I had my first at St. Peter's and thought the labour ward was ace. Had a difficult birth (angle baby coming down at) that resulted in bad tear but the after care was great. Maternity ward is busy but you aren't usually there for long and next time I would get a private room.

I think all hospitals have good and bad things written about them!

Avoid St. Peter's like the plague. Frimley and royal surrey are meant to be very good.

My cousin works at Frimley Park! Sophie, countess of Wessex had her children there!

Oklahoma if you are feeling anxious, I can highly recommend hypnobirthing/natal hypnotherapy as a way of helping to control those nerves (and hopefully therefore help you have a better experience).

I had a premature birth with DS at 32 weeks, but hypnobirthing techniques helped me not to be scared and I had what I felt was a positive birth experience under the circumstances. I've also used the same techniques for coping with a wisdom tooth extraction with local anaesthetic only (no sedation) and medical management for a miscarriage, neither of which are pleasant experiences, but I felt I dealt with them much better as a result.

Wishing you all the best

What's supposed to be so bad about at Peter's?!

I had dd at frimley park, elective x section with loads of complications.
They were great, very busy though so never saw the same midwife / consultant twice.
Have also had a miscarriage and the EPU were absolutely shocking
I think their issue is that they are just too busy.

Had both DSs at Frimley Park and had a good experience with both.

I had mine a Frimley Park. Nothing but good to say of it. I felt I had wonderful care there.

Thanks all you've reassured me greatly!

I will go for Frimley and speak to them about my worries. Hopefully they'll be understanding !

I'm 14weeks and I've decided on going to frimley, lot of positive recent reviews and plus side they have a new maternity ward with en suites so you'll feel more comfortable

Hello, could be worth also posting on our Local Surrey talk board:

local.mumsnet.com/Talk/surrey/local-active

Local Editor