Which Hosiptal do I give birth in?

[Bubblingstar15]

Hi, my first pregnancy! Am very excited and nervous all at once. My doctor has asked me which hospital I would like to go too. Honestly I have no idea! Am living in Twickenham for the last 2 years and I don't know any one who has given birth here. Any suggestions? West Middlesex or Kingston? Anyone have any ideas / suggestions?
Thank you!

I know both are good, but i also think Kingston have stopped doing home visits postnatally. They ask women to return for a postnatal check to a clinic. Check it out hhough as it was a couple of years ago they stopped visits and they may have gone back to doing them by now!!

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

From what I hear, Kingston is exceptionally busy and feedback is mixed. I don't know others in your area, but would recommend picking one that is easy for you to reach at any time if day (i am thinking peak traffic times) if it helps you to choose between two. Also, find out when 12w scans are taking place for your edd, some are up to 14w which tells you how many people they are seeing.

You should be able to ask your doctor which hospitals are available to you, or else ask for the number of the community midwife and talk to them about the feedback they hear. Good luck.

Thank you! Sorry for the late reply still trying to work this app out.
My doctor gave me a list and I have narrow it down to Middlesex or Kingston. They are both near to me, as I thought exactly the same thing as you suggested ' near ' . My doctor did not really help that much. I did phoned up my surgery and they suggested Middlesex as the staff had there babies there.
I've heard Kingston is very busy to....
Thanks for tip with ref to the scan. I shall take a look.

Thank you for your info! I know Middlesex has just completed its extension and it completed this Jan. I'll check out Kingston home visit thou. May I ask where your friends happy at Middlesex Hospital ?
Thank you once again!
Sorry for late reply, am getting use to this app.

Hello, I live in twickenham too and I'm also in early pregnancy. All of mine have been born at or with west middlesex midwives. For me, I wanted the shorter hospital trip and the opportunity to have a homebirth second and third times as only west mid cover our area for that. Also, WM parking is better although slowly turning into the nightmare that is Kingston hospital parking.

Kingston has the benefit of having a rail station very close by for ante natal appointments. When I had my last baby, if you gave birth in Kingston, west mid midwives would still visit you in the post natal period but if you now have to go to Kingston for them then that is definitely worth considering. Also, while it is busy, west mid is also very busy.

I have lots of friends who have had babies at Kingston and everyone has been very happy with the care they have received.

I think there is a trend for people living in richmond borough not wanting to give birth in hounslow borough. I wish that wasn't true but I've heard people say as much.

Good luck with your decision.

I should add that home visits depend on your post code. It doesn't matter where you deliver, all post codes are allocated to specific hositals for communtiy care. As an example, if you lived in SW18 you could deliver at St Georges, Chelsea and Westminster, or St Thomas (at a push). But your visits would be done by St Georges mws as SW18 community care is done by St Georges. When you go home your care is rung out to the other hospital that covers your post code. To make it complicated in some hospitals they do have teams that will visit you in another area but that it is usually if they run an antenatal clinic in that area.
One of the reasons is that midwives have to sign something called an intention to practice each year which indicates the area that they will be working in. This is so hospitals, supervisors of midwives and governing bodies can know who is practicing where and make sure they are up to date, under a supervisor of midwives, registered etc amongst other things.

Kingston all the way! Had an amazing experience there (only negative was the midwife at home visits, they seemed vague/distant and never checked me) but the actual in hospital/birth experience was amazing. Cried when left 2 nights later! A friend had a horrid time at Middlesex...

I'm 21 weeks and with Kingston. My decision was based on Kingston being the closest and a friend having a very positive experience there in late 2012.

My understanding is that care is split into districts. I referred myself when living in Wimbledon. I have now moved to a KT postcode and have had to change midwifery teams (which I have no problems with). My new GP surgery happens to have a Kingston midwife based there so my GP does prefer patients to be at Kingston. All my midwife appointments are at my GP surgery (which is much closer to my home than Kingston).

Pluses (so far)

1. I had my booking appointment at 9 weeks, scan at 11 + 3 weeks, a further scan at 12+5 weeks (due to being less pregnant than I thought) and scan at 20+5 weeks. They seem to be very keen about scans taking place within the correct timescale. I was told my second scan 'had' to be before I was 13 weeks and I was fitted in.

2. They also seem pro homebirth and I have twice been asked if it is something I want.

3. The heatbeat was listened for at 16 weeks.

4. You can find out the sex

5. Kingston is around the corner from Norbiton train station.

The negatives (so far)

1. parking is very limited. We were 10 minutes early for our 20 week scan but we couldn't park; i had to jump out and my appointments had to start before my DP had parked. Luckily he only missed the first 5 minutes. If you do decide on Kingston I would suggest aiming to arrive for 15 minutes before you are told to arrive to ensure time for finding parking.

2. My 12 week scan appointment was also changed. This was fine for me as it actually clashed with a prior engagement but whilst I was informed of the date change no one told me that the location had changed!

3. I have never seen the same midwife or sonographer. Different people every time.

4. I have been told they only have 2 or 3 birthpools. I'm not interested in a birthpool birth but if you are you may want to take that into account. Someone I met on my birthing class couldn't have a pool birth with her first as it was first come, first served so she is going elsewhere for her second.

If you are due anytime near the dates of Hampton court flower show then go to West Mid. Someone I worked with had to deliver his first child in their car as they couldn't get over Kingston bridge.

Thank you!! I have made a metal note - bus or train to Kingston!! I would be super stess if my partner could not be with me for the scan because he is trying to park the car!!

Gosh !! Smart tip thank you!! Am due in November ??

Today 19:36 Lunastarfish - thank you for information!!