Anyone given birth at Maidstone hospital??

[Cazzybaby]

Just wondered if anyone has had any experience of giving birth at Maidstone?

Am due to have 1st baby there in new year (if it is still open then!)

I have had my 3 children there.

How did you find it?

Baby number 1: Fantastic in that they saved my baby but botched my c-section scar being sewn up.
Baby number 2: Weren't very supportive when I went back and forth, told me I wasn't in labour and wouldn't have the baby by Sunday night. (This was Sat am.) Also, only gave me 8 hours and then it would have to be a section. Wares went at 6.10pm. Pushing from 9.10pm and baby norn 9.25pm on Saturday night. Had a retained placenta so had to stay in until Monday afternoon.
Baby number 3: Arrived at 7am, 1cm dilated. Given until 10am and just prior to that got prepped for a section. (Not that they told me that.) Baby born 10.15am.

Waters went...

Baby born

I had heard that they had quite a high c section rate.

Who knows they may have moved the maternity unit to Pembury by the new year tho!

I do know someone who had a very bad experience there, but not something to go round scaring you with the details of.

I had my second baby there - the first was born at Pembury and I didn't want it to be the same as that! Having said that, it was a pretty similar experience. I think hospital births are far too managed and my advice would be stay at home as long as you can - if all is going well, perhaps don't go to hospital at all.

My doula-training friend had both her boys ther, and found it quite supportive and didn't complain, except to say that she did have a lot of intervention (which she perhaps thought was needed, can't remember) and at one point had to insist she was staying mobile, or something like that. Her dh had to be quite firm with them.

Sorry that's all I know. Sounds like any other hospital really

Only just found this thread. Sorry to come in late. I'm due there this year, after two births elsewhere. Can't say I'm looking forward to it - any alternatives?

Pembury in Tonbridge is prob the only alternative but much further away!

They will be moving the maternity department to Pembury eventually along with the A&E.

I'm not looking forward to it either!

I am opting for a Home birth rather then go to maidstone ( didnt find pembrey that nice last year when went for ERPC)

Saying that i did have to go in to the ante natal care ward on sunday for monitoring and they couldnt have been nicer. If i have to go in for any reason i will be requesting ashford as had `ds there and they were fantastic! _ busy but good!!

PS if you do go maidstone take your own pillows - no honestly they dont have any!

Maybe Medway hospital?

I didn't have a fun time there, but found 3 out of my 4 midwives were good (but it only takes one
Had an induction followed by Emerg. cs
The things I wish I'd known were that I didn't have to be induced.
That they are quite fond of c sections
Should have had my your birth plan written better so they could see it.
Make sure you ask for any pain relief the first time it's offered as they don't always ask a second.
wish I'd been more forceful about staying mobile too
Knowledge is power

I had a meeting afterwards as I was/am quite upset about it and they gave me the following facts and figures relating to Second babies but you might still find them interesting

"5116 women gave birth at Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS TRUST in 2006
Of those women 594 had previously given birth by Caesarean section

Women who delivered by Em. LSCS before labour 29
Women who chose to be delivered by LSCS again 305
Vaginal birth after LSCS

229 women went into Spontaneous labour
47% of these women delivered vaginally with no assistance (110)
4% delivered with assistance from Forceps(11)
14.7% delivered with assistance from Ventouse machine ( 34)
32% had an emergency LSCS in labour (74)

31 women were induced after a previous LSCS
71% had a vaginal delivery (22)
9% had an emergency LSCS in labour ( 9)"

I had 2 sections there. For me I'd say ante-natal and birthing care was good, but post-natally both times, the staff were very over stretched. Eg there were times only one trained mw was on the ward overnight for about 20 patients (other staff, eg hca's around though, but only one mw).

Agree about pillows. I had to make do with one. Was told if I could find another to help myself.

oh yeah that pillow thing so true.
The silly thing that miffed me the most was the elastic band on my bump was quite manky

would have loved a home birth

Although I wouldn't rate the cleanliness of the place that brilliant (take disinfectant wipes in with you - just in case), I did find that the friendliest staff were the housekeeping staff.