Does anyone have experience with Miss Bryony Jones from Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital

[lamamama22]

Hi there,

I'm 10 weeks pregnant and currently deciding between two consultant obstetricians at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital and Miss Bryony Jones and Mr William Dennes as my previous obstetrician has retired.

I am hoping for a VBAC and would really value the opinion of anyone who has any experience with with either of these Drs (particularly VBAC experience!) I have no doubt both are very competent but I am really looking for someone who I can trust, who will respect my wishes and not push me towards a c-section just because it's easier for them to schedule/carry out. That being said if I do need a c-section then I obviously want the most competent surgeon. Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much,

Anna

Anna, this is a quick message as hectic at work. I was under Mr Dennes for both my kids and only saw him once or twice as I was also under a separate clinic for GD so saw another more regular consultant.

I had emergency sections for both my kids so can't answer any VBAC questions sorry. BUT I can tell you about Bryony as she saved my daughter's life. I had GD with my daughter and she was also small so was under the fetal medicine unit as well as the GD clinic. Bryony was my consultant. I had a different consultant for my son who was equally as brilliant. In fact I saw the same 2 midwives for both my kids.
To cut it short as my daughter was measuring small and she was breech, I was admitted to the hospital for steroids shots. Bryony came to see me just when she was finishing work and to offer me a VBAC if I wanted to but scan showed baby still breech. Anyway she hanged aorund chatting and looking at my chart and I told her baby was moving a lot. It was suddenly all system go as she scanned me immediately and could see baby was in severe distress. I had an emcs straight away and honestly she never left me as I was all alone and absolutely terrified.
She also looked after my friend after she had a stillbirth and she was equally brilliant with her.
She is a good woman, so don't fret.

@SimonsJones thanks you so much for your quick reply. Super helpful and glad to hear your daughter was alright!

Oh thanks! My daughter is almost 17 months now and a proper chubster from the little mouse she was when she was born and her dramatic entrance in the world lol.
I don't know about Mr Dennes as I only saw him once or twice in 2015/2016 and he was never actively involved in my care.
But Bryony in 2017/2018 was absolutely brilliant. She's very personal and talks about her own experiences and kids as well and she does listen. As mentioned my daughter was always measuring small and I had some issues with my placenta so she was very gentle in preparing me for a possible NICU stay. She won't push a section on you at all, she will weigh all options and give you the safest choice to make. She's really nice and my friend also had a great experience with her in 2016/2017. In fact, my friend is having another one next month and she's still seeing her. You will like her, she's very likeable.

Genuine question, why do you want a doctor? I fought to have a midwife (in the us) because my health insurance didn't fund them despite them being half the price. Most births in Europe are midwife led even vbac.

stucknoue, not sure about anywhere else in the UK, but at Queen Charlotte hospital which the OP is referring to, you automatically go under the care of a consultant if you have had a section before.

Thanks @SimonsJones really appreciate the insight. Very reassuring to hear! Did Bryony do your first or second c-section and how did you recover afterwards? I found the recovery from my first pretty brutal and my scar could definitely be better too. Thanks!

Both of them are lovely! I was under their care, I actually saw Dennes more than Jones but can recommend them both.

@CatToddlerUprising - really glad to hear! Did either of them deliver your DC or did you have a midwife led delivery? Thanks!

Anna, with my first I had a different consultant and it was a stroke of luck that it was during the doctors strike so I had so many consultants during the op as they were brought in to cover the doctors on strike. My recovery was great and I barely had a scar and bounced back to my weight ( 4 stones loss ) within 6/7 months.
With my daughter, B was meant to do the section the following morning and when she came to see me before leaving work, baby went into distress etc and ended up on the crash trolley. She scrubbed and came into the theatre with me as my husband couldn’t make it to the hospital on time. She waited till I had the anaesthetic then left the room. It was a difficult section as baby was small lying awkwardly and placenta issues plus I lost a lot of blood and had to have a transfusion and went into the high dependency unit. But I bounced back and was up and walking and shower within hours. Barely any scar again and recovery very well ( this time I had a two years old as well ). Again lost the pregnancy weight within 6 months and almost a flattish tummy. I gain lots in pregnancy!

She did two sections for my friend and she recovered very well. My friend had a little complication during the surgery but it was dealt really well.

@CatToddlerUprising did you have a c-section or vaginal birth with William Dennes?

lamamama22 who did you go for in the end? Same dilemma here. Thanks

Is Bryony still at Queen Charlotte and Chelsea hospital? There’s no info how to contact her I found her website though.

I wanted to leave a review for those trying to find out about dr Bryony jones!

The woman is a godsend and if you are about to put to bed, she is the one you want to cover your care. Safety is number 1 when it comes to Dr Jones, my godson came 17 weeks thanks to her and Dr Sam Duffield both mother and baby are thriving post birth 7 months later. Whilst Dr Duffield focused on baby boy, Dr Jones focused on mum and in tandem helped bring a 500gram baby into the world in such a protected manner.

Dr Jones honestly was a light in a dark time and I we were blessed to have her as one of the team during a tumultuous experience.

Let this be confirmation of the fact that you are in great hands with Dr Jones.

17 weeks early*