Epsom Hospital: midwife care during labour

[yogagirl]

I'm due to give birth at Epsom Hospital next January and would love to hear anyone's experiences of the midwife care there. I've heard horror stories from other hospitals of overstretched midwives having to leave women and their partners alone for ages during labour and really don't like the idea of that. This is my first baby - and first time on mumsnet too, so hi everyone!

Hi yogagirl - I'm due 7/2 and due to have my first baby in Epsom too. Have also heard mixed reports so be interested to hear more. Does you or anyone-else know if they let you know the baby's sex at the 20 week scan? Thanks!

And me! Just had my 20 wk scan there today and she was willing to tell me but I've got a wriggler so she was only 70% sure. They're quite happy to tell you though.

This is my first also and I'm due in Jan but my sister in law has had two there in the last 5 years, the most recent 18 months ago and she has nothing but praise for them. So hopefully it'll be fine...until they move to St Helier...

Hi - thanks for replying so quickly. I had a wriggly one at 12 week scan! Nice to hear good comments re Epsom :-)

My GP (I'm currently in Clapham but moving back to my hometown of Ewell in January) told me that Epsom no longer has a maternity wing so she would have to refer me to St.Helier!! Very confused now!

Epsom has a maternity unit until next July when it's supposedly closing and then moving to St Helier! Campaign on locally here to try and stop that happening...

They tell you the sex at Epsom. Also, midwife care during labour is very good. The unit is small, so if you want someone to come back when they have gone away, your DH/DP will not have to go very far to get somebody.
Postnatal care is understaffed unfortunately.

Oops - pregnancy brain setting in - I also posted this thread on the childbirth board and this is the first time I've checked back here. Durr..

So thanks (belatedly!) for all your replies - it's great to hear so many good reports about the care at Epsom.

Hope your scan goes well surreygirl. I've got my 20-wk scan coming up - I want to know the sex but DP doesn't, though as he says, if beanie's legs are uncrossed we might find out regardless!