Kingston Hospital

[Uwila]

Has anyone given birth at Kingston Hospital? I was just wondering if you could share your experiences with me. Particularly interested in knowing is anyone has had a caesarean there. Any recommendations on consultants?

hello

i gave birth at kingston and had a lovely experience except for the yucky food and not so clean bathrooms so bring plenty of healthy snacks and bathroom cleaner/sponge.

i had a natural birth and the midwives were wonderful although i had to change over half way as the first midwifes shift was over but they were all so lovely and after I had my own room with tv and telephone etc.

i had to stay in for three days which i was quite happy about as i had all those helpful nurses around who helped me get my baby latched on my breast and gave me lots of useful advice.

one of my friends had an emergency c-section at kingston and said it was so quick and she had a good experience too.

so dont worry you will be in good hands

Hasn't anyone else been to Kingston?

I did,(5 yrs ago).. emergency c after induction.. but if you want to hear 'good' experiences fraid mine wasn't.

Yes, two babies at Kingston, one premmie, saved her life and mine and then the next one about 3.5 years ago. Fantastic service - had Mr Pooley lovely man - had to listen to my nervous weeping on many occasion. Can't really fault them under the circumstances. Got me to 37.5 weeks and then we delivered.

(Ist consultant about 7 years ago with the premmie and the pre-eclampsia was crap, but I think he has moved on now.) Think he was Mr Thonnet and didn't even bother to stick his head around the door although I must have been one of the more interesting cases on the ward.....

Unicorn, emergency c after induction sounds just like my first baby (not born in Kingston). Have you had another since? I would LOVE to hear your story... if you don't mind.

should have added both were c-sections - one emergency and one very calm...... the consultants seem to have specialisms so Mr Pooley looked after those with maternal health issues (as well as lots of normal pregnancies). By all means CAT me.

Hi Uwila
I had my dd there 2 years ago and have to say found it fantastic. Thought I wouldn't make it through childbirth at an NHS hospital after sister had her ds1 a few months earlier at Portland and had horrific birth (epidural from word go and then consultant said no top up for last 3 hours and her coccyx pierced a muscle - he later apologised! B*stard) I also had change of midwife but early on. Second midwife V was an angel sent from God. Organised epidural straight away and topped me up half an hour before daughter was born. Got to Kingston at 1pm-ish and 3cm dilated. Had dd at 9:52pm and didn?t feel a thing! (V's shift ended at 9:30pm but she wanted to stay with me - how kind is that even though 3rd midwife had arrived) If they'd told me I had to do it all again immediately, I would happily have done so. It was the most positive experience ever! I'd had placenta previa from 20 week scan and was told I?d have a caesarean up until 34 weeks ? then at scan told pp was no longer there and would be having natural. Nearly passed out with shock! Needless to say I was terrified but found Kingston and especially V wonderful. Talked me through everything that was going on and explained exactly what I should be doing and when. Can't wait to have another baby and go back there. DH video-ed birth which I love watching and am still in contact with V. All in all I couldn't have asked for more. If you want an epidural be sure to say so as soon as you get there. Friend had ds2 there 4 months ago and was put into midwife run section not knowing she wouldn?t be able to have an epidural. She did it with gas & air, tens machine and pethadine but if she?d had the choice would have had an epidural. Be sure to mention it on admission. Are you definitely having a caesarean? Good luck!!

Hi uwila, I don't really want to put you off the hospital, or pre-empt any experience you will have.
I have since had ds (2.9).. at home (not planned- but a much much better experience for me)

The short version, seeing as you asked specifically (!!- hate to see the long one!!)
I went in for an induction (having been heavily leaned on by hospital at +12 overdue)... virtually everything failed, the gel, waters broken etcetc, given the drip to speed up contractions, and the midwife though I was being overdramatic when I was screaming to high heaven (I was actually dilating extremely quickly from 1-10cm in 2 hours)

They gave me a period of "pushing time" (but having just had the epidural I couldn't feel a thing)... dd turned out to be not fully engaged, had to go to theatre, for forceps job, meanwhile epidural had come out and I was in agony..
Rushed to theatre on trolley (like a scene from ER - a consent form thrust at me as being wheeled)
Anaethetist couldn't do the spinal jab properly, and I was very very close to having a general anaesthetic .. but the consultant was bleeped and stuck the needle where it was supposed to (to numb me...)

DD was fine etc, but I was in a total mess after the birth, which I and dh found very traumatic...
was in hospital 5 days, and got moved 3 different times.

Perhaps that type of experience can happen anywhere, it was just a catalogue of errors, which I happened to be at the end of.

Remember it was an emergency C... I am quite sure an elective would be a much much better experience. (and this was 5 yrs ago)

Wish you well with your birth.

I was born there, and by ceasarean too. Can't say I remember any of it though.

Thanks, unicorn. Not terribly different from my first story. Except mine involved a baby who wouldn't engae because she had wrapped herself up in the cord. Oh, and I ended up with the general. But, I was delighted when I found out I could be knocked out...

Anyway, thanks for your story. And it isn't so bad (from my current point of view). I say that because with all those bad turns in your delivery, they were able to deal with it and get your baby out safely. And that is what I think is most important in a hospital.

Thanks again....