What was your birth experience like in Kingston Hospital, Surrey?

[becks130]

I am 27 weeks pregnant and due to gove birth in Kingston Hospital in February 2010 and I am VERY nervous. I had my son in West Mid and they were great but I have heard nothing but bad experiences when it comes to Kingston hospital, from unstaffing issues to people almost giving birth in the corridor due to lack of beds!

please let me know your expeiences good and bad. Thanks x

I'd love to know too! Although I'm only 14wks and not due until May but am booked into Kingston too. I've heard a lot of positive things to be honest by friends who have given birth there. Think its just down to personal opinion

I'd love to know too! Although I'm only 14wks and not due until May but am booked into Kingston too. I've heard a lot of positive things to be honest by friends who have given birth there. Think its just down to personal opinion

I had my daughter three years ago (so not totally up to date but not decades ago!) in the Malden Suite. It was great. Midwives were nice and took my birth plan seriously, the delivery room was spacious and comfortable, the pools in each delivery room are a great bonus (though my labour was too fast to take advantage of them), there were birth balls etc available in the delivery rooms. I don't have any proper complaints about any aspect of my experience. It was as nice as a hospital could possibly be. And the lovely midwife who delivered my daughter came to my room at midnight when she went home to say thank you - how charming is that?

I too am due to give birth there in Jan. So no direct experience but a friend who had her son there a year ago was very positive - said all the staff were great.

welllll
I have had 2 children there 7 years apart
ds1 it was ok not great but good enough.
ds2 was a complete nightmare was left in full labour about to give birth no pain relief and midwives eating sausage and chips at the desk. Was an induced labour and I had no monitoring whatsoever until it all went tits up and ds2 needed full resuscitaion because I was overstimulated and nobody had noticed or even cared
I am a very experienced hcp in child health so sort of knew what was going on
Aftercare was pretty rubbish too they tried to encourage me to take ready made formula home in spite of the fact I told them I was exclusively bf and intended to do so until 6 months.
So personally I would say if you had a good experience at the west mid go back there
disclaimer this is only my personal experience and others may have more positive stories

So sorry to hear of your bad experience, West Mid have refused to take me as I have moved and I am now about a mile if that out of there catchment area What happened of freedom of choice when it came to hospital care!

Hi, I had a really positive experience at West Mid (I'm due to give birth there again in Feb). I think it depends a lot on the midwife you end up with - mine was an angel. A couple of friends gave birth at Kingston, with widely varying experiences but then I'm sure there are negative stories to be heard about any hospital. I thought you had a right to choose where you go??

My first birth was pretty traumatic but the hospital (Kingston) was fine, and rated better than friends' experiences at different places. I think a lot of your experience depends on the kind of birth you have (which obv you can't really plan), and which midwives/docs you get on the day. Luck of the draw. Thumbs up re: Kingston though.

I had an elective c-section there 2 years ago (twins birth) and was fine, v good in fact. Friends who went to St Georges said never again, in fact most went for Kingston for 2nd child.

Good luck!

I gave birth in Kingston's midwife-led birthing suite 5 years ago (today actually), don't know if they still have it, but was absolutely fabulous.

DS came rather fast (2 hour labour/delivery), so DH and I had to bring his older brother too. The hospital got them some lunch and they had just settled in at reception when DS arrived. I left four hours later as wanted to be at home, so didn't experience it for long, but couldn't rate them highly enough.

i had my son there nearly three years ago and i'm due there again for number 2 in feb. had a very long and fairly unpleasant labour on the main delivery suite. the midwives (i went through three shifts) were all excellent and i felt supported and listened to throughout.

the worcester postnatal ward wasn't as good - but i think that was down to one very unsympathetic person.

delivery suite good, postnatal a bit crap seems to be the consensus among people i know who've given birth there. i have heard it can be busy, but not people actually giving birth in corridors.

I gave birth there 12 weeks ago. Before going I had heard a lot of positive things about the hospital. However, I had a very bad experience there as I found them completely disorganised and very understaffed. Basically they had no time for me at all and this affected my recovery (after an emergency c-sec). I can't say one positive thing about them. Since giving birth more women have told me that they had a bad experience there and someone told me that they are not doing too well on the league table for surrey hospitals. It might be worth having a look at that.
My overall impression is that if you have an easy birth and give birth in the Malden Suite your experience is good. However, if you require after care following a c-sec you have a miserable time.

Hi ,I had my son at Kingston 5 years ago. I was induced and had to wait a day and night to get a slot in delivery room. it was November and they were very busy.
Labour and birth were good, midwife stayed the whole time and was very relaxed experience. the aftercare was horrendous, I was left alone and even when I rang buzzer it took ages for someone to come if at all. i wasn't concerned as it was my fourth child but if I was a first time mum I would have wanted reassurance and support. they then took my son in special care to take blood as they thought he was jaundiced, me and DH were not allowed to go in with him. they didn't really explain what they were doing or why and my DH got quite angry at the lack of information. in the end apologies were made, they said baby was fine and I could go home which I did at midnight, just wanted to leave by then.
That was a long time ago though and im sure they have changed, I know recently they hae employed 12 maternity support workers to assist midwives. If you are not happy while you are there don't put up and shut up ,speak up. I didn't deliver in Malden suite (hoping to this time) so that may be completely different.
best of luck to you.

worth emailing this thread to head midwife at kingston??? I would think so.

I agree with alicia34 - don't put up. I did put up with a lot of bad treatment. Now I can't believe that I did but when your hormones are all over the place you can be very vulnerable and believe they must be doing things for your own good. If you think something is not right or that they are not paying enough attention to you then say something. I was ignored at a time when I really needed help and wish I had shouted out! It does take a while for them to get to you when you ring the buzzer because they are understaffed.