St Georges Tooting vs Kingston

[designerbaby]

HI ladies,

Just realised that our new home is situated almost equidistantly from both Kingston & St Georges Hospital - we'll be moving in when I am almost 8 months pregnant (eek etc.)

I'm trying to decide which one to plump for and wondered if anyone on here had any experience of either which they'd like to share...

My preference would be a MW unit with pool - but given that my last labour was induction carnage with forceps in the operating theatre, (and there's a good chance that this baby will be even bigger that my 9lb 8oz DD) I'm aware this may not be the case for me...

That said, I'm hoping for a hospital which is less keen on interventions, and hopefully will not whisk me off for a C-section at the least excuse! I want to at least be given the opportunity to do this myself, IYSWIM, so sympathetic consultants would be a big plus.

Also post-natal care last time was horrific, so that's a factor I'll be trying to take into consideration too...

Thanks ladies, in anticipation...

db
xx

BTW, DD arriving before the pool was full was entirely my fault - I was fully dilated when I arrived at the hospital.

I have had 2 at George's and would go there again. Awful post natal care but second time round I just ignored them but I honestly think that the medical care before and during th ebirths was superb. I have had 2 cs but the first was an emergency after a very LONG induced labour and resulted in a VERY large baby. Second time round I was committed to VBAC and very much encouraged by everyone, inclujding superb consultant and midwife. Wasn't to be in the end. Another huge baby, 2 weeks late and no inductions for VBAC.

My reasoning was always around the quality of the neo-natal care - I wanted the babies to be near the best possible care if they needed it. Apparently, if you have a vaginal birth, the new birthing suite is amazing, so I am told!

Can I also echo the lack of BF help at St George's . I had really rocky road and I noticed that DS hadn't had a wet nappy since being born and that he was jaundiced before they did. No doctor reviewed post C-S and I was sent home without any pain meds.

Ladies, just wanted to say thanks for all your replies, lots of food for thought - no clear winner... I probably need to go through the posts again and write die. Pros and cons... My gut seems to be leaning towards Kingston, but not really sure why...

But thanks, your feedback has been invaluable, as usual!

db
xx

I have had 2 babies at St Georges and their care was outstanding. I stayed on the delivery suite until I was discharged as I was in High Dependancy so I can't comment on postnatal care on the wards. They were great with breastfeeding help and they made time for us. The delivery suite was refurbished earlier this year and the rooms were very clean.

Morning two babies at Kingston 2007 and 2008.

First- same midwife all the way through from 10am till dd1 born at 350pm lovely lady, same room all the way through.

Had to wait for epidural as short staffed and got it as I went to 10cm so it didn't work properly.

I had a ventouse and episiotomy as I have M.S and was too tired to push anymore. Doctors all came quick and no one pressured me into anything.

Second- had to stay in waiting room whilst having contractions, transferred to ante natal ward at 11pm and shown where tea and coffee were

Finally persuaded them baby was coming MOVE ME NOW and dd2 was born around 2am. It was ok in the end but I was on the MLU even though due to medical history was told not to be put there but there was no room.
Anyway delivery was fine but needed MROP in theatre and a blood transfusion.

Felt I was left too long- it was very busy (in the end one lady missed her c section cos of me)

Post natal care was fine. Lots of waiting time in Ante Natal though and the staff there are less than pleasant IME.

I am pg again and will be having this one at Kingston.

St Georges is a bit of a mixed bag- I've stayed in the Neurological ward which was fantastic, so clean and new but been for blood tests there in the old part which is revolting. I don't know which bit the maternity ward is in.

HTH and Good Luck.

Thanks so much for sharing all your experiences... Its a shame that one can't tour (I think you can't in St Georegs even because of SF worries...). It hard - Kingston seems to be winning at the moment - stats (per baby) from this and a similar thread under another topic - look a bit like this... (anally retentive emoticon)

St Geroges Good 111111111111
St Georges Bad 111111

Kingston Good 11111111111111111
Kingston Bad 1111

Which seems to suggst Kingston ahead by a nose - which combined with the fact that i think the drive will be easier (less traffic) and parking more readily available is making me lean towards Kingston at the moment...

That said this is hardly a scientific study - just tried to glean the gist of each thread toward positive or negative... But maybe it helps.

It did feel that those, in the main, who had bad experiences at St G's found it catastrophicaly bad, whereas bad experinces at Kingston seemed, bar one, to be less dramatically bad...

It would be naive to expect any kind of categorical evidence, really. Mixed bag and luck of the draw wherever you go, really...

Thanks for everyone's help though - it really helps to build a bit of a picture of each.

db
xx

Will be intersting to see if anything else crops up.

Parking is a nightmare at St Gs but you get a concession on the car park fee for your labour admission. The M & S is also a huge bonus!

My cousin had her sons at Kingston and was lucky enough to have water births and good experiences with both births.

Good luck with whichever you go for

There are parking meters in nearby roads to ST G which you could use though- for visitors or whatever, I was on the neuro ward for about 10 days DH found all the good spots!