Recent experiences of Kingston hospital?

I’m delivering at Kingston hospital this Friday!!! (Eek!!!!!) I am also going elective c section because it turns out I would have to be induced anyway and didn’t want the stress. I’ve had such a good experience so far. Except that the midwives didn’t know the difference between South Asian and East Asian and put the wrong ethnicity down on my notes 🙄 Apart from that though, everyone is super sweet and I’ll update to let you know for Friday goes if you like! DM to connect x

I was induced last year at Kingston and the midwives were absolutely amazing so were the consultants. I had a complicated delivery and I felt completely safe, looked after and listened to. Wouldn’t want to have my second in the future anywhere else x

@Evie Mai this was my issue at Chelsea that I was just not listened to and didn’t feel safe at all! The doctors just shouted at me, told me what they were going to do without asking and the whole thing was just chaotic and awful. I said in my PALs complaint that I just felt like I was shouting into the abyss because no one was listening to me. My biggest thing is that I want empathetic and caring staff because I didn’t have that with my first so I’m so glad to hear that you felt safe as that’s the most important thing.

AMAZING! For both births!

@Lena that would be my worst nightmare too. But Kingston talked me through everything and every option the whole way through and everything was completely down to me. I wanted to avoid a C-section when other hospitals had told me I’d have to have one, but Kingston listened to me and monitored me constantly so I could do things the way I wanted but still making sure it was safe for baby and I x

That’s wonderful that you’re considering a VBAC! One of the best things you can do is gather information about the hospital where you’re planning to give birth. I’d recommend asking about their statistics—how many births are vaginal versus induced or cesarean, and what their VBAC success rates are. These numbers can give you a good sense of how supportive they are of physiological birth. You also mentioned C&W, and it’s worth noting that they currently have the lowest rates of vaginal births in London. While this doesn’t mean a VBAC there is impossible, it does suggest that they have high interventions rates. Unfortunately, the way the system is currently set up doesn’t at all support women who want a physiological vaginal birth, let alone women after a previous c/s! That’s why many women explore alternative options, such as home birth, hiring a doula or private midwife, to have more autonomy and continuity of care.

@Kat maybe I didn’t make it clear in my post. I unfortunately had a very traumatic vaginal birth with my first so if I have another vaginal birth it wouldn’t be a vbac just a second vaginal birth but would hope it isn’t as traumatic as my first. I even had paid for a private doula but my experience was sadly very negative as I was just treated appallingly by staff. My daughter was back to back and they tried to turn her by the doctor shoving her arm up my vagina and I thought I had died and then they told me they would use forceps when I had said multiple times that I absolutely didn’t want that but they just ignored me and were literally about to wheel me into theatre when I somehow pushed her out before they had a chance to get the forceps out. I still tore badly and had an episiotomy so recovery was horrendous and took me 8 months after private mummy MOTs to feel back to normal down there. With two little ones to look after this time I just don’t want to be in the same state.

Which is why I’m considering an elective this time as it removes so many unknown factors and although recovery time is usually longer, my recovery after my vaginal birth was horrendous and took so long that I’m like can a c section really be worse?

Oh apologies, I’m a tired mamma….I misunderstood and thought that you are looking to have vbac after a previous c/s. I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. It does sound like you have been through a lot 💔