7 weeks in - advice about Gardens/Kings pls

[pilsbury]

Hi all

I've read with interest some of the previous threads about which GPs are best for antenatal care and which hospitals are best (it will be my first baby so I'd definitely rather have it in hospital rather than at home).

My GP is at The Gardens who seems nice and has told me that I need to choose over the next few weeks between St Thomas and Kings so that she can book me in for the 12wk scan. It being my first, I'm keeping everything crossed for things to stay healthy over the next few weeks and am keen to book my scan in ASAP :)

I'm pretty much decided on Kings because it's so close to my house (I live near ED station)

I *think* that once I have my 12 wk scan I can continue to have antenatal care at Kings or they do offer care at The Gardens too.

I'm not necessarily after advice about my decision of doctors/hospital, but more interestsed to hear opinions of others who used the same combination (Gardens/Kings) and what they did for antenatal care.

Any advice gladly welcome!

Thanks!

[Fuschia]

I believe if you want care through the midwives at yuour drs surgery, you need to choose it right away as they get full and you can't switch later

This applies whether or not you wnat to actually give birth in Kings. If you can book with community midwives and get continuity of care, do it. Just pitching up to Kings on their general list and not knowing any of the staff really isn't optimal.

[sillywoman]

I don't think that applies at The Gardens Fuschia? I think that the system they operate means you get antenatal check ups from Stella or the other midwife (can't recall her name?) who are based at The Gardens surgery - once a month until 36 weeks, then at 38 weeks & 40 weeks, weekly thereafter. Then when you go into labour you go to Kings as a 'just pitching up' Mum. The Kings community midwives will provide your postnatal care in your home (Stella is part of that team so she might be one of the midwives that visit you at home, or might not). I don't think The Gardens has a community team attached to them like The Lanes team at DMC, or The Oakwood at forest hill. It's just bog standard community & hospital based care.

But things change all the time & I'd be very happy if someone can tell me different?

[jollybaby]

I'm having 'bog standard' antenatal care with the Gardens/Kings and can confirm that you don't need to book early to have your midwifery appointments with Stella at the surgery. If you choose to have your child at Kings your booking appointment will be at the midwifery centre at the hospital (usually around 9-10 weeks). You will then be told to contact the surgery to organise your first appointment with Stella - at around 16 weeks and you will then be seen every four weeks initially and then more frequently as the birth gets closer.

A problem with this is that she only comes to the surgery on Tuesday afternoons - that is the one day of the week that I can't get off work and so instead I have chosen to continue my antenatal care at the midwifery centre at the hospital instead. I know I may well be seen by a different midwife on each visit but that doesn't really bother me.

[sillywoman]

Sorry, didn't mean to use "bog standard" as a pejorative. Rather to distinguish it from the exceptional (by national standards) types of care available at some other midwifery practices.

[cg]

i had my antenatal care at Gardens and then my son was born at Kings. As mentioned above Stella will be your midwife at the gardens and i would advise you book appointments with her in advance as she seemed to get very busy when i was pregnant which meant i had to see a GP instead of Stella on at least two occasions.

[Ann]

I saw the GP on many occasions when I was pregnant. They are trained to do so, I'm registered at Forest Hill road but had mine before the Oakwood Midwives were established. I had no complaints about my GP's but I think some are better than others. I believe at The Gardens they're pretty good but this is not first hand experience.

Hope your pregnancy goes well.

[nylonmeals]

I started with this combination but was really very under-whelmed by the midwivery care at The Gardens. In the end I moved after having talked with my NCT class leader about the "care" that I was getting at The Gardens. I will PM you about the details but bottom line is from my experience of this I would consider a different midwife solution. Dulwich Medical Centre which is aligned with The Lanes has openings and is close to The Gardens if you're looking for a local GP surgery and is excellent.

[anna_r]

I was also underwhelmed with midwifery care at the Gardens hence why for my second baby I registered with the Brierley midwives as soon as I found out I was pregnant.

For example: I was not happy with how they dealt with me going very overdue last time round (kept referring the decision for sweeps back and forward between GP and Kings MAU). I was also never once measured for Fundal height, so when everyone was talking about their measures I was completely in the dark. Several times Stella was fully booked so I had to see a GP, which was fine, but when it happened at 38 weeks I would have preferred to have been seen by a midwife.

It has been quite a different experience so far with the Brierley. The appointments are not rushed (at the last appointment they asked about how I was feeling emotionally! never even asked first time round!), they are made at a time that suits me, I get to meet all the team of midwives so hopefully should know the midwives who will be there at the birth. I am very happy with the Gardens as a GP surgery so have stayed registered there and simply have my midwifery care with the Brierley community team.

Having said all that, The Gardens midwifery is not bad and if you are with them and can not change I do not think it is the end of the world. I ended up having my baby at Kings with a team of midwives who were all (bar one) lovely (although I had not met any of them before), but when you talk to other mums about their experiences you realise there are a number of wonderful options available in this area that you didn't even know about - e.g. Lanes, Oakwood, Brierley.

[Smiler]

Re. choosing between Kings or Tommy's, it used to be possible to choose one hospital and then change your mind at a later date, you just had to have a later and second booking-in appointment at the one you switched to, but am not sure what the arrangements are now.

There is lots about this on other threads, but I decided on Kings simply 'cos it was closer, and was glad in the end not to have to travel to Tommy's when in labour and coping with unexpected events!

[sillywoman]

I think that Stella was run off her feet, but that now (since last Autumn?) she has another midwife working with her so hopefully almost all the antenatal appointments now are with a midwife.

[pilsbury]

Thanks for all the advice and PMs too, much appreciated

As I'm off on holiodays for the next fortnight and keen just to get a date in for my 12 wk scan, I've told the Gardens I've elected for Kings as that is unlikely to change.

I will however, look up more on Brierley when I get back as I'd thought that Brierley was just for home birth? Are they private or something?

[nylonmeals]

As far as I am aware it's still just Stella at The Gardens. They do have additional midwives to fill in for her but they are substitutes only. I was with The Gardens throughout last Autumn.

[sillywoman]

pilsbury Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Thanks for all the advice and PMs too, much

> appreciated

> As I'm off on holiodays for the next fortnight and

> keen just to get a date in for my 12 wk scan, I've

> told the Gardens I've elected for Kings as that is

> unlikely to change.

> I will however, look up more on Brierley when I

> get back as I'd thought that Brierley was just for

> home birth? Are they private or something?

They're not private pilsbury, they're an NHS team you can self refer to. Without wishing to scaremonger; if you wait until you get back from your holiday you may find it extremely difficult to get a place on any of the highly recommended midwifery teams - Brierly included. These teams are highly prized, they operate on a caseload basis & so can only take a specified number of women, I've often heard of women contacting them at 10 weeks pregnant to be told they're full & having to be put on a waiting list. Having been smart enough to check out the different levels of maternity care available to you so early in your pregnancy, I'd urge you to follow up your chosen route before you go, to avoid a frustrating time on your return.

[nylonmeals]

Totally second Sillywoman's advice!

[akc74]

I am 26 weeks pregnant now and moved to the area just before Christmas. I registered at the Gardens (on the recommendation of the people we bought the house from). I had my booking appointment at Kings, then I saw Stella once, but the last 2 appointments have been covered by someeone else (very pleasant!) who I think has just been covering Stella. I then heard from a friend of how amazing she had found the midwife care from the community ones based at DMC (not sure which group they are called). So even though I have had no complaints so far, I suddenly thought that I might wish I had the care of one of these much-talked about teams. Esp once the birth gets nearer and postnatally, especially if there are any dramas. So I called the DMC to enquire, only to be told that there is a waiting list of 15 people who are also due in June like me. So I've decided to stick with the current arrangement. I don't think I mind too much that I don't quite know who I'm going to see, and certainly won't know the ones there on the big day at Kings - but as long as the care is good, and someone comes to check up on me afterwards, I think I am OK with that...

[Ann]

akc74, welcome to East Dulwich. Stella and the midwives who provide cover for her are part of King'e College East Team. They have a great deal of experience and also provide home births for those women 'in area' requesting same. Those midwive will also be caring for you after you have gone home so you will have has a level of continuity but not the same level that The Lanes could have done because obviously they have to limit their numbers.

If you're having a baby around here, you're not alone, you should find lots of post natal groups locally tp provide ongoing support as does this forum!

[akc74]

Thank you Ann, I have found it all has gone well so far, so I am happy to stick with it. As you say, I think there will be no shortage of support - the area seems to be teeming with expectant Mums! - and my NCT classes start reasonably soon, so it will be nice to meet some people who are at exactly the same stage as me.

[pilsbury]

Thanks all again. I've left a message with brierley so hopefully they'll have space for me andmy gp won't be too mad that I've changed my mind!

[pilsbury]

By the way, does anyone have an email address for brierley? I'm on east coast of USA right now so getting hold of them in the am London toime might be a bit tricky over the phone... So if anyone has an emailaddress for them pls let me know! Thanks ladies!