Labour ward tours at Kings?

[akc74]

Does anyone know when they are? There doens't seem to be much info on this on their website?

I am hoping there is an evening one...

Thanks.

[mettelw]

Ask your midwife, she'll be able to give you the details. And yes, they are usually around 19:00 in the evenings.

[akc74]

Thanks - I have GP midwife care so can't easily ring her in between appointments and am not due to see her again for a few weeks, so would still appreciate any other info if anyone else has recently done one!

[ClareC]

They were Tuesdays and Thursdays. There was definitely a 7pm one (Thursday I think).

Give them a call and ask..... I popped in and asked when I was in Kings for a scan anyway.

[prm]

My midwife told me they are on Monday afternoons and Thursday evenings. Apparently you have to book by calling the Nightingale Labour Ward on 0203 299 3222 (or if that is busy 0203 299 9000 and ask to be put through)

Let us know if that works, I have to do mine as well soon!

[missse22]

The tour of the nightingale birth centre is 4pm every monday, no need to pre book, there is also a waterbirth talk there at 6.30pm 1st tues of every month :-) I'm going to the one on the 4th may.

Good luck,

Simone

[prm]

Simone, can also turn up to the 6.30 waterbirth talk without booking or anything? Thanks!

[missse22]

Yes apparently so, ill double check with my midwife, but in 99% sure you just turn up, if your keen we could meet up and go together if you like? Whens your due date?

Simone

[prm]

Yes good idea, I think I should probably be able to make it on the 4th.

I am due end of Sept, so still only 18 weeks, how about you?

To be honest I haven't really done my homework about labour options etc yet, but I know I want a hospital birth, I think I will want all the drugs if needed and I am really interested in the idea of a water birth (although I believe there is only one room available in Kings with a birth pool?) I guess we'll find out soon!

[missse22]

Hey there,

I'm due 22nd may, so 4 weeks to go!!! Are you going to find out what your having ?

There are 3 birthing pools at kings, so I've heard? With the water birth you can only have gas and air, but that's what I'm planning on, I use the term planning loosly!! As I have never given birth before, so may end up yelling "give me the drugs!!!!" Lol!!

It'll be nice to go together, xx

Simone

[Sanne Panne]

Some unsolicited information here. Please be mentally prepared for an unpleasant experience - they seem to want to scare you during the labour ward tour and will be mentioning overcrowded rooms, child abduction risk, busy midwives and other things you really don't want to focus on when you think about your impending birth experience. I ended up with an unplanned homebirth so can't talk for myself but based on what most of my friends who ended up giving birth at King's said the actual experience is very unlikely to be as bad as they make you think during the tour. Not meaning to be negative, just thinking it's better to go to the tour expecting a slightly negative tour guide. Maybe they've received enough complaints to change their tone in the meantime!

[missse22]

Thanks for the warning :-)

Ah well, what will be will be I guess...little man has to come out some way or another, so I'm just gonna embrace the challenge!! BRING IT ON! Lol,x

Simone

[Sanne Panne]

missse22 Wrote:

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

> Thanks for the warning :-)

>

> Ah well, what will be will be I guess...little man

> has to come out some way or another, so I'm just

> gonna embrace the challenge!! BRING IT ON! Lol,x

Exactly! Just don't think the picture they paint at the tour is the experience you'll have when you give birth, that's all. Good luck with both :)

[missse22]

Thank you ;-)

[prm]

Whilst we are on the subject of Kings Labour Ward...does anybody know what the deal is with private rooms?

Do you have the option of getting one after the birth and how much does it cost?

Thanks!

[Sanne Panne]

prm Wrote:

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

> Whilst we are on the subject of Kings Labour

> Ward...does anybody know what the deal is with

> private rooms?

> Do you have the option of getting one after the

> birth and how much does it cost?

> Thanks!

I don't think they have private post-labour rooms (maybe they did in the past, maybe they reinstated it recently, but they didn't have them back in 2008). The only way to get a private room is to have twins I believe ;)

[Bumpkin]

I totally agree with Sanne Panne re the labour talk - to be honest, if you want a hospital birth, I'd almost be tempted not to go. I arranged a home birth but went dutifully to the labour ward tour as was being keen and was totally freaked out along with a lot of the other mums. If I'd been booked in for a hospital birth at that point, I would have been really upset and worried for the rest of the pregnancy. In the end the home birth turned into a hospital one with a 1 week complimentary stay afterwards and they were fantastic - couldn't praise them higher and would have a hospital birth there again any time.

There are single rooms on the main labour ward - I had one for a week but they don't tell you about them and only put you in if you really need it and you ask a midwife to push to get one.

[akc74]

Thank you all so much for all the info. I am really glad a couple of you have warned us of the negative elements of the tour - hopefully knowing that in advance, but that you can still have a positive experience in the end (thanks Bumpkin!), will really help.

I think I'd still like to go in that I think I'll be calmer in labour if I know a little bit about where I am going and what to expect (famous last words!)

[buggie]

To be fair, if rooms are limited you can understand why they try and keep a few free.

For example - a mother who's had a still birth/a particularly traumatic birth (as it sounds like yours may have been Bumpkin) or if baby is prem and not able to stay with Mum - how upsetting would it be to be then surrounded by everyone who'd managed to fully bake their babies.

It could be all well and good hassling and getting a room, but if you've pushed for it rather than it being offered, I'd guess you'd be top of the list to be moved out should someone who's need was greater pop up.

While it sounds like the labour tour hasn't got the balance quite right, in a pretty short time their probably trying to keep parent's feet on the ground and warn them of potential problems so that these don't come as a shock during labour (or should rose tinted glasses be applied and then everyone could say how it wasn't as nice as they thought it would be?).

[EGL]

I went when I was pregnant and the evening one was at 6:30pm on Thursdays. No need to book, just turn up and go up to the labour ward. The Monday tour is some time during the day.

[prdarling]

Ditto what someone said about it being quite scary!

I was lined up waiting to go in with all the other heavily pregnant mums and partners and all we could hear was some poor lady screaming her head off and doing that transitional mooing that you hear about but don't believe you will really do. There were a lot of nervous glances and shuffling of feet!

However it was all made better by seeing one of the midwives at the reception desk cuddling a baby that must have been only a few hours old. I had never seen such a new baby and it made everything more real and much more exciting to Mr Darling and me.

I don't think you can pay for a private room like you can at St Thomas' but if you have a straightforward delivery you'll want to get home ASAP anyway - I had 1 night on a ward of 4 beds after DS1 and it wasn't brilliant but nor was it horrendous. I went home 2.5h after DS2 was born, straight from Room 12, which incidentally is the one with the biggest pool in...always worth knowing just in case you can request it!

[Smiler]

RE. private rooms, it isn't possible on the NHS to pay privately for only part of the care (e.g. a room or midwife) - the whole birth / postnatal care is either NHS or private. Tommy's has a private wing for births, don't think Kings does private births.

Agree with what others have said re. the single rooms at Kings - they are really saved for the women who most need them, so wouldn't seem right to push for one after a "normal" birth.

[Bumpkin]

You're right, I shouldn't have said 'push for one' obviously and yes I wasn't very well after the birth as I had quite bad pre-eclampsia; however I don't think I would have got a single room if my Brierly midwife hadn't stepped in and asked for it. I was in no state to ask for anything and wouldn't have asked anyway as I would never have thought of it. I would never advocate just making a fuss for the sake of it, but I do think it's worth asking for things if you really think you need them e.g. baby B wouldn't sleep at all at night in the separate cot provided, but I had one that clipped to the side of the bed when I was in the high dependancy unit and asked for one on the main ward which I duly got, but again wouldn't have been offered. The hospital can easily say no to polite requests, but if you don't ask...

[sillywoman]

I think Kings does have a private wing for births, but it's completely separate from the NHS maternity unit. You have to be booked there from the start of your maternity care - all or nothing AFAIK. It has a name, but can't remember what it is.

[buggie]

Is it Guthrie wing you're thinking of?? That's the private/international patients ward - don't know if they'd take maternity cases as it's staffed by nurses rather than midwives.