Getting referred to community midwives eg. Lanes, Aylesham, Oakwood Etc

[SE154BJ]

Hello there,

I'm registered at DMC Chadwick Rd and receiving antenatal care there and at Kings. Through a chance encounter with another pregnant lady in Peckham I found out about the community midwife centres Aylesham, Lanes and Oakwood. I would love to have the chance at the continuity of care that they offer, but I've not been referred by my GP. This is my first pregnancy and have had shitty hospital experiences before so am hoping for a positive natural birth experience in the midwife led unit at Kings.

Does anyone have experience of these centres and how to get referred?

I'm now 24 weeks, and wishing I'd found out about this seemingly secret service sooner!

[TE44]

Hi, you can refer yourself, give them a phone, they'll be able to tell you if theres space, good luck.

[SE154BJ]

Thanks, I spoke to Aylesham this morning and they said they only take patients from the Lister Practice.

Am trying to refer myself to the Lanes as I believe this is the centre associated with DMC but am waiting to hear back from them.

I guess the other alternative would be to change GPs to the Lister and then try and get a referral?

[SE154BJ]

TE44 did you refer yourself? If so which one took you?

[Widdy]

I was with dmc chadwick rd and self referred to oakwood when I was very early pregnant- they were amazing!

They do get pretty booked up, but worth a go!

[SE154BJ]

Great thank you, I'll give them a try.

[Indiana]

For the Lanes you have to be a patient at DMC Crystal Palace Road. Even then, there is a huge demand and they can only take a certain number of cases each month so you have to refer as soon as you get pregnant to have a chance.

After I had my first baby I moved from DMC Chadwick to DMC crystal palace in order to get the Lanes for pregnancy no 2. I was also living much closer to Crystal Palace Road anyway so it made sense. As soon as I had my second I changed again to a different surgery as DMC Crystal Palace is the worst surgery in the area for getting appointments (see a number of other threads)

Good luck

[SE154BJ]

Thanks everyone. I have spoken to Oakwood and am number 1 on their waitlist, so fingers crossed someone moves house soon. Either that or I might change GP and ask if I can be referred to Aylesham.

I do think it's terrible that no one made me aware of these services, and I found out totally by accident. These services should be available to all women, not just the lucky few.

[TE44]

i referred my daughter with the brierley, it was 5years ago though.

[TE44]

We were not aware either, my daughter did not want a hospital birth, nor did she have a doctor. I phoned a private

midwife (although this was not an option), she kindly explained our options. my daughter was at uni at the time, I went round rather than phone and they booked it that day.

[AnyaJoeli]

I feel exactly the same as you, it's like a secret club you need to know the password for! I am with DMC Chadwick road and was quite unhappy with the care I received with my first for various reasons, and now with my second I'm with the Lanes. I kind of got in through the back door through a consultant midwife contact at Kings who put me in touch directly with one of the midwives and she took pity on me as I'd had a couple of difficult miscarriages since my first birth so I basically self referred, didn't go through the GP at all?in fact I haven't actually even told my GP I'm pregnant this time... You do technically need to be at DMC Crystal Palace road, so if that's easy for you then perhaps change. Although I gave a friend who is also DMC Chadwick rd the Lanes number when she was early preg and she self-referred and has subsequently had a lovely home birth with the Lanes. I have the number of the Lanes organiser so PM me if you need it and want to see if there's a chance of getting onto the waiting list there too (don't have my phone near me at the mo!). Everyone I know who's had a birth with the Lanes has had a really positive experience.

[miss]

I had Lanes care while I was registered at DMC Chadwick Road and as PP have explained being within the DMC network doesn't confer any advantage - I just went on the ordinary waiting list. I rang as soon as I had a positive test and I was offered a place just before my booking-in appointment at Kings. I was very lucky -y midwife told me that for the months before and after my daughter's birth they were full up and then some with exclusively DMC CPR women.

The care was exceptional; I only wish it was the normal model of midwifery care in the UK. Good luck. It's not very pleasant waiting for a place.

[miss]

If you would consider a home birth then the other option is Brierly.

[etta166]

Kings also has, or had, community midwives who give continuity of care and attend home births. I had my first 2 with the West Team from Kings and my third with Brierly. The care was equally good each time.

[SE154BJ]

I thought after finding out about this service late in the day I would share the info and contact numbers I'd managed to glean. Hopefully it will be useful to someone:

Aylesham

07870 524742

For patients registered at Lister Practice (although they took me despite being at DMC Chadwick Rd)

Lanes

07966 435945

For patients registered at DMC Crystal Palace

Oakwood

0208 2995696

Will take patients from anywhere I believe, but get in there quick as they get busy

Brierley

0203 2996163

Home birth and women with mental health problems only

[sillywoman]

I understood that Oakwood are for women registered at Forest Hill road group practice, but if you've had a previous woman with them they'll try to accommodate you on their caseload.

You can however self refer to the Brierly.

[AngelaG]

Hello All, I am 30 weeks pregnant now and I was chasing this for ages. My midwife from Townley Road clinic referred me, I had to push for it though, and I am having the first visit in a week time from Brierly. If I hadn't signed up for yoga I wouldn't knew about this option, like everyone else says it is a well kept secret. I would say it doesn't matter how far along you are its always worth a try.

Good luck Ladies!

[MarianaTrench]

I have just called the Lister (which is my surgery) and the Dr I spoke to had never heard of Aylesham Midwives .... I just called Aylesham Mws and they said the antenatal referrals from Lister automatically came in to their pigeon hole although for my previous 2 pregnancies I have never received a booking appointment with them, so it defintely makes sense to give them a call!

(I hate how opaque this whole system is and that you have to find out about these services via EDF ...)

[sillywoman]

Ayelsham are a new team - a sort of hole patcher for the enormous gap left by the late-lamented Albany Midwives -that's why you weren't referred in your previous pregnancies, and possibly why whoever you spoke to hadn't heard of them?