I was told by St George's midwives that you can't see the Carmen Suite maternity unit until your 36 weeks but that seems to late to me to allow much time to go and see anything else, especially if you go into early labour! What have they told you?

[quote="Nims"]Why not have a look at both and see which you think would suit you best?
You say you are closest to St. Georges' so naturally that should be your first choice. Many of my friends had very positive birth experiences there so there should be nothing to worry about.
I guess, doing enough research, you will find positive and negative stories about every hospital in the UK but in London we are lucky enough to have outstanding NHS maternity services on our doorstep.
Personally, I had all of mine in C&W, the first was a difficult birth but I was very well looked after and stayed there a week before baby and I were allowed home. The second was a negative experience but I won't dwell on that as I know it wasn't typical of the hospital - just unfortunate timing and yes I had slight PND after that one, but C&W provided me with counselling. However, with my third, I stuck with the same hospital and it was pretty much a perfect experience and thankfully no PND this time.
Overall, I chose C&W as it was that little bit closer to my home than St Georges and their birth centre is simply lovely as are the midwives. But I'm sure that is the same with St Georges.
Just go with your gut feel after you have visited both.
Good luck and all the best.[/quote]

Thank you. I haven't even thought of visiting TBH. I am having my appointments at St Georges but really don't know. I think I was just really really unlucky last time

Why not have a look at both and see which you think would suit you best?
You say you are closest to St. Georges' so naturally that should be your first choice. Many of my friends had very positive birth experiences there so there should be nothing to worry about.
I guess, doing enough research, you will find positive and negative stories about every hospital in the UK but in London we are lucky enough to have outstanding NHS maternity services on our doorstep.
Personally, I had all of mine in C&W, the first was a difficult birth but I was very well looked after and stayed there a week before baby and I were allowed home. The second was a negative experience but I won't dwell on that as I know it wasn't typical of the hospital - just unfortunate timing and yes I had slight PND after that one, but C&W provided me with counselling. However, with my third, I stuck with the same hospital and it was pretty much a perfect experience and thankfully no PND this time.
Overall, I chose C&W as it was that little bit closer to my home than St Georges and their birth centre is simply lovely as are the midwives. But I'm sure that is the same with St Georges.
Just go with your gut feel after you have visited both.
Good luck and all the best.

Hi! I am pregnant with my second child and how have to choose the hospital. The choice really is between Chelsea and St Georges. I notice that many local mums go to Chelsea but also heard wonderful things about St Georges maternity services and it is also 6 minutes from our house.

My first experience was awful. It was in St Thomas and midwife ended up in disciplinary because of appalling attitude and lack of professionalism. The birth was traumatic with hemorrhage and 3rd degree tear. Post natal services at St Thomas were also very very poor - they never fully discharged me to local case so there were no follow ups from midwifes when were got back home. A true nightmare experience which contributed greatly to PND.

This time around it will very likely be elective C-section but that's not decided yet - may still end up with natural delivery. In that case which hospital will more likely respect my choice to have epidural? (last time was refused any pain relief, even paracetamol or gas but was given diamorphine without consent))

I understand that god/bad experience can happen anywhere but would rather know both positive and negative feedback in advance.

Also in any of you had experience of natural birth after 3rd/4th degree tear, I would be keen to know how it went.