C&W or St George’s? Post Reply

[Orlu]

Hi all!

I’m pregnant with my first baby and my GP has told me I now need to self refer to either Chelsea and Westminster or St George’s. A lot of the posts on this are quite old, in particular for StG, so I was keen to hear recent experience about either of them - especially during the pandemic (whilst I hope things will have eased by the due date, I don’t want to assume!)

Thank you very much in advance for any advice and reviews

[Veritwee]

Hey there,
I can’t help you about the pandemic side but I did have my baby there 9m ago in Dec. This is my second birth at c&w.
I was lucky to have a quiet time of year and had my own pool room in the birthing centre. I understand the labour ward has also been redone.
The midwives are incredible.
The experience was second to none and that is a testament to the nhs.
I’ve had friends use the neonatal too and same as the above.
Parking is the tricky point (underground car park which is eye watering) but there are a few metered roads around the hospital and a hotel forecourt towards Chelsea grounds.
I believe there is an old YouTube video of the birthing centre that should give you a vague insight.
Good luck with your choices.

[CrepeSuzette]

100% not St George's, and I had 3 babies there. One of my greatest regrets.
The only good thing about it is the neonatal unit for premature and ill babies.
Pay up for the C&W car park - it's not exactly free at St George's anyway.

[jo.dough]

I second everything Veritwee says. Have had two babies at C&W and had very positive experiences both times. It’s a pleasant hospital to be in whereas george’s is not, as a building. Facilities are world class. Having said that, I have friends who have had a great experience at george’s too and their labour department has a very good reputation, medically speaking.

[3TimeMum]

I have had a baby at both C&W and at St George's (and at St Thomas')! C&W home from home is lovely, including the pull out beds that you can use afterwards. St Thomas' has fantastic views. However I found the antenatal care best at St George's because I was looked after by local midwives- I could walk to my appointments- and they were the same midwives I had for the post-natal care regardless so i build up a really good relationship with my midwife. (C&W- I had to go to the hospital, St Thomas' had community midwives but out of my area).
They are all great hospitals with good repuations, I think that the care you get during the delivery is very dependent on the interpersonal relationship you have with your actual midwife and how busy they are on the day your baby decides to pitch up.
I went to St George's for my third because I have very fast labours and was worried about making it over the bridge, and I had a good experience there.
Good luck whatever you choose!

[Zippychick]

Congratulations! I’m also pregnant and due in November. I’m going to C&W. They have been leading the way on trying to normalise services for pregnant women and birth partners. Currently, I believe that partners are not allowed to attend scans at St G but are at C&W - unless that has changed in the last week or so. Both are now allowing post natal visits for birth partners only (which suits me fine as better to have a quieter ward) although C&W have longer visiting hours. If you think you may need to be induced do have a look at the policies for that. I think C&W now allows a birth partner during in-hospital induction (but maybe not over night) not sure about St G. Personally, having in-hospital induction without a birth partner (until established labour) sounds awful! You still can’t have partners with you for standard ante natal appts at either hospital but I firmly believe that C&W putting much more thought and effort into supporting women, babies and partners as safely as possible and in a much more timely manner. I can’t speak for actually having a baby at either hospital yet as this is my first pregnancy.

Good luck!