Tonight Matt and I did our tour of The East Surrey Hospital Maternity Unit.
Last week I booked us in for the 8pm tour by calling the Antenatal Day Unit telephone number (01737 231726) on the front of my pink pregnancy papers. We got there nice and early which was a good idea as I hadn't really been told on the phone where to meet up! We wandered around for a bit without success but luckily my bump telepathy kicked in and we soon located a crowd of bumps in the Antenatal reception area.
The tour started ten minutes late (I suppose running to a schedule must be difficult in a Maternity Unit!) and was hosted by a very nice grandmother-esque lady who proceeded to tell us about the facilities at East Surrey and showed us around.
Like all hospitals I have heard some good stories and of course some bad ones. My main concern and what I was most interested in during the tour was the Birthing Pool as I want to have a water birth. I had heard recently from the NCT lady that the likelihood of the pool being available (as there's only one) AND that a trained mid-wife would be available was low. I asked the tour guide about this and she said that if you tell the staff when you phone in that you want a water birth they will make sure that a water birth trained midwife will be available. That is good but... what if they aren't available, I think to myself... or what if they are on holiday in the Maldives...? Or doing their weekly shop...? On recollection I should of asked how MANY of their midwifes ARE trained. Doh.
The tour was good and very useful. My man found it a bit boring and strung out (probably like most of the other men present) but I would recommend it to all first time mums as there were things I was told about that I never knew... like for instance that all women give birth in private rooms. I didn't know this but now I think about it, it makes sense!
At the weekend we are taking a tour at The Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford to compare. I am all set up to use East Surrey but apparently it is very easy to transfer if you want to. We'll have to wait and see...
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3 comments:
thanks very much for ur post.
31 weeks 4days and due to arrange for a tour at east surrey. but ive heard a lot of negative things about this hospital, like u i also want a water birth. is it true it takes them months to arrange a tour for u?
Hi
I didn't have to wait months for a tour no. Just a couple of weeks I think it was. Just ring them up and see when they can fit you in!
East Surrey Hospital couldn't of been that bad as I am going back to have my second child there!
Good luck with the water birth :-)
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