Birthing Centre (crowborough) or New Hospital (Pembury)?

[Noonoo1]

Hi,

I just wondered on the off-chance what you ladies thought of a birthing centre v hospital and if anyone has any experience of Crowborough or Pembury in Kent?

I've visited the birthing centre and really liked it, but the hospital is brand spanking new, about ten minutes closer to us, with with great facilities and private rooms. Trouble is, they won't let you visit it beforehand and I hate the idea of giving birth somewhere I haven't seen and don't feel comfortable.

Any advice at all appreciated x

 

[LadyRoy]

Hello!

I am going to be going to Pembury for my labour. All the midwives have now visited it so I have been asking loads of questions and they all really like it. The private rooms are a good size and not too 'medical' and I have been told that they will be arranging tours for the february and march antenatal classes. I don't know when your LO is due but maybe you would have time to go to one of those.

I feel really privillaged to be one of the first mums there as it is supposed to be one of the best designed hospitals in Europe now

They have also just had their first baby born there and the video shows a bit of the rooms

https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/kent/hi/front_page/newsid_9378000/9378050.stm

best of luck with whatever you choose xxx

 

[Noonoo1]

thanks LadyRoy!

I'm not due until April but midwife (who is based there) said they are so far behind because of the move that all tours and antenatal classes are off for the forseeable future although they are trying to get a virtual tour up and running.

I will mention it this week though and thanks for the link!

Desperate to go in the water and if patient numbers are expected to double, I'm a bit worried the pools might be booked up.

great to know you've heard good things though!

 

[KeirasMummy.]

Ahh glad there are some other kent girls here .. im nearer maidstone hospital but they are closing down the maternity unit so was thinking maybe i should go pembury instead .. is a little further to travel but not too far, do you know how many birthing pools they have there?

 

[Noonoo1]

Hello Kent ladies! As a matter of interest, where do you both live? We're in Tubridge Wells.

Maidstone not due to close until July I thinnk, but Pembury has two pools as far as I am aware - which doesn't seem that many!

 

[KeirasMummy.]

Hello Kent ladies! As a matter of interest, where do you both live? We're in Tubridge Wells.

Maidstone not due to close until July I thinnk, but Pembury has two pools as far as I am aware - which doesn't seem that many!

Im maidstone, so about 40 min drive from pembury, was still gonna consider maybe going there instead tho, will be going for a tour of maidstone unit next month so may ask if there is anyway we can go see the pembury one aswel, see which one looks better .

 

[hellohefalump]

I was going to have Madeleine in Crowborough. I can't say I had a great experience. They were pretty good with the antenatal care... but then when I was in labour they sent me home! I was in A LOT of pain and they just acted like I was making a lot of fuss about nothing. So we went home and I ended up having Madeleine just a few hours later in Brighton County hospital (we couldn't get back to Crowborough in time).

Just for the record though, I would totally recommend Brighton County hospital, they were fab :-D

See, I knew I was in a lot of pain but they wouldn't listen and as it turns out, I was dilating VERY quickly. I was 1-3cm dilated when they examined me (which was extremely painful) The midwife told me I technically wasn't in labour yet (my waters were gushing everywhere and I was in a lot of pain) I could have killed her! I was starting to push by the time I got home 45 minutes later.