Delivering at Queen Elizabeth hospital

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djudju

Registered User
Hi!

In a 2 month time I'll deliver my baby in QEH. I have seen a lot of posts about QMH or other public hospitals but only a few about QEH.

Does anyone have any experience to share with me? About delivery, the staff, the rules as for the husband's presence during labor, the ward in itself and the support mothers receive from the staff after the birth...

I'm a bit worried because the way things go here in public hospitals is really different from what happens in my country so I don't really know what to expect... There are so many questions coming to my mind, plus the fact that giving birth already worries me a lot :-(

Thank you!
 
My friend gave birth at QEH last November. She was overdue already. So they asked her to come on the specific date to induce, but when she's there, they asked her to go back home first as her cervix is still close. The nurses just told them they are so full and she's still not ready to give birth.
 
Thank you for your answers!

Hk foodie: thanks for sharing your experience, it gives me a better understanding of what to expect.

On the "advice on pregnancy" leaflet from the hospital they say: mother should bring pyjamas, bath towel, personal hygiene accessories, cleaning bottle, cotton wool ball, antiseptic lotion, maternity pad with bandage, a cup.
So just to recap, what was useless?
And I don't understand their maternity pads with bandage... What did you get in the end and where did you buy it?
As for the baby, they ask me to bring a small plastic bowl and cotton wool pads. What is it for? Is it really necessary?
As for the baby clothes, I just need to bring one set when I go home, right?
Thank you for your help ;-)
 
Oh I have 2 more questions :-)
1) Do they have any plugs to charge the mobile?
2) Is there a place to put your luggage and valuable items (mobile phone) when you're not in the ward?
Thanks!
 
They have plugs but my friend says they will not allow you to charge.. Or atleast make sure they won't see you.. They also have locker but space is too small so better don't bring too much stuffs.
 
I recently gave birth at QE and I only took a bath towel, personal hygiene stuff and maternity pads for me and nappies and wipes for the baby. I just had the kotex ones you get from the supermarket. The hospital provided pajamas for me and baby and I asked my husband to bring the going home clothes on the day we left hospital.
 
Thank you for your answers!
Now I know what to bring with me and what's useless.
I don't understand why the staff doesn't want us to use their plugs, coz there available, and my mobile will be my only link with my husband and family who will only be allowed to visit me for 3 miserable hours a day...
 
You can't use the plugs because if every patient in every hospital charged their phone, laptop, hairdryer etc it would add significantly to the electricity bill. The best thing to do is bring one of those portable battery chargers and ask a family member to take it home and recharge it every 2-3 days.
 
QEH October 2012 experience

I gave birth at QEH last October (2012). I had an assisted delivery and was there for 2 nights. My roommate had a c-section and was only there for 1 night (not sure why!). My request for an epidural was fulfilled though I heard from the nurses that several others didn't get one and so 'I was the lucky one'! I think it depends on the anaesthetist's schedule.

Overall I had a good experience, nothing in particular to grumble about, although I wish their breastfeeding support was better. The classes that run to demonstrate bathing, changing etc your baby is in Cantonese only and with me, they didn't actively tell me when it was going on in order for me to attend.

Re phone charging, we said that when my husband visited, he would bring his phone fully charged and I would swap phones with him but I didn't need to in the end. You may be too preoccupied with your new baby to be on the mobile too much anyway.

I brought my own pjs as the hospital ones aren't that nice but are good for the first day/night when you might be bleeding a lot (and may not want to ruin your own).

Bring wipes and nappies for the baby.

Bring your own toiletries and maternity pads. I brought a cleaning bottle (definitely needed if you have an episiotomy in order to keep the area clean).

I brought wet wipes, alcohol hand sanitiser and a box of tissues - always useful.

Bring snacks/drinks.

The visiting hours are evenings only (no lunchtime visiting hours). But you can easily pop out of the ward to meet your husband etc for lunch delivery etc provided you are mobile.

My no pork meals were not fulfilled but if I had asked, I'm sure they would have changed it. It wasn't an issue for me as my husband came with my food requests.

The ward is divided into sections of between 4-6 beds each. It's fairly noisy (crying babies) and each section is open and the babies line up in the corridor area to be fed formula by the nurses.

Baby rooms in with you. They take your baby away for injections, first bath etc.

They (try to) follow your birth plan although keep it simple (a nurse was complaining that mines was too complicated! I didn't think so.)

Nurses are mainly nice, some are a bit brash. Just ignore the not so nice ones - one nurse said to me when I was trying to latch my baby 'you are going to suffocate your baby' haha. If this is your first baby and you plan to breastfeed, be warned that you don't get that much (practical) help so make sure you actively ask the nurses to help with latching etc. They have a good breastfeeding policy so you just need to actively seek help - breastfeeding is not the norm here as it is in the UK where I'm from.

There's an English speaking antenatal class you can attend on Saturday morning (only once every month or so) - phone up and book your place. Useful for asking questions about the hospital etc. includes a tour of the ward(s).

Would I give birth there again? Hmmm not sure. I had a painful delivery and so many issues with breastfeeding and wish I had more help with that. As I said, overall not much to grumble about really. Oh there was this one really fantastic nurse (but she was only there for my first night).
Posted via Mobile Device
 
Breastfeeding support is worse in private hospitals!

I gave birth at QEH last may and my overall experience was very positive! My hubby was with me the whole time during labour and the midwives were great although one was more demanding and said I didn't try hard enough well others said I was doing well

You don't need bucket or bowl and cotton as if you ask they will have sterilised wet cotton to clean baby's eyes.... I had that once for my baby.... You can buy and bring those as well.... Plastic bowl takes up too much space!!

Bring flip flops I think they are very useful!
 
Thank you for your answers!
Yikes, I'm a bit scared by what you said about the epidural because I can't imagine delivering without it :-( I really hope I'll get one! I'll pray for that...
Karhu, when you say that your husband stayed with you all the time, are you talking about the last stage of labour (when you went into the delivery room) or from the very beginning when you were in the labour room? Because the staff said that the hubby was only allowed in the delivery room.
 
I wax admitted to be induced so once I checked in the prenatal ward I was wheeled into the labour ward and had a single room in the labour ward! My husband was there from after the induction started (he came from work) at around 11:30 till the baby was delivered at 5:30... Prenatal ward was only women no hubbies... But my case is different cause I was induced... I think usually when you start your contraction you are in the prenatal ward and then when you are more dilated they take you down to labour ward/delivery room
 
Also I didn't have an epidural and I managed so don't get too stressed out about not bring able to get one... Whatever happens you will be able to manage somehow :) but hopefully you will get what you need :)
 
I'm now 37 weeks and I still have many questions coming to my mind...
What is the post-natal follow-up in QEH for the baby AND the mother? Will I get appointments to check my wound? And what about the baby?
I intend to breastfeed, but if I have some difficulties in breast feeding after I'm home, will the hospital provide some help?
Thank you for your answers! :-)
 
Also, I heard that in some public hospitals nurses provided two visits at home to check both the baby and the mother (for a few dollars) Is it the case in QEH?
 
I wasn't at qeh but as far as i know all the public hospitals have the same service. They will arrange for a midwife to come to your home to check on you and the baby (mine came to remove my stitches). I only had one visit ($80) but I think you can have 3/4. Your baby will have frequent check ups at the mchc (who can also give you help breast feeding) and less frequent check ups at the hospital. You'll have an 8 week check up at the hospital to check you're healing ok. My hospital called me a couple of days after i got home to check how the breast feeding was going. They also take ppd very seriously and they'll always be checking your mood and making sure you're doing ok. Apart from the long waits the public system has been remarkable.
 
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