Qmh

[ccooper]

Does anyone know the up to date position on allowing fathers into the labour ward at QMH? I have heard conflicting reports that Dad's can be with you from the moment you enter the hospital to Dad only being allowed into the delivery room just before birth so you have to go through labour by yourself.

Has anyone delivered there recently?

 

[simms]

I went to the QMH 'tour' this Saturday just gone. If you're interested in having your baby there, it's probably worth turning up for it... you don't have to book or anything, just turn up outside ward K6S in block K at 12 noon on Saturday.

However, here is what I was told...
There are two wards - an ante/post natal ward on the 6th floor, and a labour ward on the 9th floor. Unless you are high risk, you will be on a general ward until you are 5cm dilated, at which point you go to the labour ward. Husbands are allowed into your room on the labour ward the whole time. In the ante natal ward, the presence of your husband is 'not reccommended', but the midwife told me that it probably wouldn't be a problem.

So apart from a higher mask count than we are used to these days, it seems that things are back to normal post-SARS

 

[Slee]

I've just read what Simms was told on the QMH and got really angry.

I gave birth at QMH just before SARS broke out (i.e. in normal conditions) and got the shock of my life when my husband got locked out at 8 pm when I was already in labour in the labour ward (as opposed to the delivery ward). Therefore, I went through the whole night on my own and only had his support from 6.30 when he snuck in at the change of nursing shifts. He then spent nearly an hour trying to get the nurses to come and help me, was transferred to delivery ward at 7.45 and got my first pain relief of the whole process (some gas and air - bliss). Our daughter was born at 8.07, so that's 7 minutes after the time he was meant to be allowed back in.

Given my actual experiences, I can't believe that a nurse at QMH can try to say that throwing dads out of the labour wards won't happen. This is such a blatent case of just saying what parents want to hear, as opposed to the real situation.

 

[scr]

It's been quite a while since I delivered at QMH but I'm writing anyway. After 8:00 PM no one is allowed to sit with you. So if you're in labour after that time tough luck. I went to QMH early around 3 in the afternoon and wasn't in any real discomfort but my husband was with me. Then he was chucked out at 8:00 PM - visitors' time over !! I went into active labour around 10:30 Pm..water broke and the pains hit ! I was alone and the nurse said when you dilate 5cms we'll shift you to delivery ward and your husband can join you then !! That was after about 7-8 hours later. So don't believe them when they say your husband can be with you the "whole" time...ask them what do they mean by "whole" time !

 

[loupou]

Wow!

Wow, that's nasty.

My husband was able to stray w/ me the whole time a PWH and I've heard similar things about QE.

Too bad things are so bad on the Island.

 

[Karishma]

I delivered at QMH last August...heres my story. Went to hosp abt 9.a.m abt 3 cm dialted! Was made to wait in the pre-natal ward until i dialated to 5 cm. After which they moved me to the labour ward until i gv birth at 10.45 p.m. My husband was PRESENT with me the WHOLE time! In the pre-natal ward they initially said he cant be there but I requested saying that I cudnt go thru it alone and they were like 'OK but make sure u draw yr curtains all around you all the time' reason being there were other women in the ward moaning and groaning in pain and I guess it might have been embarrassing for them to have someone elses husband watching them. But it didnt tk much of convincing on part...they were quite easily convinced and I must say very understanding abt it. I guess each ones experience is different and maybe after SARS they hv become more cautious/strict but I only have positive things to say abt the QMH. Hope this helps!

 

[JennyB]

I gave birth at QMH last week and had a pretty positive experience. I was 3cm dilated upon arrival, but they transferred me directly to the labour suite, where my husband was with me throughout.

I was told beforehand by the hospital that the point (3cm/5cm) that they transfer you to the labour suite depends on how busy they are. I was also advised by a private midwife to stay at home as long as possible, until my contractions were regularly 5 minutes apart, to avoid the possibility of labouring for hours alone in the general ward. This also may speed up your labour, because most people tend to be more relaxed at home, and then progress slows down at the hospital where they are more tense (regardless of which hospital).

I think what they do or do not allow depends a lot on the staff you meet on duty at the time. The staff I encountered seemed very flexible, and permitted a lot of things on my birth plan which I was told in advance would not be possible.

 

[Slee]

Karishma - it was already after 8.00 am in the morning when you were admitted. My husband was allowed to stay with me for the first two hours I was in teh delivery ward - that is, until 8pm - but was then made to go join the other fathers in the hallway.

I would have loved to stay at home, but was induced at 40 weeks as my amniotic fluid was low. For some reason, my doctor gave me the first drugs in the early evening, so surprise surprise I was labouring overnight.