Can someone clarify for me what happens right after delivery at Queen Mary Hospital? For example, do you go back to the same ward/ bed that you were in before delivery? Are the babies kept in the same room as you or in a room close by where you can visit them whenever you want? Are the nurses in the post- delivery area pretty helpful when it comes to getting you food or helping to you to the toilet? Were you able to catch up on sleep or was it still pretty chaotic/ noisy in the post- delivery area? Is it realistic to take a shower at the hospital after delivery or did you just wait until you got home? Thanks- just trying to get a feel of things to come!
Queen Mary Hospital- after delivery
- Thread starter alibali
- Start date
carang
Registered User
i think it depends on how busy they are as to where you go to afterward. i was taken to the same bed as before.
the baby can stay with you if you like or you can ask them to take it to the nursery which is located on the ward. so, you can visit anytime or ask the nurse to bring the baby whenever you like.
i found the nursing staff to be FANTASTIC! one joked with my that she was my walking stick, but she was tehre to catch me with a wheelchair when i passed out from the pain of my c-section!
if you want to catch up on sleep make sure you take earplugs and an eyepatch. i had both but found that i was on such a high afterward that i didn't sleep for about 4 days!! yikes, i looked a mess!
they do have shower facilities there, take flip-flops, your own shampoo,etc and a towel! personally, i feel very uncomfortable when i haven't had a shower. i had one the next day. however, this time round i think i may hold off. my incision got infected and was pretty nasty painful. they told me that it was ok for me to shower, but i wonder if that had naything to do with the infection.
congratulations and good luck!
the baby can stay with you if you like or you can ask them to take it to the nursery which is located on the ward. so, you can visit anytime or ask the nurse to bring the baby whenever you like.
i found the nursing staff to be FANTASTIC! one joked with my that she was my walking stick, but she was tehre to catch me with a wheelchair when i passed out from the pain of my c-section!
if you want to catch up on sleep make sure you take earplugs and an eyepatch. i had both but found that i was on such a high afterward that i didn't sleep for about 4 days!! yikes, i looked a mess!
they do have shower facilities there, take flip-flops, your own shampoo,etc and a towel! personally, i feel very uncomfortable when i haven't had a shower. i had one the next day. however, this time round i think i may hold off. my incision got infected and was pretty nasty painful. they told me that it was ok for me to shower, but i wonder if that had naything to do with the infection.
congratulations and good luck!
Immediately after my QMH delivery the midwife sent my boyfriend away to 'have a coffee and wait in the main ward for me'. They then put the baby somewhere (?) and left me lying first in a corridor and then back in the empty labour ward for about 3 hours, as it was shift changeover time... After a couple of hours they gave me the baby to try and feed, but unsuccessfully, then the baby was whisked off to the special care baby unit as he had a fever, and I was finally wheeled over to the main ward. I was wheeled up to the baby to feed him (they didn't want me to, they wanted to just give him formula) and then finally they brought him down once he had had various tests (it was a vacuum delivery, and they needed to give him a brain scan to check all was ok - they hadn't warned me that vaccum delivery has all sorts of risks). Anyway, after that rubbish start it was ok, the baby stayed by my bed (except when they would take him off to bathe him, without telling me of course, so I would wake up with no baby there...) - taking a shower was no problem (as I was the only non-Chinese woman there and so it appeared that I was the only one using the shower) - I just popped the baby into the nursery when I needed to. And you do need a shower immediately - giving birth is a messy business...
Actually my whole QMH experience was totally rubbish from my own point of view, but they do take fantastic care of the babies.
Next time I will take a box of cereal and a bowl, and a cool bag with milk for me (they do provide milk, but it means grabbing someone to bring it to you, and everyone there is busy so I felt guilty bothering people), and just ask them not to bring me any food at all (truly inedible - and as a rule I'll eat anything), and then survive on bought-in sandwiches. It's only for a couple of days anyway..
Actually my whole QMH experience was totally rubbish from my own point of view, but they do take fantastic care of the babies.
Next time I will take a box of cereal and a bowl, and a cool bag with milk for me (they do provide milk, but it means grabbing someone to bring it to you, and everyone there is busy so I felt guilty bothering people), and just ask them not to bring me any food at all (truly inedible - and as a rule I'll eat anything), and then survive on bought-in sandwiches. It's only for a couple of days anyway..
carang
Registered User
the food is truly inedible...
had a meeting with the dietician(absolutely useless human but that's another story), i told her i was going to bring my own food. she said, "what's wrong, you don't like chinese food?"
i responded with.. "no, i love chinese food, eat it over 50% of the time. but what you serve here, i wouldn't give to my dogs! and i would never insult chinese people by claiming that this "food" is chinese in anyway!"
i never worried about asking for the milk... they always brought it if i needed it. ( i was there for about 4-5 weeks total, so got to know the nurses quite well).
had a meeting with the dietician(absolutely useless human but that's another story), i told her i was going to bring my own food. she said, "what's wrong, you don't like chinese food?"
i responded with.. "no, i love chinese food, eat it over 50% of the time. but what you serve here, i wouldn't give to my dogs! and i would never insult chinese people by claiming that this "food" is chinese in anyway!"
i never worried about asking for the milk... they always brought it if i needed it. ( i was there for about 4-5 weeks total, so got to know the nurses quite well).
I didn't go back to the same ward I was in when I first arrived. My experience was similar to geiboy's in that it felt like my husband, baby and i were constantly being transferred from one location to another (until I was wheeled into the maternity ward were i stayed for three days). We spent a fair amount of the time in different places, not knowing where each other were. After I got stitched up (I had a natural birth but tore), they finanlly brought the baby to me. She had been whisked off somewhere to be washed and warmed apparently. I tried breastfeeding her, but no sooner had I managed to get her to latch on, they pulled her off so they could check her identity bracelet matched mine. I had terrible trouble breastfeeding and I found the support to be non-existent. She stayed in the ward next to me and I didn't have any trouble with noise (everyone seemed to have their babies in the nursery, so my baby was probably the one keeping everyone else awake!). My baby had jaundice, so they took her up to another ward on a different floor on the second day. As geiboy said, they weren't very supportive of my desire to breastfeed and I had to basically fight with them to not give her formula. I didn't find the nurses helpful at all. When I rang the buzzer for help, it seemed to always be an orderly who would come over and I found their English was poor. No-one explained things to make me more comfortable (I didn't know what questions to ask). It wasn't until the last day when I started to figure out how things worked on my own. I didn't know that you could ask for milk, or that you could change your pyjamas. They may have left me alone more though because I had a pretty easy labour and it was my second child. I don't think I actually had a shower at the hospital, can't remember why...the facilities were fine so it wouldn't have been that. I agree with the others about the food...definitely bring your own. I was given some oatmeal for breakfast on the second morning (instead of the congee) which I quite liked (I like bland cereal for breakfast). I asked for it the next two mornings but the lady delivering the food couldn't understand me 
Although I absolutely hated my experience at the QMH, the level of medical care is second to none, which is more important than the creature comforts IMO.
Although I absolutely hated my experience at the QMH, the level of medical care is second to none, which is more important than the creature comforts IMO.
I went back to the same ward and same bed before went giving birth. After delivery my baby I've problem with placenta that stick on the womb so they have to remove it. I saw my baby for a few minutes and after that they take him to somewhere for some check ups. And they take me to the surgery room
Not until 4 hours later I can out from the surgery as they wanted to know if the numbness has gone.
Well went back to the ward and they allowed my husband to came in for 1/2 hour coz they said it's not visiting hours yet. But 2 nights in that ward was awful, I couldn't sleep well (you know cried babies all around my bed). Gosh, I was so desperate to go back home.
The time when I was delivery my baby like a peak time for QMH; even I've to wait for the labour room.
The nurses really good with babies. And they have some nurses to went around to teach you how to BF. But with exhausted delivery for me was more frustrating then ever. My milk not yet come out and my baby latch on badly; and they try to offer me the formula tho and I keep said NO.
Not until 4 hours later I can out from the surgery as they wanted to know if the numbness has gone.
Well went back to the ward and they allowed my husband to came in for 1/2 hour coz they said it's not visiting hours yet. But 2 nights in that ward was awful, I couldn't sleep well (you know cried babies all around my bed). Gosh, I was so desperate to go back home.
The time when I was delivery my baby like a peak time for QMH; even I've to wait for the labour room.
The nurses really good with babies. And they have some nurses to went around to teach you how to BF. But with exhausted delivery for me was more frustrating then ever. My milk not yet come out and my baby latch on badly; and they try to offer me the formula tho and I keep said NO.
In both my experiences, I was in a different ward before and after delivery. I found that they actively encouraged you to have your babies next to you. The second time, at night time only, I got wise and asked the nurses to take my baby to the nursery so I could have a couple of hours of sleep. It can get quiet noisy on the wards when some babies are unsettled.
With my first child, I thought they were fantastic. With my second child, they were just as efficient, though they seemed busier. I was actually quite happy to be left to it the second time round.
Foodwise....i didn't mind it. Maybe it's because I'm chinese and congee doesn't bother me but I can understand how it can be quite unpalatble to some.
With my first child, I thought they were fantastic. With my second child, they were just as efficient, though they seemed busier. I was actually quite happy to be left to it the second time round.
Foodwise....i didn't mind it. Maybe it's because I'm chinese and congee doesn't bother me but I can understand how it can be quite unpalatble to some.
It's a good idea to write a birth plan including any special requests for your labour and postnatal care of you and the baby.
You can even request oatmeal for breakfast! You can even request western food but I don't recommend it: they just seem to give instant mashed potato instead of rice! I requested vegetarian food which was fine but had no protein. I actually didn't mind the food because I was so ravenous after giving birth, I would have eaten anything.
Back to postnatal requests, in order to get breastfeeding off to a good start, I wanted to breastfeed as soon as possible after the birth, without interruption. I also felt it a little kinder to the baby to be comforted immediately, rather than be poked and prodded by staff. So I requested the baby to be placed on my chest immediately, before cutting of cord or bathing or APGAR testing or eye drops or whatever. They were very respectful of my wishes. They cut the cord and did APGAR testing while the baby was on my chest, and the eye drops and some other injection after I had finished breastfeeding. If there are a lot of babies delivering then they might not have been so obliging, because it was an inconvenience to them that the midwife had to come back and check on me rather than getting everything over and done with. But it just shows you that they aim to please when they can, so it's worth requesting what you want in advance.
I did find the ward extremely noisy, partly because my bed was situated next to the nursing station and the nursery (they want to keep an eye on troublemakers, obviously, because I was in the same place for my first baby 2yrs earlier!) . The babies in my ward section, plus in the nursery, seemed to set each other off crying, so one crying baby often set off a cacophony of wails! I did not want to use ear plugs because I was afraid I would not hear my own baby cry, and I wanted to keep her by my side as much as possible.
I was also being woken at regular intervals by staff. I delivered at 4pm in the afternoon, and my baby was highly alert until about 4am - wonderful when I had been two nights without sleep in labour. Then at 6am I was woken to be told my baby was being taken away for bathing. At 6.30am I was woken to be told that my baby was back. At 7am they wanted to take my temperature. At 7.30am there was something else. At 8am breakfast arrived. At 8.30am the doctor came around. You get the idea...
Since it was my second baby and there were no problems, plus my other child was not allowed to visit, I discharged myself against medical advice after less than 24hrs this time around (after a shower). So you do have that option if there are no complications.
But one wonderful thing about QMH is that if you want to breastfeed, it is one of the best places in Hong Kong. In the private hospitals, even in ones supportive of breastfeeding like the Matilda, unless you have a private room you can't have your baby by your side. If baby is in a nursery, you can't guarantee that the nurses will not give your baby formula. It happens all over the world that nurses are sometimes eager to give formula to babies because it's easier for them, and they like to tick their boxes about how much baby has drunk and how many wet nappies they have.
If you are having serious latching problems, ask to see a lactation consultant because they do have them somewhere. Don't listen if the nurses say you don't have enough milk: colostrum is like gold dust for babies and it comes in very small quantities. Some of the nurses seem to be ignorant of the fact that it's supposed to take 2-5 days for milk to "come in".
You can even request oatmeal for breakfast! You can even request western food but I don't recommend it: they just seem to give instant mashed potato instead of rice! I requested vegetarian food which was fine but had no protein. I actually didn't mind the food because I was so ravenous after giving birth, I would have eaten anything.
Back to postnatal requests, in order to get breastfeeding off to a good start, I wanted to breastfeed as soon as possible after the birth, without interruption. I also felt it a little kinder to the baby to be comforted immediately, rather than be poked and prodded by staff. So I requested the baby to be placed on my chest immediately, before cutting of cord or bathing or APGAR testing or eye drops or whatever. They were very respectful of my wishes. They cut the cord and did APGAR testing while the baby was on my chest, and the eye drops and some other injection after I had finished breastfeeding. If there are a lot of babies delivering then they might not have been so obliging, because it was an inconvenience to them that the midwife had to come back and check on me rather than getting everything over and done with. But it just shows you that they aim to please when they can, so it's worth requesting what you want in advance.
I did find the ward extremely noisy, partly because my bed was situated next to the nursing station and the nursery (they want to keep an eye on troublemakers, obviously, because I was in the same place for my first baby 2yrs earlier!) . The babies in my ward section, plus in the nursery, seemed to set each other off crying, so one crying baby often set off a cacophony of wails! I did not want to use ear plugs because I was afraid I would not hear my own baby cry, and I wanted to keep her by my side as much as possible.
I was also being woken at regular intervals by staff. I delivered at 4pm in the afternoon, and my baby was highly alert until about 4am - wonderful when I had been two nights without sleep in labour. Then at 6am I was woken to be told my baby was being taken away for bathing. At 6.30am I was woken to be told that my baby was back. At 7am they wanted to take my temperature. At 7.30am there was something else. At 8am breakfast arrived. At 8.30am the doctor came around. You get the idea...
Since it was my second baby and there were no problems, plus my other child was not allowed to visit, I discharged myself against medical advice after less than 24hrs this time around (after a shower). So you do have that option if there are no complications.
But one wonderful thing about QMH is that if you want to breastfeed, it is one of the best places in Hong Kong. In the private hospitals, even in ones supportive of breastfeeding like the Matilda, unless you have a private room you can't have your baby by your side. If baby is in a nursery, you can't guarantee that the nurses will not give your baby formula. It happens all over the world that nurses are sometimes eager to give formula to babies because it's easier for them, and they like to tick their boxes about how much baby has drunk and how many wet nappies they have.
If you are having serious latching problems, ask to see a lactation consultant because they do have them somewhere. Don't listen if the nurses say you don't have enough milk: colostrum is like gold dust for babies and it comes in very small quantities. Some of the nurses seem to be ignorant of the fact that it's supposed to take 2-5 days for milk to "come in".
wow, thank you so much for your helpful information. You've given me some good ideas for my birth plan and what I should be able to ask for in the hospital. Queen Mary seems to have a reputation for not "volunteering help/ info" (I go to Tsan Yuk for my antenatal visits and it's a bit the same- ask me to lie on the examining table, but not tell me what they are about to do...), so it's good to know what kind of requests I can make and expect to be fulfilled. Also, this is my first baby, so I don't have a previous birth experience to compare to.
With QMH you need to insist that they tell you what they are doing, and preferably ask first. I was outraged when I was having an internal exam after hours of labour and there was some pain and I asked what she was doing - 'oh, I'm breaking your waters' or something - I mean, really they ought to ask if they are doing something like that. But then I saw dozens of doctors during my labour and all except the last one (who finally managed to haul the baby out) were really bloody rude to me. This time I am going in prepared for this, and will not be taking bad attitude from anyone, or I will be out having this baby in the corridor. Or the cafeteria. Or the car park...
Yeah, I had on my birth plan "Please try not to touch me, or perform any medical intervention, without asking me first." I also put "Please try not to talk to me when I am experiencing a contraction"! They were pretty good at respecting those.
I have found that staying calm and showing respect for the way they do things (even if you disagree with them) is the best way to approach issues of disagreement. I also got my husband to do almost all the talking with staff, while I had headphones playing relaxing music - helps to avoid stress which is the enemy of a smooth labour.
I have found that staying calm and showing respect for the way they do things (even if you disagree with them) is the best way to approach issues of disagreement. I also got my husband to do almost all the talking with staff, while I had headphones playing relaxing music - helps to avoid stress which is the enemy of a smooth labour.