"Elective C Section at St Thomas London"

I have experienced Maternity care from St Thomas Hospital during the pregancy and birth of my baby daughter last week.

It started with a referral from our GP to St Thomas where I had a first midwife checkup and she said I could be offered home midwife support. I accepted and since then have received all my midwife visits at home! so easy and convenient, they just arrive - usually the same one, Louise who is very friendly, supportive and caring.

I had a fear of childbirth and was adamant from the outset that I needed to have a c-section. St Thomas did run me through a series of meetings with numerous midwifes, doctors, psychotherapists and even anaesthetists to try to find a compromise that did not involve this, but in the end they could see that my phobia was acute and medically confirmed. Then 4 weeks to go, my c-section was scheduled!

Since then it was amazing, on the day I came with my partner and we had a large room with just one other mother and facing parliament and big ben. The surgeon (Adam - a lovely young doctor with a confident manner) came to talk me through the procedure and spent extra time answering all our questions and making me comfortable.

We went in first and the procedure was absolutely painless, superbly professional and very personal (with my musical choice and my partner able to cut the cord)

Our daughter was born after just 10 minutes and then another 40 mins of stitching me up before we were taken back to the recovery room. Our baby was calm and the midwives were very attentive to our every question and need. We spent another 2 hours recovering before being moved down to the postnatal ward

There we shared a room with 2 other mums, but it was fairly quiet and we had a lovely bed by the window with a river view. Again the midwife team and doctors were on hand 24 hours, so we could get everything we needed such as baby formula, cot bed, 3 hot meals which were delicious and regular changes of my dressings etc

Next day I had no pain or problems, our baby was checked again by all the specialists and by the end of the day we were offered the choice to stay overnight or go home. We decided to go as the room had filled up to 4 (which is the max per room) but we were stocked up with all the supplies we needed to get baby home and thru the first few days of parenthood

On leaving we were sorry to say bye to the lovely ladies on the postnatal team, but next day our home midwife visit gave us another check over.

5 days later and my c section dressing was removed to show an incredibly neat and well stitched incision. I am very very grateful and happy that we had such a great service from St Thomas & Guys - I cant believe that private healthcare would be any better and amazingly it is all free on the NHS. Keep it up!