Delivering at Queen Elizabeth hospital
- Thread starter djudju
- Start date
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).
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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).
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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!
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.
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
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!
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!
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.