Need advice about choosing a hospital for birth

[FSA]

Re: Need advice about choosing a hospital for birth

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Congrats on your pregnancy!!!

All three of my children were born at the WCH. Having lived in SA almost my entire life I have heard nothing but the highest praise regarding this Institution so based on others opinions (over many years) as well as my own personal experience - I cannot recommend more highly the WCH.

Let us know what you decide!

[nickylou]

Re: Need advice about choosing a hospital for birth

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I havn't given birth at either of these places and the only thing I would be a bit concerned about is that WCH is not baby friendly hospital accredited yet - but working on it, and so may not have the best breastfeeding practices (which may or may not be an issue for you.) Flinders is accredited so in this regard are potentially better.

[meitaimama]

Re: Need advice about choosing a hospital for birth

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I had no problems BFing after giving birth to dd at the WCH but they did offer me a dummy for dd when she wouldn't stop crying... this horrified the Child and Youth Health nurse when I told her! They were supportive of me and dd co-sleeping at the WCH, which was great.... not sure how most hospitals are about that.

[meitaimama]

Re: Need advice about choosing a hospital for birth

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Just an update... my experience at the Flinders bc has been fantastic. I had continuity of care and the whole bc philosophy is very pro-natural birth - encouraging you to have a water birth, constantly reminding you that you don't need to agree to any interventions, even if transferred to medical care etc. Very baby-friendly too - standard policy to keep baby skin-to-skin with mama and bfing rather than doing apgars etc right away. Nice not to have to worry about putting stuff like this in a birth plan and preparing to argue about it!

It was very different to my experience at the WCH with dd1, which was OK in some ways but also had policies like 15 mins of continuous foetal monitoring when you arrive! I have no idea what care is like in the Flinders labour ward though.