Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

Karina · #1 (**permalink**) July 4th, 2006, 07:37 PM

Hello,

Has anyone had their baby at Royal North Shore Hospital?
If so, can you tell me what it was like? I rang and booked in (maybe too early??) and I'll be going for my first visit some time in August. I havent been on a tour yet obviously, but I understand the maternity section there is relatively new still.
Anyway, If anyone has had their baby there and has anything to say (good or bad) about the hospital, I'd be interested to know, please?

Thanks in advance

#2 (**permalink**) August 11th, 2006, 06:38 PM

Hi Karina,

I can't see any posts, but did you find out what RNS was like? I'm due at about the same time as you and was wondering what the birthing centre was like. Have you had your tour yet? I'm just about to ring this weekend and book an apointment in.

Cheers
Sharon

Mishca · #3 (**permalink**) August 12th, 2006, 07:23 PM

Karina

My friend had her baby there 1 1/2 years ago and the maternity ward was new. She was in there for 2 weeks and they really looked after her. Her waters broke at 30 weeks and she had her preme baby at 32 weeks. I also know if you are interested they do aqua classes for pregnancy and also do water birthing. Im going private so going to North Shore Private next door

Bel
xxx

#4 (**permalink**) August 21st, 2006, 07:18 PM

Hi Karina,

Sorry I missed this. I was at RNSP & simply cant reccomend it highly enough. The nurses were amazing, delivery staff perfect, standard of care 100% & the vibe was friendly & caring. I'll be there with bells on for number two. All the best

Mishca · #5 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2006, 05:26 PM

How did the visit go Karina??

Bel
xxx

Karina · #6 (**permalink**) August 22nd, 2006, 08:16 PM

I havent been for a visit, just the booking in appointment. I am not terribly worried about doing a tour just yet, but they said you can do a tour when you do the classes so I might see about doing that. Anyway, they told me I am on "the waiting list" to go there, which worries me a bit.

Waterbirth would be cool, but I'm not sure they do that as they made a huge point of tellng me the baths are for pain relief only?

#7 (**permalink**) August 23rd, 2006, 08:33 PM

I went to RNSH for my daughter's birth, and Im hopefully going there again for my VBAC. Being on the waiting list should be ok, everything fill up rather quickly, so they will probably just have you in clinic until you get a place in birth centre. Its all beautiful, even the normal delivery suite has room with baths and showers. Staff are great.

Mishca · #8 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2006, 08:41 AM

Karina - what do they mean by a waiting list? can you speak to someone else to clarify? do you have a backup hospital?

Bel
xxx

Karina · #9 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2006, 07:45 PM

I asked them what the waiting list was all about and the midwife told me it means there are lots of other women who are due in the same fortnight as me.. and that I have to go to the clinic in the meantime, not to the team midwives. Then she went on to tell me that women always end up having to go elsewhere for various reasons - they arent suitable because of a medical condition, they move to another hospital, they miscarry (!) etc and she said its very likely that I'll get a place.

No, I dont have a backup hospital.

#10 (**permalink**) August 24th, 2006, 09:33 PM

Karina

Have you asked them how many people are ahead of you in the waiting list? Im going through team midwife, and they are brilliant. Absoltely worship the ground they walk on. You get continuity of care, which you dont receive at clinic 9. If there isnt much chance of you getting into birth centre on the waiting list, you would probably be better off switching to team. PM or email me if you need to chat about it a bit more!

Jade xx

#11 (**permalink**) August 25th, 2006, 04:03 PM

What is the difference between team midwife and birth centre?

#12 (**permalink**) August 26th, 2006, 05:51 PM

Hi Karina,

When are you due? I'm due 15 March and got into see the midwives at the Birth Centre without a problem. I rang the number on the website and they put me through to someone called Anne who organises the bookings. I saw the midwife the next week, who was lovely and very reassuring. I was wondering if you were able to birth in the bath. I asked about the water birth and she said that bath can be used for the actual birth and they don't touch you apart from monitoring the baby's heartbeat. Then your husband takes the baby and puts them on your chest. They said that the system will change in Nov and at that point you will be assigned 1 midwife that will be with you through the pregnancy and the birth. Hope that helps.

Cheers
Sharon

Kirsty EW · #13 (**permalink**) August 26th, 2006, 09:51 PM

I was originally booked into North Shore Private, however my waters broke at 23wks. The private hospital can't deliver babies under 34wks so I was moved across to North Shore Public. I ended up delivering him 6 wks later by emergency caesarean. Can't speak more highly of the midwives who were looking after me during the 7 wks I was in the maternity ward. We then spent another 9 wks visiting Fergus in the NICU and it is an exceptionally special place. Though hopefully most people won't need to experience that side of things.

Karina · #14 (**permalink**) August 27th, 2006, 09:27 AM

Jade I asked and they told me I am second on the waiting list, so I duess that means 2 people have to move elsewhere then I could get a place. I am on the waiting list for team. I wasnt so sure about the birth centre as I think Anne said I couldnt have pain relief, and having never had a baby before I have no idea if I'll want/need it, and I want to be in the position where I can actually get it, if that makes sense, so thats why I opted for team. I dont really want to go to clinic 9. If its anything like the other clinic you make an appointment for 8am and youre lucky if they see you before 10. I'm a bust person and dont have time time to wait around like that.

Sharon, do you know what the deal is with pain relief at the birth centre? Did they tell you anything about it?

Kirsty thats great you had such a good experience at royal north shore! I hope those excellent midwives are still there

#15 (**permalink**) August 27th, 2006, 01:09 PM

I think its just epidural that you cant have at the birth centre. Second on the waiting list sounds fairly promising. I know what you mean about clinic 9,had my ob appointment a couple of months ago and I was waiting about 4 hours, wasnt too happy with a screaming child.

Karina · #16 (**permalink**) August 27th, 2006, 02:25 PM

Second on the waiting list is good. But I am now seriously considering seeing if I can book into the birth centre if they do actually do waterbirths there.... I think I;ll call and ask about that on monday, if i dont forget. hehe

#17 (**permalink**) August 27th, 2006, 08:05 PM

I reread my above message

Im blaming preggie brain for thinking you were going through birth centre lol

You could probably try going through the birth centre, but they get booked up very quickly. Usually if you havent booked with them by 6 weeks, you wont get a spot. Ive recently been calling around sydney to try and find a birth centre, and there are no positions available for me

For all means try, but dont get disappointed if you dont get in

#18 (**permalink**) September 1st, 2006, 12:37 PM

Hi Karina,

They said gas and pethdine were available but generally not the epidural (I think they would transfer you to the maternity ward if you were having real problems). My next visit will be at 20 weeks and I'll be double checking all the facts! Did you have any luck booking into the birth centre? My email is s_markulin@hotmail.com if you want to make contact so we can discuss further over the phone.

Cheers
Sharon