Wellington Hospital

I'm due with my 2nd child in early November and have been told that as I'm high risk I will more likely have a c-section 2 weeks before depending on baby's size.

I don't have a mw as it's always been dealt with directly through the hospital. So far I've been really disappointed with how it's gone - i.e I'm now 21 weeks and still don't have a scan picture that you can see is a baby - instead we were given one of an ankle (to be fair...we got left and right! ).

Would any of you Wellington ladies be kind enough to answer my questions:

* Is there anywhere that you can get scans done privately? In my OhBaby! November forum the Auckland ladies are able to get DVDs (that would be fab to send home for family - I wish!) or good scans (3d) at a very reasonable price.

* As I know that I'll have to be at Wellington Hospital for the delivery, would you recommend that it's wise to move to Kenepuru Hospital afterwards? In my previous pregnancy (also c-section) I was home the next day which was great and my husband stayed with me for the first night in hospital - I'm told that this isn't allowed at Wlgtn and he'll have to go home and that I'll be there for at least 4 nights - this sounds like hell to me without the support of my husband!

* Are they REALLY so strict about partners/husbands having to go home? Do they have private rooms that you can pay for in order for them to stay?

* I've also read somewhere that you are expected to take EVERYTHING with you down to the blankets and sheets for the crib/bassinet....really? That sounds a little tight! I'm happy to do this...just would like to know in advance and it's not mentioned in the gumpfh that they have given me.

* How do you arrange to have a labour ward tour? This hasn't been mentioned to me yet...

I've still not seen a midwife at any of my appointments and not heard the heartbeat with a doppler or had my tummy measured for sizing - have no idea what the bpm of the little one is which seems very different to how things were done in my previous pregnancy. Is this just because I'm being seen through obs rather than a private mw?

Thanks for any help you can give....any good stories would be appreciated too to put my panicky mind at rest!

I was under the high risk clinic at Wgtn hospital and had my son via c-section in Oct 2010. I saw a registrar or consultant every 2 weeks and the heartbeat was listened to every visit, and I was measured at every visit. It is very weird that you haven't heard the heartbeat or been measured and I would actually ask them why at the next appointment. I barely saw a mw until I was in the last 4-6 weeks.

I don't know if you can get scans privately but you could ring Horizons radiology and ask, I know the Taranaki St one does scans. I had to have all my scans (every 2 weeks until 24 weeks) at Wgtn hospital and I have photos from every one, including a 3D photo as we asked the radiologist whether they do 3D scans and she did one. She did say it depends on your radiologist but it may worth asking at your next appointment. You should get a single room being a c-section.

I went home as soon as I could after the birth. He was born late Sat night and I went home on the Tues. I wish I had stayed longer as we had no family support but I hated being in hospital. A friend just had her 2nd child, had the section on Friday morning and was allowed to go home on the Sunday. So that probably depends on circumstance as to how soon they will allow you to go home.

I think going to Kenepuru would depend on where you live. If you live out that way then go, but if you don't then you're better off to stay in wgtn hospital so that its easier for your husband to visit you and help you out. Also, depending on why you are high risk they may not allow you to go out there as Kene isn't medically set up to deal with complications.

No private rooms where you can pay to stay as it is a public hospital. My husband never got kicked out even when he was there late at night, it was generally me asking him to leave. In terms of legal, they cannot make him leave as under the health and disabilities act you are entitled to a support person at all times. In terms of help that first night, the ward mw will come if you ring and should help out.

Our labour ward tour was via our antenatal group. I would ask your mw about this.

We took a wrap in for our son and he was in that most of the time. There was a bottom sheet for the bassinet and I'm pretty sure there was a top sheet, but I co-sleeped majority of the time with no concerns and no comments from the mws about it either.

In regards to mw. There are specific mw allocated to the high risk team. At your next appointment ask at reception if you can talk to one of them, or ask the doctor that sees you. They can probably organise a tour for you and answer all the questions you are asking here.

Sorry for the long post but I've tried to answer your questions accurately (and hopefully have helped) since I was part of the high risk team and had a c-section as well. If you want me to answer any questions then please pm me and I will try and help.

Thank you so much for all your replies.

My next appointment is mid July so I'll be taking my list of questions with me and will defo ask about 3d scans when having one...no better time!

I think the frustrating thing about the hospital is that I have to take my 15 month old daughter with me and each time I've been there going on 4 hours. By the time I've had a scan, sat and waited, got weighed and gone to the loo (with child in toe), sat and waited a bit longer, been sent through to a room, sat and waited a bit longer, been seen by the obs (all of about 2 minutes), sat and waited a bit longer, been seen by the diabetes peeps (all of about 5 minutes) - my appointments last less time than the hanging around waiting for them! I'm desperate to leave by the end of them - perhaps that's why they've not offered to get me a mw because they've seen the time of my appointment and realised how long I've been there!

Thanks for the names of Pacific Radiology and Horizons on Taranaki - I will definitely look in to them.

My Mum is flying over mid October to help me with my daughter after the birth for two months so I'll have lots of support to help me. I'm really hoping that I won't have to stay too long as I've heard some horror stories (although they seem quite old which is why it's great to get some up to date stuff from you ladies) - but if they put you in a single room then fab! That's not something that was available for me with my first so I'm judging everything on sharing a ward with other mothers which is perhaps why I'm so worried about it.

It's also great to know that they don't look down their noses at co-sleeping - it's something that we did for the first 3 months with our daughter and definitely something that we'll do with this one too.

Thanks again ladies!

You have addressed a few issues in your message. Firstly, as you are being seen by the high risk team, they are your LMC, not an independent midwife nor an obstetrician. I take it you are a diabetic and that is why you jave beem referred to them?
I understand your frustration with the wait times at the hospital. I have seen the high risk team once, as I have another endocrine disorder and needed to see them. However, i have a private obstetrician so I have only had to visit once.
The reason you have not had a CD or images given to you at your appointments is because you are being seen by the wellington womens scan team. They should have recorded some images in your file so you could ask for them. Other ladies are scanned outside of the hospital environment, and therefore are given a CD of their images and a report goes to their referrer. You cannot self refer yourself for an ultrasound, you need a referral and there must be a medical reason for you to be imaged. Ie: you cannot say, I would like a picture to send to my family. I work for Pacific radiology.
As far as Wellington Hospital goes, I have birthed there. Yes it sucks, your husband cannot stay. However, I think if you dug your toes in, they would not physically remove him! My husband did stay the night in the delivery suite with me as I had a faint post-delivery, and could be transferred to the ward. Once sent to the ward, I was put into a two person room. Awful! Eventually transferred to a single room, but I think that was luck. I had to stay for four nights due to endocrine problem, and it was the pits. I wanted out, very noisy and I couldn't sleep.
As someone else mentioned, Kenepuru is not really an option if you need any intervention and it is a long way away. Wellington is in dire need of some private beds, as I think the demand is certainly there.
As far as a delivery suite tour, My LMC arranged for one at 28weeks. Won't be bothering this time, as I already know what it is like.

Hi ladies, I wanted to update you with how I've gotten on with my phone calls this morning - just in case anyone else is in a similar situation.

HORIZON RADIOLOGY, TARANAKI STREET
Price includes 12 and 20 week scans - DVD and pictures (3D scans are standard)
Non residents - $130 but you HAVE to be referred by a midwife or doctor

PACIFIC RADIOLOGY - many locations, I called Bowen Centre, Croften Downs but they are also on Lambton Quay
Price includes the scan - DVD, pictures (NOT 3D scans)
Non resident - $201.80 but you HAVE to be referred by a midwife or doctor

The lady at Pacific Radiology recommended calling my GP to ask for a referral if I didn't want to do it via the hospital so I think I'll give that a go. If that fails then I'll call the hospital and hope for the best! Otherwise is doesn't look like there is a place that you can pay to have scans out of your own pocket which seems a shame - someone could make a fortune out of it!!!

I've noted the Health and Disabilities Act - just in case we need it! I'll also keep Kenepuru as an option. If I need to stay in for longer than I'd like, at least it'll be somewhere a little nicer and hope (like everyone else!) that there are no complications with the recovery after a section. I had no problems last time and came home the next day so I'm hopeful this time round too. Fingers crossed.