Hornsby Hospital

[p4purple]

I have my first appointment with the Antenatal Natal clinic at the end on June. It's seems a long way away. I was wondering if anyone has given birth at Hornsby Hospital and if they can share thier experinces of the birthing centre there.

[p4purple]

Wow that sounds very caring. Thanks for sharing.

[becca74]

Hornsby Hospital has a notorious nickname....."Caeser's Palace"

The night I had my emergency c/section there, 3 other women also had emergency c/sections. they are very knife happy at that place..... (ie, they have a firm belief that women are defective and dont know how to give birth!)

So, no, I definately wouldnt recommend Hornsby Hospital to anyone :thumbsdown:

they will find any excuse to cut you open!

[p4purple]

Crikey.... Ceasar's palace! I'm thinking that we may look for a birthing centre. I'd like to have a home birth but I live to far from the hospital if trouble occurs with bub and it's my first so best to have a doctor on hand.....minus the knife!

[p4purple]

This is'nt looking so good.... anyone else?

[becca74]

How far are you from Sydney? If home-birth makes you nervous (though read up on it just for information, you might find it appealling - I did, it is very safe ;) And I know there are private midwives up in that area) then maybe RNSH, as princess niamh suggested, might be an option - or if you are further north, more near the central coast, then maybe Gosford Hospital? My 2 SILs had their first babies there naturally, and one of my SILs mums gave birth naturally to all her 7 kids there, and had absolutely no complaints......

Maybe go along to your first antenatal at Hornsby (doesnt hurt, you are a consumer and you can always change your mind) and confront them (gently) and ask what their c/section rate is and specifically why it is so high. I wish I'd have asked them, in retrospect, but because I'd had a VBAC I didnt think I needed to....we live and learn.....

If you have no other choice, maybe look into having a doula (one who has had babies before herself) with you at Hornsby, as doula's have been documented to greatly reduce the necessity of women needing c/sections (they are pretty common in the US for this reason).....I wish I'd had one, I honestly think I'd have been in with a better chance, and I reckon I'd have not hated the experience as much, as I do believe I'd have been successful with the right support people (Hubby's get too emotionally involved to be of any help). I would have utilised her to shield me from that stupid OB who showed total disrespect to me whilst I was in the birthing pool, and to be my positive 'cheering squad' (all birthing women need this when in labour and things start to feel too intense), as the attitude from the Hospital staff was very negative.

So hopefully this will give you a couple of other options.....as I feel guilty that I was the bearer of bad news.....:o

[p4purple]

Don't feel guilty sweet heart. I really appreciate the time you have taken to respond and I value your feed back. I am in Brooklyn. Gosford is worth considering as well... I had'nt even thought of that. I will definately look in to a Doula now.

[May]

Congrets!!
I have encounter many problems with Hornsby Hospitals in the past, and heres another do add to my every frustrating list.

Firstly if you have not made a ultra sound appointment for the same day I advise you make one now. I actually called in one and a half months prior to by midwife admission, and detailed them that my G.P adv me also for an ultrasound. The lady on the phone advised me to just come in on the admission day and they will book me in. Little did I know that I had to arrange my own 18-22 weeks ultrasound on my own time, and they weren’t doing that on my behalf as part of the admission process. So last week on the 5th/6/08 I went in for booking, and the stupid midwife advises me to get an ultrasound done and come back the following Tuesday 10/6/08 for my results discussion with my Dr.
I called the Northside Medical Clinic in Hornsby and Lindfield and they were booked out for the next two weeks, even though I adv them that it was an urgent one.
I was so frustrated that I was I was told of this to begin with. Also that the mid wife I saw in admission did not give me an urgent request for an ultrasound, she was so stupid to presume that it was is to get one straight away.
So the only place I could get an ultrasound was in Mosman or Royal North Shore Hospital Douglas Radiology. I recommend Douglas Radiology, make sure your on time and they are very sufficient. Make sure that they actually fax your results to your correct referral DR. As they make the accident of sending them to the Lindfield Medical Center, which I later found out today.

Today was my first appointment for the antenatal clinic in Hornsby after being through the normal admission process. I arrived early, and was waiting after 1/2 hr after my initially appointment time to be seen by my referred Dr. Firstly i was very disappointed in my visit. The Dr i saw was not even my referred Dr. It literally took 3 minutes and i was out. This Dr I saw only checked the baby’s heart beat and my blood pressure, and finished ticking off the rest of my “yellow card”, the ones you get when you do admission with a midwife. Than he tells me to make another appointment in 4 weeks. He did not even want to look at my ultrasound results. He just plainly asked if it was all fine, I adv him I was not sure as I was not given written documentation on it, as the Ultrasound clinic in adv they will fax it through. He adv me to call them and to get it re faxed. I was really angry and frustrated.
I literally hate Hornsby hospital, I am now thinking of going through SAN (Seventh Day Adventist Hospital. Its private and hopefully they do a better job than Hornsby.
Best of luck with Hornsby.

[rainbow road]

Sorry to join in, but a family friend had a tragic labour at Hornsby which ultimately ended up in the baby dying while in the birth canal. It was a completely tragic case of miscommunication and utter incompetence and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Definitely consider looking around but if you have to go to Hornsby be STRONG in your choices, make them do it your own way and definitely have your own doula so she won't accept any cr*p from anyone.

Good luck :hugs:

[RenZ]

Ok I know this is a old thread but I had a WONDERFUL experience at Hornsby Hospital I had my 2nd baby there and they were wonderful! I will be having my next there too..

There are problems with every hospital but only a small few are unlucky enough to end up with a bad experience