RPA anyone out there???

[Baldie's Mum]

Hi ladies,
I just keep on posting!!!! who has had experiences with RPA being a public patient??? I am looking into it for #1 (when the FREAKING sperm and egg will come together!!!!!)

but i would love to hear positive and negative experiences. Also has anyone from thr revesby area been there? just looking at ZONES! I refuse to go to liverpool or bankstown!!!!!

[mcb]

Hi there,
I've gone through the experience of trying to book into the hospital of my choice- which was RPAH. The midwives there told me that the Dept Of Health has recently (in the last 2-3 months) changed the rules and as a public patient women no longer have a choice, and are expected to go to the hospital in their local area! Royal Women's at Randwick said the same thing as did RNSH. So RPAH rejected me, eventhough I am only 1 suburb out of the RPAH boundary. Even had my Dr try and get me in and she was told No. Apparently they can do nothing about it. I too refused to go to my local-Canterbury, and luckily got accepted into St George Hospital.
I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem recently. This info was given to me over the last 2-3 weeks so I assume it's correct. But if you can get into RPA it's apparently the best maternity hosp. in NSW.
Good Luck! :)

[GeorgiaAnne]

Hi,
I had my baby at rpa and found them excellent but very busy. I had booked in for birth centre but ended up in delivery which wasn't planned emergency c section etc...
The rooms are good but the midwives in post natal are very busy and whenever you rang the bell it would take 15 minutes!
That said, I would fo there for #2.
Good luck ttc and feel free to pm me if you want any further info

[~Kimba~]

Pretty much what MummyG said! I had my DS at RPAH in October.

Was booked into the Birth Centre and found their antenatal midwife-run care to be excellent if not a bit forthcoming with info sometimes (you have to be well informed/ aware, know what you want to ask, and really push for answers!). Refreshingly the midwife appointments were usually on time (as opposed to waiting 2 hours in the 'normal' antenatal clinic, even with an appt!). You need to book in as soon as you know you're pg if you want to go with the Birth Centre as they are very VERY busy and book out really early.

The Ob Registrars were all very good as well, for any antenatal issues which needed Ob care. Antenatal classes were also good at the hospital.

I ended up in Labour Ward in the end with an emerg C-section after an induction that went pear-shaped, so didn't deliver in the Birth Centre as planned, but the Labour Ward midwives were all excellent too, very caring and attentive.

The main thing I was disappointed with in terms of the birth itself was being refused to have my DS brought to me in recovery for a cuddle and first breastfeed (his apgars were 9 and 9 so no reason not to) but I will put my foot down next time!

Postnatal care was also very good if not busy and yes sometimes it did take a while for them to come when called LOL. But they were very pro-education and pro-breastfeeding with lots of support with lactation consultants etc which I found to be excellent.

I would recommend doing Early Discharge if you can and having a midwife visit you at home for a week, that's what I'll do next time (was a bit misinformed last time and missed out by a day :( )

I will be having #2 there if and when it happens - trying for a VBAC in the Birth Centre :fingerscrossed:

[jgirl77]

I had my DS at RPA in December. Great hospital and the midwives in delivery ward and postnatal are all great (but very busy as PP have said).

At the antenatal classes the midwife told us that RPA were on track to deliver 1000 more babies in 2006 than 2005 and as a result were routinely sending public patients to other hospitals (eg. Canterbury). I went private but I guess that's something to consider even if you can get in. I could think of nothing worse than being in labour and having to go to another hospital.

Good luck with TTC.

[eeycee]

Hi I'm onto my 15th pregnancy/16th baby with 4 living children. Pregnancy #2 (2001)was @ RPA w&b as I lived in the area. I saw their specialist ob (Bless you Brian Peat) as I was over 35 with previous threatened premmie.
I have had MANY pregnancies & attended my local hospital but only 1 was successful (2003) - I miscarried @ 11, 14, 16, & 20 wks and they found NOTHING wrong.
My next attempt was after a cycle of clomid to ensure I ovulated well & when I found myself pregnant with twins my fertility specialist suggested I returned to the ob's @ RPA for the best chance of carrying to term. I lost a twin @ 12wk & had a cervical suture put in @ 14wk. My baby girl was delivered healthy in 2006. I required MUCH after care @ the hospital as my pubic bones separated.
Surprisingly I found myself pregnant again this year and called to make an appointment -- only to find that the suburbs are CLOSED. However, mine is yet another extremely complex pregnancy so I was given the opportunity to apply to Dr Childs Head of Ob.for special consideration; and the wonderful ob (Dr Ludlow) who looked after me last pregnancy agreed to take me on again.
I live over 100km away & need to be driven (pubic bone separation again) up @ least fortnightly & have had 3 long stays in so far, actually I'm out on weekend leave as I write this :-);)
Good luck getting in. Present your case well & cross your fingers. Also, I can't say that you won't wait hours for appointments - if your doctor goes off to do a c-sect or delivery there's no option but to wait - same as anywhere. I spend the whole day up there & usually arrive home 7pmish.

[eeycee]

After the birth by c-sect of my DD 2006 I told them in recovery that I wanted to be with the baby I couldn't believe I'd just had - they agreed completely & got me out of there within 1/2hr. Hubby hadn't left her side & was doing the 1st bath & weigh thing while they settled me into bed to await their return. The staff were awesome.

[Looshkin]

I was booked in there and had a look around Ains, but have no personal experience, although a girlfriend had a bub there earlier this year in the BC through shared midwife care and found it positive.

Is that the sort of thing you were after?
Or would you want OB led care over midwife led care? In which case you would be better off going private IMO. Actually.. because you live out of the catchment your best bet would be private.

[quitecontrary]

I have had both my babies at RPA, with the first I started as a public patient but succumbed to family pressure and paid out of pocket to go private. Pleased I did as I ended up having an "emergency" c/s - no real probs apart from not going into labour. With my second I went private, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to go there as am now out of the area. Ended up with a "planned" c/s, as I went into labour but didn't progress - came back the next day for the scheduled c/s.
Because it was planned my baby could stay with me in recovery - there was a midwife there to look after us specially, if it had been "emergency" again, then the baby would've had to stay with the paediatric nurse.
With both babies I did early discharge - even as a private patient in the "private" ward there isn't a lot of staff available.
Having said all that, if we do have another baby we'll be back at RPA with our Ob.