Which Hospital... CTMC or CBH?

Mothers need to start looking at homebirth as a viable option for a birth venue....it's birth on your terms, on your schedule...in a healthy women with a normal pregnancy cared for by a skilled midwife, with good obstetric back up - IT IS SAFER THAN HOSPITAL! there's no chance of unnecessary interventions, baby swapping (it has happened in that very hospital as recent as last year) baby-mother seperation, fathers and siblings share in the process and are not resticted to "visiting hours" the reason the intervention and csection rate has soared over the last 30 years IS because we have removed birth from where it belongs...AT HOME!
sORRY JUST HAD TO RANT

Hi

I know you asked this question a while ago...but I feel I must give some input for others who are maybe still deciding! I chose to go to CTMC after hearing some great things from my cousins, and after going on the hospital tour I felt I made the right choice. The hospital really has a 'boutique' feeling, as its small and personal.

I gave birth in December, and had a great nurse looking after me. It helped that I was the only one in labour for the entire day! I guess I was just lucky, and had a wonderful experience. It was the post-labour experience that left a bad taste in my mouth!

It was on my last day, when I took my baby to the nursery so that I could bath and get done for my discharge. While I was in the bath, the nurse knocked on my door. I couldn't hear very clearly what she said, but I told her that I would be now out. Apparently my baby was crying, and they didn't want him to wake up the other babies, so they brought him back to my room. But because I was in the bathroom, the nurse thought it was OK to just leave him behind the bathroom door! When I opened the bathroom door, I actually knocked the bassinet! I had no idea he was standing there. I was SHOCKED that the nurse did that. I didn't say anything, because it was my last day, and I just wanted to leave.

I had to return to CTMC because my baby had jaundice, and I must say, the paed unit was wonderful. The nurses were great and looked after us really well. I had a bed to myself, and slept in the same room as my baby.

I won't return to CTMC though, because there was other things I was not happy with. Since then, I've heard similar stories from other mothers.

CTMC is more upmarket 'private' however CB have a lot of specialists which is good to know for peace of mind if something went wrong.
Take a tour of both hospitals, see how many beds per room, how full they tend to get, private rooms available / extra cost, support of breastfeeding, support of birth methods etc. Lots to decide on.

I have been to CB a number of times, to paed ward and surgical ICU and while the hospital needs some TLC I'm very grateful for the experts on hand.

Cape Town medi clinic for sure without a doubt!!!! You can't even compare the 2!! CB is really still like a government hospital at about the same price as CTMC. I have been to both numerous times and refuse to ever go to CB again - the rooms look old and like a govt hospital and the service is terrible! CTMC offers professional service and the rooms are lovely! There is a big difference between a Medi-Clinic and the Life hospitals like CB!!

I would say that making a carefull choice of care provider - Gynae / Independent Midwife is more important than the facility.

If you are pro natural birth - do your research on natural vs caesarian rates of the Gynaes you have to choose from .The more informed you are the better.

If you are interested in an Independent Midwife see www.capemidwives.co.za ( but they only use Vincent Pallotti )

Hi,

I cant decide between the 2 hospitals, CT Medi Clinic or Christiaan Barnard? I would love to hear your preference or experience?