5 things I love about The Kensington Wing

1. Friendly staff and access to expertise
After having Baby Boy, I felt a bit lonely in hospital since Daddy T was at home trying to get well, and I was stuck in bed the first day due to the c-section. I ended up pressing the help button on the bed way more often than I would have wanted to, but midwives and nurses in The Kensington Wing, the private maternity unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, were always very helpful and there was never a long wait to be seen. I felt staff had time to see me even if what I needed help with were usually basics like changing Baby Boy’s nappy, getting a cup of peppermint tea, or moving my bag closer. When I had questions, I also felt the midwives knew what they were talking about–midwife Inez was a true star–and I’ve felt extremely well looked after by the consultant I was with, Professor Mark Johnson, and his colleagues

2. Baby basics and gift
Both times I’ve stayed in The Kensington Wing I’ve packed more than necessary in the hospital bag, as essentials for keeping baby clean has been in the bedroom, including nappies, cotton wool and disposable bowls for water. We’ve also received Merino Kids going home presents from The Kensington Wing when checking out of hospital–a lovely surprise to take home!

3. Lactation consultant
When I had Baby Girl I was eager to get on top of breastfeeding before leaving hospital, and the lovely lactation consultant in The Kensington Wing, who worked Monday to Friday, spent several hours with me to ensure I knew what I was doing and could feel confident about getting it right

4. Pull-out beds for partners
The individual en-suite bedrooms are equipped with pull-out beds for dads now, which has changed since we had Baby Girl and Daddy T was given a mattress to sleep on. I think the custom-built beds are great since it saves partners from waiting for a mattress to arrive and the new ones looked more comfortable

5. A warm welcome back
With Baby Girl I had to go back to hospital on Day 5 due to problems with blocked milk ducts, and with Baby Boy I had to return on Day 6 due to one of my legs being more swollen than the other. Although it’s been frustrating with new problems arising in Week 1 both times, it’s been fantastic to be able to return to The Kensington Wing, where I’ve been well taken care of and been able to relax when coming in with a newborn

Tags: C-section, Dad, Hospital, Hospital bag, Lactation consultant, London, Merino Kids, Midwife, Nappies, Newborn, Pregnancy, Private maternity care, The Kensington Wing