You'll only be given a choice of hospitals if circumstances allow it. Our GP explained that it is all about whether Kings has any spare capacity for Lewisham residents at the key dates in your pregnancy.

As I said before, Lewisham wasn't perfect but we still chose to go back. I've heard stories similar to Roz's and Elizabeth25's re: Kings and I'm sure the people involved in those would be as vociferous in their warnings against Kings.

In the event baby2 decided to spring a surprise and was born in Yeovil. It was like another world and you realise quite how much pressure London hospitals are under. At times in Yeovil we seemingly had the entire antenatal, delivery and postnatal wards (plus all their staff) to ourselves. The staff were friendly and attentive and we felt completely safe. But then they weren't flooded by 20 gazillion-parents to-be.

Once back in London we had to spend quite a lot of time in Lewisham's Neonatal ward and the care on the ward was brilliant. As someone else said earlier all maternity and child specific care at Lewisham is earmarked for closure despite it being ranked as one of the best hospitals in those areas in the country.