Private c section - which hospital?

[BagofHolly]

Hello, I'm 16 weeks pregnant with twins, and it's likely I'll need a c section, which I'm quite happy with. Our health insurance covers c section, but not, I'm disgusted to discover, any treatment/SCBU for the twins as they were conceived following fertility treatment. I had my son on insurance at the Portland but we had a different policy then, and under the terms of this new (rubbishy) policy, I need to find somewhere where the SCBU is NHS, just in case something goes wrong.

From what I can see, St. Elizabeth and St. John has closed, The Lindo at Paddington isn't accepting patients after November and the Lansdell at St. Thomas's only has 6 beds. Queen Charlottes and Kingston are too far, so I think that leaves the Knutsford Suite at Watford, and the Lansdell if they can fit me in.

Has anyone delivered at Watford Knutsford Suite or the Lansdell lately? How much support did you get post delivery? Did they take the baby off you when you needed a sleep, and help with feeding and changing? What was your consultant like and would you recommend them?

All opinions gratefully received!

Is the Lindo St Marys?
What about Chelsea and Westminster?

Yes, the Lindo is St. Mary's. I called them and the co-ordinator said that they'd still accept private patients but they'd be in the NHS bit, so I'm not sure of the point of that!

My insurer doesn't cover private deliveries at C+W, which I'm gutted about. Apparently they're more expensive than the Portland so they've rejected them on cost grounds.

I'd recommend The Lansdell suite. I had all my pre-natal care there... BUT.... they get busy. My CS was brought forward and I had to transfer to The Portland.

Having had both my children at The Portland, though, my instincts would say stick with them.

UCH is so close (as QTpie says).

Thanks ladies. I had my son at the Portland and they have a SCBU and NICU there but as I say, our new insurer (through my husband's company scheme) won't cover treatment for 90 days for babies born of assisted conception. My DS's SCBU bill at the Portland was £12k for 3 nights and given that with twins they could be earlier, and need more care and of course everything is doubled, the costs could be absolutely astronomic.
Very sick babies at The Portland are transferred I think to Paddington or UCH but the thought of them being in one hospital and me in another is too much to bear. How could I breastfeed, or even physically get to see them? So sadly The Portland is a non starter for me.

Sorry, ran out of space on my phone then! QTpie, our insurer covers all costs for a medically required CS thank goodness. Publicprofile did the Lansdell transfer you cos they were full, or was that your choice?
Thanks for your comments, it's a mare sorting this out!

Thanks QT, I don't think I've explained properly - I'm looking for a private unit with NHS SCBU. AXA PPP don't cover any c sections at C&W, they won't budge on it, and in any case their SCBU is NHS anyway.

Kingston, Watford and lansdell are all private post natally which is what I want - extra support once the twins are born, hence my original post about whether anyone has delivered at Watford etc lately so I can work out how much support you actually get.

Why not have an NHS C-Section? It's really not so bad. I've had 2 NHS electives and they were fine.

I had both my girls at UCH and I think my care was good.We had considered St John and liz for the second birth as I wanted to be able to have DH and DD1 stay the night with me if I needed a c-section,but in the end went with UCH and I am glad we did I had two c-sections there and my consultant was just the worlds loveliest man.So I second the NHS.

I had an NHS elec c-sect for my twins at C&W. It was a fantastic experience, the whole NHS team (with exception of one annoying MW) for the c-sect was really great. Th post-natal side was much less fantastic but I think there's an option to go private just for post-natal care at a cost of approx £900 per night. In my case I was offered an NHS 'private' side room with its own bathroom - seemed to be standard for multiples IF such a room is available. If I hadn't been offered my own room for free, I couldn't have afforded to stay in the swanky private wing but maybe your circs are different?

I'd be more than happy to have an NHS c section, it's the aftercare that the private bit makes the difference. Every single woman I've asked, who has twins via c section on the NHS have said the same thing - great op, but they would have liked more support afterwards with the babies/getting around/getting their food etc. Privately most of those concerns are eradicated.
If I was going to stay NHS I'd stay at The Rosie (Addenbrookes) which is where my antenatal care takes place. They do have private rooms but you can't book them far in advance and there's no additional support.

Bellabelly, we couldn't do £900 a night and seeing as we're already paying the premium for private so we may as well use it.

Yep, I totally understand - the way you described other twin mums' experiences with the aftecare is exacty what I found too. Sad that it seems to be such a common experience. I'm now pg with my 2nd set of twins and if I could afford to, I'd definitely go private for the post-natal bit this time.

Bagofholly - My case was a bit different, as I wanted my CS on a saturday. So, I had to bring the birth a week forward. They were full so I had to transfer.

Flipping heck, Bellabelly, two sets of twins!!! How fantastic and yet terrifying!

Right, after further investigation into the murky world of AXA PPP, it appears that if my babies had to go to SCBU (or "scooby" as my husband calls it!) then I would have to cover all my expenses myself, because the babies wouldn't be covered because of their method of conception. So on that basis, and given that I have a toddler at home, I may as well pick the place that's closest to me with a private unit and NHS SCBU, and that's the Knutsford Suite at Watford.
I rang them today and asked how much postnatal support new mums got, esp with twins and the lady I spoke to was a bit vague and said they were understaffed but that

I wouldn't be just left to get on with it. She said though that the babies are never taken out of the rooms unless medically necessary. Although I understand this, it was nice to know at the Portland that I could express milk and send it off to the nursery for my baby to be fed, whilst I got some sleep. But it seems that isn't to be this time.

I've heard some awful stories though, of twin and triplet mums being just left, sometimes in
bloodied beds, unable to move, so hopefully I'm still essentially buying my way out of that too. My neighbour had her twins a bit early and they went to SCBU. she wasn't given any help to physically get to see them - she just had to walk there, post section. When she came back she asked for more painkillers and was told she had missed the ward round and would have to wait! That sort of thing terrifies me!

Holly, I know!!! Am a bit daunted but v excited now...
Did you have a section last time? If not, just to ressure you that recovery isn't always really difficult. I was really lucky - up and walking a few hours after - this was a condition of getting my own room and also nearly all my pain meds were just ordinary paracetemol (and I did also have a secret stash of them just in case, never needed to use it though...)

I did have a section last time, at my request initially but in the end for placenta previa and was never in any pain! The recovery was ok - I felt like I'd done 100,000 sit ups but that was it! I have every admiration for ladies who labour, especially with twins, but at my last twins club meeting I met two women who had both had the first twin vaginally, and then the second one had swizzed round and they had to have c sections, which has to be the worst of all worlds!
When are you due?

Have you thought about Queen Charlottes? It's a specialist maternity hospital so has all the NHS facilities you would need, and is pretty accessible by car, and a private ward (last time I looked anyway!).
Not had one there myself (well, I have but it was an NHS emcs) but it's the one I'd be favouring if I was having an elcs I think.

Why is the Lindo stopping taking patients?

Another option is to buy in post-natal care and have an NHS birth. I had an independent midwife for my VBAC attempt. I ended up with a crash section, but post-natally I had loads of care; visits at home daily for over a week, then a few times a week to 6 weeks. Ok, they couldn't stay in hospital with me but they were happy to take care of me at home had I wanted to discharge after 1 night. It might be a useful halfway house.

Hi Bagofholly Congratulations!

I am 23 weeks pregnant with identical twin girls DP and I had our initial scan at The birth Centre on Harley St as we were considering going private. I have Bupa healthcare but it doesn't cover pregnancy in general, only C section if consultant deems it necessary and no aftercare.

The consultant at the private hospital advised us the risks of an identical twin pregancy (TTS & premature labour) and said I would definitely have a c section but if the babies ended up in special care it would be a minimum 2k per baby per day, considering some twins can be in there for weeks the costs would be pretty astronomial. He was very complimentary about NHS care for twin pregnancies and said I would have consultant care throughout and would be well looked after.

I now am with my local hospital west middlesex and have shared care with the fetal medicine centre at Queen Charlotte's.

I would go with NHS care, have your c section paid by your insurance and maybe hire a doula if you can afford it who would help with aftercare. Good luck btw

I'm in a antenatal thread called "anyone else expecting twins" if you feel like popping in, lots of other scared twin mums to be

Haliborange, I did hav a quick look at Queen Charlottes, but it's quite a way from us, and didn't seem to have any advantage over any of the others. As it is, I think I'll have to go to the one that's closest to home so that I can get back and to, if the babies are in SCBU, rather than having to hole up in a hotel in London whilst our toddler and my H are at home. So Watford is looking more and more likely.

The Lindo are refurbing and although they're taking private patients, after November these patients will be in the NHS bit.

I hadn't thought too much about home post natal care, or private post natal care but it's something I'll have a look at. Sadly we'd have to pay for that ourselves, which irks me seeing as we've already paid the insurance premium!

Lavitabellissima, congratulations on your twins! I'll come and look at that thread - I'm just getting the hang of this site! I think you're right - insurance plus NHS care and some help at home. It's all a bit stressful trying to sort it out, particularly when then fool I spoke to at the insurance company kept talking about IVF babies having lots of "defects."

Elective section at Lansdell last July. Consultant was Oteng-Ntim. Absolutely fabulous experience. I transferred at 25 weeks.

Post-natal care was brill. Husband can stay (it says in the brochure that they can only stay the first night but my husband was ofered the chance to stay the second night) which is obviously a huge help. There are loads of staff - in fact, because DD was my second I didn't really need that much help in the end and they kept coming in to check I was alright because I hadn't asked for any help! They really couldn't be more helpful - and lots of them.

They kept checking if I wanted her taken to the nursery so, although I didn't, I don't think it would be a problem if you did.

Would highly recommend Oteng-Ntim. Absolutely lovely, gentle man who was very approachable and commanded confidence from the minute I met him. And my scar is amazing in it's neatness - which he is apparently renowned for!

Happy to answer any more specific questions if you have them.

ZakuroFujiwara - what a coincidence! I spoke to Eugene Oteng today and he said he was happy to take me as a patient. He was very nice and I've heard only good things about him. As I say on earlier posts, it's the "what if's" that worry me - like how we'd manage if the babies had to stay in SCBU. If I was closer to home I could get to see them easier, and see my little boy at home rather than holing up in London.
Gosh I dunno! It's going round and round in my head, wondering what's the best thing to do for everyone.
Thanks for your post and recommendation - it's very useful. x