Portland babies.

[Saggyoldclothcatpuss]

I'm just watching, and I think the doctor in this episode is marvellous! He's just explained in great detail, without being scary, exactly what will happen in a cesarean, to a nervous mother. He was lovely. Reassuring and very sweet. The midwives are quiet and sensitive, and I'm really impressed! I've been watching OBEM recently, and I'm seriously unimpressed! I'm guessing that this is the difference between private healthcare and NHS!

Which actually makes me incredibly sad!

No, it's the difference between a good doctor and a bad one. I presume that doctor is the same with his national health patients? If he isn't, perhaps he is just a little less marvellous than you think.

Well, your money pays for more one on one time with the consultant but that doesn't mean the actual quality of work carried out is any better...the benefit s of course, time to explain things fully, but any doctor will do the same if you ask them. You can't look at two tv shows and judge entire health services from them.

Hmm, yeah, I have watched them both.. I think the midwives in both programs are (mostly) lovely. Guess the difference is the ones in the Private Hospital aren't understaffed and quite as run off their feet? Maybe the Nhs ones are just doing the best they can? Dunno, just thinking out loud really.

I have to agree with Seeker. I think that the thing that private has over the NHS is time and better patient/nurse ratios. I had my first child at the Portland and my second two at home with the NHS. I had a wonderful first birth at the Portland but it was very pro-mobile epidural/ give birth on a bed. I loved the fact that I was never left alone which is what prompted me to go for home birth when we had our second (lived out of London by this point which is why I didn't go back).

The care leading up to, during and straight after the birth was brilliant but there was no continuity once discharged - you were just passed over to NHS community midwives. Having had such great support during pregnancy, I found this hard. I had also left hospital fairly sharpishly (£1000 per night makes you feel like going home!!) and in retrospect , I should have stayed. DS was four weeks early and very little. He had jaundice and at two weeks old was admitted to our local NHS hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Obviously I know that these shows are really just the products of their editors, but I was quite shocked by the differences! I suppose I'm just thinking out loud too, but I've had my own maternity care, and I have to say, it didn't measure up either!

I stopped watching it after they showed the lovely room with a double bed that you get to go to after the birth and have a celebration dinner brought up etc. I have no real problems with the NHS care I received after DS one but it just makes you envious. Step away from the TV!

petitdonkey makes a great point. The cost can make you too quick to opt out of certain things whereas with the NHS it wouldn't be a factor in your decision making. The truth is, you're in hospital to give birth...molton brown shampoo, croissants etc are all lovely but they are not essential and do not contribute to a healthier baby or mother. The key is choosing the treatment system that you think provides you with the best medical care. I am not for a minute saying private care doesn't come up to scratch, of course it does and sometimes can exceed it due to the personalised attention you can get. I'm saying the medical comparison is the key and not necessarily the "comfort" one.

And if anything goes wrong they'll whip you straight to the NHS without a backward glance! Well, that's what most private hospitals do anyway. they are fine if you've got a nice straightforward pregnancy or medical condition - not so good for emergencies!

coraltoes - when we had DS I kept threatening to book a 'home birth' and have baby at Claridges - it would have been cheaper

Actually the Portland has special care for babies so you would't be whipped over to the NHS. It's v expensive but they have it.

There is no ICU for mothers so one would transfer to the NHS in the rare case that were necessary. But then you would for a home birth too and it's no reason not to choose it.

My medical care on the NHS was poor and under resourced, absolutely nothing to do with the lack of superficial comforts. I wouldn't hold the Molton Brown against the Portland!

100% what patsy99 said.