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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Cardiff Birth: Any way to secure a private room for after consultant led birth?

42 replies

wishwales · 13/04/2011 15:02

I am meant to be giving birth at the Heath Hospital in Cardiff consultant led unit. The only info I have seems to say that after delivery, I will be placed in a giant ward with 22 other mums/babies and that my DH can't stay the night. This leaves me totally horrified. Does anyone have any ideas/tips/suggestions for avoiding the ward and having my own room for the duration?? I am desperate and I will pay! TIA

OP posts:

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moogdroog · 28/05/2011 10:19

Hi Kriaa. No info from me on how many private rooms I'm afraid, but just to reiterate that you could transfer to Caerphilly provided everything is going well afterwards. Helped me get through the night on the 4 bed bay, knowing that I could be out of there the next day to get my own room where DH could stay.
Only a 15 min drive from the Heath and you don't need to be a Caerphilly resident. Honestly, it felt like I'd gone into private care (and with a 3 to 1 ratio probably better than any private hospital). Free parking too!
Sorry to bang on about it, but it was so lovely!
Hope you're doing ok wishwales!

kriaa · 28/05/2011 16:08

Hi moogdrag, so lovely to hear from you. I was telling my DH yesterday about you moving to Caerphilly BC. I was under the impression that one had to live there/ in and around. We are near Llandough , so wasn't sure how Heath would take such a request. Initially I was planning on asking them to put me on to Llandough but as you may know MLU at Llandough has been closed.

I don't mind the drive at all as long I get some peace and quiet and DH is with me. I will be meeting my MW in a week and will ask her for such an option. I hope she doesn't laugh back me :(. I am also wondering if doing a tour of the CLU at Heath would be worthwhile. What do you think ?

moogdroog · 28/05/2011 19:48

Hi Kriaa,
Would definitely take a tour of CLU - it will give you the opportunity to ask your questions and maybe put your mind at rest. I would have done the same, but I'd already tried the only other alternative (Royal Gwent - not good!).
I don't think transferring to CBC is often done, but do be politely insistent - I had to ask several times. I'm sure your midwife won't laugh - it was my MW who suggested it in the first place. Might be worth including in your birth plan if you have one.
Good luck!

kriaa · 28/05/2011 22:27

Thanks! Will update once I do the tour. Infmn from you / here has been invaluable. Also hope your 3 week old DD is doing fine with mommy :)

Original poster

wishwales · 29/05/2011 10:46

I have been home nearly two weeks now after spending 4 weeks on C1 at Heath. Being in a private room does not automatically mean your husband can stay - there are visiting hours no matter where you are on ward. There is no charge for private rooms but they are totally a pot luck. I would definitely request one from the beginning and have your midwife put it in your notes if there is a medical reason at all. They have now opened the third wing and I would estimate there are about 20 private en suite rooms in total.

Thanks for asking about me - Morgan is still hanging on! We reached 30 weeks on Friday. I am still on bed rest but at least I am home with my husband.

OP posts:

CravingMarmite · 29/05/2011 21:20

Great news wishwales! well done Morgan for behaving and hanging on in there, there's nothing like your own bed :)

kriaa · 02/06/2011 10:55

Lovely news Wishwales! It must be so nice to be back home with Morgan finally. Hope he is coping fine in the new environment. Thanks also on the update on C1.

LexyC · 27/07/2011 00:37

I've heard the 'horror stories' about the Heath in Cardiff but from these posts it sounds as if the facilities have improved in 2011. Has anyone had any other good or bad experiences in the last few weeks? I've had a scan but am only 11 weeks so I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

Beachcombergirl · 04/04/2012 22:34

Hi all

Im due at the end of May and am due to give birth at the Heath. Anyone had an recent experience of either the mw led or consultant led unit? I'm really really hoping to get a private room at such a personal moment. Staying on a ward at such an intense time fills me with horror!

Beachcombergirl · 07/04/2012 08:36

Bump

Boggler · 07/04/2012 09:44

I know that the head consultant at the Heath - Mr Beatty definitely does private work and private c sections etc. I think these have to be delivered in an NHS hospital with proper baby care facilities. If thats the case there must be private rooms available. Why don't you give his private practice a ring it's called Innermost Secrets tel 0345 2303386 they are based at the Spire Hospital. I've been there for scans and an amnio and they're all really lovely. X

Beachcombergirl · 07/04/2012 16:03

Thank you. I will check that out

fruitybread · 07/04/2012 22:52

Sorry, let me correct this -

You cannot get private care C section in Wales. You would proably have to travel to London to get that.

You can get private ante-natal care but but not for the actual
birth. Then you are NHS and pot luck frankly.

I didn't know Mr Beattie worked at the Heath. I came across him at the Spire, Cardiff's BUPA health clinic, and he was great - did my early Downs etc tests.

All of this is just to say, your options for private maternity care even within an NHS hospital are very very limited in wales. Sorry but that's just how it is.

Boggler · 08/04/2012 21:58

I know that you can pay for Mr Beatty to deliver privately so why not a C section?

fruitybread · 09/04/2012 09:33

If you paid for private ante-natal care via Innermost Secrets, with Bryan Beattie, you would still be giving birth on the NHS in an NHS hospital - they are quite clear about this. You would hopefully get Mr Beattie at the birth if he was available - but you are otherwise in the NHS system for birth.

If someone goes to a private hospital like the Portland they are paying for a private birth (ante-natal care too usually). It's really very different.

Anyone who wants a private C section birth has to travel outside Wales to get it. I'm not saying that is 'right', far from it! But that is the way it is.

fruitybread · 09/04/2012 09:35

PS as an NHS patient at the heath you might well
end up with a CS in the course of events - the C section rate there is fairly high - but if you want to book a c section as part of a private birth experience, you will not be able to.

HopefullyHopinglyHoping · 15/05/2024 14:58

I know this is a zombie thread, but it’s what I wanted to ask. Anyone had any recent experience of delivery consultant led in UHW and what’s the ratio of single rooms, are there any private rooms you can pay for and do they still not let partners stay overnight as per their website currently?

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