Delivering privately in London - any recommendations?

[MFP5]

Hi there

I am returning from Botswana, Africa to deliver baby number 2 at the end of March. My health insurance will cover a private delivery - but I have no idea where (or which doctor) to go. Does anyone have any suggestions in London (ideally west London). I have heard that the Portland Hospital is good - but can anyone suggestion an obstetrician? Thanks, MFP5

Bear in mind that NHS options may well be better in the event that something doesn't go according to plan. I'd always rather be close to A+E and a fully-functioning paediatric crash unit, just in case. So don't assume that private is necessarily best, even if they have nicer food and softer sheets.

Having had one baby in an NHL hospital and the other to at the Portland, I would certainly recommend the portland if your insurance company will cover it.

As you're quite late booking, I suspect it will be more a case of which doctors are available as they tend to get booked up quite quickly. I used mr gibb for my second and third babies, but he was talking about retiring last year.

I am sure that jkklpu is aware that in London all the private maternity units bar one (the Portland which is fully private) are located within NHS hospitals, so I'm not sure how or why private care in an NHS location is worse than the NHS itself - perhaps you could explain this? It's insulting to suggest that women who use private maternity care more about their bedsheets than their babies.

In West London, there's the Stanley Clayton Wing at Queen Charlotte's, and the Kensington Wing at Chelsea and Westminster. Places do get booked up very quickly but for delivery only there's probably more space. I booked at around 24 weeks for delivery only with no problems. I went to the Portland and would be happy to discuss my obstetrician and experiences and point you to their website where they list all their emergency care facilities. My obstetrician told me that that I would get better and faster emergency care at the Portland than at his central London NHS teaching hospital.

Jkklpu that is a very insulting post

No, I didn't know that, so thanks for the information. And it wasn't in any way meant to suggest that people care less about their babies.

I think some hospitals try to sell themselves through factors other than their clinical care, partly to justify their charges. I know people who've had very bad experiences in private maternity hospitals when either the mother or neonate has been whisked off to the nearest NHS unit because something went wrong and the private hospital wasn't able to respond effectively. So, sorry my post was misunderstood; all I was trying to suggest was that people should think about every eventuality, which can be difficult during a hospital tour when you're being bombarded with details, some of which matter more than others.

Had baby no 1 at the landsell suite , the private wing of st Thomas hospital and it was great! Great consultant, ended up needing EMCS, didn t feel any pain, anyone very nice, partner allowed to sleep with us in room with extra bed, midwives very helpful with first breastfeeding issues, they even take baby away and cuddle him if they see you too tired and needing a rest. I toured Portland but apart from not feeling safe without a major hospital infrastructure, it also felt way too cheesey and rooms were pretty average...

And my consultants that also delivers at Portland, suggested that for first baby it is advisable to be In a major NHs hospital in case something goes wrong... NICS level 3 is really what Portland is missing....

I had first at NHS hopistal and second at Portland. Why some people seem to think that the NHS hospital is always on stand by with plenty of people to help out if things go wrong is beyond me! The NHS is staggering under the weight of demand and often gets it wrong. They did with me (but all OK in the end) hence the reason to move to the Portland.

We live in Marylebone, so equidistant from St. Mary's and the Portland. I wanted the full weight of the NHS behind us if anything went wrong, so I chose the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's.

I used to think people were crazy to go to the Portland for this reason, but I guess it's like going to a smaller local hospital in a smaller city. Sometimes NHS patients have to be transported to other larger hospitals when things go wrong, too. If you are high-risk the Portland won't take you anyway.

We have had other minor things done at the Portland and I have to admit it's lovely. . .

I have heard (on here, no personal experience) that you can book just a CS at UCH quite late in the pregnancy. Don't know if that helps -- but generally AFAIK you have to book in with a private consultant quite early.

BTW, my obstetrician is Etienne Horner, and he delivers at the Lindo Wing and also the Portland now I think. I am pretty sure people tend to book in with him in the first trimester, but worth a call. I have complete faith in him on the medical side and he is also pleasant and likable on a personal level.