Portland final bill

[SACM]

Hi there
I am trying to work out what I would end up paying for a vaginal and / or c- section birth here. I know what obstetrician's fees are and can see on the website the hospital fees but what did you end up paying everything else added I.e. athesthetics, drugs etc. what else have I forgotten?
thanks so much!

The epidural bill for a c section was £600, in hospital dugs were included but going home ones were around £20. Newborn hearing test was £120, paeds fee was £250 but you can wait until you are discharged for these if you want but I had them at the Portland. Partners meals and alcoholic drinks are extra but you do get a lovely goody bag to take home with Portland champagne and Portly Panda! Everything like pants,pads, breast pads, nappies formula if you want it are included, all you need are going home clothes and a car seat for baby. Enjoy your holiday at the Portland you will have a lovely time xxx

You need to make allowances for if baby has problems after and needs special care. I remember a few years back a MN'er posting that her baby had minor breathing issues after birth and her bill came in at £28k

My friend had a section and 3 nights at the Portland and she said she spent about 17k. I think that was including her obstetrician fees too though.

I'm having a section there at the end of Nov so will happily come back and give you a break down after that if you'd like? Might be a bit late for you then though?

That sounds the same final figure as both my sections. Good point about if the baby needs special care, mine were covered by my insurance but you will have to tell them you are having a baby beforehand to ensure little one is covered xx

All very helpful.

How many nights do people tend to say in hospital after a cs?

Takingthestairs - would love your feedback! Good luck.

X

Sorry for the delay in replying SACM I'll absolutely update you after my section regarding prices.
My consultant has recommended I stay for 3 nights after my section but my insurance covers me for 5 should I not feel up to, or if I'm not able to, go home after 3 nights

Like fgr my insurance covers the baby for any care including special care until he is discharged from the hospital.

SACM I'm having a private ELCS and automatically stay in for 4 nights. I'm actually looking forward to it. Lots of people on hand t help, support, guide etc. friend of mine who delivered in same hospital cried when she had to leave

Ds2 induced, epidural, no complications 1 night stay £ 9,500 (2008)
Dd induced, epidural, no complications, 1 night stay £10,500 (2011)

I put no complication as ds1 was born 2006 placental abruption in Lansdale suite st Thomas's 2006 it cost over £15,000 even in nhs hospital.

Tbh if you're worried about the price. I would go on nhs and play for private room

Man alive! What do you get there that is so special and different? If i was rich then maybe i would do the same, but i really want to know what is so great clout the Portland?

In my nhs birth and hospital, i had a large private en suite room , no ward , big en suite too, with shower. Massive plasma tv on walk and a nurse every time i rang the bell! And brilliant care i couldn't fault either. Midwife and nurse at every turn.

I would love to know what you get for your money, just out of morbid curiosity!

Lucky you birdybear. The problem is the NHS doesn't guarantee that level of accommodation or that level of staffing. In London it can be really stretched and a particular challenge. I've known people give birth in side rooms and heard many a horror story. Going private is a way you can almost guarantee decent care. It isn't about wanting a luxury spa experience. Although you do get a consultant obstetrician get to know you and give you one-to-one care. If things get complicated, that can be useful.

if that is the cost of having a baby then I am very grateful to have the NHS! it has it's flaws but my goodness am I glad it exists looking at the actual costs involved. we are very lucky in the UK in comparison to lots of other countries when it comes to maternity care.

I was also very lucky to get a private site ward with both dcs in NHS hospital. no tv or ensuite but my own room and midwives pretty on the ball when I needed them. but I do know this is not the case in a lot of hospitals.

How can you justify that amount of money?! Most the obstetricians who work privately work for the nhs too, their knowledge and skills don't change!!

Why do these threads always turn into Portland bashing? Frankly Tea1sugar it is none of your business how people spend their hard earned money My 2 Portland births were the best money ever spent and I treasure my time there. On the NHS you do not routinely see a consultant for antenatal nor do they do the delivery

But 17k is absolutely shocking!

initially I was shocked too and thought 'more money than sense' but actually if that is the actual cost of having a baby in the UK then I consider it more shocking that the NHS funds that for so many people! how many babies are born in the UK each year at that cost to the NHS? we are very very fortunate to have that available to us and I think we should be grateful to the people who can take that financial burden on themselves instead of passing it to the tax payer. and if they can afford that to make their birth experience more comfortable and pleasant then why not? people spend thousands on home furnishings and holidays and cars etc over their lifetimes. 17k isn't massive amount for something as important as the birth as your child when you consider what people spend on material possesions.

17K is a huge amount of money I agree.
For reasons I'm not willing to go into in detail, it is worth every penny for me for my mental health to know what exactly level of care I will be getting. Having the same person taking care of me the whole way through and being the person that delivers my baby when I'm at my most emotionally and mentally vulnerable. It's not just about the end result consultant, it's the care leading up to the birth and the knowledge of what your recovery environment is going to be like.
Not having a go, just trying to explain another point of view.

Part of the cost is due to the high cost of obstetric insurance - my consultant told me his premium was in six figures last year. You are not paying for that on the NHS except very indirectly through taxes.

You also pay to guarantee a consultant's time, expertise and attention are given to you. On the NHS you do not get that guarantee. For example, if I go into labour before my c-section date, I know I won't be waiting to see my consultant - it's his NHS patients who will have wait or be seen by someone else.

You pay to ensure high ratios of dedicated midwife care, drugs when you need them, (decent) food when you want, specialist dedicated breastfeeding help and a private room with an ensuite to give you privacy and where your OH can stay overnight with you.

If all those things are available on the NHS in central London, I'll eat my hat.

I had 2 midwives with me when I had DS. (Waterbirth)
Lovely food
Specialist breast feeding care.
Would not have wanted DH to stay over!!
NHS!!

You were lucky wolfie , as fantastic as that was, the NHS does not always have the facilities to offer that to every patient.

I had all those things too as previously described plus at least one midwife all the why through labour in the room , helping me and making notes and at the actual time of delivery there were two midwives, a consultant and a some other doctor type person in the room with me ! (ventouse) .

Care to say where that was, wolfie and birdybear? If you can name a hospital in central London that offers all those things, I'll stand corrected. But nothing I have heard from friends who've had NHS births in central London tallies with your account. Postnatal midwife care is generally acknowledged to be very stretched here. Not everyone gets a consultant present at her birth. Certainly not everyone has a private room as a matter of course.

Bet you didn't get guineafowl for dinner, either .

That's a good question Tangerine, and one I will ask my consultant tmr!

I do know that for scheduled sections, the Consultant will have a specific day per week that they do operations in the Portland, so you would be booked in on that day. I don't know what happens for a VB.

I had my own room and DH stayed the night, had my own bathroom too. Oh and I was NHS, in London.

I used to work for a consultant at GOSH who also worked at the Portland (not obs - paediatric surgery). He had set days he would be at each hospital so it wasn't the case that his NHS patients were left waiting while he rushed over to the Portland.