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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Staying in a private room of hospital after birth?

46 replies

Ber2291 · 07/02/2014 14:03

Am pregnant with my second and my dad has offered to pay for me to stay in a private room after I give birth.

My first labour took a very long time and was very exhausted but obviously very keen to get out of the hospital soon after (and they were very very keen to get me out). I was out of the hospital about two hours after the final push! I was very exhausted and ended up with PND etc etc.

A friend gave birth in Switzerland and stayed in a private room for a week after the birth (apparently this is standard there) and said she couldn't believe I was sent straight home. She send it was so incredible having help for a few days, being able to get some sleep and just generally be looked after.

So I'm wondering if this is something I maybe want to do. I have absolutely no idea at the moment because last time I was aching to get out of there. Probably because it was stiflingly hot, on a big impersonal ward with not very pleasant staff etc. Has anyone had an NHS birth and then had a night or two in a private room and could give me some advice?

I am very much of the opinion that it is important to recover from the birth (something I really regret not doing with my DS) but I just don't know how beneficial a stay like this would be. Is it how I am picturing it? I.e. nice nurses, clean sheets, chance to basically just sleep and breastfeed and worry about nothing else for a few days. Or is it really just being stuck for longer in hospital?

Any advice much appreciated!

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AuditAngel · 07/02/2014 21:45

With DD1 I spent 3.5 weeks on an ante natal unit, 10 days in a 4 bedded ward before I lost the plot, had a hissy fit and was transferred to a single room.

After the birth I spent the first night on a ward then the second in a private room. I agree with earlier comments that you need to be mobile to be in a private room.

Ericadm · 09/02/2014 18:23

I guess it dependes how labour go and how you and your baby are after the birth. I had a private room and was worth every penny. I stayed in 5 nights as my baby had jaundice and was not feeding well. Having a private room meant I had more privacy and the chance of having some rest if my baby was sleeping. The hospital (harrogate district hospital) was fab. Clean, caring staff and even good food so overall I had a good stay. Staying in a few nights meant I could focus completely on my recovery and the baby needs, without worry about cooking cleaning or looking after my eldest child.

clio51 · 09/02/2014 18:42

Defo, I had private room after birth Tuesday am till Friday . First night son slept in nursery as I'd been in labour since Monday morn til Tuesday 6.42am and was shattered but on a high. Plus it's much quieter only your baby crying and not being woke up by others crying.

Had a tv so was great, and on hand help as well.

seatfor5 · 09/02/2014 18:59

The price really does depend where you are in the country and what sort of private care you mean - On a standard NHS ward you will usually get the same care as everyone else, you are just paying for a bit of private space! In Surrey I paid £180 per night. If you are in London Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital & St Marys have a private maternity wing, My SIL had her DD on the NHS side and then transferred to the private side for her after care and stay where she had the private room, nice food, more one to one care and they took the baby at night but I know her Dad paid quite a bit for it!

givemeaclue · 09/02/2014 19:11

Private rooms in nhs hospitals are simply rooms where you aren't sharing with others I.e. Not on a ward with others but in a room off the ward for example. They are usually allocated on medical need but if they have spare ones you can pay a fee for one. I had an en suite one for 4 weeks for medical need. You get nothing you wouldn't ian normal ward except a room to yourself. You do not get to stay longer than you normally would!

givemeaclue · 09/02/2014 19:12

Not that you would want to stay longer anyway!

noblegiraffe · 09/02/2014 19:15

I got moved to a private room with my first as he had group B strep and we were in for a week.

With my second I asked for a private room but none were available, there were barely enough beds on the wards and people were being sent home as quickly as possible.

Once my DS had finished his course of antibiotics in the private room we were kicked out ASAP. The hospital needs the beds and you can't simply pay to stay a bit longer.

By private, they mean a room on your own, not a non-NHS room. The bedding and the nurse care is exactly the same.

givemeaclue · 09/02/2014 19:20

Op it is the same nurses and same sheets you are just in a room by yourself rather than sharing. Some hospitals do have private wings that you can transfer to I imagine they are a lot nicer and a lot more expensive. Personally I would just go home to own nice sheets, tv etc

SoonToBeSix · 09/02/2014 19:24

In our NHs hospital private rooms are free and dads can also stay for £30 a night B and B. They are also ensuite.

LIG1979 · 09/02/2014 19:29

Our hospital had private rooms for £90 (mum only) and £120 ensuite (and partner could stay). I put it in my birth plan but when dd was born all the rooms were full and I had to go to the ward. So don't rely on it in an nhs hospital.

The only other option would be a private birth but that would be thousands just for a standard birth.

500internalerror · 09/02/2014 20:28

We paid £90 for an amenity room & it was dirty, shared bathroomwith one other room but dh couldn't use it , there was mould and razors in the shower - it could've been really nice in a different hospital, but id say check before you shell out! Also, it was my first, & whilst I liked the privacy, I was quite ignored by the midwives - out of sight out of mind.

Ellen996 · 10/02/2014 11:43

I was put in private room after emcs with complications. I was happy to have the privacy and quiet after traumatic experience. The midwives did leave me and DH to get on with caring for dd during the day but were very good at responding to call button overnight if I needed help.

Personally I was very happy to have been put in the private room rather than on the ward.

BakingBunty · 10/02/2014 19:36

If you're after a rest after giving birth, you might want to check out mermaid maternity retreat if you're in London. I read about it a while ago - sounds like you transfer there after giving birth and can stay as long as you like (or can pay for!) to recover and bond with your baby. It looked mega swanky but I'm sure you probably pay for it...

I transferred to the private wing at Queen Charlottes after a week on the ward with DC1. It was expensive but I would happily have sold a kidney! This time I'm going to book in for after delivery (probably ELCS after bad time and EMCS last time).

CPtart · 10/02/2014 20:17

I was generously given a private room both times at no cost because I was an NHS nurse. It was great. En suite bathroom etc, nice and quiet at night. No special treatment however.

basia2 · 11/02/2014 09:05

Here in the US, they're all "private rooms"... but of course, we pay dearly for health care here.
I've always been out of hospital less than 24 hours after giving birth, so the room scarcely matters... I give birth, take a nap, and am sent packing, lol. The trend here is against keeping mothers and babies in the hospital any longer than medically necessary.

basia2 · 11/02/2014 09:07

Additionally, most women in the US do not get any paid maternity leave. It is up to the employer, meaning that almost none offer it.
We do get, by law, an unpaid six week leave beginning to day we give birth.
With each child, I've worked up until the very day.
I think you ladies in the UK are lucky.

atthestrokeoftwelve · 11/02/2014 09:13

I just wanted home after my births- no amount of hospital care or privacy would equal rest at home surrounded by my family in familiar surroundings.

Especially with my second - i was keen for my older child to be part of the process and get to know the new baby too.
Luckily I was discharged 3 hours after giving birth to my second- I wouldn't have opted for a private room and extended stay even if it had been free.

Chacha23 · 11/02/2014 13:39

I actually think it's pretty outrageous how they make exhausted women stay in noisy crowded wards where it's impossible to sleep. I realise the NHS doesn't have unlimited resources, but it's shocking how low down the priority line the welfare of new mums is, especially given the risk of PND.

Most other civilised countries I've been to manage to provide private rooms after births, I don't know why the UK can't do the same.

sherbetpips · 11/02/2014 13:47

I was in a private room after a difficult birth and because there was nowhere else to put me. To be honest it was bloody lonely and I wish I had been on the ward. Not like I could sleep any better anyway. As I was breastfeeding they dont take the babies to the nursery (as they cant feed them) so I just wanted to be home and back with my husband. 3 days in the end and hated every minute of it.

Winterwardrobetime · 11/02/2014 14:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dashoflime · 11/02/2014 14:07

I had a private room because DS was in SCBU and "its not nice for you to have to see all the other Mums with their babies" which, considering he was only a bit underweight, felt a bit unnecessary, although nice of them I suppose.

I wasn't in it very much though (always hanging around SCBU).

Then we were in something called "transitional care" and got a room to ourselves which was brilliant. I had two lovely days of total peace and quiet- feeding DS and reading books. It is quite good to have your own space.

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