Did you have a private room for post delivery?

[ColdCottage]

I couldn't wait to be discharged from the large hospital I delivered in. The delivery service was great but once on the ward (4-6 women per room) it was crazy.
People buzzing every 5 mins 24h a day (myself included), babies crying and having no idea if it yours as top soon to know own babies cry so having to check every time so no sleep.
Women crying day and night. Boiling hot and generally not a very relaxing place to be.
I arrived on the ward at 2am and left by 1pm as was too much for me.
We don't have a lot of money but would think of paying for a private room next time and recommending one to any of my friends who were expecting.
If you paid for a private room was it worth it?
I don't have a lot of money but

[Jumblebee]

I did. Stayed on a ward for 2 nights after delivery (ventouse delivery so I had to stay) and it was hell.

No sleep, far too hot, having to waddle to the bathroom and worry about leaving my baby. Midwives leaving the curtain open when I was trying to breastfeed and lots of people coming and going getting an eyeful!

I was moved to a midwife led unit hospital for 2 more days as I struggled with breastfeeding and they had a lactation consultant there so I stayed until I was more confident in what I was doing.

It was blissful! Quiet, private bathroom, loads more room!

I didn't pay anything but if I needed to and could have afforded it I would have!

[MillionPramMiles]

Yes and it was well worth it for the quiet, privacy and space. I'd had a CS so had lots of MW's popping in so wasn't forgotten. Have highest regard for post-natal care at my hospital, MWs were lovely.

I did book mine in advance (the hospital offered it as had a planned CS booked in). There were only 3 private rooms available in a very large hospital so doubt I would have got one if I didn't know my delivery date in advance.

[Minesril]

I actually think that the thing I am most scared of about labour is that my baby will be born late afternoon/early evening, and my husband - having been present throughout the birth of our first child, and the biggest support I have had throughout the pregnancy - will be expected to leave due to me having to stay in overnight. I am actually terrified of this.

But I understand why visitors are not allowed on the ward outside visiting hours.

So yes, I will absolutely be paying for a private room if this scenario occurs.

When we had the tour of the ward some of the more opinionated women were really dismissive, saying "who would pay for that?" Hubby and I felt that we were in the minority and stayed quiet!

[rallytog1]

Yes. I was in for a week, thanks to a surgical error I needed to recover from, so I insisted and would not take no for an answer! We should have been billed £45 a night but 14 months on, no one has asked us for any money. But it would have been worth every penny even if we had have to pay or if it had only been a short stay.

It really made a difference not having to worry about who was looking at my boobs or the fluids leaking out of me. Plus the peace at night was lovely. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

[crankypants]

I did with all three. It was in a midwife-led unit at one of the big London hospitals. Our own room with double bed and an ensuite. Plasma TV up on the wall - was a much better set up than we have at home! All on the NHS. We feel we were very lucky. Don't know if hospital near you has a similar set-up? Highly recommend if you can make it work (low risk births only etc). Best of luck.

[scarletoconnor]

I had an NHS cubical for 1 day after ds then got put on the ward. If I could have afforded a private room I would have had one.

There are only a limited number of times you can re live the birth story of the woman in the next bed, especially when it gets more elaborate every time.

My 'neighbour' was a nightmare she kept hitting ds's cot with her chair when she kept shoving it into my space to give herself extra space. Her curtain was literally right up to the side of my bed as she felt claustrophobic and apparently as long as the new space she acquired was behind her curtain it was ok.

She kept going on about how little space she had I know the fucking feeling in my half size cubical love (i was in a corner space too to had a wall to the other side of me) when I moved the chairs back into her space she complained to the ward manager my curtain space was bigger than hers and asked to swap sides with me :/

Oh and she felt her ENTIRE c section but Was too brave to tell anyone as she wanted to be awake for her child being born - fuck off

It was probably more annoying as I'd needed a crash section and then resuscitation in my labour as well as my uterus rupturing so being told in front of this gobshite I could no longer have children and listening to her whispering this 'gossip' to all her visitors. I had to listen to her bullshit for 3 days.

She didnt flush the toilet after a poo. Left dirty used sanitary towels in the shower and insisted her dh stayed overnight to care for the baby as she was too tired to, poor love
Everytime I got up in the night to go to the bathroom he tried starting a conversation with me as he couldn't sleep....


I would definitely Max out my credit cards to pay for a private room in future, not that I will be having more though.

[LindaMcCartneySausage]

Didn't for the first and ended up on a nightmare ward with one lady talking at top volume in Italian on her phone all bloody day and night, the world's loudest snorer and a poor Somali lady who was in wailing and on tears because she gave birth to a second girl (had been told it was a boy) and so her husband wouldn't visit her. Oh, plus all the babies crying and the fact that the two visitors per bed during visiting hours rule was flagrantly ignored. Italian lady had 9 loud visitors at once, who threw open the curtain between our beds to give themselves more room and wanted to sit on my bed. Never again.

DS2 I got a private room afterwards. £250 a night and worth every single penny. You couldn't book private rooms at my hospital, only request them straight after birth and hope to grab one. Can't recommend them enough.

[Hakluyt]

I'm the only weirdo who really enjoyed the "all human life is here" element of the antenatal ward then

[MyLatest]

Wards are horrendous. DS slept beautifully all night after birth (CS) but baby in next cubicle screamed constantly (also CS). I was homicidal by morning when thankfully a private room became available. You do get ignored more though but it was better for visitors and having your own bathroom is a godsend with all the blood and gore.

[SomeSunnySunday]

No Hakluyt, I'm with you .

[JassyRadlett]

I think my hospital had just refurbished and now has single-bed rooms with ensuites as standard, and only two 2-bed wards. This includes C-sections with no complications.

It was bliss. I delivered at 6am and had to stay until the following afternoon as DS was on hourly obs; they asked if I'd like another night as they weren't full - I was seriously tempted!

I can't imagine if I'd been on a multi-bedded ward with the noise and intrusion. It was such a quiet and private time, I felt so lucky.

[Hakluyt]

Just us, then SomeSunnySunday!

[shoppingbagsundereyes]

I had a private room for my first dc. We were totally ignored for hours. I couldn't get out of bed because I had a catheter in and in the end I buzzed repeatedly because the urine bag looked like it was going to burst. Absolutely no support with feeding or changing ds which I had to try to do by reaching over from where I was stuck on the bed.
With dd I was on a ward with three other women. Lots of help and support, nurses in and out all day but yes it was a little noisier.
Most people with a second baby go home within a few hours. I would hold off and hope to be able to leave.

[Diamondsareagirls]

I was given a free one but I had twins so that was probably why! Was brilliant as I really felt as though I needed a bit if private space after the birth. If I had been having a single baby I would have paid for one if that was an option as I would have felt a little overwhelmed being surrounded by other mums and babies I think.

[GrouchyKiwi]

DD was born at 9pm so they left us in the birthing suite overnight, which was brilliant. There was a fold-out sofa for DH to sleep on, and they brought us both tea and toast after baby arrived. That was wonderful. The next morning they moved me to a ward with 3 other mums and babies and I hated that. DD was quite settled but the other babies were all (understandably) crying, and one of the mothers in particular had a lot of trouble.

They gave me a delicious lunch then I told them I wanted to go home. Had to lie that almost passing out when changing rooms was down to forgetting my asthma meds rather than the slightly-too-much blood I'd lost but there was no way I was staying in that room overnight when I had my DH, Mum and DB & SIL at home to help look after me and DD. Best decision as the baby slept 8 hours that night. No chance she would have done on the ward.

Didn't know there was a possibility of booking a private room. Will have to ask MW at next appointment!

[GirlInASwirl]

I was moved to a private room after my 1st DS's birth. I think it was by way of apology because my ward experience was 'beyond' dire!

I had a drug addict next bed up - whose bf came in with a 'package' for her - which he consequently tucked behind the radiators - she then chattered to herself all night (mostly not making sense). Opposite were two teenage kids who were struggling with the stress of the contractions, 'why the f**K did you do this to me! (etc) and argued all night. Then a woman with 5 inch, brown, curly fingernails who wanted assistance every five minutes then glared the rest of the time - ole girny face!

Being in a quiet room with beautiful baby was bliss after that.

[Angelto5]

I have 5dc & only ever been on a ward. The longest stay was with my last dc (jan this year) & I was in for 13 days. Unfortunately my baby had a severe case of jaundice due to me having antibodies in my blood so for some of the time she was in nnu & I was on the ward (without her for about 9 days.)I enjoyed being on a ward & wouldn't of changed it.

[Annietheacrobat]

Yes. Local NHS hospital only has single rooms (in all wards). I remember lying there, taking in the woodland view with a gentle breeze coming in through window, DD2 asleep . .. . . . Total contrast to hideous experience on PN ward at a London hospital.

[GrouchyKiwi]

Darn. I just looked up our local birthing centre and stays there are usually only for 6-12 hours. And post-birth care is in the (one) 4-bed ward I was moved to. They were going to keep me there overnight last time, though. I am going to have to ask my MW a lot of questions now.

[stargirl1701]

Yes. The rooms in our local MW unit are single rooms with en suite bathrooms. Lovely.

[ColdCottage]

Girlinaswirl that sounds dreadful. If anyone needed a private room you did.

[ShelaghTurner]

Only when my lovely dad paid £175 per night for it because I was terrified of hospitals. Big mistake. Yes it was good to have own bathroom, peace etc. But no one came near me for hours on end even when DD1 was screaming hungry and they told me to ring for formula. At 3am I waited 2.5 hours for someone to bring some while she screamed the whole time.

[Ledkr]

I was adamant I wanted one after my section (5th baby) and they said I could have one as I'm a sw and dh a copper so high chance of seeing clients as in same city.
However there wasn't one and I'm glad because I ended up in a four bed bay with just one woman and we closed the doors at night and chatted and giggled all night like it was a sleepover. I was more mobiles ii hobbled to make us tea and passed her things. It was one of the nicest experiences I've had and we are still great friends 3 yrs later.