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

[MissHC]

Our local hospital has a midwife led unit and a consultant led unit. The consultant led unit has wards although uou can pay for a private room but it's £££.

I gave birth in the midwife led unit where you get your own room with ensuite (and a fantastic walk in shower). It was refurbished a few months before I stayed there. And honestly, it was heaven. I didn't want to go home! I certainly didn't feel forgotten about either. If we ever have a DC2 I hope I can stay yhere again.

[mrsannekins]

I was given a private room out of pity after 2 dreadful nights of no sleep at all on the ward. Came to a head when about 4 am on the second night I finally got DD to settle, well she fell asleep on me while feeding and I was too exhausted to move her, and the midwife helpfully came along and took her off me and put her back in the cot. She woke up instantly and wouldn't go back to sleep. Although we were forgotten about in the private room, I ended up keeping DD in bed with me, bf'ing lying down and got a few hours much needed sleep. Oh and they let DH stay with us for a lot longer than visiting hours as my room was next to the exit and he wouldn't be seen by the other mums and cause trouble.
Still haven't had a bill after 2.5 years!

[jessiemummy28]

I planned to have a private room as couldn't face going on to the ward, but in the end I went into hospital at 9am, had DD at 5pm and was home for 9pm!

[cogitosum]

Those of you saying you didn't like being in your own room as it was lonely was there not an option for your dp or someone to stay? I don't think I'd have liked it without dh there but as it was it was perfect as we didn't have to worry about visiting hours.

[starfishmummy]

I had one for medical reasons.
Same as others have said I was left on my own most of the time. It was also by the nurses station so greyhound he chattering and the phone ringing at all hours. In addition it was closer to the labour rooms than the main ward......
But yes. Would have asked for one if there had been another dc!!

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

cogito officially, no, partners were evicted at 8pm. When we made a formal complaint about them mis-administering drugs (and a lot else), magically, he was able to stay.

I still left that day. They'd have had to brick up the door to keep me in. And they'll have to take me back in in a box; there is no way on earth I'd go back there. It's a third world shithole of festering crapness, and Jeremy Hunt should have got his way and closed it down.

Next time I'll stay home, or pay to go private. I don't care if we have to remortgage. It was that bad.

[Hakluyt]

No- everyone went when visiting time finished. But I liked the shared experience of being with other women- women incredibly different to me. And the people watching was amazing.

[SoonToBeSix]

Yes, but you get a private room free unless you have medical issues in my local hospital.

[SoonToBeSix]

Also for twenty pound your partner gets bed and breakfast

[IdaClair]

I had my own room both times, and my own bathroom, my own living room, my own kitchen and garden and my own front door that I could shut and lock whenever I wanted

[deepbluetr]

I didn't need one, was home three hours after the birth.

[SignoraStronza]

I had an elcs for dc2 (dc1 was an emcs but abroad so doesn't count) and thankfully the hospital protocol was to give those booked in for c section a private en suite room. Is a very new building though. Will definitely be going there again for dc3 - was wonderful and never saw another mother, partner or baby the entire two nights I was in!

[PickledinGin]

I was in for 5 days with all 3 of my births (c-sections) for the first 2 I was given a private room but I requested to be on a ward with my youngest. The thought of not speaking to anyone for another 5 days bar the odd visitor was enough to make me go stir crazy. There were 3 of us 'long termers' and we had a great laugh and put the world to rights.

The poor woman in the bed next to me spent the first night looking for a dripping tap only to discover the next day that the 'dripping tap' was in fact my sons apnoea monitor

[ColdCottage]

Thank you for all your stories and advice ladies.

[Scotinoz]

Had my baby privately, and the thought of a ward is fairly grim! Private room was lovely - peace, quiet, just you, husband and baby, lovely midwives every hour, obstetrician every day, three huge meals and a twice daily tea trolley. It was like a little mini break

[LumieresForMe]

I had one for both births as I have been lucky that they weren't that busy on both occasions.
Didn't pay for it either even though was prepared to do both times.

Completely worth it IMO. First time because they didn't want me to leave due to complications. So I had 3~4 days in relative quiet environment.
Second time because it allowed me to recover a bit before going back to dc1 who was a toddler and a hand full at the time.

[motherinferior]

I had a very nasty first birth and was put in a room on my own, which was standard for Caesarians (in fact I didn't have one but only just not). I really appreciated that. I in a fair bit of shock and a lot of pain.

It's all very well to say 'just go home'. I bloody wish.

OP, however, I would think about whether you might want to have your second baby at home in the first place. If it is a fairly straightforward birth, it can be a much nicer place. That's what I did. I'm really not trying to force you, though!

[TaurielTest]

Had both my babies in MLUs so had en-suite room to myself for postnatal stay (only overnight each time, would have gone home sooner with DC2 but had to wait for paed checks), with chairs/beanbags/mats that DP could sleep on.

An overnight stay in a 6 bed AN ward for observation was enough to convince me that I would not have appreciated the company of other people during a PN stay.

[dannydyerismydad]

Nope. I wish I had asked. I had a c-section and was in for 4 days and nights. I had the worst of both worlds - a ward with 5 other women, all who insisted on having their curtains closed all the time. It was hot, cramped and claustrophobic with no social aspect either :(

[Hakluyt]

"and never saw another mother, partner or baby the entire two nights I was in!"

That must have been awful!

[JassyRadlett]

Hak, I had nearly the same, except for a brief trip to the SCBU (thankfully very brief) and lining up to get food.

I'm not a great 'let's have a lengthy chat with a total stranger' type at the best of times; immediately after a difficult 28-hour labour was not the best of times! I was hugely grateful for the peace and privacy of a single room, a ward is my idea of hell on earth!

[ColdCottage]

Motherinferior not sure I'd cope with a home birth as my labour was 42 hours, 16 hours of that was under epidural being turned from one side to the other every half hour as DS was coming down at a funny slant.

Otherwise I like the idea of a home birth, being relaxed in your own environment and straight into your own bed afterward. Though how relaxing is it if you have a toddler wanting your attention straight away?

I've heard it's nice to have a little time bonding alone with your newborn before you go home.

[Kelly1814]

I had a private c section and as standard it was 4 nights in hospital. Best 4 nights ever! Private room with en suite. Nurses at the touch of a buzzer. A la carte meals. I cried when I left!

[TiredFeet]

First baby I didn't and I had an awful experience on the ward, girl in bay next to me alternating between rowing withthe father of one of her children down the telephone and rowing with the other father in the ward

Second time I had to have one night on the ward and it was grim again, with a mum who entertained about 10 guests at once, and a mum who wandered off just leaving her baby crying till the midwives came and got it
So after that I transferred to a birthing centre and had a private room there for a couple of nights and it was lovely, we could chat to other mums at meals and have visitors whenever we wanted, but also privacy and peace and quiet. It was maybe a bit lonely but I desperately needed sleep and rest as we had had a very traumatic week the week before the birth.I was prepared to pay but they waived the fee as they decided I had a clinical need for a private room anyway I think