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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Lindo or Portland? Anyone have and opinion?

143 replies

p555nat · 31/10/2006 11:12

I recently went for a tour at the Lindo Wing of St Marys and was a little dissapointed for £3500!! I am now thinking of changing to The Portland, has anyone else looked into both? Any other opinions? Also is the Portland more expensive?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Highlander · 31/10/2006 15:46

which has the best post-natal champagne offering?!

Anchovy · 31/10/2006 15:52

I've had 2 babies at the Portland and would unhesitatingly recommend it. Friend had a baby at the Lindo and for a variety of reasons I did not think her care was as good as mine. But different choices, different histories, different times, different babies.

Portland does have neo-natal intensive care and SCBU.

There are some fairly diverse "house views" on here about the Portland. The high levels of C sections is a complete red herring - a lot of people's medical insurance will cover a medically required c-section and if you know in advance that you are going to need a c-section you can hop over to a private hospital, so of course they are going to do many more than average.

Personally I had better experience of pregnancy and birth than pretty much all of my friends and colleagues, and I think that is down to the very positive experience I had at the Portland. But it is all a very personal thing.

NappiesGalore · 31/10/2006 15:55

Portland has an awful record of safety/deaths.

reccomend the Birth Unit at St Johns and St Elizabeths (John and Lizzies) in St Johns Wood.

Kate Moss, Gwyneth, McCartney woman all went there. after me of course!

truly, was FABULOUS. really trusted them, and had v happy birth experiences there.

good luck!

bundle · 31/10/2006 15:56

from the Portland's own website, re: intensive care for mother/baby:

Intensive Care Unit

In very rare circumstances when intensive care is required for the mother, a transfer is made from our HDU to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at The Harley Street Clinic, which is less than five minutes away. Alternatively, the transfer may be to an ICU at an NHS hospital, depending upon the individual circumstances.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Baby Care Unit

Should the need arise and your baby is admitted to either of these Units, they will be looked after by specialist staff. Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is able to care for babies from 32 weeks gestation. Parents are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the Unit sharing in the care of their baby. Your baby will be in the care of a Consultant Paediatrician. The Consultant Paediatrician, Resident Medical Officer or the Midwifery and Nursing staff are always pleased to talk to you about your baby and any worries you may have.

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 15:59

Thankyou for these positive views on the Portland. Spoke to the other half and he still wants to go for a visit next week and if it really is that nice we are still considering it! Thankyou Anchovy and highlander for your very positive views. I also think it a bit of a myth about the Portland. It looks like a fantastic hospital to me!

OP posts:

Anchovy · 31/10/2006 16:08

I simply don't think it is true that the Portland has a dreadful record. I think it gets a lot of airtime for one or two incidents (without ever intending to minimise those incidents). I'm quite familiar with the hospital and I do not believe it is true that it has an "awful record of safety/deaths".

bundle · 31/10/2006 16:10

even 5 minutes' delay would be an issue for me, if I was choosing a hospital

CountessDracula · 31/10/2006 16:19

When you do visit them ask if they have only an RMO on overnight

Also ask if they have a full operating theatre, they used to have one minor one (ie not full facilities) so you are a bit stuffed if two of you need it immediately

bundle · 31/10/2006 16:21

how many SCBU beds? it says that midwifery staff trained in using equipment - but does this mean all of them?

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 16:22

I find it fascinating that the Portland gets so much stick, I doubt a woman choosing to go 'the natural route' and having home births or going to an NHS hospital would get so much stick!!

Would she be bombarded by 'horror' stories or mothers dieing and babies not being properly looked after??? or are we saying ALL other hospitals have a flawless record!!! Why is it then certain people feel so much dis-taste to The Portland?? I can only find 3 highly publicised so tragedies at the Portland, yet you don't see articles being written about the terrible things that happen on the NHS (we all know they do). My view is everyone can fond a negative or 'horror story' on EVERY hospital, and what if the risk of going into intensive care is raised by dirty wards or inexperienced staff, which is much more common on the NHS??

Anyway, everyone has there own views.....rant over

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bundle · 31/10/2006 16:26

my heart sinks whenever I see a "horror" story about how maternity care can and does go wrong - in both NHS and private settings.I think the Portland (et al) get a lot of publicity because people are paying extra to go there and think they'll therefore get the best care. that doesn't always happen.

CountessDracula · 31/10/2006 16:28

I don't think that the Portland in particular gets singled out does it? Lots of NHS hospitals get a real pounding on here.

I still stand by my opinion that birth is not always straightforward and if you don't have the facilities to hand it could end in tragedy one way or another. I am all for private healthcare I just think you need to have it somewhere safe that is properly staffed

Greensleeves · 31/10/2006 16:29

I agree with CD, and for similar reasons. You really don't want to be stuck somewhere without the right facilities to deal with an emergency. In some situations every second is important, never mind five minutes.

NotQuiteCockney · 31/10/2006 16:32

afaik, NHS hospitals performing sections have full emergency facilities on tap.

Often mothers using basic NHS hospitals don't have other options. You do. Hence people being free with their concerns ...

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 16:42

Don't get me wrong, I agree with what you are saying about better safe than sorry and then its personal choice. It just bothers me how easily horror stories etc are dished out to first time mums looking into the care of thier babies. private or not! Opinions on wards yes, but being told about babies and mums tragedies no thankyou, whatever the topic.

OP posts:

bundle · 31/10/2006 16:43

if say a couple of years ago I was considering giving birth at Northwick Park, I would have wanted to know about their (appalling) record.

CountessDracula · 31/10/2006 16:45

You seem quite happy to post your own horror story re C&W though!

northerner · 31/10/2006 16:45

Have no personal knowledge of any of these hospitals, although my SIL had both her kids at The Portland, both deliveries were fine, care was fine, bet her 2 nd baby (dd) developed viral meningitas at 2 days old and baby had to be transferred to an NHS hospital as Portland couldn't deal with it.

In support of what CD has said it wasn't picked up by night staff and it should have been. Was picked up by pead in the morning.

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 16:46

but here we are again, back to my previous point, does the Portland REALLY have 'appalling' record???? or is it just over publicised hype????

OP posts:

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 16:49

yes, but I would NEVER tell that story to someone asking me about C&W as an option as I don't think it reflects the care of the WHOLE hospital!!

OP posts:

CountessDracula · 31/10/2006 16:49

I have no idea what their record is

I just know that private hospitals without full facilities are dangerous places if something goes wrong.

CountessDracula · 31/10/2006 16:53

" Given that the maternal death record of the Portland Hospital is well above the national average, statistically even more so given that their patients are from privileged backgrounds, this new case is rightly a source of great public concern"

This is the first thing I found on it

from this press release
No stats to back it up though

northerner · 31/10/2006 16:54

Blimey p555nat you asked for opinions and that is what you are getting. You should have asked for only good opinions if you don't like it.

Original poster

p555nat · 31/10/2006 16:57

Yes I was asking for opinions on Lindo v Portland not the Maturnal Death record!!!

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justaphase · 31/10/2006 16:57

But is eergency care that accessible on the NHS really????

We all know they are overstretched for resources. Only last week a woman in labour was turned away from one hospital and her baby died because she could not get to the other hospital in time. Sorry, can't remember the details but it was on the news last week.

You may have to wait much more than 5 mins in an NHS hospital for facilities/consultants to become available.

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