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Childbirth

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

How much to save for private ELCS?

52 replies

TwentySomething · 29/12/2016 23:09

I'm hoping to have one DC in the next 5-7 years (I'm 27 now). Having a private ELCS with a female obstetrician is the only option I find acceptable, due to previous sexual trauma.

I've saved £10k towards this already but would be interested to hear people's opinions on the total amount I should be aiming for. As things currently stand, I won't be a high-risk pregnancy, but I do realise that that could change at any time. I'm looking for all ante- and post-natal treatment to be covered.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
minifingerz · 30/12/2016 23:02

here

UK's first maternity clinic for mothers who've experienced sexual abuse and rape.

SeasickCrocodile · 30/12/2016 23:09

I'd get private insurance and pay for it that way. Mine was 1500 a year and they paid the full bill at the Portland for a 32 weeks onward package. You could save quite a bit doing it that way.

EstelleRoberts · 30/12/2016 23:18

Seasick, who was your insurance with? Most U.K. Health insurers don't cover it. £1500 a year to include private birth sounds like you got a very good deal.

Bisquick · 30/12/2016 23:30

Just to say also look into private insurance. We could potentially have got fully private ante and post natal care via DPs workplace insurance if we paid £4K for at least a year prior to pregnancy. Might work out cheaper if you have the time to plan for it. But you'd need to confirm that they'll allow elective c-sections on insurance.
Also you can have much of your antenatal care (no exams) on NHS and then do delivery only at somewhere like Portland. Then you pay hospital fees (as above) and consultant fees (we were told 3-4K for delivery only). + what you'd pay for anaesthetist and extra nights. NHS antenatal care so far (at 33 weeks) has not involved any intimate examinations.
We didn't go for the private option so this is all based on just some preliminary conversations we had, but could be ways to make it more affordable. Good luck to you OP!

TwentySomething · 30/12/2016 23:36

Do any insurance companies cover ELCS for tokophobia? I was under the impression that that was not the case.

OP posts:
SpookyPotato · 30/12/2016 23:39

I haven't had to jump through any hoops for my c-section, just stated I had fear of birth and that was that, right from my 12 week appointment.. but it must depend on area. The midwife even said her and all her colleagues have/will have c-sections due to what they can see happen in birth. I can totally understand you not wanting to risk hoop jumping OP. Good luck for when the time comes Smile

SeasickCrocodile · 30/12/2016 23:40

Aviva, but had quotes from Bupa as well. Bupa wanted 4K a year if I remember correctly. I had the maternity plus package. I got lucky my insurance renewal date was my due date and I went four days early so only paid for one year. Keep in mind there's a 10 month waiting period so if you think you want to go private insurance make sure you sign up in the right time frame. UCH does ELCS privately.

SeasickCrocodile · 30/12/2016 23:44

Aviva did allow ELCS. The reimbursement was slightly different however. I had fab care at the Portland but a male consultant or I'd highly recommend him.

GoulashSoup · 30/12/2016 23:53

The clinic mentioned above by mini might be worth a look. They also offer pre conception councelling I think. It is based at the London so wouldn't be too far.

web page here

GoulashSoup · 30/12/2016 23:54

Sorry link fail

here

HomeIsWhereTheGinisNow · 30/12/2016 23:58

I just wanted to add my agreement to the others about catheters. I wasn't keen at all but it goes in when you're numb and I didn't feel it when they took it out. It enabled them to check the surgery went well if you can pass clear urine and means you can rest for the first few hours (you'll be numb for a while so won't make it to the loo). It's all very discreet, you can hide it under the sheets and it means you don't risk bladder problems. I think it's one of those things that seems much much worse in advance. Honestly, once he was born, I was so engrossed in my DS that I didn't even notice it.

I do think it'd be worth making g whoever you go with aware of your specific concerns. When you come back from theatre you'll probably be sitting on a pad for a while and you will have to have it changed until you can move to do it. I'm absolutely sure they'd be happy for you to have a female midwife for that but d they know in advance it'll help.

It's all a bit scary for everyone but much more so in your position. I am sure that whatever consultant you choose will go out of her way to make you comfortable. And you know, when I was scared before my op, I found the ladies on here so helpful so please please do come back and ask for details on anything you're unsure of.

SeasickCrocodile · 31/12/2016 03:40

Another option to consider might be surrogacy. In the gentlest way possible even going private may not give you what you need as I think you will struggle to get any OB to schedule you in before 39 weeks because it's not in the best interest of the baby. That leaves you with a fairly decent chance of going into spontaneous labor. I could be wrong but certainly worth understanding. You would need not just a female OB but one who works in a female only team because they all cover for one another. I had an incompetent cervix which led me to need monitoring via vaginal ultrasound every two weeks. There are just so many scenarios which could lead you to need to be examined that I think you'll need to think about how upsetting you would find it.

FWIW I think a csection actually leaves you with far less control and far more people in the room. And a far greater chance of needing intervention that you might find upsetting. Birth itself is just not a very controlled experience for many women as they need to care for you and the baby's physical needs first and foremost. I hope you find the best solution for you.

RedToothBrush · 01/01/2017 17:45

Surrogacy?

Seriously.
That is one of the worst pieces of advice I've ever seen on the subject and I find it incredibly offensive too.

It is YOUR opinion that a C-section give less control. That is totally subjective. There are plenty of women who have been through the experience (and in some cases had a vb too) and would disagree with you in the strongest possible terms.

Where did the OP say anything about having a baby before 39 weeks? You've stuck that in to alarm her. If you are scheduled for a CS under these circumstances, if you go into labour early, then you normally get treated as an Emergency and will simply get the next available theatre slot. It is unlike if you are planning to have a baby normally, where you wait for contractions to be a certain distance apart before going to hospital. If you are having a planned ELCS you instead go at the slightest hint of a contraction to get checked out. This gives you far more time before the baby might arrive. Exceptionally few women 'just pop' a baby out in a matter of minutes - ESPECIALLY first time mothers. The reality is that unless you are very very unlucky, you will still have an ELCS. (I have heard of one maybe two cases where this hasn't happened - I must stress just how unusual this is though).

And how do you intend to go about surrogacy? Its hard to get one, unless you have a female relative prepared to do it. Then there is the decision over whether the child is biologically yours or not. Going through the procedures for egg removal are not really going to solve the problem for someone with these problems.

Then its just a slap in the face for understanding why having a child of your own is important to women who have tokophobia. There is a sense already of not being regarded by society as 'good enough' because you are somehow weak for not feeling able to go through a VB. This is why I think you comment is so unbelievable offensive. It reinforces that feeling and that sense that you are some how less of a woman. What women in this situation need is the support to go through with a pregnancy and have that experience and to have the support to go through with childbirth themselves. Not be told that they might somehow be incapable of it.

That support is not necessarily a CS in every case. Sometimes women in this situation can change their minds if they are listened to, given enough support and grow to trust the staff treating them. An pre-agreed CS is a safety net as part of this process and an essential part. It then gives power to the woman concerned to do what she feels is best without any pressure. In my case that wasn't enough for me, but after having been through the process I understand just how much you can change how you feel and how someone might decide to go for a VB afterall.

Support and someone saying - its ok to feel the way you do - is part of it all. You are normal and just need that extra understanding.

Surrogacy has its place in women's health, but suggesting it in this context is deeply deeply unhelpful and fails to understand the problem and instead is more likely to be damaging.

TwentySomething · 01/01/2017 22:14

Surrogacy is a no-go anyway because of the procedures I'd need to go through to have a biological child that way. If the child weren't biologically mine, then I might as well adopt.

I think an ELCS would give me more control because it's much more predictable. Nobody can predict how a VB will go or even whether it will be physically possible. My mother laboured with me for 72 hours and she says it was absolute hell. She would probably be given an EMCS today (at least, I hope so).

OP posts:
SpookyPotato · 02/01/2017 09:21

C-section gave me much more control and removed all the fear. Didn't have any examinations and it's rare to need vaginal ultrasounds. I went through the whole experience with no-one touching my bits apart from the catheter which I wasn't aware of either.

SpookyPotato · 02/01/2017 09:22

whole experience = all of pregnancy, birth and recovery

Brown76 · 02/01/2017 09:32

I don't know if it would be feasible or suitable for you, but if you are 'low risk' maybe you could go with a female independent midwife for the antenatal and post natal care at a slightly lower cost with private scanning/testing.

farfallarocks · 02/01/2017 14:37

I had a
C section at st Thomas in the private bit. Fantastic female consultant called
Gaby grey and a female anaesthetist too. It was covered by my insurance as it was medically indicated but
Think it would be about £10k all in. Private ward in an NHS hospital
Is usually cheaper than a fully
Private hospital and you can often have NHS antenatal
Care and then switch just before the birth.

farfallarocks · 02/01/2017 14:41

Insurance companies are increasingly
Wary of covering c sections. Mine was initially refused by Axa ppp and mycomsiltant had to write a very strong letter back to them. No idea if tokophobia is covered, it should be of course but I imagine it's not. There was also a shortfall
To pay in the consultants fees as Axa only
Cover 700! But hospital fees covered in full

LapinR0se · 02/01/2017 14:51

I had private ante natal care at St Thomas' Westminster suite which cost about 6k, and then bupa happened to cover my c section and hospital stay as I had placenta praevia. It would have been another 10k for that I think.

Wishforsnow · 02/01/2017 14:56

Mine cost under £10K and was from 6 week early scan to elcs. Consultant was fab, lost count of number of scans and had her mobile to text if any issues. All the people is surgery was lovely as was the aftercare. There was an appointment to talk through how I felt afterward. Really worth every penny.

Wishforsnow · 02/01/2017 14:57

This was in Berkshire not London I should say.

ricepolo · 02/01/2017 15:02

Would it help to get a private female midwife during your pregnancy.m? You would build up a relationship with her and so if any intimate exams were needed, would hopefully trust her to do them?

Decemberrat · 02/01/2017 15:15

I argued for an ELCS and tried to use facts and logic, as I prefer.

It was only when I said and repeated, "I want a CS" that the magic phrase was listened to.

It is the woman's right to choose and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

farfallarocks · 02/01/2017 15:17

If you are looking for private midwifery care I can highly recommend neighbourhood midwives they are wonderful