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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Lindo Wing/Karl Murphy

16 replies

ceng · 25/10/2018 14:19

Hi everyone,

I just found out my health insurance covers a generous amount for childbirth and has the lindo wing on their list of approved hospitals. I am starting to look into it and have a few questions

First - has anyone experienced giving birth there? Would you recommend it? I am probably going to be followed by Dr Murphy and was wondering if anyone could give feedback?

Second - Do you know if the doctor's fees come on top of the package quoted by the Lindo Wing? If so, how much more to budget on top of the price advertised by the Lindo? Trying to figure out if and how much out of pocket expenses i'd get if I choose to go there.

Thanks!

OP posts:
Alltootrue2u · 28/10/2018 10:06

I had my DD on the Lindo wing using Tariq Miskry.

Consultants fees are seprarte from hospital fees. I had an emergency section and the consultant that placed my spinal anaesthetic had a further charge in top. My daughter was examined by a leatticiuam at delivery and that was a 4th fee.

Tariq’s fee + hospital stay + anthestisist + paediatrician.

Bill was considerable. Private endival
Insurance have a set figure that they pay towards obstetrician, anaesthetic and sundry items. Be prepared to cover the shortfall. It will be £1000’s.

Alltootrue2u · 28/10/2018 10:07

Sorry for typos! Daughter was examined by paedetrician!!

Original poster
ceng · 28/10/2018 11:01

Thanks for your reply! I know this might be a bit personal but would be great to have an idea just how much in total? My insurance covers £8000 for normal delivery and 14k for C section but i'd really like to get an idea of how much i would expect to pay on top of that before i decide to go ahead

OP posts:
Original poster
ceng · 28/10/2018 11:24

Sorry just realised I replied to the thread and not to your post

OP posts:
YoMommasMomma · 30/10/2018 20:46

If your insurance covers 8k, you will need to pay that again at least for a straight forward delivery. So hospital fees plus consultant fees for straight forward birth will be at least 14k, if you need an instrumental delivery it will be more and a c section more again.

Xiaoxiong · 30/10/2018 20:58

I had the same on private insurance and investigated the Portland for DS1, similar amounts covered. When they told me that they would transfer me to the NHS hospital across the road in case of any complications I decided to stick with the NHS and didn't regret it. I could have used the private health insurance to get a private room at my local NHS hospital instead, but as I went home the next morning it didn't make much difference and I didn't bother with DS2! In my area it was all the same consultants in both private and NHS, and when I had DS2 on the NHS I had consultant led care all the way through from the obstetrician I had seen privately for a scan for DS1!

Original poster
ceng · 30/10/2018 21:16

That's good to know.... definitely don't want to add 8k+ from our own pocket so might reconsider. My local NHS hospital has great reviews for the birth centre but some quite scary ones for the ward.... I don't know how i'll get on with the pain as this is my first but in France where I'm from I don't know anyone who hasn't gotten an epidural so it scares me a bit.

If I ask for one i'll be transferred to the ward which i've heard is far less pleasant than the birth centre and both of them are apparently very understaffed.

If Lindo really is another extra 8k out of pocket then I might be better off going to my local hospital and saving 1k for a private midwife or doula to be present maybe. I'm just scared to be a bit left alone and not listened to as this is a feedback that seems to come back.

OP posts:
Original poster
ceng · 30/10/2018 21:18

That makes sense.

At the moment I'm midwife led at the NHS hospital so don't think I'll see a consultant until something goes wrong at birth or if I request an epidural. I'm not very reassured about being surrounded by people i've never met on the day of the birth and I also know the hospital is understaffed with both midwives and consultants so quite worried about not being given pain relief when wanted or being looked after.

It is meant to be one of the best NICU in the country though so that's the upside...

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 30/10/2018 21:27

I think the main thing no matter where you are is to have someone who is 100% on your side in terms of the birth plan and can advocate for you. In my case that was DH who is very comfortable with anything medical, excellent in a crisis and didn't get flustered or upset when I was in labour and he had to go find a midwife who had disappeared down the hall. But that could also be another relative, a private midwife or doula too. I had an epidural both times as well, nobody batted an eyelid. I guess nobody pushed it on me, I just said I needed it at a certain point.

Original poster
ceng · 30/10/2018 21:43

Good to know. I might need to speak a bit more with the midwife to get reassurance and understand how it all works in different scenario. Dh is not great with hospitals, blood, needles or pain so although I can’t imagine doing this without him I think I might need someone else who can stay strong and advocate for me! Thanks for your tips

OP posts:
user1466518624 · 02/11/2018 09:07

Xiao I have had 2 at the Portland with complications and it is a complete myth that you are shipped out to the NHS.

Xiaoxiong · 02/11/2018 13:59

Apologies if I am perpetuating a myth, that's what the person on the booking line told me re my insurance, anything beyond a c-section not covered there. I guess I could be mixing it up and attributing my insurance policy's lack of coverage to the Portland though! It was about 8 years ago so it's a bit hazy. But that was the main reason I didn't pursue further.

Please listen to the poster who has actually had babies at the Portland OP!

Original poster
ceng · 02/11/2018 14:20

Thanks for precising. I was also told that the Portland or most private wings wouldn’t handle serious complications like maternal cardiac arrest for example. Although very rare of course, it is reassuring to be very close to an nhs hospital in case anything drastic like this happens where they could tap quickly into specialist surgeons, cardiologists or other specialties. I have no doubt that the Portland can handle c sections, difficult births, babies in distress but do you know what they would do in case something more serious happen?

Most importantly - were you happy with your experience there and would you spend the money again if you could?

OP posts:
Original poster
ceng · 02/11/2018 14:26

The Portland actually seems slightly less expensive than the lindo and allows midwife led care which wouldn’t add the extra 8k for consultant fees so that looks attractive in terms of prices. Would be keen to know more about it as most of what I’ve heard in the past was slightly negative (high rates of c sections, higher maternal death) but it could be a negative bias towards private care? What’s your opinion pp as you have experience there?

OP posts:
NorthernRunner · 02/11/2018 14:30

My lovely friend is a midwife at the Portland. She has said to me countless times if there is an emergency they will transfer as they aren’t equipped to deal with emergency c-sections.

All the best op!

user1466518624 · 02/11/2018 20:09

I had 2 emergency C Sections there Northern and yes I would go back there for a third.

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