Consultant recommendation: Portland Hospital

[RafflesMaidenSister]

Hi, I am looking for recommendations for a consultant at the Portland Hospital. Looking at having an elective caesarean following an emergency caesarean 15 months ago (by time of birth will be 21 months between c-sections). I know it's vain but my midriff has been hacked to pieces. I am so grateful for my first baby (both pregnancies IVF) and for the opportunity here but I hate my body, and I don't want it to be made any worse. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Ruwan Wilmalasandera did mine and you can hardly see the scar. He is the most kind, calm and competent consultant.

Ive had two c-sections by consultants who are both at the Portland. Pat O'Brien did the first one, and Raj Rai the second (at the Lindo). I would say that Mr Rai's scar is better than Mr O'Brien's although there is not much in it, really. Five years on and my scar is virtually invisible.

Both are extremely competent surgeons. I did gel with Mr Rai a little better - he's a bit quirky, whereas Mr O'Brien is more of a sciency-type. Both were very reassuring of my worries.

Pat O’Brien is fantastic - I have a lovely neat scar that healed really well, and have several friends who went with him.

Just curious, are these private consultants?

OP not sure this is appropriate. People are being named here without their consent and in the context of their professional reputation. I know you meant well but I don’t think it’s fai

I think it's perfectly fine to ask for and give recommendations for medical professionals. There haven't been so many of these recently as there have been in the past, but they are quite common and aren't restricted to obstetrics.

Both the consultants have NHS posts, Mr O'Brien at UCLH and Mr Rai at St Mary's, Paddington.

Claire Mellon was my consultant, she is calm, friendly and very knowledgable. I've had two emergency sections with her, one was 2am and she was there within 20 mins. I had 22 months between sections.
From a scar point of view, my scar is very neat, I've no lumpy scar tissue at all and beauticians have even commented on how neat it is.
She is an NHS consultant too, but her private practice is at the Portland.

She gets booked up very quickly.

And before anyone hops on the anti-portland/private hospital bus, they have the same faciilites as St Mary 's and can have a NICU for babies from 30 weeks. (DS1 was preemie)

did anyone have mr o'brien for the full antenatal package? I was a bit confused why they don't scan you at any appointment, and you pay seperately? What's the point then?

No, my insurance only covered delivery so I saw him for one appointment before the op. However, he was also my NHS consultant so it wasn’t the first time we’d met.

I guess it depends on the specifics of the package you buy. Mr O’Brien is more oriented towards the medical science side of things so probably not that focused on treating you to a glimpse of your baby if not medically necessary.

Ah ok that makes sense so I’m guessing you had your antenatal care at uch. Did you find that ok , if you had any symptoms during the pregnancy?
Thanks

I found UCLH fine - the second time round I had recurring urinary infections which they didn’t deal with terribly well. I wrote a complaint and was seen fairly pronto by a consultant after that. I needed a kidney scan and she asked to use my complaint letter for training purposes.

I saw a different midwife every time but I think that’s standard in the NHS. Long waits for appointments - again, pretty standard. I saw a consultant due to various gynaecology issues which meant I would have to have a section and I found them all very professional and clearly at the top of their game (as you’d expect at a major London hospital). We had a breastfeeding class there which I found useful as I barely knew one end of a baby from the other!