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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Private birth room with the NHS

62 replies

Misstiffany · 23/12/2020 11:52

Hello, so I’ve just discovered only now that you are able to pay for a private birth room within the NHS?

Has anyone done this? And how do I go about getting more info about it?

How much roughly did it cost?

OP posts:

Twizbe · 23/12/2020 12:03

The room you give birth in is private. Always. It will be your room.

If you need to go to the post natal ward you can usually pay to get a single room. However, this is only if a room is available. There are clinical needs for new mothers to have a private room and they take priority over paying customers.

I was never admitted to the ward and was discharged straight from labour ward / birth centre.

Original poster

Misstiffany · 23/12/2020 12:07

Sorry, I meant post natal! Not during birth!

OP posts:

Original poster

Misstiffany · 23/12/2020 12:08

But I see :)

OP posts:

spaceghetto · 23/12/2020 12:09

My sis did this, it was about £70. I was lucky and was given a private room for free both times with my boys!

Bridecilla · 23/12/2020 12:09

Depends where you are. My local NHS hospital is all private postnatal rooms (they have a Jack and Jill bathroom but very private)

Mylittleturkeysandwich · 23/12/2020 12:10

Oh I would have loved that. I hated the postnatal ward. Not an option where I had DS.

Original poster

Misstiffany · 23/12/2020 12:11

I wish I had looked into this with my first! But 70 isn’t too bad I’m guessing that’s per night?

OP posts:

Jemma2907 · 23/12/2020 12:13

I tried both times and failed to get a private room for postnatal. My 2nd birth I was in there for 5 days and one didn't become available in all that time. You can ask to be put on the list as soon as you arrive but there is no guarantee you will get them. The only friend I know who managed, it was because her baby was in NICU so it would have been dreadful to be a in room with other mother and babies. Priority is given to these mothers (and so it should be). They csnt be booked at my hospital, you have to ask when you arrive.

KylieKangaroo · 23/12/2020 12:14

I asked for a private room after birth but they never had one. That ward was so noisy I still have nightmares about the woman next to me sleeping through her baby crying while mine was fast asleep

star8 · 23/12/2020 12:15

Hi. I paid with my son at royal london hospital was 125 bit that was 4 years ago. Think it is around the 170 mark now per night. Definitely different costs for different hospitals
Nice to have own loo and bath but very expensive now.

notacooldad · 23/12/2020 12:17

I paid for a private room after the birth if both lads although it was a while back now!
It was bloody marvellous!!!!
I had been admitted overnight half way through my pregnancy over an issue and the ward was terrible. Visitors was supposed to be limited to maybe 3 I think and had to be off the ward by 8.
The woman across from me had 8 visitors including lads if small children running round and was still there at 8.45pm despite the buses asking them to leave.
That made my mind up to have a room if it was available.
It was fantastic. I had my own TV, and toilet. When I had ds1 I had to be in for 5 days after complications so definitely worth it. Ds 2 I had one night.

Original poster

Misstiffany · 23/12/2020 12:18

Do I just call up my local maternity hospital and ask For the price?! Yes it would be nice, I’ve heard that your partner can sleep in the room as well?!

OP posts:

notacooldad · 23/12/2020 12:18

Just ring up the ward and ask for details. They will tell you the cost.

THNG5 · 23/12/2020 12:19

£70 is mega cheap! Where I gave birth, it's £180 with ensuite, £120 without. As others have said, it's first come first served and they can move you out if they need the room for someone with a greater need. Where I had my babies, you weren't allowed a private room after having a c section (well the night after you had the section). I was in for a few days with my third so I asked to be moved after the first night.

notacooldad · 23/12/2020 12:20

Sorry I crossed post with you.
In my case it was a single bed. It didn't even occur to me to think about Dh being there. It would have been difficult with Ds1 because he would still have to get ready for work and when I had ds1 he was looking after ds1!

SockQueen · 23/12/2020 12:20

Prices vary hugely - at my local hospital it's £80/night, in some London ones it's more than £500! And only if the side rooms aren't needed by other women for medical reasons. Your partner won't be allowed to stay during Covid unless there are other medical (usually MH) reasons for this.

ReeseWitherfork · 23/12/2020 12:21

Ask your midwife, every trust will have different rules. They all have different rules about partners staying too. I had a private room as baby was in NICU and my DH stayed that first night (not intentionally; we both sort of drifted off!). He wasn’t supposed to but the hospital turned a blind eye.

ReeseWitherfork · 23/12/2020 12:22

You also don’t have to stay overnight either, obviously depends what time you give birth. Think the minimum you will be in is four hours post birth, so in theory you could go home.

happylittlechick · 23/12/2020 12:22

They have them at my local hospital but I never inquired about the price. They do have some private rooms available for free though. These are given on priority basis I think.

Terrhins · 23/12/2020 12:27

You can ask but be wary may not get it with rooms being used for unknown covid status, mums with babies in scbu, readmissions etc.

Your DH probably won’t be able to stay with Covid but will have visiting.

Crumpetsandhoney · 23/12/2020 12:28

I asked for this at a big hospital prior to covid. Thry said they dont really do it anymore as dont have surplus spare rooms. No harm in asking though. Also I spent one night o n post natal ward. 4 women to a room it was fine.

TrySarahTops · 23/12/2020 12:28

I did it with my first and it was worth every penny.

With my second, I was expecting to go home after the birth, so when things went horribly wrong, and I end up with an op, it was too late for me to have a private room, so I had to share on the ward. It was awful. I checked myself out of the hospital after two days because I couldn't cope with it any more. In hindsight, that was a bloody stupid thing to do, but I really was at my wits' end.

CatVsChristmasTree · 23/12/2020 12:29

@ReeseWitherfork

You also don’t have to stay overnight either, obviously depends what time you give birth. Think the minimum you will be in is four hours post birth, so in theory you could go home.

I did this with DS1, I had planned a home birth but labour took too long. Had him at 6:15pm and left at 00:15, they weren't keen especially as he was my first and I was only 20, but I was very insistent! With DD I had to stay as she was slightly too cold at birth and it was a really cold night so they didn't want us leaving in it, which was fair enough but I didn't get much sleep, though that was mostly due to afterpains. The paracetamol they gave me when I cried really didn't touch it! They did her sleep in my bed so I could feed though. Couldn't afford a private room so didn't ask if they had any. My cousin paid £75 a night, about 8 years ago.

Jangirl03 · 23/12/2020 13:07

I had a private room on the postnatal ward for 5 nights in one of the hospitals in Bedfordshire. It would have been about 100 pounds a night except I was very unwell so they waived it x

Hoppinggreen · 23/12/2020 13:10

They don’t all have this facility unfortunately, however at my local hospital you can stay in the room you gave birth in unless they need it. When they were making noises about moving me to the ward I just went home - but I was perfectly fit to

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