Anyone had a birth in a private hospital and would you recommend it?

[GardenAngel4]

I didn't have a great birth experience 1st time round and DH particularly is keen to look into going private. Am not in London. be grateful to hear any thoughts.

(Not personal experience, just hearsay.) It's worth checking what emergency facilities they have before you commit - NHS hospitals are often much better equipped when it comes to things going wrong. A friend of mine is currently pregnant and is going private in London, she is responsible for booking all her antenatal appointments herself whereas mine are all organised for me by the NHS midwife/GP/hospital. I wouldn't feel confident being left to book my own in case I forgot something significant but in your case as it's not your first pregnancy this might not worry you.

have you been debriefed on your first birth?

have you looked into an independent midwife and / or a doula?

one of my resons to go private was due to the lack of any care by my local NHS. I had grade iv placenta previa and was told at 21 weeks scan to come back at 36 weeks. that was it by some junior doctor. could not get to see the consultant to discuss the matter for more than 9 weeks. when i did i was told i would have a CS by newley training doctor. well that was not for me. had DS at the Portland and connot fault their aftercare and was done on the day by 2 senior consultants. you should have a higher level of care in the private sytem and they will monitor you much closer so less chance of anything going wrong and not being picked up. that is just my view so others may differ.

Thanks for all your views, it is definitely food for thought. voodoo what did you mean by debrief? We were given the opportunity to complain about the catalogue of errors if that's what you mean?

Am still undecided...

I think an independent midwife would be a good option for you. That way you can still have the reassurance of NHS emergency facilities but you know you'll definitely have the one to one care of a medical professional that you know and trust.

I would have given anything to have gone to St John & Lizzies (but I don't live in London either). I reckon it would be worth the money, but a better option might be to check if your local birthing centre accepts post-birth transfers? That way you have the emergency support if you need it when giving birth in a hospital, and the more sensitive aftercare of the birthing centre afterwards... both of our local centres offer this and it is worht a thought - the money you save could fund a fabulous holiday for some R&R afterwards.

After a crap 1st birth I tried both private hospital (John's & Lizzies) and then an Independent Midwife (as moved out of london).

I can recommend both without reservation.

The IM route is the best if you are outside london. The only issue is that, unless you go for a homebirth (in which the IM will be extremely experienced), you'll be fighting with 12 other women for use of birth pools in an NHS hospital.

Your IM is unlikely to be able to deliver you, but that's the easy bit! It's the hours of 1-to-1 support before that that are important.

Message withdrawn

The IM can deliver if she has made arrangements with the hospital to do so. Mine didn't/hadn't (although she had worked their in the past and knew all the protocols), but it wasn't an issue at all. Everyone else in the room were strangers. Was great to have someone I trusted and had built a relationship with. In the height of transition and delivery, hers was the only voice that could get through to me!

I know a number of people who have delivered at the Portland and have been very pleased with it. I looked round John and Lizzies and was not impressed at all - it looked very tired. Then they wheeled their 70s-looking baby resuscitator out of a side cupboard and said if bubs had serious probs they'd call an ambulance and hope there was a cot at Mary's. I fled for the private wing of Chelsea & W. To be honest if you are thinking about going fully private get some recommendations for an obstetrician first as where he delivers may sway your choices.

the portland has excellent NICU amd SCBU. my son had nealry 1 to 1 care in their and the pediatrician came to see me every day for an update. could not recomend it more.

gardenangel re debrief

i mean, not only the chance to complain about the errors made or other issues, but to go through your notes with someone and to find out in more detial what happened and why. and it can often help come to terms with things if you are suffering as a result of a traumatic experience.

Thanks all. The idea of an IM is appealing (How do you go about finding a IM?)and I will look into the post birth transfer also.

Because that was something which was the final straw - we picked one of the busiest nights for months (apparently) to give birth and there was no bed for me in a 'normal' ward so I was put in a high dependency ward and was completely ignored and forgotten, which with breastfeeding problems was awful.

Thankyou so much everyone.

I have heard the portland is fab, but I'm in the North West so it's not an option.

lulumama, okay understand what you mean re debrief, yes we did complain and got a pretty standard letter of reply, by which time DH had lost the will.

i am in merseyside, i have a friend who have used an IM called Judith Kuratec. I also know a lady who paid to have her babies privately in the local NHS hospital, in as much as , she saw her consultant all the way through, he atteneded the birth, she had a guaranteed epidural, and a private room...

Sounds a good compromise. Have booking in appointment with MW next week, perhaps I should ask then? I'll also search on internet. Thanks

welcome, certainly discuss with your MW

www.independentmidwives.org.uk/?node=722

you can search for an IM on the independent midwives associations site...if the govt haven't shut them down yet

brummie that's great! Thanks. Here's hoping...